NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation
Preliminary Evaluation PE19-017: Front Driveshaft Failure
- Closed
NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation opened Preliminary Evaluation PE19-017 on December 12, 2019 and closed it on October 22, 2023. NHTSA's investigations file lists the Ram 4500 and 5500 for it.
Updated daily from NHTSA's investigations file
Key facts
- NHTSA number
- PE19-017 (also written PE19017)
- 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 October 22, 2023
- Opened
- Closed
- Vehicle or equipment manufacturer
- Chrysler (FCA US, LLC)
- Components
- Power Train; Power Train — Driveline — Driveshaft; Power Train — Transfer Case (4-WHEEL DRIVE)
- Vehicles and equipment
- Ram 4500 and 5500
A recall appears here only when NHTSA's investigations file links one to the investigation; NHTSA's summary or record can name others.
NHTSA's summary
As NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation wrote it for Preliminary Evaluation PE19-017.
try.vin does not copy NHTSA's investigation documents; NHTSA's investigation record lists the ones NHTSA has published.
On December 12, 2019, NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened Preliminary Evaluation (PE) 19-017 after receiving three Vehicle Owner Questionnaire (VOQ) reports alleging failures of the front driveshaft and/or transfer case, resulting in conditions of 1) a loss of engine power, 2) loss of steering assist, 3) loss of foundation brakes, 4) unintended air bag deployment and 5) engine/cab fires from combustible fluids striking hot exhaust components. The VOQs involved model year (MY) 2015 through 2017 RAM 4500 and 5500 vehicles. ODI received information from the vehicle manufacturer [Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA)] via information request letters dated February 28, 2020, and April 21,2020. Supplemental information was received on March 17, 2021. A review of the responsive manufacturer information, and related meetings and presentations, showed that the transfer case failures in 97.5% of the claims did not disable the vehicle. Since analysis showed that a failed driveshaft could result in catastrophic damage to the transfer case as well as other safety risks (i.e. steering/brake failures etc.), ODI shifted the investigation to focus only on the front driveshaft failures. The double cardan universal joint design requires maintenance lubrication within every 8000 miles. Despite an under-hood maintenance reminder label and professional servicing at both dealers and independent repair facilities, the driveshafts were often found to be unlubricated due to lack of awareness, difficulty of the operation or the lack of the special tools needed to perform the work. To increase the maintenance lubrication rates, in the summer of 2021, FCA launched a communications campaign, circulating awareness bulletins, training information, special tool options and instructional videos through more than a dozen channels covering both dealer and independent repair facilities. Additionally, in the fall of 2021, FCA mailed a VIN-specific letter to each registered owner reminding them of the maintenance needs, and also sent a special grease gun adapter to every FCA US dealer and fleet operator with an FCA US dealer code. Since January 2022,NHTSA has not received a complaint of front driveshaft failure due to lack of lubrication that can lead to failure conditions such as loss of engine power, loss of steering assist, loss of foundation brakes, unintended air bag deployment and engine/cab fires. This drop in complaints, the communications campaign launched by the manufacturer, and the absence of reports from the manufacturer, support the closing of this Preliminary Evaluation. The closing of this investigation does not constitute a finding by NHTSA that a safety-related defect does not exist. The Agency reserves the right to take additional action if warranted by future circumstances. To review the ODI reports cited in the Closing Resume ODI Report Identification Number document, go to NHTSA.gov.
Vehicles and equipment listed for this investigation
NHTSA's investigations file lists these vehicles and equipment for Preliminary Evaluation PE19-017. 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.
Ram VIN check: decode a VIN to see its year, make and model.
Sources
NHTSA's investigation record for PE19-017
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.