Complaint 1316041
2000 DODGE RAM 1500 • STEERING • incident Sep 9, 2016
Complaint Summary
STEERING
Owner Narrative
I'VE ONLY OWNED THE TRUCK FOR ABOUT 8 MONTHS AT THIS TIME. ABOUT 1 MONTH AGO I EXPERIENCED WHAT MY RESEARCH HAS SHOWN TO BE THE DODGE DEATH WOBBLE, THIS IS WHERE ONE OF THE FRONT WHEELS HITS A BUMP IN THE ROAD AT FREEWAY SPEED AND THE FRONT END OSCILLATES VIOLENTLY AND WILL NOT STOP WITHOUT SLOWING THE VEHICLE DOWN AND RADICALLY MOVING THE STEERING WHEEL FROM CENTER (STRAIGHT LINE). IF LEFT TO "WOBBLE" IT SEEMS THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD SHAKE ITSELF TO DEATH!! MAYBE EVEN BREAK A STEERING/SUSPENSION COMPONENT. I DID TRY INSTALLING THE ENHANCED BRACE THAT TIES THE SWAY BAR MOUNTS/ANCHOR POINTS TO A NEW BEARING SUPPORTING AN EXTENSION ON THE PITTMAN ARM SHAFT AND I ALSO HAD THE FRONT END COMPONENTS CHECKED, ALIGNED AND TIRES BALANCED TO NO AVAIL, THOUGH THE BRACE KIT SEEMED TO HELP. IT IS HARD TO PREDICT WHEN A BUMP IN THE ROAD WILL SET IT OFF BUT THE LAST TIME IT HAPPENED I BARELY KEPT IT FROM PULLING INTO THE NEXT LANE BEFORE I GOT IT SLOWED AND CONTROLLED. I NOW TRY TO MINIMIZE MY TIME ON THE FREEWAY IN MY COMMUTE TO/FROM WORK.
Owner-submitted narrative on file with NHTSA. Complaint narratives are self-reported and have not been verified.