Complaint 2209675

Complaint Summary

STEERING

Owner Narrative

While driving my 2015 Ram 1500, I was exiting the freeway and attempting to merge into traffic when the electric power steering system appeared to fail or malfunction. The steering suddenly became very stiff, and I struggled to turn the steering wheel while trying to safely merge. Shortly after the steering became difficult to control, the power steering warning light came on. This created a safety concern because I was actively merging into traffic and had reduced ability to steer the vehicle. The sudden loss of power steering assist increased the risk of a crash with surrounding vehicles, especially because the failure occurred during a traffic maneuver. The vehicle and power steering system are available for inspection upon request. At this time, it is UNKNOWN whether the problem has been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center. It is also UNKNOWN whether the vehicle or component has been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives, or others. Prior to the incident, the power steering appeared to operate normally. The warning lamp came on after the steering became stiff. The problem appears to be intermittent, as the steering may work after the vehicle sits overnight, but the warning light and steering issue return after driving for a period of time. Based on my assessment, the issue may involve the electric power steering system, EPS control module, wiring, fuse/fusible link, or related steering assist component, but the exact cause is currently UNKNOWN.

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