Driveshaft problems of the 2009 Dodge Ram 1500 - part 1

Recall below manufacturer refuses to repurchase as stated below thank you Feb 05,2013 manufacturer recall numbern08 NHTSA recall number13v-038 recall statusrecall incomplete summary the rear axle pinion nut on about 278,000 of the above vehicles may loosen due to undersized pinion shaft splines. Safety risk a loose pinion nut could cause the rear axle to seize or cause the driveshaft to separate resulting in a loss of motive power. Either situation could cause a crash without warning. Remedy the rear axle pinion nut must be inspected. Rear axles found with a loose pinion nut and/or a seized up rear axle assembly must be reconditioned. Rear axles with a 6-point pinion nut that has not loosened will have a pinion nut retainer installed. All rear axles with a 12-point pinion nut require no additional repairs. . Read more...

Rear axle recall. My 2009 Dodge ram was part of a recall regarding rear axle problems where rear axle could lock up. Recall work was performed by the dealer but did not solve the problem. On may 7 2016 at approximately 7pm my rear axle locked up while driving down the highway. The rear yoke broke away from the rear axle assembly and driveshaft was almost twisted in half.

On 1/18/16 at 1330 hrs, while driving to work I heard a faint whistle upon deceleration. When I was driving home at 0030 hrs, the faint whistle grew louder and louder. All of a sudden, there was a loud bang and the rear of my truck locked up. I was only traveling 35mph and lucky enough to maintain minimal control enough to pull off mostly on the shoulder of the road. The local pd called for their duty tow to tow my vehicle as the drive-shaft was sitting on the road hanging from the transmission. Called the dealership after speaking with Chrysler, who took my the info on my situation, and they stated that they could not "get my vehicle in for 2days at least. " after explaining again to the local Chrysler dealership that the driveshaft was on the ground between the rear tires- which are locked up, he stated "so you don't think you can drive the vehicle in-will it have to be towed?" luckly, I was traveling on a straight stretch of road and only going 35mph!!! had this happened on another part of the road and the outcome would have been my children visiting in the hospital - or worse!.

As I was leaving from a stop sign, I heard a loud noise then lost power and control of my truck. I was stranded in the middle of a busy intersection for 1 1/2 hours. The rear pinion broke and my rear drive shaft broke. A piece was sheared off and my rear end gears are shot. There was recall work done on the pinion seal but that apparently didn't fix the problem. The rear end was completely siezed up. I'm positive when I call the dealership they are gonna tell me this is not a result of the recall and I will have to pay for the repairs. I've had nothing but problems with this truck for the last 3 1/2 years I've had the thing. I will never again own a Dodge product. My kids we're in the truck with me when this happened. I thank god I wasn't on a highway when this happened. It could've been a lot worse. I certainly hope Dodge looks into this and fixes the problem before someone is killed.

I have a recall #12v-474 on my 2009 Dodge ram that states, " the rear axle pinion nut may have been built without an adhesive patch on the pinion nut threads. The lack of this adhesive patch could allow the rear axle pinion nut to loosen and/or the rear driveshaft to separate from the rear axle. A loose pinion nut could cause the rear axle to seize and a separated driveshaft could cause a loss of motive power. Either situation could cause a crash without warning". The Chrysler recall assistance center told me that I do not qualify for the buyback program because my recall number does not match any listed in the consent order issued by the NHTSA. However, there is a recall # 13v-038 on the consent order that states, "Chrysler announced a recall of 278,229 vehicles on February 6, 2013, to correct a defect that may cause the axle to lock. As a result, the driver may lose steering power and crash. " my complaint is that these are two recalls on the same deficiency. One is listed in the consent order and the other (conveniently for them) is not. I believe that I should qualify for the buyback program. The company is simply trying to dismiss my recall to avoid adding my vehicle to the countless thousands of other claims of which they are obligated to buy back.

The rear axle driveshaft is loose at the rear axle.

