Owner-reported complaints naming the suspension system, filed with NHTSA
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Reports naming suspension components — springs, struts, shocks, control arms and related hardware. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2017 RAM 2500 submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 16 reports on file name it.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed
The steering components are causing it to be difficult keeping the vehicle in the driving lane; the vehicle wanders from side to side. Two seperate Dealers cannot locate the problem.
Recall for the drag link on this series of 2500 trucks calls for welding an adjustable part of the steering linkage - the drag link jam nuts, rendering that part non-adjustable. Once welded, to then perform an alignment the welds would need to be carefully ground off, alignment work performed, and then once again everything re-torqued and welded back in place per the recall advisory steps. Also consider the effects of welding, grinding, and welding again and again over the life of this HD truck. An alignment is critical to towing thousands of pounds, pulling to the side and overcorrecting while towing a load because a simple alignment is no longer possible is arguably just as dangerous as the original issue attempted to be mitigated (loss of steering). The correct fix for this safety issue is to replace this drag link component, not render the truck unusable. A new drag link without this issue has been engineered and made available for sale, but my VIN says its not eligible for it as a covered recall repair. This is an OEM design failure with a short-sighted workaround that renders the vehicle useless over time; seems ridiculous for the customer to be financially responsible for this failure. Attached photo is of the welded, "recall completed", drag link on my now horribly misaligned truck.
The contact owns a 2017 Ram 2500 trailered to a 2022 Quality Cargo trailer. The contact stated that while transporting the trailer, the contact noticed that the trailer was not aligned correctly. The trailer was taken to the dealer and the contact was informed that the leaf springs had started to detach from the axles. The trailer was not repaired. The trailer was traded and replaced by another trailer. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was unknown.
Had certified preowned truck aligned after purchase and shop could not adjust front end to stop pull to the right. Took it back to the dealer and they replaced a drag link (but tech said it had nothing to do with the pull) and the second time they rotated front tires left to right. Still pulls to right. Googled problem and I find that it is a common problem with Ram trucks but requires an after market install of ball joints to be able to adjust for the pull. Overheard a service writer who stated “ you can’t align a Ram”.
FRONT PASSENGER SIDE UNDERBODY FRAME BOLT & NUT CAME OUT CAUSING LOAD NOISE AND FRAME ENGINE SUPPORT SHIFTED DOWN 25MILS AND FORWARD. OCCURRED IN PARKING LOT 5 MPH GOING OVER SPEED BUMP. REQUESTED DEALERSHIP TO CHECK ALL OTHER UNDERBODY TORQUE SETTING.
UNKNOWING LING HAD FCA DEALERSHIP PERFORM RECALL 19V-021, DRAG LINK ASSEMBLY. BY THE DEALERSHIP CONDUCTING THIS IT NOW MAKES MY VEHICLE ILLEGAL FOR TOWING PER THE FEDERAL MOTOR CARRIER SAFETY REGULATION SS 393.209 (D) STEERING SYSTEM. UNIVERSAL JOINTS AND BALL-AND-SOCKET JOINTS SHALL NOT BE WORN, FAULTY OR REPAIRED BY WELDING. THE STEERING GEAR BOX SHALL NOT HAVE LOOSE OR MISSING MOUNTING BOLTS OR CRACKS IN THE GEAR BOX OR MOUNTING BRACKETS. THE PITMAN ARM ON THE STEERING GEAR OUTPUT SHAFT SHALL NOT BE LOOSE. STEERING WHEELS SHALL TURN FREELY THROUGH THE LIMIT OF TRAVEL IN BOTH DIRECTIONS. I HAVE CONTACTED THE FCA DEALERSHIP AND THEY WILL NOT REPLACE THE PART THAT THEY HAVE WELDED THEREFORE MAKING MY VEHICLE ILLEGAL IF INSPECTED.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2017 RAM 2500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THERE WAS AN UNKNOWN RECALL REPAIR THAT REQUIRED WELDING THE ALIGNMENT BARS AND NUTS. THE DEALER WHO PERFORMED THE REPAIR WAS GOLDSTEIN CHRYSLER JEEP DODGE RAM (968 NEW LOUDON RD, LATHAM, NY 12110, (518) 785-4156). WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS RECEIVING AN ALIGNMENT FROM AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC, THE WELDING REPAIR WAS DISCOVERED. THE CONTACT CALLED THE DEALER BACK AND WAS INFORMED THAT THEY HAD TO WAIT FOR ANOTHER RECALL FOR THE FULL REPAIR. THE CONTACT WAS REFERRED TO THE MANUFACTURER. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THEY WOULD NOT APPROVE ANY MORE REPAIRS AND TRANSFERRED THE CONTACT TO NHTSA. THE CONTACT WAS CONCERNED THAT IF ANOTHER ALIGNMENT WAS NEEDED, IT WOULD BE HAMPERED BY THE PARTS BEING WELDED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 15,000.
