NHTSA Complaint #11324589 — 2010 RAM 2500

ON THE EVENING OF MAY 1ST, 2020, I PULLED MY 2010 DODGE RAM 2500 TRX 4WD INTO MY SONS? DRIVEWAY AND DROPPED OFF MY GRANDDAUGHTER. I WENT TO BACK OUT OF THE DRIVEWAY TURNING MY WHEEL TO THE RIGHT AS I BACKED OUT I HEARD WHAT SOUNDED LIKE I RAN OVER A LARGE ROCK, AS I PULLED FORWARD I TURNED MY WHEEL TO THE LEFT AND PROCEEDED FORWARD ONLY TO HAVE THE TRUCK GO RIGHT BACK IN THE YARD WHERE I HAD JUST PULLED OUT. I REALIZED THAT THERE WAS AN ISSUE WITH THE STEERING. I CLIMBED UNDER THE TRUCK TO DISCOVER THAT THE TIE ROD HAD SHEARED OFF AT THE PITMAN ARM. THIS CAUSED A COMPLETE LOSS OF STEERING. I HAD A FRONT-END ALIGNMENT ABOUT 2 YEARS AGO WITH NO ISSUES. PRIOR TO THAT I HAD A RECALL ISSUE WITH THE DRAG LINK ABOUT 3 OR 4 YEARS AGO WITH NO OTHER KNOWN ISSUES. I DO NOT DRIVE THE TRUCK OFF ROAD JUST ON PAVED ROADS. THE PARTS ARE THE FACTORY SEALED TIE ROD WITH NO GREASE FITTING. I HAVE BEEN REPAIRING VEHICLES FOR OVER 40. I HAVE NEVER SEEN THIS TYPE OF FAILURE. THE NORMAL FAILURE MODE FOR THIS PART SHOULD HAVE BEEN LOTS OF SLACK IN THE JOINT FROM LOSS OF GREASE. THIS FAILURE MODE IS NOT ACCEPTABLE! IF I HAD BEEN TRAVELING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS AND THIS PART HAD BROKEN I WOULD HAVE HAD TOTAL LOSS OF STEERING AND YOU KNOW AS WELL AS I DO WHEN YOU HIT YOUR BRAKES THE VEHICLE TENDS TO PULL TO THE RIGHT DUE TO THE SLOPE OF THE ROAD WHICH IS DESIGNED FOR WATER RUNOFF. THIS COULD HAVE RESULTED IN A CATASTROPHIC CRASH RESULTING IN SERIOUS INJURY OR DEATH. THIS IS SOMETHING THAT NEEDS TO BE ADDRESS IMMEDIATELY BEFORE SOMEONE DIES! *TR