NHTSA complaint: 1999 DODGE RAM 1500 — POWER TRAIN:DRIVELINE:DIFFERENTIAL UNIT
DODGE RAM 1500 YEAR 1999 [XXX] MILEAGE: 66,164 [XXX] CUSTOMER SERVICE: I RESPECTFULLY REQUEST REIMBURSEMENT FOR THE RESENT REPAIRS INCURRED IN REFERENCE TO INVOICE #[XXX] AS I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE FREEWAY EARLY THURSDAY MORNING OF THE 9TH OF FEBRUARY OF THIS YEAR, I HEARD A VERY LOUD BANGING OF METAL ON METAL AT THE SAME TIME THE REAR WHEELS OF MY TRUCK LOCKED UP. THE TRUCK THEN SKIDDED OFF THE ROAD BARELY MISSING THE GUARDRAIL AND OTHER CARS IN THE ADJACENT LANES. I TOOK THE TRUCK TO MARIETTA DODGE. UPON INSPECTION BY THE DEALERSHIP I WAS SHOWN BY THE TECH THAT THE CLIPS THAT HOLD THE PIN THAT SUPPORTS THE FICTION CLUTCH AND GEAR ASSEMBLY OF THE DIFFERENTIAL HAD FALLEN OUT INTO THE HOUSING LETTING THE PIN AND THE CLIPS FALL DOWN INTO THE GEARS CAUSING REAR-END TO LOCKUP AND SEVERE DAMAGE TO IT. THIS IN-TURN DAMAGED THE RING AND PINION GEARS AS WELL AS THE CASE, THE BEARINGS AND SO ON. A LIST OF THE PARTS AND LABOR ARE ON THE ACCOMPANYING. INVOICE # [XXX] TOTAL: $3730.86 I TOOK THE DAMAGED PARTS TO THE MACHINE SHOP AT THE BASE AND HAD THEM MAG-NI-FLUX TESTED. WE FOUND THAT THE SEVERAL OF THE PARTS HAD STRESS CRACKS INCLUDING THE RIGHT REAR AXIAL JUST BEHIND THE HUB THAT COULD OF LED TO ANOTHER ACCIDENT SHORTLY DOWN THE ROAD. THE MACHINIST CONCLUDED THAT THE CLIPS COULD HAVE FAILED DO TO POOR CASTING AND OR METAL FATIGUE. I WOULD TRULY APPRECIATE SOMEONE GETTING BACK TO ME ABOUT THIS REQUEST FOR REIMBURSEMENT AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND CONSIDERATION
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration — Office of Defects Investigation