2010 Dodge RAM 1500

WHEN SLOWING DOWN KEPT HEARING A HUMMING NOISE COMING FROM THE REAREND. ABOUT 10 MINUTES LATER I SLOWED DOWN TO MAKE A TURN AND BOOM THE DRIVESHAFT FALLS OUT OF THE REAREND AND THE REAR WHEELS LOCK UP. THE PINION NUT HAD COME OFF AND PINION YOLK (STILL ATTACHED TO THE DRIVESHAFT) CAME OUT OF THE REAREND. THE CHRYSLER DEALERSHIP DETERMINED THAT THE DRIVESHAFT WAS NOT REUSABLE AND HAD TO REPLACE THE REAREND HOUSING AND ALL IT'S INTERNAL PARTS. *TR

WHILE COMING DOWN HIGHWAY 36 INTO SUSANVILLE, CALIF. OUR TRUCK STARTED MAKE A ODD NOISE, WE COULD NOT STOP TO CHECK IT OUT BECAUSE OF THE ROAD, AS WE CAME UP ON AN AREA WHERE WEE COULD LOOK AT IT GOT REALLY LOUD AND WE HEARD A THUMP AND THE REAR AXLE LOCKED UP. WE THEN SKID ACROSS THE ROAD TO A PULL OFF AREA WHAT WE FOUND WAS OUR DRIVE SHAFT HAD COME OUT OF THE REAR AXLE. THE TRUCK HAD TO BE TOWED INTO TOWN WHERE IT STILL IS. WHEN WE CALLED ON JULY 30TH I WAS TOLD THERE WAS 45 OTHER TRUCKS WAITING FOR THE SAME PART, I CALLED AGAIN ON AUGUST 10TH AND THEY ARE NOW TELLING US MAYBE SOMETIME IN OCTOBER. THE PROBLEM HAS BEEN IDENTIFIED BY THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION. BUT I BELIEVE THE SCOPE OF THE PROBLEM IS GREATER THEN WHAT IS BEING REPORTED TO FEDERAL AGENCIES. *TR

WHILE ON VACATION I WAS DRIVING 45 MPH AND HEARD A WHINNING NOISE COMING FROM THE REAR OF TRUCK. IT GOT LOUDER AND LOUDER VERY QUICKLY AND THEN I HEARD A LARGE BANGING NOISE AND THE REAR WHEELS FROZE UP CAUSING THE TRUCK TO SKID TO A STOP IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD. GOT OUT OF SAID TRUCK AND NOTICED THE REAR OF THE DRIVESHAFT LAYING ON THE GROUND. PUT IT IN 4 WHEEL DRIVE TO GET OF THE ROAD AND NOTICED THE REAR WHEELS WERE LOCKED SOLID AND WAS BARELY ABLE TO GET THE TRUCK TO MOVE TO GET OF THE ROAD. THE PINION NUT CAME LOOSE CAUSING THE DRIVESHAFT TO FALL OFF IN TURN THE PINION MOVED IN THE REAR AXEL CAUSING CATASTROPHIC FAILURE INSIDE THE REAR DIFFERENTIAL. *TR

