Dodge Ram Truck Recall: 243K Pickups for Steering Flaw

By Admin on July 14, 2011 | Last updated on March 21, 2019

Chrysler is recalling almost 243,000 of its Ram pickup trucks because there could be a “loss of directional stability,” the automaker told the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

Chrysler says it is recalling the Dodge Ram pickups because their left-side tie rods can break allowing the left front wheel to move independently. The resulting loss of directional stability could increase the risk of a crash.

The recall covers the 2008 Ram 1500 Mega Cab 4×4 as well as the 2500 and 3500 heavy-duty models from the 2003–11 model years, The New York Times reports. Most of the affected pickups, about 168,000, are from the 2008–11 model years.

Chrysler attributed the problem to a tie-rod fracture caused “due to a weakening of the ball stud,” which could occur if there were an alignment problem, the NHTSA released. Such a failure would affect the steering.

Chrysler said the problem “tends to occur during low-speed, parking-lot type maneuvers when the customer is making a tight turn.”

Last December, Chrysler recalled about 15,000 of its heavy-duty 4500 and 5500 Ram pickups from the 2008–11 model years for the same problem. In April, the agency responded to complaints of similar failures from owners of other Ram models and opened a defect investigation.

Chrysler described the recall as voluntary, but once a manufacturer is aware of a safety problem it has no choice but to inform the agency of its plan for a recall or face civil penalties.

Related Resources:

Copied to clipboard