NHTSA Complaint #11031753 — 2006 DODGE RAM 2500

TRUCK CONTINUES TO EXPERIENCE A "DEATH WOBBLE" ISSUE EVEN AFTER REPLACING MOST OF THE SUSPENSION & STEERING PARTS AND EVEN ADDING AFTERMARKET "STIFFNER" AND "PROBLEM SOLVER" COMPONENTS TO THE VEHICLE. CHRYSLER HAD A RECALL R16 WHICH COVERED NEWER VEHICLES BUT SHOULD HAVE BEEN APPLIED TO THESE OLDER MODELS AS WELL. THE STEERING COMPONENTS AND GEOMETRY WERE LARGELY THE SAME AND THERE IS A FUNDAMENTAL DESIGN FLAW WITH THE GEOMETRY OF THE SUSPENSION. SYMPTOM: BETWEEN THE SPEEDS OF 45 & 70MPH, HITTING A LARGE POTHOLE OR A BRIDGE SEAM THE VEHICLE WILL SUDDENLY DEVELOP A VIOLENT SHAKING IN THE FRONT END. THIS HAS CAUSED ME TO ALMOST CRASH A NUMBER OF TIMES SINCE I LAST FILED A COMPLAINT ON THIS SAME VEHICLE A NUMBER OF YEARS AGO. IT IS DIFFICULT TO REPLICATE THE PROBLEM AND WHEN IT OCCURS IT OCCURS RAPIDLY AND UNEXPECTEDLY. IT IS VERY DIFFICULT TO CONTROL THE VEHICLE WHEN IT OCCURS AND APPLYING THE BRAKES TO SIGNIFICANTLY AND QUICKLY REDUCE THE VEHICLES SPEED IS THE ONLY WAY TO HALT THE VIBRATION. I HAVE ALMOST CAUSED SEVERAL ACCIDENTS TRYING TO QUICKLY STOP THE VEHICLE OR TO KEEP IT FROM ENTERING OTHER LANES DURING THE VIBRATION. THE GEOMETRY ISSUE IS THAT THE VEHICLE CREATES A "TOED OUT" CONDITION WHEN THE SUSPENSION SUDDENLY COLLAPSES FROM A BUMP. AS THE VEHICLE SUSPENSION RETURNS TO THE NORMAL STATE IT ALSO RETURNS BACK TO THE "ALIGNED" POSITION BUT ENERGY BUILT UP AND STORED IN THE CHARACTERISTICS OF THE STEERING COMPONENTS (STEEL STEERING BARS & ANY MOVEMENT IN THE TIE RODS) ACT LIKE A SPRING CAUSING THE ALIGNMENT TO GO PAST THE "TOED IN" POSITION WHICH THEN REPEATS ITSELF IN REVERSE. THE RESULT IS A CONTINUAL VIBRATION OF THE FRONT END UNTIL THE DRIVING CONDITIONS CHANGE (I.E. MASHING ON THE BRAKES TO STOP THE VEHICLE). GOOGLE "DODGE RAM DEATH WOBBLE" AND YOU WILL SEE NUMEROUS OTHER PEOPLE WITH THE SAME ISSUE.