I was traveling on roadway there was a loud bang, truck skidded to stop and would not move.truck had to be towed, appears the rear differential pinion shaft has snapped off. The truck is currently parked in a snow bank until I can evaluate what needs repaired/replaced. There have haven been numerous complaints and recalls on dodge differentials, I can assume due to the numerous complaints of the clutch pack retainer clips failing that they failed causing shock load to the ring and pinion gears and therefore snapping the pinion shaft and wedging pinion gear and ring gear. This truck only has 80,000 miles on it has never been abused, off roaded or done any heavy towing, had something like this happened at interstate speeds and or towing a trailer it would have been catastrophic.
2004 Dodge RAM 1500 transmission complaints
Page 2 of 7: complaints 11 to 40 of 181, newest first, as owners wrote them.
Trucks transfer case housing cracked and leak fluid while driving about 55 MPH on the highway heading home. Truck was in two wheel drive. Which there is a recall for that we never knew about.
Tl* the contact owns a 2004 dodge ram 1500. The contact stated that while the driver was driving, a humming noise was coming from the passenger front of the vehicle and was showing signs of hesitation to accelerate. The contact stated the vehicle was accelerating. The driver coasted to the side of the road but did not notice a failure and continued to drive, within 20 feet down the road a rumbling and dragging noise occurred, the vehicle then stalled. The contact coasted over to the side of the road and noticed the driveshaft was detaching into pieces. The vehicle was pushed a mile down the road by a state trooper. The vehicle was later towed to the contact's residence but was not taken to a dealer or an independent mechanic for a diagnostic testing. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 135,000.
2004 dodge ram 1500 date of mfr is 02 - 04 (february 2004), which falls in the recall on the pinion nut, nhsta recall 14v796000, chrysler recall p77, which states pinion nut may come loose due to undersize spline on the pinion gear. The date of manufacture for the recall falls between january 28, 2004 through august 3, 2005. The recall statement only states 2005 model years, yet the date range for the recall also include 2004 and 2006 model years. Recently I have had the pinion nut on my truck come loose to the point the drive shaft fell off and the result of it also ended up a destroyed transfer case. Unaware of the recall because I never received a recall due to the fact that the recall only included 2005 model years, when in fact 2004, 2005, and 2006 model years are effected by the recall and owners of all years should have received a recall notice but did not, due to the verbage of the recall. I was made aware of this recall through other means after the incident of the pinion nut coming loose on my truck several days later. The recall needs to be revised to include 2004 and 2006 model years where the date of mfr includes 01-04 to 08-05 (january 2004 through to august 2005). This recall effects the dodge ram pickups with chrysler corporate 9.25 rear axles. At the time of my incident, the vehicle was in motion on a city street, as I was attempted to turn off the city street into a parking lot. My truck is currently being worked on my by mechanic and will remain so. I am highly disappointment at chrysler in the fact that this issue was overlooked and consumers are in 2004 and 2006 model years and may be unaware of the situation. The date of mfr on my truck is 02-04, falling within the date of manufacture vehicles for the 14v796000 recall.
Driving about 45 MPH when the back wheels locked up and drive shaft fell out. Causing me to skid uncontrollably to a stop.
Rear axle locked up, all the fluid leaked out.
Tl* the contact owns a 2004 dodge ram 1500. While driving 40 MPH, the driveshaft fell to the ground and the rear wheels seized. The vehicle was not taken to a dealer or independent mechanic for diagnostic testing. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 155,000.
While driving on a major roadway in altamonte springs, fl., with no warning, the rear differential failed and seized, locking up the rear wheels and shearing the driveshaft, and slamming me to a complete stop in traffic. Fortunately the vehicles behind me were able to avoid hitting me. I had my truck towed to tires plus shop. They evaluated the problem and stated "the pinion nut came off and dropped into the gears". Now this is costing me $3000 to fix!!!!
Tl* the contact owns a 2004 dodge ram 1500. While driving 55 MPH, the driveshaft detached from the vehicle. There were no warning indicators illuminated. The vehicle was towed to hayes chrysler gainesville (3115 frontage road, gainesville, ga 30504, 855‑439‑2860) where it was diagnosed that the rear end needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was 240,075. *tt
Noise from rear end. Garage found chunks of metal inside, passenger side carrier retainer loose, c clips loose, pinion retainer loose. Clutches slipping. Vehicle in.motion grinding noise..
