Fiat-Chrysler Sued Over Incorrect Axle Ratio in Ram 1500
After owning the pickup for nine months, Besley was informed by Ram that the Monroney was inaccurate and that his truck was not equipped with a 3.55:1-ratio axle, but instead with the standard 3.21:1 rear end. A simple $50 option, the 3.55:1 "heavy duty" rear axle is intended to permit better low-speed grunt and towing, the ostensible downside being a slight reduction in fuel economy in comparison to vehicles equipped with the 3.21:1 ratio.
According to the lawsuit, which was filed in the U.S. District Court in South Carolina and seeks class-action status, Ram offered Besley $750 "Mopar dollars" that could be used toward service or accessories and at no time "offered a complimentary replacement of his rear axle." Besley purchased his truck from Triangle Dodge Chrysler Jeep in Graniteville, S.C., in January 2014, and he is seeking "unspecified damages" in the suit. Interestingly, Besley’s case is not an isolated incident. The AN report indicates that additional Ram owners in Colorado, North Carolina, Oregon, and Washington have reported in internet forums that their Ram 1500s were also delivered with a 3.21:1 axle instead of the desired 3.55:1 unit. In the same forums, owners claimed to have received restitution from Ram or their dealer in the form of free extended-service contracts or the option of trading their truck for one properly equipped. When reached for comment, Fiat-Chrysler told C/D: "Only a limited number of consumers were affected, and Chrysler identified and reached an amicable restitution with those buyers shortly after the discrepancy was discovered." Car & Driver