NHTSA Complaint #10970956 — 2004 DODGE RAM 1500

VEHICLE SUDDENLY BEGAN MAKING A LOUD DRONING SOUND WHILE GOING AROUND A CORNER ON RESIDENTIAL STREETS, REMINISCENT OF AN AIRPLANE FLYING OVERHEARD OR A SEMI TRUCK'S "JAKE BRAKE." THE SOUND STOPPED AFTER THE VEHICLE STRAIGHTENED OUT. ON THE NEXT TWO CORNERS, THE DRONING SOUND REPEATED, AND VIBRATION WAS ALSO FELT COMING THROUGH THE FLOORBOARDS, BUT THE SOUND WENT AWAY AFTER STRAIGHTENING THE VEHICLE OUT. AFTER THE SECOND CORNER, THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED TO ABOUT 20 MPH. THERE WAS A SUDDEN LOUD BANG. BOTH BACK WHEELS LOCKED UP IMMEDIATELY, AS EVIDENCED BY THE SKID MARKS ON THE ROAD. THE DRIVELINE ALSO DISCONNECTED FROM THE REAR DIFFERENTIAL AT THAT TIME, LEAVING A TRAIL OF OIL ON THE ROAD. THE MECHANIC WHO INSPECTED AND REPAIRED THE VEHICLE INDICATED THAT THE NUT SECURING THE PINION GEAR HAD COME LOOSE, ALLOWING THE PINION TO MOVE OUT OF ITS CORRECT LOCATION. THE RESULT WAS THAT THE AXLES TO BOTH REAR TIRES LOCKED UP. IT APPEARS THAT SIMILAR ISSUES RELATED TO PINION NUTS LOOSENING HAVE BEEN FOUND ON MANY OTHER VEHICLES OF THIS MAKE AND MODEL. RECALLS WERE ISSUED FOR OVER 250,000 DODGE RAM 1500 VEHICLES FROM THE 2005 MODEL YEAR TO CORRECT AN ISSUE WITH THE NUT ON THE PINION. OVER 250,000 ADDITIONAL DODGE/CHRYSLER VEHICLES FROM THE 2009 TO 2012 MODEL YEARS WERE ALSO RECALLED FOR A PINION NUT ISSUE.