2001 Dodge RAM 1500

DEAR SIR/MAM, I PURCHASED A 2001 DODGE RAM NEW. AFTER APPROXIMATELY 10,000 MILES I HEARD ABNORMAL SQUEALING AS I TURNED ONTO OTHER STREETS AT A LOW SPEED. I ALSO NOTICED UNEVEN TIRE WEAR. I WAS ADVISED BY THE DODGE DEALERSHIP THAT THE VEHICLE HAD NO DEFECTS AND TO SEEK OUT THE TIRE MANUFACTURER. IN FEBRUARY 2007 WITH APPROXIMATELY 58,400 MILES ON THE TRUCK I WAS TRAVELING THROUGH TOWN AND HEARD A CLUNKING NOISE COMING FROM MY REAR END. I LOCATED A MECHANIC THAT OPENED UP MY DIFFERENTIAL PAN AND FOUND METAL PIECES LAYING IN THE PAN. MY TRUCK HAS A LIMITED SLIP DIFFERENTIAL WITH 4:10 GEARS. THIS LAYOUT OF GEARS IS PART OF THE HEAVY DUTY OFF ROAD PACKAGE DODGE OFFERED WITH THEIR TRUCKS AT THE TIME OF MY PURCHASE. MY MECHANICS DIAGNOSIS WAS THAT THE POSI- TRACTION SPACERS HAD EXPLODED AS THEY HAD APPEARED TO HAVE STUCK TOGETHER. THE PIECES OF METAL THEN EVENTUALLY TRIED TO TRAVEL THROUGH THE RING AND GEAR CAUSING CHIPPING. THE END RESULT IS TO HAVING THE REAR DIFFERENTIAL COMPLETELY REPAIRED AT A COST WITH PARTS AND LABOR EXCEEDING $1300.00. I RECALLED BACK TO MY ORIGINAL COMPLAINT WITH DODGE OF THE EXCESSIVE TIRE SQUEALING AND UNEVEN TIRE WEAR AT 10,000 MILES AND BASED UPON MY KNOWLEDGE BELIEVE THAT THE TIRES WERE SQUEALING WHILE TURNING ONTO OTHER STREETS AS THE REAR END WAS LOCKED UP IN THE POSI TRACTION MODE. I CONTACTED DODGE SEVERAL TIMES AND SPOKE WITH THEIR CHIEF CUSTOMER REPRESENTATIVE BY THE NAME OF PAT. DODGE STATED AT THE END OF EACH CONVERSATION THAT THEY COULD NOT ASSIST ME IN THIS ISSUE EVEN AFTER I ADVISED THEM OF THIS SAFETY ISSUE IN THEIR DODGE TRUCKS. I HAVE SPOKE AND LOCATED FOUR OTHER DODGE OWNERS IN MY TOWN THAT HAVE HAD TO REPAIR THEIR DODGE TRUCK REAR ENDS. AFTER OBSERVING THE METAL PIECES IN THE DIFFERENTIAL AND FROM SOME PERSONNEL EXPERIENCE FROM A PREVIOUS INCIDENT IN A FRIENDS TRUCK YEARS AGO I MADE THE FOLLOWING DETERMINATION, THE PIECES THAT EXPLODE IN THE DIFFERENTIAL WILL MAKE A CLUNKING NOICE IN THE DIFFERENTIAL. *JB

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED A SET OF TIRES AND RIMS WERE ORDERED FROM A MAGAZINE, AND WERE MOUNTED BEFORE SHIPPING. ONE OF THE TIRES WAS DAMAGED AT THE BEAD WHEN MOUNTED CAUSING A SLOW LEAK. ALTHOUGH THE TIRES WERE ROTATED REGULARLY, THE DAMAGED TIRE WILL NOT BALANCE PROPERLY CAUSING EXCESSIVE WEAR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED. THE TIRE WAS A PRO COMP AT 315/75R16, NOT A LT315/75R16. UPDATED 01/10/07. *JB

HAVE 2001 DODGE RAM PU UPON WHICH CONTINENTAL CONTITRAC SUV 265-70X16 TIRES WERE MOUNTED DOT A3723JJ1103. TIRES HAD APPROX 29,000 MILES ON THEM (60,000 MILE WARRANTY) WHILE TRAVELING NB ON IH35, JUST SOUTH OF HILLSBORO ,TX, LEFT REAR TIRE EXPLODED, ABOUT 15 MINS AFTER STRANGE VIBRATION WAS FELT. TREAD SEPARATED FROM SIDEWALL. ENTIRE TIRE WAS RECOVERED AND TAKEN TO DISCOUNT TIRE CO IN GRAND PRAIRIE ,TX. WAS INSPECTED BY MANAGER WHO ALSO INSPECTED REMAINING TIRES. MANAGER INSISTED UPON IMMEDIATE REMOVAL OF ALL CONTINENTAL TIRES AFTER FINDING EVIDENCE OF IMPENDING TIRE SEPARATION ON REMAINING TIRES. LEFT REAR WAS SENT TO CONTINENTAL FOR INSPECTION WHO REPORTED THAT THE TIRE WAS DAMAGED PREVIOUSLY BY UNKNOWN IMPACT. FAILED TO REPORT ON REMAINING TIRES. THERE WAS NO PREVIOUS IMPACT AND THERE WAS NO PUNCTURE PRIOR TO TIRE FAILING. CONTINENTAL REFUSES FURTHER COMMENT. *NM

