NHTSA Complaint #10891614 — 2015 RAM 2500

THE TOW HOOKS ON THE FRONT OF MY RAM 2500 TRUCK WERE USED TO PULL THE TRUCK ONTO A TOW TRUCK BED THAT WAS LOWERED TO THE GROUND. BOTH HOOKS WERE USED, AS DIRECTED BY THE OWNER'S MANUAL. THE TRUCK'S TRANSMISSION WAS PUT IN NEUTRAL. THE TRUCK WAS GENTLY WINCHED ONTO THE TOW TRUCK. AS IT WAS BEING PULLED, THE ENTIRE BUMPER ASSEMBLY WAS BEING YANKED OUT FROM THE FRAME OF THE TRUCK, CAUSING DAMAGE TO THE FRONT FENDERS. THE TOW DRIVER STOPPED AND THE TRUCK (WITH A FLAT TIRE) HAD TO BE DRIVEN THE REST OF THE WAY UP TO PREVENT FURTHER DAMAGE DUE TO THE BUMPER/TOW HOOK FAILURE. THIS IS A KNOWN PROBLEM, AS NOTED ON SEVERAL FORUM PAGES OF RAM TRUCK OWNERS: "CUMMINSFORUM.COM" AS WELL AS ON YOUTUBE. CHRYSLER WILL NOT COVER THIS UNDER WARRANTY SAYING IT'S NOT A FAILURE OF THE TRUCK. THEIR "CUSTOMER CARE" CLAIMS THEY'VE NEVER HEARD OF THE PROBLEM BEFORE. IT IS A PUBLICIZED PROBLEM FOR RAM 2500/3500 TRUCKS FOR MODEL YEARS 2010 THROUGH CURRENT. THE KNOWN FACTS ARE THE BUMPER AND THE TOW HOOKS ARE ATTACHED TO THE FRAME USING THE SAME MOUNTING BRACKET WHICH HAS OBLONG-SHAPED HOLES TO ALLOW ADJUSTMENT TO CORRECTLY ALIGN THE BUMPER. THE BOLTS ARE NOT TORQUED ENOUGH FROM THE FACTORY TO ALLOW FOR ANY TENSION TO BE APPLIED TO THE TOW HOOKS, OTHERWISE FRONT-END DAMAGE WILL OCCUR TO FRONT PAINTED BODY PIECES. CHRYSLER CORPORATION LLC STILL CONTINUES TO MAINTAIN THEIR COVERUP THAT IT IS THE USERS FAULT, NOT A FAILURE OF THE VEHICLE. I ALREADY PAID MONEY UNDER THE COUNTER TO A GUY TO RESTRAIGHTEN THE BUMPER, BUT THE PAINT/FENDER DAMAGE IS STILL THERE. THERE ARE NUMEROUS PICTURES AND VIDEOS ONLINE SHOWING THE RESULTS AND DAMAGE OF USING THE TOW HOOKS...SOMETHING THAT SHOULD BE DESIGNED TO USE ON A HEAVY DUTY TRUCK. PLEASE GOOGLE SEARCH "RAM 2500 TOW HOOK PROBLEMS" AND YOU WILL SEE NUMEROUS SITES SHOWING CHRYSLER'S PROBLEM. PLEASE MAKE CHRYSLER RECALL THESE TRUCKS AND FIX THE PROBLEM!