Owners consistently report steering components coming loose or failing without warning. The drag link nuts work loose or come completely off, sometimes finger-tight, causing total loss of steering control at highway speeds. This has happened to owners with as few as 11,000 miles on the truck and continues appearing at higher mileages. Track bar brackets and mounts have sheared off frames during normal freeway driving. The steering wheel itself has detached while driving. One owner lost steering and braking simultaneously during a low-speed turn.
The most common complaint is violent front-end shaking at speeds above 55 mph—owners call it "death wobble"—that makes steering nearly impossible. This happens after hitting bumps, dips, or road elevation changes and can throw the truck out of its lane. Owners report this is widespread: hundreds of people discuss it on RAM forums.
Fiat-Chrysler issued recall 19V-021 in early 2019, but the remedy—TAC welding the adjustment nuts—created a secondary crisis: vehicles can no longer receive proper wheel alignments because the welds prevent adjustment. This causes severe tire wear and steering misalignment. Owners and even independent mechanics cannot adjust or service the steering afterward. Dealers have called it a temporary fix, but three years later no permanent replacement parts are available. Some owners have had to replace entire control arms or drag link assemblies at their own expense to regain adjustability.
Failure modes owners describe
Drag link nut loosening or coming off
The threaded adjustment nuts on the steering drag link (also called track bar or steering rod) worked loose, came completely disengaged, or separated from the adjustment sleeve. Owners report finger-loose nuts, spinning freely, or complete loss of threads from turnbuckle nuts, rendering the vehicle unsteerable.
When: Earliest reported at 11,000 miles; instances also at 18,000, 20,000, 23,998, 40,000, and 82,000 miles
Symptoms owners cite: Drag link nuts loose or finger-tight; Nuts spinning freely; Complete disengagement of threaded end from nut; Loss of steering control or inability to steer; Vehicle wandering or drifting at highway speeds above 55 mph; Tire wear and cupping on outside edges; Shaking or vibration in front end
Repairs/costs cited: Owners cite repairs at $4,700+ for two drag link replacements plus tire replacement over 2 years. Dealers have replaced drag link assemblies. The recall (19V-021) remedy involves TAC welding the adjustment nut, but owners report this makes future alignment impossible without cutting the welds.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: NHTSA Recall 19V-021 (officially NHTSA Campaign 19V021000) issued 1/31/2019 for drag link nut loosening. Remedy: weld the jam nuts. Owners also cite earlier recall V06/15V-541 as reference. Some vehicles claimed to have same symptoms but were excluded from the recall based on VIN. Fiat-Chrysler declined assistance in case #1; warranty voided without explanation.
Track bar or bracket failure and frame separation
The track bar bracket, frame mount, or track bar itself failed unexpectedly. Owners report the bracket attached to the track bar failing, the track bar frame being faulty, and the traction bar mount welded to the frame shearing off the frame, all resulting in loss of steering control.
When: Reported at 23,998, 26,000, 62,000, 71,000, and 106,000 miles; one freeway incident without reported mileage
Symptoms owners cite: Steering failed or became difficult to turn; Vehicle instability and wheel shake; Abnormal noise during failure; Loss of directional control at highway speeds (55–65 mph); Track bar continuously backing off; Bracket separation or frame mount shearing
Repairs/costs cited: Dealer diagnosis indicated welding needed for failed bracket. One owner reported dealer found no known fix for track bar continuously backing off. Repair costs not specified. Several owners were told by dealers there is no recall for their vehicle.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Owners report manufacturer could not assist because no open recalls existed for their specific VINs. NHTSA Campaign 16V559000 referenced as potential cause in one case but vehicle reportedly not covered.
Steering wheel detachment or steering column issues
Steering wheel bolts came loose, the steering wheel detached from the steering column, or the steering wheel seized. One owner also reported gear shift lever broke off the steering column.
When: At 82,000 miles (wheel detachment); no mileage specified for seizure case or gear shift incident
Symptoms owners cite: Steering wheel detached while driving at 25 mph; Steering wheel became loose or unsteady; Steering wheel seized and brakes failed simultaneously at low speed (3 mph); Steering wheel bolts loose; Steering column issues (gear shift lever broken off in separate incident)
Repairs/costs cited: One owner reports independent mechanic tightened steering wheel bolts as temporary remedy. No permanent repair completed in reported cases.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Manufacturer could not assist per owner report. NHTSA Action PE18016 cited as applicable steering failure category. No dealer service completed in the cases detailed.
Power steering pump bolt failure
Power steering pump mounting bolts sheared off their mounts, causing catastrophic and immediate loss of steering and brake ability.
