Unbelievable Problems

[Slam72]

:dontknow: I'm wondering about some parts breakage on my SRT-10 QC, so I could really use some feedback of a hopefully positive nature.

Not even owning it a month, I returned to the store I bought it from to have them fix & check a some problems such as the brakes squeling (terriably annoying), a delay in trans shifting, uncertain about how low oil psi at an idle was, & low coolant level! After having it a full 7 days friday to friday & 70 plus something miles added to it I go to pick it up. It now has had new front rotors installed, resurfased rear rotors & all the brake pads resurfaced as well (why not replaced, I dont know) everything else was noted that there was NO PROBLEM FOUND! As the service guy brings it to me he hands me my keys & says the brakes still squil a bit but it should be okey because thats just what brakes are supposed to do!

Here is the part where it gets rough, I drive it home & on the way it feels like I was applying my brakes (foot no where near pedal) as I let of the accelorator. The next evening my family & I are on our way home from going out. As I approach a right curve at a low speed when I hear a squel & my steering whell jerked hard to the right & put us into the curb. Im not possitive what caused it but the steering knuckle snapped clean in two and the tie rods as well as the spindell & control arms were either broken or damaged! A tech I talked to said it looked like the knuckle snapped & caused the hard jerk right!

Does anyone have an opinion or know of any similar scenario?

 

[TNVIPER]

Sorry to hear you are having these problems.......as bad as the truck mechanical problems are your worst problem sounds to be the dealer...find another and you will probably solve the mech problems.. ..

 

[Roz]

Wow. Sorry to hear about such problems. . . IS your truck under warranty still??

It's sad but true, disc brakes are going to squeal - SLIGHTLY. Now screeching, that is another story. I've never heard of resurfaced brake pads before, but I've never owned anything with high performance brakes either.

Trans shifting sounds like the bands needed adjustment.

70 miles is possible, if they bedded your brakes properly. This requires several specific stop sequences and unoccupied streets. They may have had drive to bumf*ck.

I've seen several truck's spindles/tie rod ends break, but it was result of an accident. Never the cause . . .

 

[Slam72]

Yes my truck is under factory warranty still & a additional 60 month / 60k extended through the dealer! But when I contacted them they wanted me to get my insurance company to come determine the damage & I know it wasnt my fault so I dont wont my rates sky rocketing because no one wants to assume responsibility or fault!

 

[Marc T]

Note:

These brakes in stock form are very grabby, I remember fefore I changed out my brake pads the truck would stand on it's nose in a heart beat if not carefull applying the Brakes.

I am not saying this is what happened just relaying the problem with stock brakes which has been discussed here in length.

I have an 04, so I don't know if the 05's or 06's came with different pads!!

When I changed mine to performance pads they were much more driver friendly!!

Hope you figure it out.

 

[ntw0rk]

Sorry to hear about your troubles...

The (stock) brakes will squeak, squeal, whine and moan... it's just the nature of this beast...

The steering knuckle snap is odd, like Roz said, never heard of it except as a result of an accident. Sounds like warranty work, but you may have to have your insurance company take it up with the dealer. (And find a new one to service it!)

Hope you get it worked out, these are awesome to drive when they are right!

 

[OnceBitten]

Brakes

I too was surprised at the amount of "squeal" these trucks have with the stock brakes. As for the "grabby" part having owned several dodge trucks and trading a mustang GT for my RC these brakes are extremely touchy and take some getting used to. Good luck with your dealer. I was ready to purchase an extended warranty and was told by the service mgr that if I bolted ANYTHING to the truck ie. exhaust, CAI, programmer, vented discs, springs, etc. that it would VOID the warranty.

 

[Slam72]

I know exactly what you mean, your right they are very touchy & if you never have drove with them your eating the dash if not buckled in good! But even at that note the front brakes both grab equally & I was used to them already. To clear doubt of possiable out raising hell or hot roding, I was returning home from a family evening out late with my wife, my 13 year old son, & my 10 year old daughter! So I wasn't out getting on it whatsover!

 

[Slam72]

I mean it really scared the hell out us! I have seen alot of strange things before but when your not expecting something like this to happen ecspecially at such a low rate of speed it can be a bit frightning for the whole family!

 

[OnceBitten]

Brakes

At the expense of stating the obvious did the caliper/pads seem to be intact? I have had the misfortune while circle track racing for years of having calipers/pads break or seperate causing the rotor to "lodge" and what you described is EXACTLY what happens when this occurs. You mentioned that the pads were "resurfaced" what the hell is that? Should have been replaced! I can imagine how terrified the family was. BTW these trucks are tons of fun! Don't let poor service get you down on your truck. Get to the bottom of the cause and make them fix it. Once again GOOD LUCK! You may need it.