While driving on a major roadway in concord, nc, with no warning, the rear differential failed and seized, locking up the rear wheels and shearing the driveshaft, and slamming me to a complete stop in traffic. Fortunately the vehicles behind me were able to avoid hitting me. The transmission shop currently evaluating the problem has stated "the pinion nut came off and dropped into the gears". This is a problem that chrysler has issued a recall for on 2005 ram 1500 pickups, but not the 2004 models.
While driving on street the rear axle pinion nut loosened and jammed the rear end which resulted in the truck tires locking up.
Tl* the contact owns a 2004 dodge ram 1500. While driving 60 MPH, the contact heard a loud abnormal banging noise. The contact pulled over to the side of the road and noticed oil leaking under the vehicle and that the drive shaft was missing. The vehicle was towed to normandin chrysler jeep dodge ram fiat (900 capital expressway auto mall, san jose, ca 95136) where it was diagnosed that the vehicle needed a new drive shaft. The dealer stated that the vehicle was not included in a recall. The manufacturer was contacted and was unable to assist. The vehicle was not repaired. The approximate failure mileage was 171,000.
Tl* the contact owns a 2004 dodge ram 1500. While driving 35 MPH, the rear axle seized and the drive shaft separated from the axle. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic. The vehicle was neither diagnosed nor repaired. Paul bailey's dodge (425 ten rod rd, rt 102, north kingstown, ri 02852, (401) 295-8855) was called. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 168,000.
Pinion nut came off causing rear differential to lock up and almost cause an accident
Engine stalls at all speeds on an interstate while going 75 MPH with no control of steering due to lost of power steering or brakes. Sometimes it will restart of sometimes it doesn't right away but after about thirty minutes it will restart. This is also true of parking lots and city streets. With no codes or engine check light to refer to.
Pinion nut on rear differential came off and pinion fell into differential causing rear wheels to lock up at interstate speeds.
While driving on a local road at approximately 35-40mph the vehicle started making a loud vibration noise. Within the next 3 miles the truck made a loud banging noise, the truck lurched and lost forward momentum. I was able to safely make it to the shoulder of the road where I discovered that the driveshaft had separated from the rear differential and had been rotating, banging the underside of the truck. The pinion nut was no longer attached to the pinion gear. The spline from the differential's pinion gear was askew and fluid was leaking out. The towing service indicated that the rear wheels were locked and the wheels would not rotate as the vehicle was dragged onto a flatbed. The transmission shop who conducted repairs confirmed that the rear axles was locked up and the differential would require a rebuild. This situation mirrors the federal safety agency preliminary evaluation pe14-019 and linked to chrysler's recall p77 / the federal safety agency 14v‑796, with the difference being that this occurred on a 2004 dodge ram 1500 not a 2005 dodge ram 1500. The 2004 dodge ram was manufactured within the same time frame as the 2005 dodge rams in the recall (january 28, 2004 - august 3, 2005), june 2004. In addition the rear axle assemblies between the 2004 and 2005 dodge ram 1500s are interchangeable.
Tl* the contact owns a 2004 dodge ram 1500. The contact stated that while driving approximately at 60 MPH when the vehicle's driver shaft disconnected causing both rear wheels to lock. The contact lost control of the vehicle. The contact was able to get the vehicle to come to a stop and had the vehicle towed to the home. The contact stated that after looking at the vehicle they found that the pinons on the drive shaft were loose. The contact contacted the hayes chrysler dodge dealer and informed the contact that there were no recalls relating to the rear axel. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 150,000.
Tl* the contact owns a 2004 dodge ram 1500. While driving 45 MPH, the rear wheels seized and the driveshaft detached without warning. The pinion nut failed and detached and the rear end needed to be rebuilt or replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and advised the contact to report the failure to the federal safety agency. The VIN was not included in the federal safety agency campaign number: 14v796000 (power train). The approximate failure mileage was 99,000. Updated 10/25/17*lj the consumer stated the vehicle was repaired.
Heard grinding noise in back of truck driving straight at 45 MPH on highway , truck skidded to a stop and I found the driveshaft at the back differential had broken off. Could not move truck in drive, 4wd or push in neutral due to the back diff locked up. Back wheels locked due to differential. Mechanic diagnosis is it needs a whole new differential and driveshaft. Highway was single lane with on coming traffic and I was lucky to miss a head on collision.
