1998 Dodge RAM 1500

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 DODGE RAM 1500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THERE WAS A 10-INCH CRACK ON THE DRIVER SIDE DASHBOARD, AND A 3-INCH CRACK ON THE PASSENGER SIDE DASHBOARD. AS OF FEBRUARY 25, 2008, THE DEALER HAD NOT INSPECTED THE VEHICLE. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THERE WERE NO RECALLS ASSOCIATED WITH THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 94,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 96,000.

MY 1998 DODGE RAM 1500 PICKUP HAS A CHRONIC CASE OF CRACKED DASH. THIS HAS BEEN HEAVILY NOTED FROM 1998 MODELS THROUGH THE 2004 MODELS. THIS IS EXTREMELY HAZARDOUS TO PASSENGER SAFETY BECAUSE IF THE PASSENGER AIRBAG SHOULD DEPLOY THE PASSENGER OF DRIVER COULD BE IMPALED BY SHARP SHARDS OF PLASTIC FROM THE FRACTURED DASH. THESE DASHES NEED TO BE RECALLED DUE TO THIS EXTREME SAFETY HAZARD. *TR

ON 1 DEC 2001 I LEFT WATERTOWN, NY TO DRIVE TO SYRACUSE, NY VIA I-81 SOUTH. JUST AFTER THE CENTRAL SQUARE ENTRANCE RAMP MY HOOD BLEW OPEN AT 65MPH. THIS NEARLY CAUSED ME TO CRASH BUT I MANAGED TO FINALLY GET THE TRUCK PULLED OVER WITHOUT A CRASH. I AM A HANDICAPPED MEMBER OF THE US ARMY SO I CALLED MY WIFE TO HELP ME GET THE HOOD DOWN AND STRAP IT DOWN WITH A RATCHET STRAP AND BUNGIE CORDS. THE HOOD, GRILL, HINGES AND HOOD LINER ARE ALL DAMAGED BEYOND REPAIR. UPON RETURNING HOME I SEARCHED THE INTERNET AND FOUND A "SAFETY RECALL" #973 FOR THE SECONDARY HOOD LATCH FAILURE. I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE USED IN 2006 AND NEVER RECEIVED A WARNING. TODAY I WENT TO DEALMAKER DODGES SERVICE DEPT AND IT WAS VERIFIED THAT THE REPAIR SERVICE HAD NEVER BEEN COMPLETED. AFTER SPEAKING WITH THE SERVICE TECHNICIAN MARK (315)-779-5725 I WAS INFORMED THAT THE DISTRICT MANAGER MR. DAVID LITTLEJOHN DISAPPROVED THE REPAIR OF THE DAMAGE, HOWEVER WOULD AUTHORIZE THE RECALL TO BE PERFORMED. I WAS TOLD THAT CHRYSLER DODGE WAS NOT LIABLE FOR INHERIT DAMAGED CAUSED BY THE HOOD OUT OF NOWHERE POPPING OPEN. I CONTACTED THE CHRYSLER CUSTOMER RELATIONS (800) 992-1997 AND WAS TOLD THE SAME THING. I ASKED FOR THE PROOF IN WRITING AND WAS REFUSED THE DOCUMENT STATING THAT THEY WERE NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR INHERED DAMAGED CAUSED BY A DEFECTIVE PART THAT CAN CAUSE SEVERE INJURY OR DEATH TO MANY PEOPLE IF THEY DO NOT KNOW HOW TO HANDLE SUCH PROBLEMS. MY CHRYLER CORPORATION REFERENCE NUMBER IS 16995780. *TR

1) NOTHING CAUSED FAILURE. NO CAR ACCIDENTS OR CRASHES. JUST STARTED SHOWING UP OVER TIME. 2) TWO SEPARATE CRACKS IN DASHBOARD. ONE ON THE PASSENGER SIDE BY VENT THAT LEADS ALL THE WAY TOWARDS THE GLOVE BOX WHILE THE OTHER CRACK IS ABOVE MY GAUGE CONSOLE. 3) THE ONLY REPAIR POSSIBLE IS A WHOLE NEW DASHBOARD WHICH HAS NOT BEEN DONE AS OF YET. *TR

THE FRONT DASH OF MY 1998 DODGE RAM 1500 QUAD CAB BEGAN CRACKING IN MULTIPLE PLACES WITHIN THREE YEARS OF THE PURCHASE OF THE VEHICLE. THE CRACKS HAVE BECOME SO EXTENSIVE THAT A LARGE HOLE RECENTLY OPENED UP IN THE TOP DASH ABOVE THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER AND STEERING COLUMN. INTERNAL COMPONENTS UNDER THE DASH ARE NOW EXPOSED TO SUNLIGHT. THE DASH IS ESSENTIALLY SLOWLY DISINTEGRATING OVER TIME. *TR

AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION SLIPS AT CRUISING SPEED. MY TRUCK, MY NEPHEWS TRUCK AND FOUR OTHERS I AM AWARE OF IN LITTLE ROCK ARKANSAS ARE ALL HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM. WHEN ENGINE IS NOT PULLING OR ACCELERATING THE TRANSMISSION SLIPS CAUSING THE RPM TO RISE AROUND 4 HUNDRED TO 800 RPM. MY NEPHEW STATED THAT THERE WAS A RECALL ON THIS PROBLEM SOME TIME BACK. I ONLY PURCHASED THIS TRUCK A YEAR AGO AND WAS UNAWARE OF THIS PROBLEM. *TR