10.0
really awful- Crashes / Fires:
- 2 / 0
- Injuries / Deaths:
- 1 / 0
- Average Mileage:
- 60,718 miles
About These NHTSA Complaints:
The NHTSA is the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints can be spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem. See the Back button — blue bar at the very top of the page — to explore more.
I was driving a 2006 Dodge powerwagon down the road between 60-70mph. After hitting a bump on highway or bridge overpass, major shaking and wobbling in the front end. Known as death wobble. Occurs everytime in the same spot and everytime at the same speeds. The first time it happened I was driving and hit an uneven part in the road and the death wobble occurred. Violent shaking and I hit the bridge wall. Called the dealer, they said the linkage had a recall. Took it in. Adjusted. Still same problem. Had all ball joint and tie rod ends replaced, all bushing, both shocks up front, steering stabilizer and alignment done. Still the same problem.
- Frazeysburg, OH, USA
1. Dodge Ram "death wobble", truck shakes violently when driving and hitting any pot hole or bump.
- Chesapeake, VA, USA
Death wobble.
- San Antonio, TX, USA
2006 Dodge Ram diesel the infamous "death wobble" my personal experience was at just shy of 12000 miles take truck to the dealer nothing wrong that they can see. If it keeps happening bring it back. Approximately 18000 miles still happening cannot find anything wrong with it. I take it back in talk to manager and I tell him that if you hit a bump at 55-60 that the truck violently shakes. They say try wheel bearings. I put 800 in wheel bearings still occurs. I call Chrysler and they lead me on that they might fix it but to take in to the dealer for diag. I take it in and they say put a steering stabilizer on it and they wont participate in that so I put and new steering stabilizer on it and now it happens at 40-45 mph I am in the process of calling them back to let them know that the problem still exists and I am going to emphasize to them again that my wife and 2 yr old daughter are in the current driver and passenger of truck. This problem has caused other damage to the truck that they will not also fix. I told them that I don't want anything then a truck that I can drive on the highway or down any road.
- Shelby Twsp , MI, USA
While traveling at highway speeds, hitting a small bump / pothole causes violent shaking of the front end. Shaking stops only after the vehicle is slowed below 25 mph. Keeping control of the vehicle during shaking is very difficult. Have taken the vehicle to three different mechanics & dealer with no problems found.
- Nottingham, MD, USA
Out of control bouncing of the front axle on a 2006 Dodge Ram 1500. We have replaced the tires and increased the tire pressure. I have been told by mechanics that the ball joints on these trucks are faulty and will need to be replaced. I have talked to multiple mechanics and Dodge owners the problem is wide spread and known by the dealerships but Chrysler/Dodge has not done anything about it.
- Sparks, NV, USA
I own an operate a 2006 Dodge Ram 2500 diesel pick up truck; it has approximately 52000 miles on it. Many parts of the front end are worn out and need to be replaced. I have experienced what is referred to as "death wobble" where the front end of the truck shakes and vibrates violently and highway speeds after hitting bumps in the road. This condition causes an uncontrolled state of vehicle operation and is very un-safe. I have spent a lot of money replacing poorly designed front end components of this truck and there are still more that need replacement. It has bad track bar bushings, bad tie rod ends, bad ball joints, and had a bad steering box replaced under warranty. Dodge is aware of these problems and is turning their back on it by not issuing a recall. They have already changed the designs and updated the steering linkages on 2008 and newer Dodge trucks. All of the components on the front end that are subject to wear are severely worn and only two tie rod ends have grease fittings. These happen to be the only two parts not worn out. I feel not having serviceable grease points on the parts is causing this premature wear along with the use of sub-standard parts, which are not designed to be used with a heavy duty diesel pick up trucks weight. These issues need to be brought to correction before someone is seriously hurt. I am lucky the times the truck has lost control in a shake that I didn't crash. Please help, I feel with only 52000 miles on a 2006 truck that this catastrophic failure of a "heavy duty" front should not be happening. Someone needs to step in and tell Dodge they messed up.
