NHTSA Complaint #11579708 — 2024 RAM 1500

2024 Ram 1500. Approximately four weeks off the dealer lot new. Approximately 1,300 miles. The vehicle had never been involved in any sort of accident, hitting of a pothole or curb. As I was traveling down a secondary road at approximately 30 miles per hour, the rear-left wheel separated from the vehicle without warning. This caused extensive damage to both the Ram and another vehicle that was later struck by the wheel. This occurred at approximately 11:00 PM. Upon inspection of the wheel, we noticed one of the lug studs was sheared off. The next day we returned to retrace the route I took that night to see if we could find any of the lug nuts. Approximately 500 from the point where I exited the parking lot, we located one lug nut with the stud sheared off still inside. Approximately three miles up the road from that location is where the wheel separation occurred. We were able to recover four lug nuts within 200 feet of that location. I had only had this vehicle for four weeks and had not, nor had I any reason to have loosened or taken off any of the wheel components. Manufacturing defect seems to be the only reasonable explanation. I have in my possession five lug nuts, one with the stud sheared off. The vehicle and wheel are currently at a Ram dealership awaiting inspection by the manufacturer and insurance company. Our safety was put at risk because the vehicle experienced a violent jerking and lurching and could have flipped or collided into another object. The dislocated wheel could have killed the people in the car that were hit by it. Has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center? I do not know. Has the vehicle or component been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives or others? Currently ongoing. Were there any warning lamps, messages or other symptoms of the problem prior to the failure, and when did they first appear? No.