NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation
Preliminary Evaluation PE11-009: Outer Tie Rod Failure
- Closed
NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation opened Preliminary Evaluation PE11-009 on April 4, 2011 and closed it on February 6, 2012. NHTSA's investigations file lists 5 models from 2 makes for it and links recall 11V-350 to it.
Updated daily from NHTSA's investigations file
Key facts
- NHTSA number
- PE11-009 (also written PE11009)
- Investigation type
- Preliminary Evaluation The first stage of most defect investigations: NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation gathers basic information about a possible safety defect, including from the manufacturer.
- Status
- Closed February 6, 2012
- Opened
- Closed
- Vehicle or equipment manufacturer
- Chrysler (FCA US, LLC)
- Component
- Steering — Linkages — Tie Rod Assembly
- Recall linked by NHTSA
- 11V-350: OUTER TIE ROD FAILURE, reported
- Vehicles and equipment
- 5 models from 2 makes, including the Dodge Ram and Dodge Ram 2500
NHTSA's summary
As NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation wrote it for Preliminary Evaluation PE11-009.
ODI received complaints regarding failing tie rod ball studs on Model Year 2008-2011 Dodge Ram 2500 and 3500 vehicles resulting in loss of steering control.
Chrysler concluded that misalignment of the left (driver side) ball stud on vehicles built with the Cross Car steering linkage system could allow contact between the bull stud and the ball housing which could weaken the stud and result in fracture.
Chrysler submitted a recall notice on August 15, 2011 involving certain MY 2003-2011 Ram 2500 and Ram 3500 pickup trucks built or repaired with the Cross Car steering linkage.
Chrysler will inspect, repair or realign the front end of the subject vehicles as needed.
Chrysler's announcement of a safety recall on this matter addresses ODI's concerns.
The ODI reports cited above can be reviewed at www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/owners/SearchNHTSAID under the following identification (ODI) numbers:10332525, 10357937, 10366591, 10303744, 10377166, 10373240, 10343969, 10375403, 10324831, 10373546, 10370771.
Vehicles and equipment listed for this investigation
NHTSA's investigations file lists these vehicles and equipment for Preliminary Evaluation PE11-009. A listed model year means only that an investigation names it; it says nothing about any particular vehicle. Model years with a try.vin recall page link to that page's NHTSA investigations section.
What an NHTSA investigation is
NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) looks into possible safety defects in vehicles and equipment, often after owner complaints. An investigation usually starts as a Preliminary Evaluation, or as a Recall Query when it concerns whether an existing recall covers the right vehicles or fixes the problem, and ODI can upgrade it to a more detailed Engineering Analysis. A Defect Petition asks NHTSA to open an investigation, and Audit and Equipment Queries are administrative investigations into whether companies complied with federal vehicle safety requirements, such as reporting, recall and certification rules.
An open investigation is not a finding that a safety defect exists, and NHTSA can close one without a recall.
To see whether a specific vehicle has an open recall, enter its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Free VIN check: decode a VIN to see its year, make and model.
Sources
NHTSA's investigation record for PE11-009
Investigation details come from NHTSA's investigations file, which try.vin imports once a day. The investigation types are described from the U.S. Department of Transportation Inspector General's May 2023 report on NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation, NHTSA's petition rules (49 CFR Parts 552 and 557) and NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation procedures. How try.vin reads NHTSA investigations.