HAD THE RAM 3500 RECAL CORRECTED WITH A SPOT WELD AT THE DON FRANKLIN SOMERSET KENTUCKY DEALER. IT MAY BE APPROVED NHTSA BUT ACCORDING TO DOT OFFICERS IT IS AN ILLEGAL FIX. STATED THAT IT ISNT APPROVEC BY THE FMCSA. IF I AM SHUT DOWN DUE TO TNIS SPOT WELD, I WILL LOOSE REVENUE IN THE THOUSANDS. IF THERE IS A PERMENENT FIX IT NEEDS TO BE DONE ASAP.
I TOOK MY 2017 RAM 2500 INTO THE LOCAL DEALER, URSE DODGE, FOR A DRAGLINK RECALL. RAM'S REPAIR FOR DRAGLINK RECALL WAS TO WELD JAM NUTS. THE WELDING OF THE JAM NUTS COMPLETELY DISABLED THE FUNCTIONALITY OF THE LINK FOR PURPOSES OF PROPER ALIGNMENT TO THE TRUCK. I HAVE TALKED TO RAM CUSTOMER CARE AND THE LOCAL DEALER URSE DODGE, BOTH URSE AND RAM CUSTOMER SERVICE CLAIM THAT WELDING THE IS THE RECALL REPAIR AS OF NOW. NOWHERE CAN I FIND ANY STATEMENTS OF A FINAL AND PERMANENT REPAIR COMING. I NOTICED TIRE WEAR ON MY TIRES AND TOOK THE TRUCK FOR AN ALIGNMENT TO NTB IN BRIDGEPORT WV. (I HAVE HAD MY TRUCK ALIGNED THERE ABOUT EVERY 5000 MILES FOR THE LAST YEAR, OR APPROXIMATELY 6 TIMES IN THE LAST YEAR. TRUCK CURRENTLY HAS 67,000 MILES ON IT.) ON THIS OCCASION MY TRUCK WAS OUT OF ALIGNMENT BUT NTB COULD NOT ADJUST IT BECAUSE URSE DODGE HAD WELDED THE JAM NUTS. I CALLED URSE, AND THEY MADE ME AN APPOINTMENT TO CHECK MY ALIGNMENT. ON MONDAY 7-1-2019 THE MECHANIC AT URSE DODGE CUT THE WELDS FROM THE JAM NUTS USING A DIE GRINDER, CUTTING TOOL, ALIGNED MY TRUCK, AND THEN TIGHTENED THE NUTS WITHOUT RE-WELDING THEM. THIS IN EFFECT "UN-REPAIRED" MY RECALL. MY CONCERN IS, 1. THE ORIGINAL WELDING AND THE HEAT AND OTHER REACTIONS TO THE JAM NUTS HAVE WEAKENED AND STRESSED THE METAL IN BOTH THE JAM NUTS AND THE ADJUSTING SLEEVE THE NUTS WERE WELDED TO. 2. THE CUTTING AND REMOVING THE WELD, WITH THE HEAT AND THE PHYSICAL DAMAGE INVOLVED IN REMOVING THE WELD, HAS FURTHER WEAKENED AND STRESSED THE METAL. 3. THE DRAGLINK IS NOT ABLE TO PERFORM TO IT'S ORIGINAL ENGINEERED DESIGN WITH THIS WELDED FIX. 4. THIS "FIX" WILL COST CONSUMERS HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS OVER TIME REPLACING NOT ONLY THESE ALTERED DRAGLINKS, BUT TIRES THAT WEAR BECAUSE OF THE INABILITY TO ADJUST THE ALIGNMENT TO SPECIFICATIONS. 5. THIS TEMPORARY REPAIR COMPROMISES THE SAFETY OF THESE VEHICLES. *BF *DT*JB
DURING A RECALL SERVICE OF MY RAM TRUCK AT LOCAL DEALERSHIP I WAS TOLD THAT THE FRONT RIGHT TIRE SHOWED EXCESSIVE WEAR ON THE OUTER LAYER. BOUGHT, AND GOT 4 NEW TIRES INSTALLED. GOT ALIGNMENT. TRUCK LEANS NOTICEABLE TO THE FRONT RIGHT. ALIGNMENT PERSON TOLD THAT TRUCK HAS A SUSPENSION PROBLEM.
