Complaint 789998

Complaint Summary

STEERING

Owner Narrative

INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6) CITY OF OTTAWA HAS FOUR (4) DODGE RAM 5500 UNITS, BOUGHT IN MARCH 2010 WITH VIN NUMBERS LISTED BELOW, ALL HAVE BEEN PLAGUED WITH STEERING PROBLEMS WHICH DRIFTS AT SPEEDS OVER 70 KMH AND IS DIFFICULT TO CONTROL WHEN FACING CONSECUTIVE SMALL BUMPS - SO MUCH THAT IN MY TEST RIDE I WAS AFRAID I COULD END UP IN THE OPPOSITE LANE OF TRAFFIC AND CAUSE A HEAD-ON COLLISION. MY PERSONAL CONCERN IS THAT IF NEW OR INEXPERIENCED DRIVERS FACE SUCH STEERING, IT COULD CAUSE ACCIDENT, DAMAGE OR EVEN FATALITY IF IT GOES UNCHECKED. UNFORTUNATELY THE DEALERSHIPS (SOUTHBANK AND CAPITAL DODGE) SEEM TO HAVE VERY LITTLE KNOWLEDGE OF THE ROOT CAUSE AND NO CAPACITY TO DO REAL ANALYSIS AND TESTING ON THESE UNITS. CHRYSLER CORPORATE HAS BEEN CONTACTED VIA 1-800 PHONE CALLS AND FLEET EMAILS AND FILES WERE OPENED ON ALL OUR UNITS BUT THAT HAS BEEN THE EXTENT OF THEIR COOPERATION, AND EVEN THE LOCAL SERVICE MANAGERS HAVE NOT HEARD FROM CHRYSLER'S ENGINEERING OR THE DISTRICT SERVICE MANAGER WHO USUALLY TENDS TO SUCH CALLS. VIN# [XXX] , CITY OF OTTAWA'S UNIT B5-3359, 4WD, AT SOUTHBANK CHRYSLER, TEST DRIVEN PER ABOVE, DEEMED NOT SAFE AT HIGH SPEEDS. VIN# [XXX] , CITY OF OTTAWA'S UNIT B5-3360, 4WD, HAS BEEN AT CAPITAL DODGE, IT HAS HAD SOME REPAIRS DONE, AND WAS ALSO TEST DRIVEN AND STEERED NORMALLY. DEALER HAS YET TO SHARE WITH US THE DETAILS OF THE REPAIRS OR RETROFITS PERFORMED. WE SUSPECT STEERING BOX WAS REPLACED. VIN# [XXX] , CITY OF OTTAWA'S UNIT B5-3358, 4WD, AT SOUTHBANK CHRYSLER, THE STEERING BOX WAS REPLACED, AND THEN UNIT WAS DEEMED ACCEPTABLE. VIN# [XXX] , CITY OF OTTAWA'S UNIT B5-3357, 2WD, ALTHOUGH A FEW COMPLAINTS FROM USERS RE STEERING, BUT MECHANICS ACCEPTED THE UNIT. *TR

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