2013 Ram 3500 Suspension Problems

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 RAM 3500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT 65 MPH, WITHOUT WARNING A VIOLENT SHAKING OCCURRED WITHIN THE STEERING WHEEL. THE CONTACT MANAGED TO REGAIN CONTROL OF THE STEERING WHEEL, VEERED TO THE SHOULDER OF THE ROAD, TURNED THE VEHICLE OFF AND BACK ON WHICH THEN RESUMED BACK TO NORMAL. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE THE FRONT END WAS INSPECTED AND DETERMINED THAT THE FRONT LOWER CONTROL ARMS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE DEALER, PLANET FORD-DODGE LOCATED AT 19000 EASTEX FWY, HUMBLE, TX 77338 WAS CONTACTED AND INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT NO WARRANTY WAS AVAILABLE ON THE VEHICLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 162,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 RAM 3500. WHILE DRIVING 74 MPH, THE VEHICLE DROVE OVER A BUMP IN THE ROAD AND THE FRONT END VIBRATED VIOLENTLY. WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS STOPPED, THE FAILURE ALSO STOPPED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC, BUT NO FAILURE WAS FOUND. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING OR REPAIRS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 104,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 RAM 3500. WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH OVER A SPEED BUMP, THE VEHICLE BECAME DIFFICULT TO STEER. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO PULL THE VEHICLE OVER AND NOTICED THAT THE FRONT TRACK BAR WAS FRACTURED. THE DEALER (DON ELLIOTT CHRYSLER DODGE, 1225 N RICHMOND RD, WHARTON, TX) DIAGNOSED THAT THE TRACK BAR WAS FRACTURED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE VIN WAS EXCLUDED FROM NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 15V541000 (STEERING). THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 91,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 RAM 3500. WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH, THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO VIOLENTLY WOBBLE WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FAILURE ALSO OCCURRED WHILE DRIVING OVER A BUMP IN THE ROAD. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE DRAG LINK BUSHINGS FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE LOCAL DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT NO RECALLS WERE AVAILABLE FOR THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 87,000.

MY VEHICLE EXPERIENCES A PHENOMENON COMMONLY KNOWN AS 'DEATH WOBBLE'. (GOOGLE '2013 DODGE RAM 3500 DEATH WOBBLE' TO VIEW VIDEOS OF THIS ISSUE). WHEN DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEED AND ENCOUNTERING A CERTAIN CURVE RADIUS COMBINED WITH A BUMP OR DEFECT IN THE ROADWAY SURFACE, THE FRONT SUSPENSION BEGINS VIOLENTLY VIBRATING. THE STEERING WHEEL SHAKES VIOLENTLY AND THIS VIBRATION CANNOT BE STOPPED BY HOLDING THE WHEEL. APPLYING THE BRAKES TRANSMITS THE VIBRATION TO THE BRAKE PEDAL. THE ONLY REMEDY IS TO ALLOW THE VEHICLE TO SLOW DOWN BY REMOVING ANY INPUT TO THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL. WHEN THE VEHICLE SPEED DROPS TO BELOW APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH, THE VIBRATION CEASES. THIS HAS HAPPENED TO ME NUMEROUS TIMES AND MAKES ME FEEL AS IF I COULD LOSE CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. IF THIS WERE TO OCCUR ON A WET OR SNOW COVERED ROADWAY, I THINK THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD MOST LIKELY SPIN OUT OF CONTROL. I HAVE BROUGHT MY VEHICLE IN TO TWO DIFFERENT DODGE DEALERS TO COMPLAIN ABOUT THIS ISSUE. THEY SAID THAT THEY WERE 'UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE ISSUE'. THIS IS NOT SURPRISING SINCE IT REQUIRES A VERY SPECIFIC COMBINATION OF VEHICLE SPEED, STEERING ANGLE, AND BUMP OR OTHER INPUT TO THE SUSPENSION SYSTEM. MY VEHICLE WAS UNDER WARRANTY COVERAGE WHEN I COMPLAINED OF THIS ISSUE TO THE DEALERS. MY VEHICLE IS NO LONGER UNDER WARRANTY COVERAGE BUT THE VEHICLE STILL HAS THIS ISSUE. THE DEALERS TELL ME I HAVE TO TAKE IT UP WITH DODGE TO TRY AND GET THEM TO COVER THIS. NOT SURPRISINGLY, DODGE TELLS ME I HAVE TO TAKE IT UP WITH THE DEALERS.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 RAM 3500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING BETWEEN 40 AND 65 MPH, THE VEHICLE WOULD VIBRATE RAPIDLY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER AND THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN DIAGNOSED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 30,000.