Brake Disc Pads problems of the 2004 Dodge Ram 1500

There was no "incident" however a dangerous situation was caught and cured before an "incident" occurred. I own a 2004 Dodge Ram 1500 4x4. Somewhere around the 13,000 mile mark on the truck I started noticing a shudder in the steering wheel while braking at highway speeds. I finally had my 15,000 service done at 18,697 miles. During that service I had the dealer look into the shudder. It was determined the front rotors were out of round and needed to be resurfaced. This is the issue. Those rotors had absolutely no reason to need servicing at all with that low amount of miles on the truck. The truck had never been used for towing or any other heavy work or braking. There is definitely a manufacturer defect indicated. Also, the dealer did not replace the brake pads when they resurfaced the rotors as according to the dealer, this was Dodge policy on warranty work. However, according to ase standard, it is imperative to replace pads when resurfacing a rotor or to resurface the rotor when replacing the pads. I would suggest an investigation into the number rotor resurfacing services that have been performed on this model of Dodge truck with less than 30,000 miles. Disc brakes and rotors should last no less than 40,000 miles.

8/11/04 I stated to the service rep that the brakes had a shimmy to them. The service tech stated that he would check them out. I left the truck at the dealership so that they could perform the service. I later received a call from the service tech, he stated that my rotors were warped and they would need turning at a cost of $160. 00 or replacement all together. I asked why this was not covered under my warranty. His response was that the rotors are only covered up to 12k miles where I had 13000 miles on the vehicle I was out of the warranty range and that the rotor are a wear and tear item. I contacted Dodge and this is how they replied: thank you for contacting daimlerchrysler concerning the brake rotors on your Dodge Ram 1500. Rotors wear or warp for various reasons - road conditions, driving habits and even the weather can play a factor. Additionally, rotors and pads are a "wearable" item, this is why they are warranted for 12 months or 12,000 miles. Please review your warranty manual. I understand your frustration, particularly in view of both the cost and inconvenience involved. One way we are able to gauge what kind of problems our customers are having is through correspondence from owners such as yourself. Your concern has been addressed. The manufacturer's defect warranty has expired, therefore, you are responsible for the repairs in question. Thank you for your understanding, and have a good day. Unacceptable.