The contact owned a 2024 Ram 4500. The contact stated while driving 50 MPH, the vehicle hit the expansion joints and wobbled. The contact stated that the vehicle then experienced the Death Wobble and unintendedly pulled to the left, causing the contact to lose control of the steering wheel while driving on a curvy road. Additionally, the brake pedal was depressed but traveled to the floorboard, and the vehicle failed to respond. The contact stated that as the vehicle was approaching the guard rail, he attempted to make a right turn to avoid the guard rail, but the vehicle continued to pull to the left, and the front driver's side axle housing that had detached hit a road barrier, causing the front end of the vehicle to hit the guard rail. The vehicle then crossed the entrance ramp, and the front driver's side of the vehicle crashed into the guard rail located on the left side of the ramp. The contact stated that the front driver's side axle housing separated from the vehicle. The air bags failed to deploy. The ambulance transported the contact to the hospital, where the contact was informed he had sustained a secondary whiplash, back bruises, and left knee injury. The vehicle was towed and totaled by the insurance company. A police report was filed, but the contact did not have the police report information available. The dealer was not notified of the failure. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and sent a field engineer, who diagnosed the vehicle. The manufacturer later informed the contact that based on the engineer's report, the failure was not due to a factory defect. No further assistance was provided. The failure mileage was approximately 11,105.
NHTSA ODI 11611135