Well, it’s broken:(

[Shots]

...... So, I feel like in the end, I only spent $100 more than I would have going to the dealer. But, I didn't have to wait.
I am at the point when I would only take mine to the dealer in the event of a catastrophic failure. Everything else, I will do on my own.

You're probably right about the cost, and I'm the same way. If it's a minor issue I can fix myself, I will. Especially if it will save a ton of time. Maybe we're wrong for being that way, but I'm glad to know it's not just me.

 

[steveved]

The amount of stupid comments about 4lo and turning the wheel causing things to break goes to show you how many people have zero idea about anything mechanical

Yeah, makes me feel like we need a check list next to the 4WD buttons with about 6 steps that we must check off with a grease pencil prior to using 4Lo...

 

[HEMIJAKE]

If they don't want to cover it, contact a lemon law lawyer. Don't do it yourself. By law (in Pa anyway), it's free to you. Even if you want to keep your vehicle after it's fixed, you are still entitled to a cash settlement (provided all the time stipulations are met). When the wife and I did her Kia, we were offered one amount to fix it and keep it, and another amount to trade it in. We took the money and traded it on a cherokee. While not as much as the first offer, they still paid back every one of our payments.

 

[chris288]

Feeing resistance and proceeding to give it gas while turning the wheel makes me cringe.


Adding torque (gas pedal) to the situation where the wheels aren’t spinning, turned and locked in 4-LO could absolutely cause breakage.

Unfortunately if you push Ram for warranty coverage I imagine they could pull vehicle data and could piece together 4-LO engaged plus steering wheel position and throttle position % ... it would not be in your favor.

yeah ?? whats your point,,,, OP did absolutely NOTHING wrong, nothing millions of other 4WD owners haven't done. Thats silly to believe he did anything wrong,,, and I bet 99% of us who felt resistance would just give it more gas, who in their right mind would suspect such a failure to occur.

 

[Mountain Whiskey]

Turning the wheel all the way in 4-LO off-road is an entirely different story.... *he was in his drive way*

Luckily OP has 3.92 gears otherwise if he had 3.21 I’m sure you’d gently suggest that the truck simply tried to off itself and put it out of its own misery

How is it any different? Have you ever spun a tire? Well that shows your drive train is stronger than your traction. Driving down the road for miles is different.

Dragging a tire across a parking spot should not be a big deal. Well unless you happen to be the guy that started a thread worrying that he applied his brakes too hard. That was a funny thread.

 

[CalvinC]

How is it any different? Have you ever spun a tire? Well that shows your drive train is stronger than your traction. Driving down the road for miles is different.
.

Exactly. His drive train was weaker than the traction. Defect. Not his fault but still the reality.

Again I blew mine up from a couple feet of 4lo shenanigans. A dodge. I didn’t realize I bumped the 4WD selector.

 

[1ramrunner]

It seems that the dealer if following the pattern of how some businesses handle complaints or even refunds. If they deny most,or all of them, a good percentage of the people go away. The ones that are persistent, get resolved. This allows the business to make some of their problems go away with doing anything else.
The squeeky wheel gets oiled....eventually.

 

[Seadoorxpguy]

Youre going to get the run around from all these dealers because A. theay all suck at their jobs B. parts shortages and they dont want it sitting on their lot.
Mass lemon law it and have them give you a new one and be done with it. If not enjoy towing your truck from dealer to dealer listening to excuses and what ifs. Mass lemon law is super easy. They tried giving me a new alfa as soon as I brought it up when mine was sitting at the dealership broken for weeks

 

[Aseras]

Exactly. His drive train was weaker than the traction. Defect. Not his fault but still the reality.

Again I blew mine up from a couple feet of 4lo shenanigans. A dodge. I didn’t realize I bumped the 4WD selector.

The pic isn't even drive train failure. That's some Titanic level chinesium made parts crumpling which should be impossible even under 10 times the torue load 4 lo could put out. The u joints should fail and the drive shaft should twist off before the castings.

 

[Shots]

And that's the problem with using cast materials. It's a lot cheaper than using a billet/forged material, but it's also weaker. To the tune of about 30% or more depending on the material and application. I'm not surprised that cast aluminum failed before a rolled steel driveshaft or forged u-joint pin.