Was drive a 2009 Ram 1500 at approximately 30 mph on a back road when I noticed a hum as I took my foot off the gas. About a 1/2 mile down the road the vehicle came to a complete abrupt stop and wouldn't move. Got out and noticed the drive shaft had fallen out of the rear end. I thought that was odd for a vehicle with only 84000 miles to be falling apart like that. Upon looking up on the internet for the cause, I noticed there had been a recall for this very thing. Recall #12v-474 and possibly #13v-038. Took it too the shop and they refused to honor any recall, so I called Chrysler who really couldn't give me a straight answer, but stated that we may be reimbursed for the repairs, but had to pay upfront for it. The quoted cost was $2200 to repair as I'm sure it tore up the rear in.

The rear differential in our vehicle went out even though we had taken the vehicle in and had the recall part put on at the time of the original recall. We took the truck to a Dodge service center and they had the truck for approximately 15 days. We were charged for the repairs. The same day we picked the vehicle up, the truck started wobbling but at that time we thought it was the road we were on. We scheduled the truck for a recheck and in the meantime we had to make a trip to dallas, TX (appx. 500 miles) and we pulled our 26 foot travel trailer behind us. During this trip, the vibration in our truck became violent and my husband could hardly hold it on the road. We made it home safely and called the Dodge service center and reported the problems, along with the tire pressure light being on and the check engine light being on. They set an appt. For 4 days later. We took the truck in and were told that when they repaired the rear differential the original recall part was on back order so they put the truck back together without it and gave it back to us. They never told us the part was on back order. From everything I have read, the drive shaft could have dropped out in dallas traffic with us pulling a 26 foot trailer and we could have very well been killed. The service center has now had our truck again for over a week. I have been trying to find out whether we are included in the buy back because of the rear differential going out twice but I'm being given the run around. At this point, we are paying for a truck still in the shop and even if it were repaired, we are deathly afraid to drive it. Based on this service center's past history, we don't know whether the truck will be fixed when we get it back or not. We would like someone to give us a yes or no answer on the buy back of this vehicle and we are getting different stories from fca.

The contact owns a 2009 Dodge Ram 1500. While driving 35 mph, there was an abnormal noise coming from the rear of the vehicle. The contact stated that the pinion nut became loose, which caused the driveshaft to separate from the vehicle. The vehicle was included in NHTSA campaign number: 13v038000 (power train). The vehicle was towed to the owner's residence. The dealer was notified of the failure. The contact attempted to have the vehicle repaired or repurchased under the fca consent order; however, the manufacturer refused to repurchase an un-remedied vehicle. The contact was also informed that the vehicle would not be inspected until the vehicle was repaired. The vehicle was not repaired. The approximate failure mileage was 80,000.

The contact owns a 2009 Dodge Ram 1500. While driving approximately 30 mph, a bouncing type noise was heard under the vehicle. When depressing the accelerator pedal, the noise would get louder, but the vehicle would not accelerate. The contact stopped the vehicle and discovered that the driveshaft was detached from the transmission and lying on the road. The vehicle was towed to the dealer. The cause of the failure was not diagnosed. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The VIN was not available. The failure mileage was 69,000.

Tl-the contact owns a 2009 Dodge Ram 1500. The contact stated that while driving at 30 mph, there was an abnormal noise coming from underneath the vehicle followed by a loud band. The contact lost control of the vehicle and the rear wheels seized. In addition, the contact stated that the vehicle veered to both the left and right before coming to a complete stop. The contact noticed that the drive shaft separated from the rear end axle. The vehicle was towed to a dealer. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The VIN was included in NHTSA campaign number: 13v038000 (power train). The failure mileage was 84,000. Djr.

Rear pinion nut broken /loose causing driveshaft problems. Problem was under recall for over 6 months or more, was always told by Dodge concerns have been upgraded but unable to have vehicle repaired. Now vehicle almost crashed on highway due to this non repaired recall. Dodge still won't give any answers why it takes so long. Vehicle is now at dealer and Dodge cant' even say if falls underwarranty. Recal # no8/NHTSA 13v-038.

