NHTSA Complaint #11097617 — 2014 RAM 1500

IN EARLY 2018 I STARTED TO NOTICE THAT THE STEERING ON MY TRUCK WOULD "GUM UP". AS YOU STARTED TO MAKE A TURN THE STEERING WOULD BE FINE BUT THEN AS YOU CONTINUED THROUGH THE TURN IT WOULD TAKE MORE EFFORT TO TURN THE WHEEL. IT NEVER COMPLETELY LOCKED UP BUT THEN GO BACK TO NORMAL. TO ME IT SEEMED THAT THE POWER STEERING PUMP WAS FAILING OR LOW ON FLUID. WHEN I CHECKED I FOUND THAT THERE IS NO PUMP BUT AN ELECTRONIC MOTOR ASSIST FOR THE STEERING. I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER FOR REGULAR SERVICE AND THEY CHECKED IT OUT BUT SAID THAT THEY COULD NOT DUPLICATE MY COMPLAINT. I TRIED TO INVESTIGATE WHEN IT WOULD HAPPEN BUT THERE WAS NO COMMON THING. ON APRIL 14TH I WAS DRIVING ON AN INTERSTATE HIGHWAY AND NOTICED THAT EVEN WHILE TRACKING IN A STRAIGHT LINE THE TRUCK STEERING WOULD GUM UP . AS LONG AS I THINK ABOUT IT I DON'T WORRY BUT I AM AFRAID THAT IT WILL FAIL COMPLETELY. I TOOK IT DIRECTLY TO THE DEALER AND THEY HAD NO ONE TO LOOK AT IT. I TOOK IT BACK TO DEALER ON THE 17TH BUT AGAIN I COULD FEEL IT GOING BUT NOTHING WHILE I HAD THE MECHANIC IN THE TRUCK. SOMETIMES I CAN FEEL IT WHILE STATIONARY AND JUST TURNING THE WHEEL. I HAVE NOTICED THAT IT GOES AWAY ON RAINY DAYS. ALMOST LIKE THE STEERING IS GETTING LUBRICATED BUT ONCE THE WEATHER IS DRY FOR A FEW DAYS THE GUMMY FEELING COMES BACK. THE DEALER DID SAY THAT THE ELECTRONIC POWER STEERING UNIT DID NOT LOOK LIKE IT WAS LEAKING BUT WHEN I WAS UNDERNEATH THE TRUCK I SAW THAT THE RUBBER BOOTS ON BOTH SIDES OF THE UNIT APPEARED TO BE STAINED (SEE PIX)