THE VEHICLE BEGAN MAKING A WHINING NOISE IN THE REAR DURING DECELERATION, BOTH FROM SIMPLY LETTING OFF THE ACCELERATOR AND BRAKING. NOISE BEGAN 50 MILES FROM RESIDENCE, AND PROGRESSIVELY BECAME LOUDER ON THE DRIVE HOME. AT ROUGHLY 17 MILES FROM MY CURRENT RESIDENCE, A LOUD NOISE WAS HEARD FOLLOWED BY MORE LOUD RUMBLING AND SMOKE FROM DIFFERENTIAL FLUID SLINGING ONTO THE EXHAUST. I TURNED ON TO A SIDE ROAD AND BEGAN COASTING UNTIL REACHING A SAFE LOCATION TO PULL OVER; HOWEVER, BEFORE STOPPING THE REAR DIFFERENTIAL LOCKED UP CAUSING THE TRUCK TO SKID TO A STOP. UPON EXITING THE VEHICLE, I COULD SEE THE DRIVE SHAFT HANGING ON THE GROUND, IT'S REAR CONNECTING BOLTS SHEARED, AND THE DIFFERENTIAL YOKE WAS MISSING. I COULD SEE THE PINION SHAFT SLOPPILY RESTING IN THE THE DIFFERENTIAL WHERE THE YOKE SHOULD HAVE BEEN. I PAID TO HAVE IT HAULED TO THE LOCAL DODGE DEALERSHIP, WHO INDICATED THEY "DID NOT HAVE A QUALIFIED REAR END TECHNICIAN", AND SAID I'D "HAVE TO HAVE IT TOWED TO ANOTHER ONE AT MY PERSONAL EXPENSE" 50 MILES AWAY. AFTER CONTACTING CHRYSLER, THEY REIMBURSED MY TOWING EXPENSE, AND TOWED IT TO THE OTHER DEALERSHIP. THE SECOND DEALERSHIP SAID THE RING AND PINION WERE BROKEN, AND WOULD HAVE TO BE REPLACED ALONG WITH THE CARRIER. AFTER WAITING ONE MONTH WITHOUT MY TRUCK, I CONTACTED THEM AND WAS TOLD THE PARTS NECESSARY TO FIX THE VEHICLE WERE ON BACKORDER, AND WOULD NOT BE AVAILABLE FOR 3 MONTHS. I CALLED CHRYSLER TO EXPEDITE THE PARTS, AND THAT AFTERNOON WAS TOLD THE PARTS HAD ARRIVED, AND WOULD BE FIXED IN 2-3 DAYS. AFTER ONE DAY, I WAS TOLD CHRYSLER OKAYED AFTERMARKET PARTS TO EXPEDITE THE REPAIR, BUT WERE FLAWED PREVENTING CORRECT REPAIR. THEY OFFERED TO LET ME HAVE IT BACK, BUT WARNED ME IT WOULD MAKE MORE NOISE THAN BEFORE. I REQUESTED THAT THEY FIX IT RIGHT OR NOT AT ALL. CHRYSLER THEN INDICATED PARTS WOULD NOT BE AVAILABLE FOR 5 MONTHS. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 DODGE RAM 1500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH, A HUMMING SOUND EMITTED FROM THE POWER TRAIN. THE CONTACT APPLIED THE BRAKES AND THE REAR DIFFERENTIAL SEIZED, DESTROYING THE POWER TRAIN. THE CONTACT HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO A DEALER. THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE DUE TO PART AVAILABILITY. THE CONTACT THEN TRADED THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 34,200.

AS I WAS APPROACHING TRUCK MOVING SAME DIRECTION IN OTHER LANE (4 LANE DIVIDED) IT HAD A RACK ON TOP WITH METAL SIDING ON IT NOT TIED DOWN CAUSE THE WIND CAUGHT IT A IT CAME RIGHT INTO MY PATH. I BRAKE AND STEERED RIGHT. AND IT WAS ALL OVER. I TOOK IT TO DEALER TOLD THEM THAT IT WAS NOT RIGHT THEY CHECKED HAD NOT HEARD OF ANY PROBLEMS. THEN IT HAPPEND AGAIN DOING 65 I WAS SIDEWAYS INTO ON COMING TRAFFIC IN SPLIT SECOND AND STOPPED WITHIN 150 FEET IF I HAD NOT COUNTER STEERED AS FAST AS ANYONE COULD. IN BOTH CASES IT WOULD HAVE ROLLED. TOLD DEALER IT SHOULD NOT BE ON THE ROAD. THEY WANTED TO TEST DRIVE MY RT TRUCK AND SEE IF THEY COULD GET IT SIDEWAYS I TOLD THEM NOT ON MY INSURANCE OR WITHOUT A TEST TRACK AND A WET SKIDPAD AND ROLL CAGE. BOTTOM LINE MY TRUCK IS UNSAFE AND HAVE BEEN WAITING FOR SOMETHING TO HAPPEN. I DO NOT DRIVE IT NOWHERE BUT WORK WITH BOTH HANDS ON THE WHEEL AND STABILITY CONTROL OFF. I THINK THE COMPUTER THAT SENSES A SKID IS NOT RIGHT LIKE IT MADE THE WRONG TIRE LOCK UP. MY TRUCK HAS DONE IT TWICE. BET IT CAN AGAIN IF YOU WANT TO CHECK. PLEASE GET ON THIS BEFORE SOME ONE IS HURT OR WORSE LIKE I TOLD THE DEALER. IT COULD HAVE BEEN YOUR WIFE AND KIDS IN THE TRUCK OR ON THE ROAD COMING AT A TRUCK THAT WAS OUT OF CONTROL AND NO FAULT OF THERE OWN. I KNOW HOW TEST FOR THIS PROBLEM. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 DODGE RAM 1500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 60 MPH, BOTH OF THE REAR WHEELS LOCKED. AS A RESULT, THE DRIVE SHAFT BROKE OFF THE REAR DIFFERENTIAL. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO WAS UNABLE TO DETERMINE WHAT CAUSED THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE PROBLEM WHO DID NOT OFFER ANY ASSISTANCE. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 85,200.

