NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation
Preliminary Evaluation PE12-021: Rear Differential Failure
- Closed
NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation opened Preliminary Evaluation PE12-021 on July 19, 2012 and closed it on March 5, 2013. NHTSA's investigations file lists the Dodge Ram 1500 and Ram 1500 for it and links recalls 12V-474 and 13V-038 to it.
Updated daily from NHTSA's investigations file
Key facts
- NHTSA number
- PE12-021 (also written PE12021)
- 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 March 5, 2013
- Opened
- Closed
- Vehicle or equipment manufacturer
- Chrysler (FCA US, LLC)
- Components
- Power Train; Power Train — Automatic Transmission; Power Train — Axle Assembly; Power Train — Driveline; Power Train — Driveline — Differential Unit; Power Train — Driveline — Driveshaft; Power Train — Transfer Case (4-WHEEL DRIVE)
- Recalls linked by NHTSA
- Vehicles and equipment
- Dodge Ram 1500 and Ram 1500
NHTSA's summary
As NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation wrote it for Preliminary Evaluation PE12-021.
In a letter dated October 2, 2012, Chrysler Group LLC (Chrysler) submitted a Defect Information Report (DIR) to NHTSA identifying a safety defect in approximately 48,058 vehicles built with an axle pinion nut that can loosen, which could result in lock-up of the rear axle and/or separation of the rear drive shaft from the rear axle (NHTSA Recall No. 12V-474).
The vehicles involved in this recall are model year (MY) 2009 and MY 2010 Dodge Ram 1500 (46,677) and Dodge Dakota (1,381) vehicles manufactured between July 1, 2009 and November 30, 2009 built with 9.25? rear axles built at Chrysler?s Detroit Axle Assembly Plant.
Chrysler stated it determined during this time frame there were instances of 9.25? axles built with rear axle pinion nuts that were missing the adhesive patch.
The remedy for these vehicles is to install a pinion nut retainer.
In a review of data in its complaint database and data submitted by Chrysler, the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) identified 194 reports (including 3 crash reports) of rear axle lock up and/or drive shaft separation outside of the scope of recall 12V-474.
In a letter dated February 5, 2013, Chrysler submitted a second DIR to NHTSA identifying another safety defect in approximately 278,150 vehicles built with 9.25? rear axles and outside of the scope of recall 12V-474 that could also result in lock-up of the rear axle and/or rear drive separation (NHTSARecall No. 13V-038).
Chrysler stated that analysis of field return parts from this vehicle population, undersized pinion splines were found as the likely factor contributing to the loosening of the pinion nut.
The vehicles involved in this recall are:266,091 MY 2009?2012 Dodge Ram 1500 vehicles manufactured from 2/28/09 through 6/30/09 and 12/1/09 through 10/20/11 (including 183,421 MY 2009-2010 subject vehicles); 8,475 MY 2009?2010 Dodge Dakota vehicles manufactured from 2/18/07 through 6/30/09 and 12/1/09 through 7/9/10; 2,346 MY 2009 Chrysler Aspen vehicles manufactured from 1/19/07 through 12/18/08; and 1,238 MY 2009 Dodge Durango vehicles manufactured from 1/17/07 through 12/18/08.
The remedy for these vehicles is the same as for 12V-474.
The failure counts in this resume are for the subject MY 2009-2010 Dodge Ram 1500 vehicles only.
The recalled vehicle counts are based on current estimates from Chrysler and may differ from estimates in the original DIR's.
This Preliminary Evaluation is closed.
The ODI report cited above can be reviewed at www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/owners/SearchNHTSAID under the following identification (ODI) numbers:10489593,10489091,10488952,10485174,10485096,10484596,10484490,10483394,10483370,10482853,10482816,10482438,10479806,10479352,10478724,10477460,10477354,10476923,10476691,10475939,10475241,10475158,10473147,10472488,10470655,10470516,10470231,10470152,10469969,10469548,10469435,10468759,10468024,10467819,10467805,10467683,10467196,10466630,10464240,10448778,10445208,10443542,10439902,10375394,10362531,10353440
Vehicles and equipment listed for this investigation
NHTSA's investigations file lists these vehicles and equipment for Preliminary Evaluation PE12-021. 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.
Dodge
Dodge Ram 1500
Ram
Ram 1500
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 PE12-021
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.