Complaint 1960105

Complaint Summary

STEERING

Owner Narrative

We have experienced the "death wobble" twice now in our 2009 Dodge Ram 2500. It is a documented issue with Dodge trucks and associated with multiple prior recalls. At highway speeds, the vehicle suddenly begins shaking violently and uncontrollably, causing the driver to lose control of the vehicle. It feels like the front axle just broke in half, but the problem is difficult to diagnose. The first time it happened, the truck was almost due for inspection, so we took it for an inspection hoping that the cause would be discovered/repaired. The shop replaced a ball joint (left upper); we were hoping that was the cause. After it passed the state safety inspection, I took it out on the same stretch of road where I had trouble earlier and it seemed fine. Then, a few weeks later, the death wobble struck back - this time with my wife driving and our six-month-old daughter in the back seat. It was my worst nightmare that it happened with my daughter in the truck. Young children are so fragile and their brains are still developing. It's a miracle she survived; hopefully she didn't suffer any brain damage that will manifest itself in the future. I found NHTSA Recall ID 11V350000, which pertains to 2003-11 Dodge Ram 2500 trucks. I called Dodge multiple times and spoke with our local dealer. They won't do anything, because "Your VIN doesn't show in our system." To me, this is a documented safety problem that nearly killed my daughter, and Dodge needs to make it right (our truck fit the recall description). I do not feel safe driving this vehicle. Please investigate and use your authorities to persuade Dodge to do the right thing.

Owner-submitted narrative on file with NHTSA. Complaint narratives are self-reported and have not been verified.