NHTSA Complaint #11635386 — 2016 RAM 1500

On [XXX] my power steering system completely froze in sub-0 temperatures. The wheels were unable to steer right or left. After idling for some time, it unfroze resulting in a grinding noise and very stiff steering. This has continued where the steering freezes in cold temperatures and continues to grind. The vehicle was brought to Main Motor in Johnstown NY (dealer) to inspect this and they determined that the Steering Rack (which includes the EPS) had failed- mainly the steering gear. The truck has 88,000 miles. This is a sealed, unserviceable system and should not fail at this point. The dealer price for a replacement part was $3010 plus labor. As the truck had been out of warranty for a month, I brought it to an independent shop for confirmation and they will be completing the repair. These steering systems are a known issue, I spoke to the consumer complaint department at Ram and through the dealer. Neither wanted to rectify the situation at their own cost. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)