Driving on a 3 lane heavily trafficked road, and all of a sudden my drive shaft falls out of my truck. This locked my wheels up, started shaking my truck violently. I was extremely lucky that someone was not directly behind or adjacent of me because it would've resulted in a sure collision.
I was approaching a stop. There was a slight whine as I decelerated. Then a clunk and a loud bang. The rear wheels locked up and I stopped immediately in the middle of the road. The driveshaft had fallen out from the differential and was on the ground. I was only going 25-30 MPH at the time. Luckily I had just gotten off the highway. I had it towed to the dealer and they said the pinion nut had come loose. My wife was looking on the internet and found this problem had been a recall but the dealer said it was VIN specific and mine wasn't included in the recall. They need to expand the recall!!! If it had happened just a few minutes earlier I could have been involved in a deadly crash.
4/23/2017 rear passenger side wheel and hub assembly fell off. Caused damage to vehicle. Luckily it happened while turning in a parking lot. I've seen a lot of online postings and pictures of failures and accidents due to this product deficiency. Please advise... Thank you for your time...
Rear end locked up while driving due to pinion nut backing off. Destroying the rear end.
Was driving on highway and all of the sudden my heard a loud noise and my truck went out of control. My diferential fell and my wheels locked couldn't move. It was a scary experienced. No cars where near me because it would have caused a big accident.
I own a black 2004 dodge ram 1500 4x4 4 door short bed with 146,466 miles on it. I have owned this truck from new, almost 14 years. Never has a pinion nut back off the pinion before. We had just got off the main hi way speed was 55 MPH and turned onto a back road speed was 35 MPH. When out of know were there was a loud bang from under the back off the truck. Then the drive line fell off of the rear end and banged around until I could get the truck over to the side of the road and stopped. Went to the dealer the next day to find out that there has been problems with the 1500 truck rear ends, but per my VIN number on my truck it is not covered by a known problem. Only the 2005 and 2006 1500 trucks a covered. It seems that the 2004 dodge ram 1500 trucks have the same pinion nut issue as the 2005 and 2006 1500's. This could have been a very different out come if we were on a freeway were the speeds are anywhere from 55 to 75 MPH. I would hope the manufacturer of these trucks will take a look into the 2004 dodge ram 1500 pinion nut issue before someone is killed because of a manufacturing process error.
Vehicle suddenly began making a loud droning sound while going around a corner on residential streets, reminiscent of an airplane flying overheard or a semi truck's "jake brake." the sound stopped after the vehicle straightened out. On the next two corners, the droning sound repeated, and vibration was also felt coming through the floorboards, but the sound went away after straightening the vehicle out. After the second corner, the vehicle accelerated to about 20 MPH. There was a sudden loud bang. Both back wheels locked up immediately, as evidenced by the skid marks on the road. The driveline also disconnected from the rear differential at that time, leaving a trail of oil on the road. The mechanic who inspected and repaired the vehicle indicated that the nut securing the pinion gear had come loose, allowing the pinion to move out of its correct location. The result was that the axles to both rear tires locked up. It appears that similar issues related to pinion nuts loosening have been found on many other vehicles of this make and model. Recalls were issued for over 250,000 dodge ram 1500 vehicles from the 2005 model year to correct an issue with the nut on the pinion. Over 250,000 additional dodge/chrysler vehicles from the 2009 to 2012 model years were also recalled for a pinion nut issue.
Tl* the contact owns a 2004 dodge ram 1500. While driving 40 MPH, the vehicle made a whirring noise. The contact heard a clanking noise and the rear tires seized and made a screeching noise. An independent mechanic went to the vehicle's location to inspect the vehicle and diagnosed that stripped threads on the pinion gear caused the drive shaft to detach from the axle. Additionally, the drive train, rear end gears, and bearings needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and stated that the VIN was not included in the federal safety agency campaign number: 14v796000 (power train). The approximate failure mileage was 155,000.
Vehicle rear end has gone out. Took vehicle to dealer as instructed by fca due to noise in rear end. Dealer drove .1 miles and determined rear end is bad. Pinion nut is loose causing pinion gear to move. Advises chrysler of such to no avail. Vehicle started making noise in rear end at 42000 miles. Advises chrysler that there is no reason this part should be coming loose that it a manufacturer s defect. Told that vehicle is out of warranty and that it is my problem. This is a serious issue that can cause injury if control of vehile is lost due to rear wheels locking up.
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