I OWN A 1998 DODGE RAM 1500 TRUCK THAT HAS A STRANGE ISSUE. FOR YEARS I HAVE SUFFERED WITH A CRACKED DASHBOARD THAT CONTINUES TO DETERIORATE. THERE ARE MANY EXPOSED ELEMENTS THAT I FEEL WOULD COMPROMISE MY SAFETY IF I WERE INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT IN THIS VEHICLE. THE SHARP EDGES MADE BY THE CRACKS ARE ALSO A HAZARD AS WELL. JU…
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I OWN A 1998 DODGE RAM 1500 TRUCK THAT HAS A STRANGE ISSUE. FOR YEARS I HAVE SUFFERED WITH A CRACKED DASHBOARD THAT CONTINUES TO DETERIORATE. THERE ARE MANY EXPOSED ELEMENTS THAT I FEEL WOULD COMPROMISE MY SAFETY IF I WERE INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT IN THIS VEHICLE. THE SHARP EDGES MADE BY THE CRACKS ARE ALSO A HAZARD AS WELL. JUST TODAY, I HAVE LEARNED THAT COUNTLESS DODGE OWNERS HAVE THIS PROBLEM AS WELL AND THE COMPANY HAS SEEMED TO TURN A DEAF EAR. I ACTUALLY STUMBLED ACROSS THE INFORMATION ABOUT THE LARGE NUMBER OF COMPLAINTS AS I WAS SEARCHING ONLINE TO FIND A REPLACEMENT FOR MY VEHICLE DASHBOARD. I HAVE BEEN USING MATS AND TOWELS OR WHATEVER I COULD CONJURE TO COVER UP THE PROBLEM FOR A YEAR OR SO, BUT NOW THE DAMAGE IS WAY MORE THAN THAT TYPE OF "BANDAID" CAN FIX. FOR THE MOST PART, WHAT I HAVE LEARNED IS THAT TO PURCHASE A REPLACEMENT OF THE SAME TYPE OF DASH IS A WASTE OF MONEY, BECAUSE THE QUALITY OF THE MATERIAL IS STILL THE SAME, AND IT WILL EVENTUALLY FAIL AS WELL. I CERTAINLY FEEL THAT DODGE IS RESPONSIBLE FOR REPLACEMENT OF THE SAID PART DUE TO THEIR NEGLIGENCE IN ENSURING THE SAFETY AND STABILITY OF THIS COMPONENT. IT IS BY NO MEANS COINCIDENTAL THAT ALL THE PEOPLE HAVE THE EXACT SAME COMPLAINT. I HAVE OWNED MANY VEHICLES AND NEVER HAVE I HAD SUCH AN EXPERIENCE! *TR
NHTSA ODI #10394362
198,000 miles · Apr 1, 2011
StructureInjury
SEVERELY CRACKING DASH, PRODUCING SHARP EDGES AND LARGE SHARDS POTENTIALLY CAUSING INJURY TO DRIVER AND PASSENGERS. *TR
NHTSA ODI #10393932
124,000 miles · Mar 3, 2011
Electrical SystemStructure
1998 DODGE RAM DASHBOARD IS CRUMBLING INTO LITTLE PIECES. I SMELL BURNT WIRES COMING FROM MY DASH SOMETIMES. I FEEL IT MAY START A FIRE. *TR
NHTSA ODI #10386264
Mileage unknown · Feb 25, 2011
Structure
MY DASHBOARD HAS CRACKED ALL OVER WHERE IT MOUNTS TO THE FRAME AND THERE ARE LITTLE SHARP PIECES FLOATING AROUND THE CRACKED AREAS. *TR
NHTSA ODI #10384474
40,123 miles · Nov 1, 2010
Structure
THE DASH COMES APART INTO SMALL PIECES.*TR
NHTSA ODI #10363611
80,000 miles · Oct 13, 2010
Structure
NOTICED IN 2004 THE DASH OF MY 98 DODGE RAM 1500 WAS BEGINNING TO CRACK AND RECENTLY NOTICED IT HAS GOTTEN CONSIDERABLY WORSE TOO WHERE A BIG PIECE HAS CAME OUT. *TR
NHTSA ODI #10360265
111,000 miles · Oct 3, 2010
StructureInjury
MY SON AND I PURCHASED A1998 DODGE RAM 1500 CLUB CAB PICK UP TRUCK AND THE DASH STARTED COMING APART (CRACKING/COLLAPSING IN CHUNKS) AND IN ONE INSTANCE AFTER DRIVING DOWN THE BUMPY DIRT ROADS HERE IN SC (WHICH IS LIKE DRIVING DOWN A SET OF RAILROAD TRACKS AT TIMES EVEN AT LOW SPEEDS). PART OF THE DASH FLEW UP A CAUGHT ME IN THE…
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MY SON AND I PURCHASED A1998 DODGE RAM 1500 CLUB CAB PICK UP TRUCK AND THE DASH STARTED COMING APART (CRACKING/COLLAPSING IN CHUNKS) AND IN ONE INSTANCE AFTER DRIVING DOWN THE BUMPY DIRT ROADS HERE IN SC (WHICH IS LIKE DRIVING DOWN A SET OF RAILROAD TRACKS AT TIMES EVEN AT LOW SPEEDS). PART OF THE DASH FLEW UP A CAUGHT ME IN THE EYE AND FACE. I WEAR GLASS', SO I DIDN'T SUFFER SERIOUS INJURY, BUT COULD HAVE EASY ENOUGH. I HAVE SINCE USED A COVER, BUT SO MUCH OF THE DASH HAS NOW FALLEN APART THAT'S NOT A SOLUTION ANYMORE. I'M NOT SURE WHO DESIGNED THIS DASH, BUT I ALSO DRIVE A 05 DODGE DURANGO AND A 06 DODGE POLICE CHARGER AND THIS HAS NOT YET HAPPENED IN THEM. THE DASH SEEMS TO HAVE GOTTEN WORSE AND WORSE TO THE POINT I'M NOT SURE WHAT'S HOLDING IT TO THE REST OF THE TRUCK. THIS IS DANGEROUS AND WE NEED A NEW DASH OR TO HAVE SOME TYPE OF HARD COVER. DOESN'T SEEM FAIR WE WOULD HAVE TO SPEND THE EXTRA MONEY. *TR
NHTSA ODI #10358932
Mileage unknown · Sep 16, 2010
Structure
PLASTIC DASH ON 1998 DODGE RAM 1500. THE DASH STARTED WITH 1 SMALL CRACK THEN THE WHOLE DASH IS CRACKED EVERYWHERE. IF INVOLVED IN A WRECK THE DASH WOULD BE DANGEROUS TO EVERYONE INSIDE FROM THE FLYING PIECES. *TR
NHTSA ODI #10356047
Mileage unknown · Jul 12, 2010
Structure
1998 DODGE 1500 DASH CRACKED AND CAME APART IN TWO PLACES, HAS VERY SHARP EDGES THAT CAN CUT HANDS. *TR
NHTSA ODI #10342798
Mileage unknown · Jun 29, 2010
Structure
DASH ON 1998 AND 1999 DODGE RAM CRACKED. PCS COULD COME LOOSE AND CAUSE A WRECK. ALSO PAINT IS DEFECTIVE PAINT. JUST LIKE THE PROBLEM FORD HAD WITH THERE CAR AND TRUCKS. *TR
NHTSA ODI #10340660
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