NHTSA Complaint #11255526 — 2013 RAM 1500

VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION BACKING OUT OF MY DRIVEWAY. WHEN I BACKED INTO THE STREET AND ATTEMPTED TO ROLL THE STEERING WHEEL TO THE LEFT TO ALIGN MYSELF IN THE DIRECTION OF DESIRED TRAVEL, THE STEERING SUDDENLY BECAME EXTREMELY HARD TO TURN AND A RED FLASHING LIGHT (BRIGHT RED STEERING WHEEL FOLLOWED BY AN EXCLAMATION MARK) APPEARED ON MY DASH. I IMMEDIATELY PULLED BACK INTO MY DRIVEWAY AND THE STEERING WHEEL WAS ALL BUT IMPOSSIBLE TO MOVE IN ANY DIRECTION. THE TRUCK HAS LESS THAN 30K MILES ON IT. MY ONLINE RESEARCH SHOWS THAT AT LEAST 44 OTHER 2013 RAM1500 TRUCKS HAVE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM. THIS IS A LATENT SAFETY ISSUE AND THE MANUFACTURER SHOULD HAVE ALREADY ISSUED A RECALL ON THIS PROBLEM. WILL IT TAKE A PERSON, OR PERSONS, BEING KILLED AS A RESULT OF THIS ISSUE BEFORE IT IS ADDRESSED? ADDITIONALLY, THE REPAIR COSTS FOR THIS ISSUE HAVE VARIED FROM $1800-$2700 TO CONSUMERS OWNING THESE TRUCKS. CONSUMERS SHOULD NOT BE HAVING TO PAY FOR SOMETHING THAT IS A MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE. NOR SHOULD THESE COMPONENTS BE GOING "BAD" ON A VEHICLE WITH SUCH LOW MILEAGE.