- Pleasantville, NY, USA
2006 Dodge Ram tie rod, broke knocking going bad have to replace Dodge will not pay for it although they offer a up grade and have recognized there is a problem. Hope it does not turn into a Toyota type deal and many other I have talked or blogged are having same problem.
- Murray, UT, USA
2006 Dodge 2500 Ram 4X4 death wobble - violent severe shaking left/right after hitting bump above 50 mph. Skidded off highway and through median.
- Platteville, CO, USA
There was no event leading up to a failure. It was noticed at inspection. Both upper and lower balljoints had to be replaced at 51,000 miles. The old parts are not available.
- Amawalk, NY, USA
Violent shaking from the front of the pickup nearly causes crash. Dodge tried to repair after first incident in September of 2008. Internet blogs/forums calls this the "infamous Dodge pickup death shake".
- La Pine, OR, USA
I own a 2006 Dodge pickup that has appro. 82,000 miles on the vehicle. The front end of the Dodge will shake when a bump is hit on the highway. Checking current talk on the internet this is called the death wobble. How come Dodge is not taking responsibility for this and not fixing the defect. I have asked several service departments and they all say their is nothing wrong with the front end. So why does the problem keep occurring and how come I'm not the only one. I hope this complaint will help, before someone is injured or killed.
- Paducah, TX, USA
I just purchased a stock 06 Dodge 2500 4X4. Yesterday when driving it I nearly lost control while traveling 70mph and hitting small bumps in the paved road. The steering proceeded to turn right by its own then corrected. I took it to a mechanic who said that it was "death wobble" common to my year of truck. I researched online and found many people with the same complaints!
- Port Ludlow, WA, USA
2006 Dodge 2500 4X4 death wobble no accident yet, Chrysler litha of great falls Montana said to change all kinds of front end parts and it [might] stop death wobble [ also at my expense] I feel un safe in a truck that is not even paid for and no even cares even Chrysler.
- Great Falls, MT, USA
Was driving on interstate at 65mph and hit a small bump and the front end of truck (2006 Dodge Ram 2500) started to shake violently up and down and from side to side. I had to immediately pull to right lane and brake to get off the road (luckily no car to the side of me at the time of the incident). Once vehicle slowed down to approxmiately 30 mph the shaking stopped. I have looked this up online and found many complaints for the same problem - called the "death wobble". this should be taken very seriously and Chrysler should be held responsible to make the fix. I did not have my children in the truck at the time of this incident, but it is used as a family vehicle. I called the Dodge dealer and of course they have never heard of this problem - find this very hard to believe. I then called the truck center where we purchased the vehicle (not affiliated with Chrysler) - they said that they have had many customers complain of the same problem with this make/model. There was not a crash this time, but there very well could have been.
- Lake Mills, WI, USA
Driving down the interstate at 70 miles an hour when I drove over a bridge expansion joint, the truck began so shake so violently that I had to pull off the road to complete stop to get the shaking to stop, this happened 8 more times on a 300 mile trip. Upon searching online this seems to be a very common and serious problem for this model of vehicle.
- Winslow, AR, USA
Driving along a busy interstate at 65mph, after going over a small bump in the road the steering became so violent and uncontrollable. Later read it is known as the Dodge death wobble. Seems it ha happened to more than just this Dodge owner on a stock truck. Why hasn't there been a recall, is Chrysler waiting for someone to die before they react? why be reactive when you can be proactive with all the complaints that have already been noted.
- Hankamer, TX, USA
Front suspension bottoms out when going over bumps I was told this is normal by the dealer but as a technician I have never seen a vehicle that does this from the factory and now at about 42000 miles my lower ball joints are failing.
- Huntingtown, MD, USA
Purchased a new 06 Dodge Ram 2500 quad cab 4X4. Truck came with 22inch tires and rims. Replaced tires at 60K miles. Almost had very severe accident at 60 miles an hour due to death wobble (violent shaking of truck). Drove truck back to tire dealer. Dealer said my front end was bad. Bought all new complete front end parts from Dodge including upper/lower ball joints and shocks. Had parts installed cost $2900. Took truck out on freeway now I have the death wobble at 70mph. Took truck back to Dodge, they say nothing is wrong.
- Sebastian, FL, USA
- Baton Rouge, LA, USA