When: Occurred after hauling a 7,200 lb travel trailer; failure happened in parking lot but owner states would have been fatal if it occurred on downhill winding highway
Symptoms owners cite: Power steering pump bolts sheared; Instant loss of steering and braking ability; Difficulty steering and braking
Repairs/costs cited: No repair information provided by owner
Front-end death wobble and shaking
Violent shaking, wheel hopping, or uncontrollable vibration in the front end at highway speeds, especially over bumps, dips, or road elevation changes. Some owners describe the condition colloquially as 'death wobble.'
When: Reported at 20,000 miles and higher; instances triggered by hitting bumps, overpasses, or road elevation changes at speeds above 55 mph
Symptoms owners cite: Violent wheel hopping or shaking at highway speeds; Front-end vibration uncontrollable after hitting bumps or overpasses; Vehicle thrown out of lane; Steering nearly impossible during wobble episodes; Shaking triggered by elevation changes or dips; Multiple occurrences over vehicle ownership; General vibration in front end/drive line at speeds > 55 mph
Repairs/costs cited: No successful repair outcomes reported in narratives. Owners note problem is well-known online and on RAM forums, with hundreds of owners reporting the same issue.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Dealers acknowledge problem is well-known within the industry but have not issued a formal recall. Owners state Chrysler claims not to be aware of steering issues when complaints are made under warranty.
Recall remedy (welding) causing alignment and serviceability issues
The recall 19V-021 remedy of TAC welding the drag link adjustment nuts creates secondary problems: vehicles become unable to receive proper front-end alignments because the welds prevent adjustment, leading to uneven tire wear and steering wheel misalignment. Owners and mechanics cannot adjust or service the steering system after the welds are applied.
When: After recall repair performed (recall issued 1/31/2019); problem discovered at 30,000, 50,000, 62,000, 76,000, and 106,000 miles post-repair
Symptoms owners cite: Front-end alignment impossible after recall repair; Steering wheel out of alignment; Severe uneven tire wear on front tires; Inability to adjust steering component for proper alignment; Tire shops and dealers unable to complete alignment due to welds; Multiple dealers and independent mechanics refusing to remove welds; Steering wheel not sitting straight
Repairs/costs cited: Owners report needing to replace control arms ($850+ cited) or entire drag link assemblies to regain adjustability. Tire replacement costs incurred due to uneven wear caused by misalignment. Dealers have stated the welded repair is temporary, but three years later no permanent replacement parts have been made available.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Recall 19V-021 remedy specified as TAC weld of the jam nuts to the adjustment sleeve. Manufacturer acknowledged knowing of similar post-repair failures per one complaint. Dealer stated remedy was temporary until Chrysler developed a permanent solution, but permanent remedy has not materialized. Owners note 2019 models were corrected by returning to split-tube with clamp design, not welding. Mopar case numbers issued but no relief offered.
Steering control loss at highway speeds (miscellaneous incidents)
Several reported instances of steering control loss or severe steering difficulty at highway speeds where the specific root cause was not definitively diagnosed or where the cause was unclear from the narrative.
When: At 18,000, 65–70 mph, and 144,000 miles
Symptoms owners cite: Complete loss of steering control at 65–70 mph on highway; Steering did not respond even when steering column moved; Steering jam nut fractured; Vehicle drifted or wandered; Steering heavy and intermittent power steering loss during turns; Steering wheel skips and pulls during turns
Repairs/costs cited: One crash resulted in vehicle going into ditch with injury requiring medical attention (seat belts also failed to tighten). Fracture of steering jam nut was repaired but steering continued to fail. Other cases not repaired or incomplete diagnosis.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Manufacturer notified in cases but could not assist or did not provide assistance. One police report filed after steering failure caused accident.
Engine fire related to water pump or accessory belt failure
Owner reports losing steering and braking at highway speed (70 mph), followed by engine compartment fire. Dealer noted likely cause as water pump overheating (recall T51), breaking engine belts, overheating the engine, and causing fire. Another owner reports fan shroud sucked into fan, breaking blade and puncturing radiator, which could lead to loss of power steering and brakes via engine accessory belt failure.
When: One incident on 8/20/2018 at 70 mph; second incident (fan failure) occurred twice on same vehicle, one instance on interstate going uphill under load
Symptoms owners cite: Loss of steering and braking at highway speed; Loud noise from engine; Smoke and flames under hood; Water pump overheating and breaking belts; Fan shroud sucked into fan; Loss of coolant and reduced engine power; Potential loss of power steering and brakes from belt failure
Repairs/costs cited: Owner attempted to get water pump recall (T51) fixed months before incident but dealer did not have parts. Owner purchased no parts to fix fan shroud issue; incident occurred twice on same vehicle.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Owner did not receive recall notice letter for water pump recall. Dodge opened investigation ticket. No other manufacturer response details provided.
Synthesized from 43 NHTSA owner complaints — unverified consumer
allegations, summarized for patterns. The verbatim filings appear below.