Safety recall n08/NHTSA 13v-038 issued 2/13. Letter recieved that 'parts required to provide a permanent remedy for this condition are currently unavailable. Chrysler will contact you again by mail, witha follow up recall notice when remedy parts are available. ' continued to call dealer and continuously told parts have not been recieved yet. In may 2013, had dealer confirm rear axle pinion nut was tight (they still did not have parts to fix recall). Have in writing that nut was tight and all was fine. Aug. 16, 2013, the nut fails and driveshaft snaps free (gears sheared off). Lost complete control of vehicle due to rear wheels locking. Luckily had just exited rt 80 on to side road. Dealer confirmed all due to pinion nut failure. Dealer ordered all new parts to rebuild truck. When asked if this will render the recall 'fixed' he says no. We still have to get the recall pinion nut fixed on the new part. But there is no fix!! so they are basically placing my family in a death trap again. Who is going to stop the blatant negligence at this point? isn't this site for the protection of the people? help us! this isn't a hot spilled cup of coffee. This is not a frivolous request.

Recall for the loose pinion nut and resulting differential lockup/ drive shaft breakage has still not been accomplished yet. 7 months after the initial recall. What is the NHTSA doing about this. This is a safety issue that Dodge is not taking care of. We need action on this before someone dies.

The contact owns a 2009 Dodge Ram 1500. The contact stated that the vehicle exhibited an abnormal grinding noise while driving approximately 35 mph. In addition, the contact noticed that an unknown part became detached from the vehicle. The vehicle was towed to the dealer where the technician stated that the drive shaft had become detached from the vehicle and would need to be reattached. Additionally, the ring gear and bearings would also need to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired however, the failure recurred sporadically. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer twice for the replacement of the bearings. The contact stated that prior to the failure, he had received notification of NHTSA campaign number: 13v038000 (power train). The manufacturer and dealer were contacted and had advised the contact that the parte needed to complete the recall service were not available. The vehicle was not repaired. The approximate failure mileage was 60,000.

Driving on 390n in rochester n. Y. At approx. 5pm heavy traffic . Loud bang and rear tires locked up,, both granddaughters began to scream" whats happening". I had no clue. Looked to right to try to get out of traffic and saw what I thought was my driveshaft spit out from under r r tire. . We were lifted up in air at back of truck and I lost all propulsion, mind you my 5 and 6 year old are screaming as the other half of the drive shaft pounds on the pavement and bottom of truck . I still have no idea what is happening. Somehow and that's what I told the sheriff I got the truck which was now freewheeling off to the side of the road approx. 75-100 ft from my driveshaft that hit the bridge guardrail and stopped from hitting anyone in traffic. I collected myself ,calmed the girls whos big concern was now,, someone is going to smash us and called 911 and my daughter. Then I looked. My driveshaft was torn in two ,oil and parts were everywhere we should be dead but we are not honestly I have no clue how I got that truck over and stopped. Me and the girls pray every night for god to protect our family and angels road in that truck that day. The tow truck driver had to skid the truck up onto the flatbed it was seized so badly,, and my daughter came and safely got the girls off the busy highway and home. The help truck said he had never seen anything like it. . The Dodge dealership has been helpful but Chrysler has been unhelpful to its dealer and myself with an indifference that discussed me. I hope you do something before someone dies!!!!.

The rear axle pinion nut on your truck VIN:(1d3hb18k49s746212) may have been built without an adhesive patch on the pinion nut threads. The lack of this adhesive patch could allow the rear axle pinion nut to loosen and/or the rear driveshaft to separate from the rear axle. A loose pinion nut could cause the rear axle to seize and a saparated driveshaft could cause a loss of motive power. Either situation could cause a crash without warning. Safety recall n08/NHTSA 13v-038 I called earnhardt Dodge, located at 1300 s. Arizona Ave, gilbert,az at 480-926-4000 and they said they can't repair the vehicle because Dodge didn't sent them the parts and the repair manager said they don't know when they will get the parts.

Driving down the road 35 mph rear differential locked up truck went into skid out of control driveshaft broke slid off road.

