Backing into a parking spot I heard a clunk. After looking around I see the tierod hanging down. I was just traveling 70 mph not 1/2 mile before this happened. Not in a good mood. I can not afford this type of brake down right now, my OCD won't let me just replace the broken one, I'll have to do them all.

How n why this broke I haven't a clue. It's a totally stock truck no oversized tires no real off road driving maybe a few miles on a gravel road a few times a year.

OCD or not, you are real lucky. I would be all over the phone to a dealer. You did contact a dealer already didn't you? If they turned you away for whatever reason I would tell them THEY need to get it towed to them and they would be footing the tow bill.

Looks like the track bar to me, where it meets the axle. Where does it connect?

Local dealership said I'm sol, truck is out of warranty, I stated that it's a tsb, he told me to call Chrysler. They I turn td me the local dealership needed to have it towed. I told them what the dealership said. Poor lady said sorry but there was nothing she could do.

It been towed, now we wait.

Tie rod ends werent the recall. Where the steering shock mounted to the tie rod was the recall

And dont confuse a recall with a tsb. A tsb is just help with common fixes

Edited August 12, 201411 yr by mopartechnician

Yep, with a TSB you are on your own. Go buy the parts you want where you want and fix it right!

so your saying that dodge know these things are pron to breaking and not having a mandatory recall? what if i was runnin 70 down the freeway when it let go? lawsuit? does the NHTSA even know of this issue.? i've seen and read hundreds of posts online about it.

off to write them a letter.

 

thanks for the info.

Tie rods are wear parts, they are going to fail at some point in time its just a matter of when. Regular checks/maintenance are a must for any wear parts, best to check things over good once every month or two and make sure everything is tight and greased, and if you find any parts that are going bad replace them before something like this happens or worse.

 

After getting on my computer and seeing the pictures I see it didn't fail in the way I was thinking when on my phone, I would say thats a defect after seeing the way it broke now.

Edited August 12, 201411 yr by bjytech

According to the NHTSA there IS a recall on tie rods: http://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/owners/SearchResults;jsessionid=NtTTTp4Qld26hnz1dFRZQ53rnL0nT12kGHfNYP2GPZ3ZmtBMnzKc!359129687 which reads in part:

Chrysler Group LLC (Chrysler) is recalling certain model year 2003-2008 Dodge RAM 2500 4x4 and 3500 4x4, model year 2007-2008 Dodge RAM 3500 4x2 Cab Chassis and model year 2006-2008 Dodge RAM 1500 Mega Cab 4x4 trucks manufactured February 12, 2002, through February 13, 2008. The left tie rod assembly may break.

CONSEQUENCE:

A failure of the tie rod assembly may result in a loss of steering control, increasing the risk of a crash.

REMEDY:

Chrysler notified owners in December 2013 and offered through its dealers installation of a new left tie rod assembly, free of charge. On or about February 27, 2014, Chrysler ceased its recall remedy program due to parts quality concerns. Chrysler expects to reinitiate the recall remedy campaign, but with limited parts availability, on or about the week of April 14, 2014. Owners may contact Chrysler at 1-800-247-9753. Chrysler's recall campaign number is N62.

 

If you would like to make a complaint: https://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/VehicleComplaint/index.xhtml

Otherwise the site is: http://www.nhtsa.gov/Vehicle+Safety/Recalls+&+Defects

http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Technical_Service_Bulletin

Ok maybe this is different than the one i was talking about

Thank you MnTom, i did file a complaint. and pending what the dealership tell me tomorrow will depend the pressure i put on Chrysler. had it broke while i was headed down the freeway with a loaded 5th wheel and had my kids in the truck, the lawsuits would be astronomical. i'm really surprised they haven't made this a mandatory and do not drive the truck... boggles my brain. i was never informed of the recall until mine broke, then i started searching. i've seen them get loose, but never break. wow...

anyhow thank you all for the replies.

image.jpgimage.jpg

 

Got a photo of the entire setup?

 

You may or may not be effected by the recalled steering linkage.

 

 

 

Tie rod ends werent the recall. Where the steering shock mounted to the tie rod was the recall

And dont confuse a recall with a tsb. A tsb is just help with common fixes

 

Haven't heard about that recall, but there indeed is a tie-rod recall not a TSB.The recall has had multiple iterations over the last few years. The recall specificllly effects the 08.5+ steering linkage, but that linkage is back-words compatible and used on the older trucks regularly.

SOL??  You'll have much better traction if you go to the dealer armed with the RECALL NUMBER.  

SOL??  You'll have much better traction if you go to the dealer armed with the RECALL NUMBER.  

 

Only if the recall applies, and I doubt there is a dealership that is not aware of the tie-rod recall.

 

This is why we need to see a photo of the entire steering linkage.

How many miles are on the truck?  Orignal front end parts?  OEM didn't have grease fittings, at least mine didn't.  TREs are wear items like ball joints, etc.  These parts are expected to wear & get loose, giving warning to replace them.  I don't think they should "break" (as in shear off).   My question is did the part seize or how did it fail?  I'd want the parts.  Is the steel crystalized?  I can't see the pictures clear enough to judge the nature of the failure. 

I don't believe Warantee does or should cover normal wear & tear.  On the other hand, properly made steel parts should not break in the middle.  I'm not happy but I've had parts rust through...  I'm disapppointed at their rust resistance but I know Chrysler is not going to pay.     

Edited August 12, 201411 yr by flagmanruss

i'm not sure the state of the TRE's, they were the "upgraded" ones dodge offered, that were also defective. the dealership replaced the whole tierod, the long bar that goes to each spindle. and both TRE's and did an alignment.

sadly the new ones do not have zerks as well. truck has just shy of 200 K 196xxx.

it was covered form a recall. the old one still had a good amount of grease under the cup.

they would not let me have the old part, stating they needed to send them back to Chrysler.

i was not seized. just broke. half way up the stud.

 

i'm not sure the state of the TRE's, they were the "upgraded" ones dodge offered, that were also defective. the dealership replaced the whole tierod, the long bar that goes to each spindle. and both TRE's and did an alignment.

sadly the new ones do not have zerks as well. truck has just shy of 200 K 196xxx.

it was covered form a recall. the old one still had a good amount of grease under the cup.

they would not let me have the old part, stating they needed to send them back to Chrysler.

i was not seized. just broke. half way up the stud.

TRE1_2.jpg

Sounds correct for the failure of the "upgrade" that causes the left side TRE to fail. They where probably installed incorrectly, which is why most of them fail. The latest parts have an alignment pin design to keep this from happening. You should have gotten a new pass side TRE as well.

Agreed, yes, defective parts must go back for the dealer to get credit.  My thought to get the parts would be in a non-covered situation, giving you a chance to argue the exclusion & if not, to exhamine for your own & our education as to the cause. 

What would have annoyed me the most was the original flat statement that "No, that's not covered!"  without seeing the truck.  A lot of folks might have taken them at their word & taken it to their own mechanic & had it done at their own expense. 

I don't believe the dealer did not know about the recall...  and if they weren't sure, they should have said "We'll check", not NO.

Likewise, the dealer really can't say if a failure was caused by a defective part until the parts in question were exhamined. 

 

When I had a customer's boat with a problem, we bent over backward to be honest.  Very often calling after we'd opened it up.