Owners of the 2017 Ram 3500 describe wheel failures across multiple systems. The most dangerous reports involve wheel studs shearing completely off without warning: one owner's left-rear wheel lost 5 of 8 studs mid-drive, another experienced rear passenger-side wheel detachment at 75 MPH requiring replacement of the hub assembly and all studs, and a third reported back right-side wheel studs breaking with the wheel separating. Some of these vehicles were supposedly repaired under NHTSA Campaign 21V398000 (wheels) but failed again—others are not covered by that recall at all.
Factory Nexen Roadian tires appear frequently in complaints, with tread separation occurring as early as 3,400 miles and well before 20,000 miles. Owners describe tread cup wear, belt slippage, and complete blowouts at highway speed. A few reports mention Nexen refusing full reimbursement.
Wheel rim cracking is also documented—one owner had a 3–6 inch fracture at 78,000 miles but was told it was out of warranty. Another owner of aftermarket Pro Comp wheels experienced three separate spoke-and-face cracks over the vehicle's life, with the manufacturer unresponsive.
Dealer support has been inconsistent. Recall work faces parts shortages and extended delays. One dealer refused to honor a repair at all.
Failure modes owners describe
Wheel stud shearing/breakage
Multiple wheel studs shearing off without warning during normal driving, causing wheel detachment or near-detachment. Owner #1 reported 5 of 8 left-rear studs sheared. Owner #3 found 4 loosened and 7 stretched lug nuts on driver-side rear, plus 2 stretched on passenger-side rear. Owner #8 experienced rear passenger-side wheel detachment requiring replacement of wheel hub assembly, brake pads, rotors, and studs on all four wheels. Owner #15 reported back right-side wheel studs breaking off and wheel separating.
When: Owner #1: no mileage stated; Owner #3: 170,000 miles; Owner #8: 75,000 miles; Owner #15: mileage not stated
Symptoms owners cite: Sudden loss of wheel attachment without warning; Wheel detachment at highway speeds; Vehicle dropping on one side; Loss of control risk
Repairs/costs cited: Owner #8: wheel hub assembly, brake pads, rotors, and studs replaced on all four wheels. Owner #10 experienced delays obtaining parts for recall repair.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Owner #1: dealer refused to honor repair; owner #3: vehicle was previously repaired under NHTSA Campaign 21V398000 but failure recurred; owner #8: VIN not included in NHTSA Campaign 21V398000; owner #10: recall parts unavailable, excessive delay
Nexen tire tread separation
Factory-installed Nexen Roadian tires experiencing tread separation at relatively low mileage. Separation occurred on both front and rear tires, with tread not properly bonded to carcass. Issues included cup wear preceding failure, belt slippage, and catastrophic blowouts during highway driving.
When: Owner #4: first tire at 14,412 miles, second at 18,312 miles; Owner #6: less than 16,000 miles; Owner #9: 3,452 miles; Owner #11: mileage not stated; Owner #12: 17,199 miles; Owner #13: 17,741 miles; Owner #14: 11,000 miles; Owner #11: subsequent tires replaced due to concern
Symptoms owners cite: Tread separation visible inside tire; Cupping of tire tread; Belt slippage and bumping noise; Vibration and pulling to one side; Sidewall blowout; Sudden tire deflation
Repairs/costs cited: Owner #4: replaced tires; Owner #6: Nexen refunded $150 of $450 replacement cost; owner #9: tread not properly glued to carcass, main wheel damaged; owner #11: replaced all six tires due to fear of further separation; owner #12: tread separation found at tire shop; owner #13: tire replacement required; owner #14: both front tires replaced
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Owner #4: no recall issued despite multiple complaints; Owner #6: Nexen offered partial refund and pointed to warranty limitations
Wheel rim cracking/fracture
OE aluminum wheel rims cracking or fracturing. Owner #5 reported a 3-6 inch fracture on front passenger-side rim that was able to maintain 70 PSI but was out of warranty. Owner #7 reported three separate incidents of Pro Comp Series 31 wheels cracking at the spoke and face, causing complete air loss and sudden deflation.
When: Owner #5: 78,000 miles; Owner #7: 171 miles, continuing to 19,232 miles on vehicle (three separate incidents)
Symptoms owners cite: Visible rim fracture; Sudden loss of tire pressure; Wheel failure leading to loss of control; Spoke and face cracking
Repairs/costs cited: Owner #5: rim deemed out of warranty, no repair attempted; Owner #7: no manufacturer response to defect, no repurchase or repair offered
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Owner #5: not included in NHTSA Campaign 17V499000, dealer stated out of warranty; Owner #7: Pro Comp did not respond to notifications
Wheel detachment while driving
Complete wheel separation from vehicle while in motion at highway speeds. Owner #3 experienced front passenger-side tire detachment at 60 MPH in construction zone. Owner #8 had rear passenger-side wheel detach at 75 MPH.
When: Owner #3: 170,000 miles; Owner #8: 75,000 miles
Symptoms owners cite: No warning light prior to detachment; Sudden drop of vehicle on one side; Wheel completely separated from vehicle; Loss of control hazard at highway speed
Repairs/costs cited: Owner #3: loosened and stretched lug nuts found on multiple wheels after the fact; owner #8: wheel hub assembly, brake pads, rotors, and studs replaced
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Owner #3: vehicle previously repaired under recall 21V398000 but failure recurred; owner #8: VIN not included in NHTSA Campaign 21V398000
Synthesized from 15 NHTSA owner complaints — unverified consumer
allegations, summarized for patterns. The verbatim filings appear below.