I WAS DRIVING VEHICLE AT 55 MPH ALONG UNDIVIDED 2 LANE HIGHWAY. DIFFERENTIAL BEGAN TO MAKE WHINING NOISE AND THEN WITHIN 1-2 MINUTES THE REAR DIFFERENTIAL LOCKED UP AND THE DRIVE SHAFT YOKE BROKE CAUSING THE DRIVE SHAFT TO DROP TO THE GROUND. DUE TO THE SPEED, VEHICLE CONTROL WAS DIFFICULT WHILE ATTEMPTING TO STOP. ONCE STOPPED, DRIVE SHAFT YOKE WAS OBVIOUSLY SNAPPED OFF AND PASSENGER SIDE REAR TIRE HAD MELTED RUBBER FROM BEING DRAGGED FOR A FEW HUNDRED FEET WHEN DIFFERENTIAL LOCKED UP. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO DEAL AND AFTER 2 WEEKS DETERMINATION WAS MADE THAT SOMETHING SEIZED IN THE DIFFERENTIAL AND CAUSED INTERNALS TO BE DESTROYED. DEALER HAS NOT MENTIONED CURRENT RECALLS OR INVESTIGATIONS. AS OF NOW, I HAVE BEEN TOLD THAT DODGE IS NOT MAKING THE PARTS NEEDED AND THAT A MINIMUM OF 1 MONTH LEAD TIME IS EXPECTED BEFORE PARTS BECOME AVAILABLE. I AM TOLD NO LOANER VEHICLE OR RENTAL CAR WILL BE PROVIDED. *TR

I NOTICED THE VEHICLE MAKING A HUMMING/RUBBING SOUND COMING FROM THE REAR END WHEN MOVING 20-35MPH AND COMING TO A STOP. I PARKED THE VEHICLE UNTIL I WAS ABLE TO GET IT TO THE DEALERSHIP, SO THE TECHNICIAN COULD TEST DRIVE AND LOCATE THE PROBLEM. UPON HIS INITIAL LEAVING HE HEARD NOTHING SO HE PROCEEDED TO PICK UP THE SPEED TO 55MPH TO CHECK FOR VIBRATION IN A NEUTRAL COAST DOWN. UPON REACHING 45MPH THE DRIVE-SHAFT COMPLETELY SNAPPED AND SEPARATED FROM THE REAR END ASSEMBLY, RESULTING IN THE REAR END COMPLETELY LOCKING UP AND SENDING THE TRUCK SPINNING OUT OF CONTROL AND THE DRIVE SHAFT SWINGING VIOLENTLY UNDERNEATH THE TRUCK UNTIL THE TRUCK CAME TO REST IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD. UPON FURTHER INSPECTION WHEN THE TRUCK WAS TOWED BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP THE TECHNICIAN NOTICED THE RACK AND PINION ASSEMBLY COMPLETELY UNTHREADED ITSELF FROM THE DRIVESHAFT RESULTING IN A CATASTROPHIC FAILURE OF THE REAR END. AS A RESULT IT COMPLETELY DESTROYED THE GEARS AND COMPONENTS WITHIN THE REAR END HOUSING INCLUDING DEEP GASHES INTO THE HOUSING ITSELF RENDERING IT UNSAFE TO RE-BUILD ON. THE DEALERSHIP HAS SINCE ORDERED A WHOLE NEW REAR END ASSEMBLY TO BE PURCHASED AND PLACED ON THE TRUCK AND CURRENTLY WAITING ON PARTS AS I WRITE THIS LETTER. *TR