NHTSA Complaint #731506 — 1997 DODGE RAM

ON 9/14/2000 THE REAR DIFFERENTIAL BEGAIN TO MAKE A MOANING NOISE DURING DEACCELERATING. WITH IN 10 MILES DRIVING DISTANCE AT 30 MPH DURING DEACCELERATION THE REAR END DIFFERENTIAL MADE A LOUD BANG WHILE THE VEHICAL JERKED VIOLENTLY. AFTER THE LOUD NOISE I HEARD THE DRIVE SHAFT OF THE VEHICAL DRAGING ON THE PAVEMENT. I PROCEEDED TO ATTEMPT TO PULL TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND SLOW DOWN WHEN THE VEHICAL JERKED VIOLENTLY AGIAN. AT THIS POINT I WAS TRAVELING APPROXIMATELY 25 MPH AND THE REAR WHEELS LOCKED UP AND BEGAIN TO SLIDE. I RELEASED THE BRAKE PEDAL BUT THE SLIDING CONTINUED DUE TO A MAJOR FAILURE IN THE DIFFERENTIAL. LUCKILY I DID NOT LOOSE COMPLETE CONTROL OF THE TRUCK DURING WHEEL LOCKUP. WHEN THE TRUCK STOPPED I LOOKED UNDER THE TRUCK AND OBSERVED THE REAR END OF THE DRIVE SHAFT ON THE PAVEMENT. I COULD NOT MOVE THE VEHICAL DUE TO THE JAMMED DIFFERENTIAL, THE VEHICAL WAS TOWED TO TO A LOCAL DODGE DEALER SHIP. IF I HAD BEEN TRAVELING AT FREEWAY SPEEDS IT IS VERY POSSIBLE THAT A SERIOUS OR FATAL ACCIDENT COULD HAVE OCCURED. THE BIGGEST ISSUE I HAVE WITH DODGE IS THAT THE DIFFERENTIAL FAILED THE FIRST TIME WHEN THE VEHICAL WAS ALMOST NEW AT 13000 MILES. THE FIRST FAILURE OCCURED APPROXIMATELY ON 3/98. LUCKLY THE FAILING DIFFERENTIAL MADE VERY PRONOUNCED HUMMING NOISES BEFORE ANY CATASTROPHIC FALUIRE OCCURED. AT THAT TIME I TOOK THE VEHICAL TO ALLEN SAMUEL DODGE IN FORT WORTH TEXAS FOR REPAIR. ALLEN SAMUEL DODGE TECHNITIONS IDENTIFIED THAT THE BEARINGS IN THE DIFFERENTIAL HAD FAILED AND CAUSED THE RING AND PINION GEAR TO SEVERLY WEAR. DUE TO THE HISTORY DEMONSTRATED WITH MY EXPERINCES I AM CONCERNED THAT DODGE HAS A PROBLEM WITH THE DESIGN AND OR METHOD OF MANUFACTURING THE REAR ENDS OF THEIR 1/2 TON PICKUPS.*AK