 

[FastSRT19]

I was ready to purchase an extended warranty and was told by the service mgr that if I bolted ANYTHING to the truck ie. exhaust, CAI, programmer, vented discs, springs, etc. that it would VOID the warranty.

My truck has numerous mods and the dealer still warranties everything i've ever had an issue with...even the underhood liner was replaced when it got wet from rain coming in the hood scoop after getting stuck in a quick burst of rain. sounds like a bad dealer/service dept to me...:dontknow:

As for the brakes, yes they do grab a lot w/ stock pads, but after changing them for EBC Greens that problem went away.

In the past (and on another vehicle, not my SRT) i have had a caliper come off it's mounting points and jam up in the wheel, causing it to lock up. It almost ended just as you described, but i was on a 4 lane highway going about 50 in traffic...only damage was a VERY big flat spot on the driver's front tire, and of course the caliper was all F'ed up.

 

[ViperJeff]

I'm going to say the brake grabbed for a simple reason and/or caliper failure.

These trucks do not like curbs and things break fast as a result of hitting the curb (Believe Me, I know). And because they were doing brake work, that would be the first place I would look.

VJ

 

[FastRam]

IMO, the likelyhood of the knuckle snapping unexpectedly is really, really low. Having a steering knuckle just snap doesn't make sense unless it was previously damaged or subjected to a higher than designed duty cycle/stress, e.g. larger tires/wheels, suspension mod., etc. Did you sense a loss of steering at the time the squealing occured and were the brakes being applied during the cornering? The other parts, I'll bet, were damaged when you nailed the curb (at what angle and speed?). The curb profile and height can also play into the amount of damages. Did the tire or wheel get damaged as well? I would try and find another dealer to do business with.

 

[Blacksnake]

My brakes make horrible noise and the dealer said thats just high performance disc brakes. It is annoying!

 

[FATJACK]

Your dealer is fulla shit!

 

[Black1]

Your dealer is fulla shit!

Ditto... Call the REGIONAL SERVICE REP. for your area. If you have 70 miles on your truck that weren't on there before, that alone is reason to question things. Also, you need to have him investigate the brake job done by the dealer.

 

[Venom Power]

Slam did you buy your truck new or used? That will answer a lot of questions. If new then it is a mystery or someone could have mistreated it while simply moving it around the dealer parking lot. If used then perhaps the previous owner did a number on it before letting it go. I hope that isn’t the case though. This is my first time learning about this.

I have an 04, so I don't know if the 05's or 06's came with different pads!!

Yes the ’04 models have different brake calipers and pads than ’05 for sure.

I was ready to purchase an extended warranty and was told by the service mgr that if I bolted ANYTHING to the truck ie. exhaust, CAI, programmer, vented discs, springs, etc. that it would VOID the warranty.

That service manager was simply being a prick. I ran into that same attitude at a stealership in Houston (Spring Dodge). I found another place that’s really cool on mods.

My brakes make horrible noise and the dealer said thats just high performance disc brakes. It is annoying!

They lied. Get performance friction pads. PF pads took care of my brake squeel and resulted in very little brake dust.

 

[Slam72]

It is a 35 mph speed zone going down a slight incline which at the end of there is a 90 degree turn to the right The road is one I have traveled for several years. I was approaching the turn but not yet to it, with the brakes softly applied & my speed was about 15mph when the brake squel went to a loud sqreach then the steering wheel jerked unexpectedly hard to the right. Then the curb was right there & it all happened within a couple seconds. The curb was maybe 10" to 12" high but not sure! It did damage a spot of the wheel & took a good bite out of my tires sidewall by the damaged spot of the wheel.

I bought my truck from Carmax used but in supposedly excellent condition! It is a Black 2005 QC that had 20k on it & I paid a sticker price of $29,595 for it plus the extended bumper to bumper 60 month or 60k mile warranty. It is stock completely without any upgrades except new tires as far as I could tell. Despite the fact that it listed as having a front cd changer but did not & me wishing it had a sunroof & a bed cover, I was absolutely pleased with my selection untill a couple weks ago. But I dont have any intentions on getting rid of it just got to figure out what to do on getting it repaired because I cant afford to ecspecially knowing Im not at fault!

 

[silversnake]

man sorry to hear that, but it seems like you need to find you a better dealer my truck also had a very loud squeal when i bought it took it back to the dealer that i bought it from(dallas dodge) like 3 times and it keept doing the same thing then i took it to another dealer(park cities dodge) and problem solved, havent heard another sound from it(nock on wood). good luck with yours

 

[ZCx]

are you usein grapevine dodge?????