2020 Ram 2500 Steering Problems

On 5/22/23 I started my vehicle and started to back out of the parking spot, I then received a power steering malfunction service required warning on the dash and lost power steering functionality. The increased steering effort almost resulted in a collision with another vehicle. I took the vehicle in for service and it was diagnosed with a faulty electric assist system on the vehicle and this is being replaced. The vehicle had about 45,000 miles on it at the time of the incident. The first warning light came on when the power steering failed to operate. If this had failed while on the road the results could have been much worse. This is a dangerous defect from early failure of a safety component.

The contact owns a 2020 Ram 2500. The contact stated that on two separate occasions, while driving at highway speeds, the power steering assist failed to operate as designed. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was initially taken to a dealer where the power steering assist was repaired under warranty. Despite the repair, the contact stated that the failure occurred a second time without warning. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 35,000.

While driving up snow covered inclined driveway. Truck started to spin and stopped going forward. Starting to slide backwards the engine shut off and I lost power steering and power brakes. Managed to re-start while sliding backwards but the engine shut off again resulting in a sideways crash into a tree. Thus causing $5000.00 truck damage but no bodily injury. My insurance covers damage but I am out a $500.00 deductible. The engine shutting off happened the year before but I was able to stop the slide in time. I just received a recall ("Z20/NHTSA 22-140") and I'm not sure if that problem is a cause of my incident. I did not notice any warning indications during or before the incident. I have not contacted FCA or my dealer yet.

I am concerned that recall 21V-880 was issued Nov. 12 2021 and there is still no fix available. I just got home from my local dealer. My intention was to get an appointment to take care of all three of the open recalls on my vehicle on one service visit. They say they can do two of them but not 21V-880. How long is an adequate wait time for a solution ?

My driver was driving 25mph when the whole dash and interior lights started flashing and the dash said electric steering was unavailable and 4wd disabled and braking disabled , the truck could not be steered or braked , my driver had to use the emergency brake to stop the truck and gooseneck trailer attached . The electrical disabled all electrical braking including trailer brakes and steering and 4wd . The transmission is also randomly doing a hard downshift into 4th gear and slamming him into the dash and will be stuck in that gear .

WHILE COMING TO A STOP I LOST COMPLETE POWER STEERING AND WAS BARELY ABLE TO TURN THE WHEEL TO MOVE TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. NO MESSAGES, LIGHTS OR CODES CAME UP ON THE DASH. TRUCK ONLY HAS 4,900 MILES ON IT AND WAS FULL ON POWER STEERING FLUID. AFTER CHECKING EVERYTHING I ATTEMPTED TO DRIVE FROM THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. WHEN THE RPM'S ROSE THE POWER STEERING WORKED NORMAL. WHEN I APPROACHED THE NEXT STOP AND LET MY FOOT OFF THE GAS AND THE RPM'S LOWERED, I LOST POWER STEERING AGAIN AT APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH, LEAVING ME UNABLE TO STEER.

'POWER STEERING UNAVAILABLE SERVICE REQUIRED' MESSAGE APPEARED ON INSTRUMENT CLUSTER AT 4,596 MILES. POWER STEERING FAILURE OCCURRED WHILE DRIVING IN LIGHT CITY TRAFFIC AND STOPPED AT AN INTERSECTION. THE VEHICLE IS DIFFICULT TO CONTROL WITHOUT POWER STEERING ASSIST. POWERING CAR OFF AND ON DID NOT CLEAR THE ERROR. NOR DID DISCONNECTING/RECONNECTING BATTERY TERMINALS. VEHICLE SAT OVERNIGHT IN GARAGE AND POWER STEERING FUNCTION SEEMED TO RETURN THE FOLLOWING DAY, ONLY TO FAIL AGAIN AFTER 15-20 MINS OF LIGHT STREET DRIVING.

POWER STEERING SUDDENLY FAILED WHILE DRIVING.

WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY POWER STEERING QUIT WORKING FOLLOWED ALONG WITH A LIGHT ON ON THE DASHBOARD CLAIMING THAT POWER STEERING FAILED. IT BECAME EXTREMELY HARD TO TURN EVEN AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS.

THE VEHICLE RANDOMLY NAVIGATES LEFT OR RIGHT WITHOUT WARNING, ALSO THE STEERING WHEEL HAS ALMOST NOT AFFECT TO THE VEHICLE GOING STRAIGHT. THIS HAPPENED WHEN THE VEHICLE IS IN MOTION, ROAD CONDITION DOES NOT MATTER IT IS AFFECTED ON BOTH CITY ROADS AND HIGHWAY ROADS. VERY DANGEROUS WHEN ON THE HIGHWAY PULLING A TRAILER.