Recall n08/NHTSA 13v-038 'rear axle pinion nut' was issued about April, saying "a loose pinion nut could cause the rear axle to seize and a separated driveshaft could cause a loss of motive power. Either situation could cause a crash without warning” I’ve called the dealer several times and was told the part needed is not yet available. I called the Chrysler recall center and was told the same. I need my vehicle, but am somewhat afraid to drive it. It seems like an effort should be made to procure the part immediately for safety purposes.

Loss of rear axle pinion nut, rear axle lockup and damaged driveshaft.

Tl-the contact owns a 2009 Dodge Ram 1500. The contact stated that while driving 60 mph, a rattle noise was heard from under the hood. The contact attempted to stop the vehicle but the tires seized and caused him to skid to the side of the road. The contact also stated that he noticed an oil leak. The vehicle was towed to the dealer for inspection where they stated that the pinion nut and drive shaft failed. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified and stated that the vehicle was not included in any recalls. The failure mileage was 30,100. Kmj.

I was driving and heard a whining noise when I released the accelerator. I was going to get my wife to have her help me to drop it off at my mechanic. I heard a loud bang and I lost the ability to drive forward. I was able to get pulled over to the curb. I got out and found the drive shaft had fallen off the rear pumpkin. I attempted to put the vehicle into 4wd do get off the street but was unable to as the rear tires had locked up. The tow truck arrived and he told me the pinion nut had given out. He winched the truck onto his flatbed and took it to the Dodge dealership. They did a VIN check and found no recalls. I did a search and found a recall on the rear differential pinion nut, just not including my vehicle.

The contact owns a 2009 Dodge Ram 1500. The contact stated that while driving approximately 30 mph, a loud banging noise was heard. Immediately after, the rear wheels seized and the vehicle was no longer drivable. The vehicle was towed to a dealer where it was confirmed that the rear differential failed and the axle and drive shaft needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and they offered no assistance. The failure and current mileages were approximately 60,992.

At approx 1pm on Jan 22nd I was driving north along a secondary road in my 2009 Dodge Ram 1500. I was travelling at approx 40 mph with my seatbelt on when I began to hear a whistling noise from the truck. As I slowed to figure out what it was, a loud bang was heard and the truck spun violently in a counterclockwise motion. As it did, the truck went airborne and crossed over the southbound side of the highway. It caromed off the bottom of some low hanging tree branches and came to a rest in the ditch to the right of the southbound side of the road. Initially I did not feel any pain but called for a tow truck. Shortly afterwards I began to have some signficant pain in my left shoulder/neck and my right ribcage area. Fire and ems were dispatched and arrived approx 5-10 minutes later. I was taken to a local er, evaluated and released with cracked cartilage in my lower right ribcage area. The truck was towed to a local Dodge dealer for evaluation. I was later informed that the rear pinion nut had come off causing the gear to come into contact with the driveshaft, locking up the left rear wheel. There was an apparent recall for similar trucks from July-sept 2009, however my truck was purchased in March 2009. Since the accident Dodge has re-issued the recall to include my truck. I am writing this complaint to make sure that my truck is included in whatever analysis is done as a result of this defect.

The contact owns a 2009 Dodge Ram 1500. The contact stated that while driving various speeds, a noise emitted from the drive shaft area. The noise would cease upon engagement of the brake pedal. The vehicle was included in NHTSA campaign id number 13v038000 (power train) however, the part needed to complete the repairs was unavailable. The manufacturer was unable to provide an expected date for the remedy part to become available. The approximate failure mileage was unavailable. The VIN was not available.

While driving at 30 miles per hour, the vehicle made a slight road noise sound, such as a rock stuck in the tire tread. Within 2 minutes of the sound starting, there was a loud "pop" sound and the driveshaft flew out from underneath the truck. Upon investigation, the entire transmission was shattered into many pieces. When the wrecker arrived, the truck had to be towed from the rear as the rear end was locked up. This truck was the laramie 4 wheel drive model and had absolutely no warning with issues at all. I bought it used at westgate Dodge in plainfield indiana with 40,000 miles in February 2012. I had the wrecker driver tow it to andy mohr Chevrolet in plainfield the same day and I traded it in. I lost $7,000 due to the damage. I would not feel safe with this truck after it was repaired. The truck had a clean car fax when purchased and was not included in any recalls according to Chrysler.

