NHTSA Complaint #11331308 — 2017 RAM 5500

RIGHT FRONT STEERING TIRE EXPERIENCED UNUSUAL WEAR ON THE OUTSIDE CORD ONLY. LEFT SIDE OK. HAD THE ALIGNMENT CHECKED BY DODGE UP TO SPEC. HAD MY MECHANIC ON A $50,000 RACK CHECK THE ALIGNMENT AT MY EXPENSE. RIGHT FRONT OK LEFT FRONT .7DEGREES OUT. ONLY ADJUSTMENT IS TO REPLACE THE NON ADJUSTABLE BALL JOINTS WITH OFFSET ADJUSTABLE BALL JOINTS AS WELL AS THE TIRES. FCA RESPONSE WAS YOU KNOW WE ONLY HAVE A 12000 MILE 12 MONTH WARRANTY ON THE ALIGNMENT. TRUCK IS ALMOST TWO YEARS OLD WITH 12900 MILES. FIRST THE DODGE DEALERSHIP WAS UNABLE TO DO THE ALIGNMENT AND THE TECH WAS UPFRONT ON NOT BEING COMFORTABLE WORKING ON THIS LARGE TRUCK. SO I AM LEFT TO MANAGE THIS CRITICAL SAFETY ISSUE ON MY OWN. FCA REP ADMITTED MOST DODGE DEALERSHIPS ARE UNABLE TO REPAIR THE 5500 SO THEY HAVE TO OUTSOURCE THE JOB. THE OUTSIDE OF THE TIRE HAS LITERALLY WORN OFF THE TREAD PATTERN. I BELIEVE THIS PRESENTS A POTENTIAL BLOWOUT HAZARD AND AM QUITE CONCERNED. ACCORDINGLY I HAVE NOT DRIVEN THE VEHICLE EVEN THOUGH IT IS MY ONLY WELDING RIG I HAVE FOR MY SIDE BUSINESS. THIS IS A SAFETY CONCERN AS WELL AS A SUBSTANTIAL LOSS OF REVENUE FOR ME. I HAVE SPOKEN WITH THE DEALERSHIP THAT I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE FROM IN COLUMBIANA OHIO. THE COMMERCIAL MANAGER ADMITTED THAT THIS IS NOT AN UNCOMMON PROBLEM AND REQUIRES REPLACING THE BALL JOINTS. I AM AWAITING A RESPONSE FROM FCA IN REGARDS FIXING THE PROBLEM. I HAVE MADE ARRANGEMENTS ON MY OWN TO HAVE THE VEHICLE REPAIRED AND THE TIRES REPLACED. IN VIEW OF THE FACT THAT MY PURCHASING DEALERSHIP ACKNOWLEDGES THIS AS A PROBLEM, YET CHRYSLER MAKES NO EFFORT TO FIX IT IS QUITE DISCONCERTING. A BLOWOUT ON A VEHICLE RATED TO TOW 30,000 LBS WOULD BE DISASTROUS. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.