RAM CARES and DRAG LINK RECALL !

[hotkarl]

Like I've said before, time to go back to a 40 year old truck. Could piece the thing together part by part into a "new" truck for half the cost of a "brand new" one. Also ready to say goodbye to Ram/Dodge/Jeep. Tired of brand/dealer politics.

 

[coobie]

Your frustration with this situation is understood, BLUEDERANGO. However, at this time, we do stand behind the resolution that was provided by your case agent. If you have any questions regarding this, we do recommend reaching back out to them.

Kate
RamCares

WELCOME TO THE NEW FCA,sad BUT TRUE.Makes me feel warm a fuzzy that I have 2 FCA products over $100,000 bucks (2016)truck/(2018) car setting in the garage.My mom and dad drove moper products from the early 1960,s until there deaths in 2008.I guess Crysler used to give a **** when they were a AMERICAN company NOT NOW sad but true.What do you say ram cares??

 

[GsRAM]

Your frustration with this situation is understood, BLUEDERANGO. However, at this time, we do stand behind the resolution that was provided by your case agent. If you have any questions regarding this, we do recommend reaching back out to them.

Kate
RamCares

Hi Kate,

So do please explain for all of us exactly why your standing behind the denial resolution in this case, because I cannot understand why your company is so inconsistent in its handling of this drag link recall debacle.

Responses like that and FCAs response to this is as mentioned exactly why lawsuits are filed and I'm probably one of the least litigious out there.

If that happens, I feel that punitive damages are appropriate because unfortunately it seems FCA needs to be taught a lesson about customer service and good faith dealing with it's customers.

Also how to treat it's customers and not force them to accept an inappropriate recall repair that alters their vehicles from their original, as designed, as purchased form....and again, consistent handing of customers reimbursement claims.

 

[BLUEDERANGO]

I really do believe that the one BIG problem here is one of inconsistences...There are posts here from folks that have "repaired" their trucks with aftermarket parts and have been reimbursed for said repairs. There are others that have replaced the drag link with the factory updated part and they have been reimbursed, and then there are the others who have been denied. If you as I did, speak to one of the RAM "doesn't CARE specialists they state yes, some have been reimbursed , just submit your claim. The claim form only asks for two items, (1) copy of invoice and (2) proof of payment. From there it seems to be a crap shoot and with no way of phone contact with the "Reimbursement Specialist" all you can do is read the denial e-mail. I haven't tried climbing the corporate ladder yet, but I might.
View attachment 194578 For FCA to act in this manner, with a confirmed safety defect and a butcher fix recall is inexcusable. Just how much of this BS are we as owners expected put up with. Close to $50K is what most of us paid and we are treated as if we were trying to return a roll of used toilet paper at Wal-Mart..

 

[BLUEDERANGO]

I really do believe that the one BIG problem here is one of inconsistences...There are posts here from folks that have "repaired" their trucks with aftermarket parts and have been reimbursed for said repairs. There are others that have replaced the drag link with the factory updated part and they have been reimbursed, and then there are the others who have been denied. If you as I did, speak to one of the RAM "doesn't CARE specialists they state yes, some have been reimbursed , just submit your claim. The claim form only asks for two items, (1) copy of invoice and (2) proof of payment. From there it seems to be a crap shoot and with no way of phone contact with the "Reimbursement Specialist" all you can do is read the denial e-mail. I haven't tried climbing the corporate ladder yet, but I might.
For FCA to act in this manner, with a confirmed safety defect and a butcher fix recall is inexcusable. Just how much of this BS are we as owners expected put up with. Close to $50K is what most of us paid and we are treated as if we were trying to return a roll of used toilet paper at Wal-Mart..

 

[GsRAM]

I really do believe that the one BIG problem here is one of inconsistences...There are posts here from folks that have "repaired" their trucks with aftermarket parts and have been reimbursed for said repairs. There are others that have replaced the drag link with the factory updated part and they have been reimbursed, and then there are the others who have been denied. If you as I did, speak to one of the RAM "doesn't CARE specialists they state yes, some have been reimbursed , just submit your claim. The claim form only asks for two items, (1) copy of invoice and (2) proof of payment. From there it seems to be a crap shoot and with no way of phone contact with the "Reimbursement Specialist" all you can do is read the denial e-mail. I haven't tried climbing the corporate ladder yet, but I might.
For FCA to act in this manner, with a confirmed safety defect and a butcher fix recall is inexcusable. Just how much of this BS are we as owners expected put up with. Close to $50K is what most of us paid and we are treated as if we were trying to return a roll of used toilet paper at Wal-Mart..

Yes, agreed, the frustration, hours of my time and anxiety this has caused me, when it's very obvious to anyone that replacing the defective part is what is the appropriate thing to do.

It's ridiculous and inexcusable.

 

[Fitz-0518]

Real shame that so many of our members have been introduced to the new FCA/RAM "valued customer focus" "No economic value in dealing with this properly" I strongly suspect that it takes one of two facts to get the reimbursement.
1. The truck VIN must be in the production run that had the defective part installed.
2. A dealer invoice stating that the part is showing defective and the customer refused to allow the dealer to lump weld it.
For those customers who replaced the part as abundance of caution, but their truck VIN was not one that they believe had a defective part,,,denial.
There is no justification or rational excuse for how this company has mis-handled their defective truck runs. There is only a reason. Defective, don't give a damn Management.