This vechile was recalled over two years ago and I have tried and tried to get it repaired the dealer always and I mean always never has the part in stock--I guess when the drive shaft falls out you will listen.

The contact owns a 2009 Dodge Ram 1500. The contact stated that while driving 35 mph a loud noise was coming from the rear of the vehicle before it came to a complete halt. The contact stated that after inspecting the vehicle she noticed that the drive shaft had fracture. The vehicle was towed to the dealer who has not diagnosed the failure. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure who stated that they would contact her at a later date. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure and current mileage was 82,000.

The contact owns a 2009 Dodge Ram 1500. The contact stated that while driving approximately 5 to 10 mph, the drive shaft fractured and separated from the vehicle. The vehicle was towed to a dealer. After diagnosis they advised him that the pinion nut fell out causing the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and they advised him that the NHTSA campaign id number 12v474000 (power train: driveline: differential unit). The failure and current mileage was approximately 72,433.

My truck started making a noise in the drive shaft area, on my way home as I was turning off the highway and my speed lowered, I felt something drop and truck jerked and something was dragging. I immediately pulled of of road and put vehicle in park at which time it gave a small jerk. Once I got out of the vehicle and looked under it I could see the driveshaft laying on the ground. The rear differential pinion nut had came off.

Drive-shaft dropped off rear diff. At highway speed. Diff. Fluid drained causing the rear wheels to seize. I heard drive shaft start to drag and had a loss of power so I was slowing down when at approx. 45 mph rear wheels locked suddenly. I was able to stop safely but was blocking an off ramp for the 2 hours it took to get a flat bed to get the truck. Dealer said pinion nut came off.

Heard a clunking and whining sound while driving. Suddenly, I heard a loud thud sound really loud, the rear end locked up and white smoke was filling up the air behind my truck. I had to wait for a car to pass. The pounding became super loud. I was in the fast lane and the truck jerked, I tried merging to the right lane and as I did that, I could barely control my steering wheel. My truck started to slide sideways down the highway. Later, once the truck stopped sideways on the highway approximately 150 ft, I realized the loud thud was my drive shaft, it disconnected from the rear differential and hit the ground. The truck almost flipped over and I was on a bridge. My truck was then pushed by a highway patrol car out of traffic and later onto a tow truck because it could not be moved. The drive shaft was laying on the ground. Oil was pouring out of rear differential. (pics available) once at the Dodge dealer, I was told that the pin in the drive shaft had fallen off and a large portion of it was not there anymore (probably still on the highway). Once that broke off apparently it stuck in the rear axle which locked up my back tires. At first they asked me if I had a rear differential check up lately. I explained that they serviced my car last and would be the ones to know if it needed it. Then I did research and found so many others with same truck and same exact problem. It was scary and glad I didn't have my family in the car when it happened. My lower back is still in major pain, I had to go to an orthopedic surgeon and now on 3 different pain meds- and out of work. What a mess!.

I heard a whining sound while driving about 40mph, decided to get off busy street to investigate. As I approached the turn lane (slowing to about 5mph) the rear end locked up. I heard a lot of rattling and then a kerplunk as smoke started coming from underneath the truck. The "kerplunk" was my drive shaft, it disconnected from the rear differential and hit the ground. My truck had to be dragged out of traffic and onto a tow truck. I don't know what caused the failure but it was scary. Im glad I was not on the highway, especially because my 3 yr and my 1 yr girls were with me.

The contact owns a 2009 Dodge Ram 1500. The contact stated that while driving 25 mph, there was a loud noise as vehicle abruptly. Stopped accelerating without warning. The rear wheels also seized when the failure occurred. The contact saw that the rear driveshaft was detached from the vehicle. The rear differential had also seized. The vehicle was towed to the dealer but the exact failure was unknown. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The approximate current and failure mileage was 34,000.

The contact owns a 2009 Dodge Ram 1500. The contact was driving 35 mph when the drive shaft detached from the rear axle. The vehicle was towed to the dealer. The manufacturer was not notified. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was 71,200 and the current mileage was unknown.