FRONT TRACK BAR BUSHINGS ARE WORE OUT AFTER LESS THAN 45000 MILES. THE FRONT END MAKES A NOISE AND SHAKES WHEN YOU TURN THE WHEEL. THIS HAPPENS BOTH STOPPED AND AT ANY SPEED.
VEHICLE WAS IN FOR SERVICE AND MECHANIC INFORMED ME OF FRONT TIRES ARE CUPPING SIGNIFICANTLY. THEY INFORMED ME THIS IS NOT NEW FOR A NEW TRUCK. TOOK THE TRUCK TO DODGE THEY TOLD ME IT IS PERFECTLY NORMAL IF YOU DON'T ROTATE TIRES ENOUGH. THIS IS VERY INCONSISTENT. I DID ROTATE TIRES BUT WITHIN 5000 MILE PROBLEM. REPRESENTS ITSELF AND TIRES HAVE TO BE REBALANCE TO OFF SET UNEVEN WEAR.
WHEN IN MOTION, THE TRUCK WILL SUDDENLY BREAK INTO A VIOLENT "DEATH WOBBLE". IT HAS OCCURRED AT SPEEDS ANYWHERE BETWEEN 40 AND 75 AND NOT ALWAYS WHEN A SLIGHT BUMP IN THE ROAD IT HIT.
FRONT SUSPENSION, SPECIFICALLY STEERING SYSTEM GOES INTO A SEVERE WOBBLE OR SHIMMY WHEN A DIP OR POTHOLE IS DRIVEN OVER. THE SIDE TO SIDE WOBBLE IS SO SEVERE YOU HAVE TO COME TO A COMPLETE OR NEAR COMPLETE STOP TO GET THE TRUCK TO COME OUT OF IT. I'VE HAD IT TO THE DODGE DEALER TWICE AND A LOCAL SUSPENSION/ALIGNMENT SHOP AND THEY CANNOT LOCATE THE PROBLEM. LOOKING ONLINE THIS IS EXACTLY WHAT'S BEEN DESCRIBED MULTIPLE TIMES AS THE DODGE RAM "DEATH WOBBLE".
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2017 RAM 2500. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO PULL TO THE RIGHT WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A LOCAL DEALER (SOUTH COUNTY RAM IN GILROY 455 AUTOMALL DRIVE, GILROY, CA 95020) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT AN ALIGNMENT WAS NEEDED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED; HOWEVER, THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE CASTER FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE ADJUSTED OR A BALL JOINT NEEDED TO BE APPLIED. THE DEALER STATED THAT NO KNOWN SOLUTION WAS AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE WAS PERSISTENT. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO TWO DIFFERENT DEALERS (1. SOUTH COUNTY RAM IN GILROY 455 AUTOMALL DRIVE, GILROY, CA 95020 AND 2. BOARDWALK CHRYSLER DODGE JEEP RAM, 1 BAIR ISLAND ROAD, REDWOOD CITY, CA 94063). THE DIAGNOSTIC RESULTS WERE THE SAME AT BOTH DEALERS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED. THE VIN WAS INVALID. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 326. UPDATED 08/30/17*LJ *CN
HAS VENT FOR FROUNT DRIVE AXEL IN WHEEL WELL HE CATCHES RAINWATER AND GET YOU INTO THE FRONT DIFFERENTIAL ON FOUR-WHEEL-DRIVE SAYS DRIVE AXLE IS NOT PART OF DRIVETRAIN AND WILL NOT COVER WARRANTY ALL DODGE RAM FOUR-WHEEL-DRIVE'S 2017 MODELS WILL HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM ENOUGH WATER GETS IN THE FRONT DIFFERENTIAL IT WILL BURN UP THE GEAR NEEDS TO BE CORRECTED BEFORE SOMEBODY HAS A FRONT IN LOCK UP AND CAUSES
Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.
Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own
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