NHTSA complaint #11182880

Owner complaint summary

VEHICLE STEERING STICKS DURING LEFT TURNS AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. AFTER VEHICLE HAS BEEN DRIVEN FOR APPROX 1 HOUR, DURING LEFT TURNS AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS, 65+ MPH, THE STEERING WILL HOLD AT APPROXIMATELY THE 10 O'CLOCK POSITION RESULTING IN UNPREDICTABLE AND UNSAFE DRIVING CONDITIONS. DUE TO THE REQUIREMENT OF HIGHWAY SPEEDS AND APPROX 1 HR DRIVE TIME, DEALERSHIPS WON'T TAKE THE EFFORT TO BE ABLE TO REPLICATE THIS SAFETY ISSUE. WITHOUT REPLICATION BOTH THE DEALERSHIP AND RAM CUSTOMER SERVICE CONSIDER IT A NON ISSUE. THIS ISSUE IS NOT RELATED TO THE GROUND RECALL ALREADY ISSUED FOR THE 2019 RAMS. THIS SAFETY ISSUE IS ALSO REPORTED BY NUMEROUS OTHER 2019 RAM OWNERS IN ONLINE FORUMS. EFFORTS TO GET THIS ISSUE RESOLVED THROUGH THE DEALERSHIP AND RAM CUSTOMER SUPPORT HAVE BEEN UNSATISFACTORY. THIS IS NOT A MINOR PROBLEM AND COULD RESULT IN SERIOUS DAMAGE OR LOSS OF LIFE ON THE ROAD. JUST BECAUSE A PROBLEM CANNOT BE REPLICATED IN A SHORT TEST DRIVE DOES NOT EQUATE TO THEIR NOT BEING A MAJOR SAFETY CONCERN ON THESE VEHICLES.*DT CONSUMER HAD THE RECALL PERFORMED AND THE STEERING PROBLEM IS STILL PRESENT. WHEN THE STEERING WHEEL STICKS YOU HAVE TO APPLY SOME EXTRA FORCE TO GET IT TO RETURN TO CENTER AS WELL AS SOMETIMES IT WILL HOLD MOMENTARILY AND JERK BACK ON ITS OWN. THE CONCERN IS THE UNPREDICTABILITY OF IT AND THE POTENTIAL OVER/UNDER STEER AT HIGHER SPEEDS. ONCE THE PROBLEM PRESENTS ITSELF AFTER LONGER PERIODS OF DRIVING IT WILL ALSO THEN DO IT OCCASIONALLY AT SLOWER SPEEDS AS WELL. THERE HAVE NOT BEEN ANY CHIMES OR MESSAGES THAT APPEAR ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. IT HAS BEEN IN TO SERVICE BUT THEY HAVE BEEN UNABLE TO REPLICATE. UNFORTUNATELY THIS ISSUE HAS ONLY APPEARED DURING LONGER ROAD TRIPS AT INTERSTATE SPEEDS WITH LONG LEFT TURNS SO IT IS UNLIKELY A DEALER WOULD BE ABLE TO REPLICATE IT ON A SHORT TEST DRIVE. I KNOW FROM THE FORUMS THAT PEOPLE WITH SIMILAR ISSUES HAVE HAD IT RESOLVED WITH THE REPLACEMENT OF THE STEERING RACK. *JB