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH THE RIGHT REAR TIRE DETACHED FROM THE VEHICLE. AFTERWARDS THE VEHICLE FELL TO THE GROUND AND WAS PULLED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. AFTER THE TIRE WAS LOCATED THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A LOCAL INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP FOR INSPECTION. THE MECHANIC REPLACED THE BRAKE SHOES AND DRUMS, WHEEL NUTS AND STUDS, COMBINATION SPRING KIT AND SELF ADJUSTER KIT. THE MANUFACTURER WAS ALERTED.*AK

5/19/05 I HAD TO REPLACE ALL (4) TIRES DUE TO A DEFECT IN THE TIRE. THE TIRES WERE COMING APART AROUND THE CROWN ON EVERY TIRE. I WAS TOLD THAT THEY COULD BLOW AT ANYTIME AND IT WAS BEST THAT I REPLACE THEM ALL. I BOUGHT THE TRUCK THEY WERE ON USED (2001 DODGE RAM 1500), IT HAD 27,291 MILES ON IT WHEN I BOUGHT IT AND THE TIRES WERE NEW. I NOW HAVE 66,556 MILES ON IT. THE TREAD ON ALL TIRES WAS GOOD TO GO FOR ANOTHER 40-60,000 MILES. BUT BECAUSE OF THE DEFECT AND THE FACT THAT I TRAVEL A LOT I HAD NO CHOICE BUT TO REPLACE THE TIRES. I HAVE KEPT ONE OF THEM AS PROOF SHOULD SOMEONE WANT TO SEE IT. THE POINT BEING THAT I SHOULD NOT HAVE HAD TO PURCHASE NEW TIRES AT THIS TIME. I HAVE HEARD OF RECALLS YOU HAVE HAD ON TIRES AND DON'T KNOW IF THIS WAS ONE OF THEM OR NOT. THE NUMBER ON THE TIRE IS 255/70R16 AND THEY WERE ALL IN A VERY DANGEROUS STATE WHEN REPLACED. I SPENT 678.42 ON THE REPLACEMENT TIRES AND I DON'T EXPECT A FULL REFUND BUT I DO THINK THAT FIRESTONE SHOULD COMPENSATE ME DUE TO THE FACT THAT IT WAS YOUR TIRE DEFECT THAT CAUSED THE PROBLEM. WHICH OF COURSE CAUSED ME TO HAVE TO PAY OUT MONEY I DIDN'T HAVE TO REPLACE ALL (4) TIRES FOR SAFETY PURPOSES. I HAVE A COPY OF THE INVOICE FOR THE REPLACEMENT TIRES WITH A WRITTEN NOTE SPECIFYING THAT THEY WERE DEFECTIVE TIRES. I HAVE WRITTEN TO YOU BEFORE, ABOUT 2-3 WEEKS AGO AND HAVE HEARD NOTHING BACK SO I'M GOING THROUGH THIS AGAIN. PLEASE ADVISE ME WHAT YOU ARE GOING TO DO AND IF YOU NEED ANYMORE INFO FROM ME. I DO EXPECT A REFUND OF SOME TYPE DUE TO YOUR DEFECTIVE TIRES.

WHILE CHANGING THE OIL, NOTICED A SEVERE GROVE IN THE INSIDE SIDE WALL OF EACH FRONT TIRE. (SEVERE ENOUGH FOR IMEDIATE TIRE REPLACEMENT) DISCOVERED THAT THE GROVES HAD BEEN CAUSED BY RUBBING AGAINST THE LOWER A FRAME (FOUND SHINY AREAS WHERE TIRES HAD RUBBED). THE INTENDED STOPS TO PREVENT THIS FROM HAPPENING WERE NOT ENGAGING EARLY ENOUGH IN THE STEERING TURN TO PREVENT THIS. WE CHECKED TWO OTHER PICKUPS OF SAME MODEL YEAR AND MAKE AND FOUND IDENTICAL PROBLEMS. WHEN WE CHECKED 2003 TRUCKS AT A LOCAL DEALER WE FOUND THIS AREA HAD BEEN REDESIGNED. THIS LOOKS LIKE A MAJOR DESIGN FLAW IN THE WHEEL AREA FOR THIS MODEL YEAR. I HAVE 79,000 MILES ON THIS TRUCK BUT ONLY 25,000 MILES ON THE TIRES, WHICH WERE OTHERWISE IN VERY GOOD SHAPE. THIS IS GOING TO START KILLING PEOPLE AS OTHER TRUCKS MILAGE INCREASE. THESE TIRES COULD HAVE BLOWN AT ANY TIME UNDER NORMAL DRIVING.*AK