One option would be to take that casting (in whole or part) to a metallurgist and have it examined. If they find cracks/fissures in the material (other than those created during the failure) it could be used as evidence of a manufacturing defect rather than abuse. That would pretty much force FCA to cover it under warranty.

FWIW, I didn't find any TSB's for this specific issue but there are roughly 200 to sort through and multiple recalls if you include all DT Rams.
These are pulled from '21 TSB's but that doesn't mean they won't eventually include '22.
NHTSA TSB: 10183078 which notes "premature transfer case failure."
NHTSA TSB: 10181618 which notes "Transfer Case Range Position Sensor-Performance Or Incorrect Operation." I would think a position sensor error/failure could contribute to mechanical failure
NHTSA TSB: 10190738. Potentially leaking half shaft boot which could obviously cause wear, but it looks like breakage was at/near the differential so I don't think this one applies to your situation.

The point being. I'd recommend going to nhtsa.gov/recalls and searching by year/make rather than your VIN. This will allow you to search for recalls, TSB's and complaints for all DT rams rather than only those currently on record for 2022 M.Y.

 

[22Rebel_USCG]

Update time…
Well I just got off the phone with the warranty people at Ram Care. I was told by them that the region manager is sticking with their decision to not fix the truck. They explained that the person had talks with the dealership and that they along with the dealer are recommending that I go through insurance. So I’m back at square one again. This sucks

 

[tsbbartholomew1]

Update time…
Well I just got off the phone with the warranty people at Ram Care. I was told by them that the region manager is sticking with their decision to not fix the truck. They explained that the person had talks with the dealership and that they along with the dealer are recommending that I go through insurance. So I’m back at square one again. This sucks

That is ridiculous...car insurance does not cover a mechanical failure unless the failure is due to an accident of some sort that is a covered loss.

 

[LimitedGRR]

Update time…
Well I just got off the phone with the warranty people at Ram Care. I was told by them that the region manager is sticking with their decision to not fix the truck. They explained that the person had talks with the dealership and that they along with the dealer are recommending that I go through insurance. So I’m back at square one again. This sucks

Your car insurance will laugh at you. What did @RamCares say? Time to heed the advice of others and go down the path of lemon law claim. One letter from the atty will probably do the trick


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[tsbbartholomew1]

Your car insurance will laugh at you. What did @RamCares say? Time to heed the advice of others and go down the path of lemon law claim. One letter from the atty will probably do the trick


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Yep...I would tend to agree. Time to go down the legal path...

 

[LimitedGRR]

Also file a complaint with the better business bureau to report their fraudulent practice.


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[22Rebel_USCG]

Your car insurance will laugh at you. What did @RamCares say? Time to heed the advice of others and go down the path of lemon law claim. One letter from the atty will probably do the trick


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I have not had a chance to chat with them yet about it. I think that’s what I might Moers to do too at this point.

 

[22Rebel_USCG]

Yep...I would tend to agree. Time to go down the legal path...

Stupid question probably… but do I just Google lemon law lawyer for Mass?

 

[tsbbartholomew1]

Lemon Laws

The Lemon Laws protect you if you buy a vehicle in Massachusetts that has serious defects.

www.mass.gov

 

[NorthStar]

Can you lemon law a vehicle that a manufacturer refuses to cover under warranty? It sounds like Ram is claiming it was damage done by something other than a manufacturer's defect. I'm not saying their position is correct at all. What I am trying to ascertain is how one could claim lemon law on a non-warranty issue? If I don't change the oil for 20,000 miles and blow the engine, I can't claim lemon law as Ram will claim neglect and not a manufacturer defect. I don't think you need lemon law but instead a good lawyer and metal analysis of the part to help prove it was a manufacturers defect.

 

[22Rebel_USCG]

Can you lemon law a vehicle that a manufacturer refuses to cover under warranty? It sounds like Ram is claiming it was damage done by something other than a manufacturer's defect. I'm not saying their position is correct at all. What I am trying to ascertain is how one could claim lemon law on a non-warranty issue? If I don't change the oil for 20,000 miles and blow the engine, I can't claim lemon law as Ram will claim neglect and not a manufacturer defect. I don't think you need lemon law but instead a good lawyer and metal analysis of the part to help prove it was a manufacturers defect.

I was kinda thinking this too, because I’m sure if they fix it then it would be fine… I think this was a fluke and probably a flaw with the casting.