Is my local service dept. FOS?!

[BKneeland]

I took my '08 2500 4x4 long box into the local dealer because I have to hold the stearing wheel 15-20 degrees left to keep it straight. They claimed to have checked the alignment and found it to be within specs. They say that they are now designed that way to pull right off the road if the driver falls asleep. I'm calling BS, but tell me your thoughts.

 

[MickeyMiller]

And, new for 2008, the navigation system is linked to the cruise control... just set it and go to sleep, the alarm will sound when you have arrived!

 

[DBentley]

Hope you are kidding about the dealer saying this?

If they did say this write a letter to dodge and never go back there.



Its worth the price to let a real frontend shop fix it.

This is why a warranty should be optional.

 

[AMcCormick]

I know some guys that delivered a 50' sailboat up the coast of CA they fell asleep and the "designed steering veered right" right onto the beach. I dont know about anybody else but I'm callin BS.

 

[p-Bar]

I can't believe they would insult your intelligence . Did they check the muffler bearings??

 

[HBarlow]

A friend who is a former Dodge dealership technician told me the same thing. I believe they were probably telling you the truth. Probably a result of more federal bureaucrats telling auto manufacturers how they must build their cars and trucks.

The situation you described seems extreme though. Were you driving on a high-crowned road? Or were you experiencing a quartering wind?

Try moving over to the center of the highway straddling the crown or even to the left lane if there is no oncoming traffic and see if the symptom is still present. Or reverse direction or take another highway 90* from the original direction of travel to see if a pull to the left is still required to stay on the road.

 

[SierraRam]

You have got to be kidding! So I guess ther are saying there is never anything to your right to veer into. I would be insulted, find another dealer and tell them your story they will get a kick out of it.

 

[Matt400]

LMAO! :-laf thats just too funny. What it needs now is an adjustment to compensate for the pull while staying within the allowable specs. A very doable task by a competent front end tech.

 

[seafish]

I live on the West Coast, with a fairly regular 300 foot drop into the Pacific Ocean. I HAD to buy TWO trucks from Dodge--one for when I am Northbound that pulls to the right just in case I fall asleep, and one for when I drive Southbound that pulls to the left just in case I fall asleep at the wheel.



I have to make sure I am driving the correct truck for each direction, otherwise I won't be able to sue them when I crash 300 feet into the Ocean.



Seriously though, I'd find another dealer or, better yet, an excellent front end alignment shop!!!

 

[jtwcummins]

Darn, mine doesn't have that feature. I am going to the dealer and complain. I can hands off the wheel on most roads and the truck goes straight or has a very sight drift to the right if the road has a high crown. Steering wheel is pretty close to level. My 97 never had the steering wheel level on any straight hiway.



I hate it when I don't get all 'the features'. The answer to your question is YES

 

[LRutigliano]

I took my '08 2500 4x4 long box into the local dealer because I have to hold the stearing wheel 15-20 degrees left to keep it straight. They claimed to have checked the alignment and found it to be within specs. They say that they are now designed that way to pull right off the road if the driver falls asleep. I'm calling BS, but tell me your thoughts.

My steering wheel has never been straight when I drive straight down the road. Its tilted to the left, probably about 15deg or so. Take a pic and let us see, but that does seem normal, although what the dealer is saying is silly.



If you let go of the wheel, does the truck still go straight?



I would NEVER let the dealer touch my truck for something like that though, you are just asking for trouble...

 

[snuff]

::



for your camp fire i have a left handed smoke shifter for ya!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[snuff]

oh and water hammer toooooooo... ...

 

[DPKetchum]

These trucks been pulling to the right since 2nd gens. Mine does some and worse on certain roads and yes the alignment is in the preferred setting of specs. Got a tire or two that's somewhat more prone to this then the others. Most vehicles have a tendency for right. A straight steering wheel is not just dependent on alignment but also tires and road. It can be straight on a alignment rack on the floating plates and go off to 11 or 1 o'clock as soon as it hits payment and rolls a few feet due to tire cords and tire wear. There is a OLD TSB on pulling right for 2nd gens which is a adjustable ball joint. This has also been done on 3rd gens. Use the search function on pulls right. Ought to be a fair amount of reading in archives.

 

[rbattelle]

I believe they were probably telling you the truth. Probably a result of more federal bureaucrats telling auto manufacturers how they must build their cars and trucks.

If the truck were actually designed this way then I would expect it to be built so that with the wheels pointed to the left the steering wheel was centered.



My grandfather, a heavy truck mechanic, used to have his brakes adjusted so that they would pull to the right. He figured if he had a heart attack he could merely hit the brakes and the vehicle would pull right off the road.



Anyway, I'd find another dealer.



Ryan

 

[Paddy McMahon]

Please post the name and location of the dealer so I can avoid ever stopping by their establishment regardless of how dire my automotive needs or parts/service circumstances might be.

 

[JDiepstra]

I would say that is the biggest load of crap I have ever hear. My truck goes straight down the road with the steering wheel in the straight position. I guess it is broken. I better take it in. And yeah, I am sure I am much safer if I fell asleep and my truck veers off the road and into a ditch, tree, phone pole, off a cliff... you get the point. That dealer is full of bs and I would never go back there ever.

 

[Chemical103]

Although this sounds very strange and I would be highly sceptical of the dealer. I was told on my wifes 07 Caliber (which is a terrible vehicle by the way) that the day time running light needs to shut off when the turn signal is on by a DOT mandate. I asked them if they were going to pay for the ticket when my wife gets a racked up for having a headlight out and she tells them that line of BS. Government does strange things.

 

[24V-DSL]

Ask them to put it in writing so you can keep it in your Darwin file.....

 

[DPKetchum]

Well I said these trucks have had a go right issue/characteristic since 1994/1995 and lots of old threads on 3rd gen trucks pulling/leading right. Not all cars are the DRLs part of the headlights. Some its the park/amber light.