Ram 1500 ball joint problems

Filed Aug 24, 2026 · Suspension, Wheels · 29,000 miles · FL

The contact owns a 2022 Ram 1500. The contact stated that while driving 45 MPH, there was a shimmy coming from the vehicle. The contact pulled into a parking lot, and the front passenger’s side tire, rim, brake assembly, and ball joint suddenly detached from the vehicle. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the local dealer, and it was confirmed that there was no warranty coverage on the vehicle for the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified. The failure mileage was approximately 29,000.

Filed Aug 19, 2026 · Steering · NY

Clunky noise in front end, too much play in steering. Truck only had 103 Mile's on it. Took to dealer found both tie rod jam nuts were loose and could have caused loss of stearing. Dealer corrected and performed alignment.

Filed Aug 7, 2026 · Suspension · 70,000 miles · FL · crash

The contact owns a 2024 Ram 1500. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, after making a right turn, the front passenger's side wheel detached from the ball joint. The vehicle was uncontrollable. The vehicle crashed into a street sign. The passenger’s side of the vehicle then crashed into two trees. The vehicle then crashed into a concrete pole and came to a stop. The vehicle was towed to a local tow yard. The contact sustained minor pain and bruising. No medical attention was required. The vehicle was not inspected by the insurance company. The vehicle was scheduled to be towed to a Collision Center. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 70,000.

Filed Jul 25, 2026 · Brakes, Steering · NY

While driving, the front passenger side ball joint failed catastrophically. The wheel completely separated from the control arm and folded under the truck, causing the vehicle to drop hard onto the suspension and nearly lose control. I was extremely fortunate not to be involved in a crash or killed. Photos taken immediately after the failure show the wheel collapsed under the truck and the damaged suspension components (upper/lower control arm and ball joint area). This is a sudden, total failure of a critical steering/suspension part with no prior warning symptoms that I noticed.

Filed Jun 23, 2026 · Suspension · 53,000 miles · UN

The contact owns a 2023 Ram 1500. The contact stated that while pulling out of a parking spot, the steering wheel was turned and the front ball joints snapped. The contact stated that the driver’s side ball joint side snapped, and the passenger’s side ball joint was bent under the pressure. Due to the failure, the control arms were severely damaged, and the front driver’s side axle was ripped apart. The vehicle became inoperable. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, but the vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 53,000.

Filed Mar 30, 2026 · Steering, Suspension · 45,000 miles · WI

The contact owns a 2022 Ram 1500. The contact stated that while making a left turn out of the driveway, there was a clunking sound coming from the front passenger’s side of the vehicle, and the vehicle failed to steer or turn properly. The vehicle was towed to a dealer but was not yet diagnosed; however, the tow truck driver stated that the ball joint of the upper control arm on the passenger’s side had fractured completely. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 45,000.

Filed Mar 11, 2026 · Suspension · 54,000 miles · MD

The contact owns a 2022 Ram 1500. The contact stated that while driving approximately 15 MPH and approaching a speed hump, the driver's side front wheel detached at the ball joint, disabling the vehicle. The vehicle was towed by AAA to a certified mechanic. The mechanic determined that the driver's side ball joint cotter pin was either fractured or missing. The mechanic became aware of a failure with the passenger’s side wheel, also. The vehicle was repaired. The contact attempted to contact the manufacturer, but the manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 54,000.

Filed Mar 2, 2026 · Steering · IL

Steering is stiff at center. When turning left or right, it starts to free up and at 1/4 turn its stiffens up again then frees then stiff. The steering repeats this returning to center. I have also experienced in the last 6000 miles the truck pulling hard to the left somedays and other days pulling hard right. there was also an episode when the steering wheel shook valiantly at 70mph on a newly paved road. this lasted about 3 seconds and went away. I have inspected the ball joints and tie rod ends and these components are good. I haven't taken it to the dealer yet. I have researched this issue and found that the dealers won't fix this issue if your VIN doesn't match the "known" batch of EPS units installed at the factory. I ran my VIN number through both the Manufactures recalls and this sites and there are no recalls with this issue listed. I haven't had an official inspection done yet. From what I understand, the dealer will need to look at the serial number on the EPS unit, then determine if its a "known bad batch of EPS units" then see if you vehicle qualifies. since my VIN yielded no recalls, the common practice is the dealer will not fix the issue on a recall. No lamps have came on. This started in the fall of 2025. I have since replaced the ball joints and struts, but the steering is still stiff, loose, then stiff and doesn't want to return to center as described earlier.

Filed Oct 1, 2025 · Brakes, Electrical · 132,000 miles · MO

Component or system that failed / malfunctioned The brake system (pads, calipers, hydraulic fluid) failed three times in less than 90 days. The right-side tie rod end also separated from the steering assembly. Both components are available for inspection upon request. How safety was put at risk The brakes repeatedly lost all stopping power while driving, with the pedal going to the floor and the reservoir emptying within minutes. On one occasion, the brake pads and caliper fell off the wheel assembly, confirmed by the dealer’s own shop manager. The tie rod failure caused uneven tire wear and a highway blowout, forcing an emergency tow. These issues placed me, my child, and other drivers at risk of a serious crash. Has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or service center? Yes. Premier Auto (the dealer’s affiliated garage) confirmed and attempted repairs three times. On the third visit, the shop manager (Mike) stated that the brake pads were so low they had fallen off, causing the calipers to overextend and leak. Has the vehicle/component been inspected by others? Yes. Premier Auto inspected and repaired the brakes multiple times. Dobbs Tire & Auto later inspected after the blowout and diagnosed additional electrical issues. Documentation, invoices, and photos are available. Were there warning lamps, messages, or other symptoms? The brake warning light illuminated and the pedal sank to the floor during failures. No prior warning lamps appeared before the tie rod separation or blowout. The failures occurred suddenly while driving.

Filed Sep 19, 2025 · Steering, Suspension · FL

While performing a left-hand U-turn across three lanes and into the far right-hand 4th turning lane, at less than 15mph my 2013 Ram 1500's power steering failed and jerked the wheel out of my hands back towards the neutral position. This action forced me across all the lanes and into the curb on the right edge of the 4th lane which was the turning lane that I was trying to reach. When I finally got the vehicle off the curb and was able to get the vehicle into the parking lot I was originally going to, the power steering seamed to operate breifly as long as the wheel was turned slowly and under speeds less than 10mph, so I limped it home. This however was short lived by the end of the next day I had totally lost all power steering assist and had to fight the wheel to turn at all. This led to having the electronic power steering rack assembly replaced at a local shop adding up to a total of $4943.55 US dollars. After receiving my 2013 Ram 1500 from the shop I began to experience heavy vibrations felt through the steering wheel and pedals. The vibration was caused by the damaged front passenger wheel hub which cost a further $400 plus dollars in parts and labor. The electronic power steering rack assembly had to be turned in for a core charge and is unavailable for inspection but had signs of water intrusion according to the shop. The associated bushings, tie rod ends and wheel hubs were either discarded or turned in for additional charges and are unavailable for inspection. My safety was threatened when the steering gave out mid turn while I was crossing oncoming traffic in the three through traffic lanes. The "service power steering" warning light did illuminate when the power steering failed and the initial impact with the curb occurred then went away after stopping. However, the "service power steering" light returned the next day. The electronic power steering rack was verified to be the cause of the failure at the local service center that performed the repairs.