 

[POINTMAN380]

All that FCA needs to do is explain why two trucks that have the same recall got two separate and opposite results when applying for reimbursement. If there are no rules or guidelines as to the decision making then there is a real legal issue here. If there are differences that we are not aware of that cause the denial of reimbursement, they need to explain that to their customers. It's very simple

 

[Leonard Russo]

Ram needs to replace the affected trucks with the new updated drag link on the 2019’s . Welding a part that was designed to be adjusted for steering wheel & alignment purposes then after the weld is done you cannot make those adjustments for the life of the vehicle is Not A Fix!

 

[Jeff Ward]

So the 2019’s and up are not affected by this?

 

[Walt2137]

I dont know if this will help but i will post a link to it.
https://chrysler.oemdtc.com/1209/sa...-021-steering-linkage-2013-2017-ram-2500-3500

 

[Jeff Ward]

Certainly helped me. Thanks!

 

[Dusty]

Each dealership has a person assigned to handle warranty claims and reimbursements. Unless there's a specific policy differentiating conditions for claims, inconsistencies in the results noted here are probably occurring at the dealer level which is the claim's initial point.

I would recommend a one-on-one, face-to-face conversation with the warranty advisor as a beginning to determine what documentation was needed to effect a reimbursement.

Regards,
Dusty
2019 Ram 1500 Billet Silver Laramie Quad Cab 2WD, 5.7 Hemi, 8HP75, 3.21 axle, 33 gallon fuel tank, factory dual exhaust, 18” wheels. Build date: 17 July 2018. Now at: 029321 miles.

 

[Motorman001]

2015 RAM 1-ton. I refused to let my dealer weld the drag link jam nuts as called for in the recall. Instead I made sure the jam nuts were torqued properly then I backed up each of the two nuts with a stainless steel 26mm shaft collar. Part #G8133361 from Zoro.com. You'll need two of these, one for each jam nut. With the shaft collars in place the jam nuts can't loosen. I used anti-seize on the shaft collar hex screws so if I ever needed to remove them the screws wouldn't be corroded in place. Not giving advice here. Just saying what I did.

 

[Jimmy07]

Not giving advice here. Just saying what I did.View attachment 194801

That’s good, because by installing those, you did nothing to address the issue that the recall deals with. Another $40 and you could have just bought the 2019 style draglink to replace the faulty one you have.

 

[Iron Outlaw]

2015 RAM 1-ton. I refused to let my dealer weld the drag link jam nuts as called for in the recall. Instead I made sure the jam nuts were torqued properly then I backed up each of the two nuts with a stainless steel 26mm shaft collar. Part #G8133361 from Zoro.com. You'll need two of these, one for each jam nut. With the shaft collars in place the jam nuts can't loosen. I used anti-seize on the shaft collar hex screws so if I ever needed to remove them the screws wouldn't be corroded in place. Not giving advice here. Just saying what I did.View attachment 194801

Yea apparently it's not about it loosening but about the threads pulling out of the nut.

 

[terb]

I took my truck in for tailgate recall, and I guess they were out of the little plastic thing they use to do the repair, so the same guy that welds the nuts, welded my tailgate shut for me, now I can stop worrying about it falling down inadvertently, when driving down the road!!

 

[RoadRamblerNJ]

2015 RAM 1-ton. I refused to let my dealer weld the drag link jam nuts as called for in the recall. Instead I made sure the jam nuts were torqued properly then I backed up each of the two nuts with a stainless steel 26mm shaft collar. Part #G8133361 from Zoro.com. You'll need two of these, one for each jam nut. With the shaft collars in place the jam nuts can't loosen. I used anti-seize on the shaft collar hex screws so if I ever needed to remove them the screws wouldn't be corroded in place. Not giving advice here. Just saying what I did.View attachment 194801

Yeah, No.
I think you misunderstood what the recall was all about.
Collars won't prevent drag link from being ripped out of the jam nuts.

 

[GsRAM]

So the 2019’s and up are not affected by this?

Correct, the defective design was revised for the 2019s.

 

[GsRAM]

Each dealership has a person assigned to handle warranty claims and reimbursements. Unless there's a specific policy differentiating conditions for claims, inconsistencies in the results noted here are probably occurring at the dealer level which is the claim's initial point.

I would recommend a one-on-one, face-to-face conversation with the warranty advisor as a beginning to determine what documentation was needed to effect a reimbursement.

Regards,
Dusty
2019 Ram 1500 Billet Silver Laramie Quad Cab 2WD, 5.7 Hemi, 8HP75, 3.21 axle, 33 gallon fuel tank, factory dual exhaust, 18” wheels. Build date: 17 July 2018. Now at: 029321 miles.

No sir. I've been down that road and was told no both from my dealers FCA rep and I've gone to FCA direct. I've not permitted the recall to be done and have advised the only recall I will accept is replacement of the defective part.