2009-2010 Dodge Ram 1500 and Dodge Dakota recalled for rear end failures

The Chrysler Group has issued a recall for the select Dodge
Ram 1500 and Dodge Dakota pickups from the 2009 and 2010 model year to address
a pinion nut issue that could cause the rear differential to fail and lock up.  This recall does not come as any big surprise
due to the NHTSA investigation launched in July and, in fact, it comes as a
relief to many Dodge truck owners who were facing rear differential problems.  This topic has been a popular topic of
conversation among Ram owners on the site so for many of those concerned owners
– relief is in sight.

The recall pertains specifically to 2009 and 2010 Dodge Ram
1500 and Dodge Dakota pickups that were built between July 1st 2009 and
November 30th 2009.  Owners can find
their built date on the sticker located in the driver’s side front door
jamb. 

In these Ram and Dakota pickups, there is a rear axle pinion
nut that may not have had a proper amount of adhesives added during production
and that could allow the nut to work itself loose over time.  When that nut comes free, it can move around
in the rear end housing along with allowing the other components to move
freely.  This is likely to cause the rear
wheels to lock up and in one reported case – the locked rear end caused the
driveshaft to break and when it came apart, it punctured the gas tank.  Luckily, there have been no reports of
injuries but there was one accident reported to the NHTSA where the wheels of a
Ram 1500 locked up and the vehicle slid out of control into a concrete barrier.

During their own investigation, the Chrysler Group found
that the majority of the cases of rear differential failures occurred in Ram
and Dakota pickups built during the date range mentioned above.  In total, this new recall reaches 44,300
trucks in the US but the number could have been much higher had the company not
targeted the specific production date range. 
There were over 230,000 Ram pickups sold in 2009 and 2010 so the scope
could have been far more extensive.

Chrysler will begin contacting owners in November,
instructing them to make an appointment with their local dealership to have
their Dodge Ram 1500 or Dodge Dakota rear diff repaired.  Chrysler will inspected the internal workings
of the rear differential, adding a pinion nut retainer that will prevent the
troublesome nut from working itself loose and locking up the rear diff.

Ram owners can click here to head into our 4^th generation
Ram section to discuss this new recall.

Dakota owners can click here to head into our 3^rd
generation Dakota section to discuss the problem.

Patrick Rall

"Before I was old enough to walk, my dad was taking me to various types of racing events, from local drag racing to the Daytona 500," says Patrick Rall, a lifetime automotive expert, diehard Dodge fan, and respected auto journalist for over 10 years. "He owned a repair shop and had a variety of performance cars when I was young, but by the time I was 16, he was ready to build me my first drag car – a 1983 Dodge Mirada that ran low 12s. I spent 10 years traveling around the country, racing with my dad by my side. While we live in different areas of the country, my dad still drag races at 80 years old in the car that he built when I was 16 while I race other vehicles, including my 2017 Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat and my 1972 Dodge Demon 340.

"Although I went to college for accounting, my time in my dad’s shop growing up allowed me the knowledge to spend time working as a mechanic before getting my accounting degree, at which point I worked in the office of a dealership group. While I was working in the accounting world, I continued racing and taking pictures of cars at the track. Over time, I began showing off those pictures online and that led to my writing.

"Ten years ago, I left the accounting world to become a full-time automotive writer and I am living proof that if you love what you do, you will never “work” a day in your life," adds Rall, who has clocked in time as an auto mechanic, longtime drag racer and now automotive journalist who contributes to nearly a dozen popular auto websites dedicated to fellow enthusiasts.

"I love covering the automotive industry and everything involved with the job. I was fortunate to turn my love of the automotive world into a hobby that led to an exciting career, with my past of working as a mechanic and as an accountant in the automotive world provides me with a unique perspective of the industry.

"My experience drag racing for more than 20 years coupled with a newfound interest in road racing over the past decade allows me to push performance cars to their limit, while my role as a horse stable manager gives me vast experience towing and hauling with all of the newest trucks on the market today.

"Being based on Detroit," says Rall, "I never miss the North American International Auto Show, the Woodward Dream Cruise and Roadkill Nights, along with spending plenty of time raising hell on Detroit's Woodward Avenue with the best muscle car crowd in the world.

Rall can be contacted at QuickMirada@Yahoo.com

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