The defect
Chrysler Group LLC (Chrysler) is recalling certain model year 2008-2012 RAM 4500 and 5500 trucks manufactured February 20, 2007, through December 22, 2012. The left tie rod assembly may break.
The risk
A failure of the tie rod assembly may result in a loss of steering control, increasing the risk of a crash.
The remedy
On May 19, 2015 Chrysler notified owners that dealers would replace the tie rod assembly, free of charge. In July 2015, and under a consent order with NHTSA, the company agreed to offer owners three options for remedying their vehicles: perform the original remedy, offer to repurchase the vehicle at the fair market value plus 10%, or offer an additional incentive offer towards the purchase of a new Dodge, Jeep, Chrysler, or Fiat vehicle. Chrysler will notify owners of the new recall options in a letter expected to be mailed on August 31, 2015. Owners may contact Chrysler at 1-800-247-9753. Chrysler's recall campaign number is R16.
NHTSA's own wording · initiated by MFR
Vehicles covered
| Model | Model years |
|---|---|
| Dodge Ram 4500 | 2008, 2009, 2011, 2012 |
| Dodge Ram 5500 | 2008, 2009, 2011, 2012 |
| Ram Redundant 4500 | 2010 |
| Ram Redundant 5500 | 2010 |
Components: STEERING:LINKAGES:TIE ROD ASSEMBLY
Model years in this recall
NHTSA complaints and the number of recall campaigns for each model year this recall covers.
| Model | Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dodge Ram 4500 | 2008 | 10 | 3 |
| Dodge Ram 4500 | 2009 | 4 | 3 |
| Dodge Ram 4500 | 2011 | 14 | 4 |
| Dodge Ram 4500 | 2012 | 10 | 9 |
| Dodge Ram 5500 | 2008 | 19 | 3 |
| Dodge Ram 5500 | 2009 | 7 | 3 |
| Dodge Ram 5500 | 2011 | 23 | 4 |
| Dodge Ram 5500 | 2012 | 40 | 9 |
| Ram Redundant 4500 | 2010 | 1 | 6 |
| Ram Redundant 5500 | 2010 | 0 | 6 |
Other steering recalls in 2013
20 of the 627 recall campaigns reported to NHTSA in 2013 concerned the steering; Chrysler Group LLC filed 73 campaigns in all.
| 13V653000 12 Dec 2013 | Newmar Corporation |
| 13V605000 29 Nov 2013 | Daimler Trucks North America |
| 13V603000 29 Nov 2013 | Nissan North America, Inc. |
| 13V588000 20 Nov 2013 | Nissan North America, Inc. |
| 13V529000 6 Nov 2013 | Chrysler Group LLC |
| 13V528000 6 Nov 2013 | Chrysler Group LLC |
| 13V531000 25 Oct 2013 | Spartan Motors, Inc. |
| 13V493000 17 Oct 2013 | Mack Trucks, Inc. |
NHTSA recalls (public domain) · all recalls of 2013