2001 Dodge RAM 1500

DASH BOARD HAS CRACKED FROM EXPOSER TO SUNLIGHT. IN PAST YEAR IT HAS BROKEN INTO VERY SHARP PIECES ABOVE PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG AND DIRECTLY IN FRONT OF DRIVER. ONE CAN CUT HIMSELF AND I HAVE JUST TRYING TO DUST OR CLEAN INSIDE OF TRUCK. I AM VERY CONCERNED ABOUT WHAT THESE SHARP PIECES OF THE DEFECTIVE DASHBOARD WOULD DO IN AN ACCIDENT AND IF AIR BAGS WOULD PUSH THESE SHARP PIECES INTO FACES OF BOTH DRIVER AND PASSENGERS IN FRONT SEAT OF TRUCK. *TR

THE DASHBOARD HAS BEEN CRACKING FOR OVER 2 YEARS. LARGE PIECES ARE BREAKING OFF AND FALLING INTO THE DASH AREA WHERE THERE ARE MANY ELECTRICAL WIRES AND VACUUM HOSES. THE PIECES THAT ARE BREAKING OFF ARE LARGE AND HAVE SHARP EDGES THAT MAY CUT INTO THE WIRES AND HOSES AND MAY START FIRES OR ELECTRICAL FAILURES/SHORTS. I RESEARCHED AND FOUND OUT THIS IS A COMMON FAILURE IN THIS VEHICLE YEAR DUE TO MANUFACTURING. SOMETIMES AS I'M DRIVING, THE BROKEN PIECES POP OUT TOWARDS PASSENGERS IN THE VEHICLE. I'M ALSO CONCERNED THAT A SHORT MAY DEPLOY THE AIRBAGS. *TR

DASH HAD BEGAN TO CRACK AND CRACKS HAVE PROGRESSED TO POINT OF THEY REACH THE TRIM BEZEL. INITIALLY DEALER SAID TO JUST WAIT THEY FELT DODGE WOULD RECALL BECAUSE IT WAS VERY COMMON PROBLEM. THEY DIDN'T ADVISE TO REPLACE BECAUSE IT WOULD JUST HAPPEN WITH NEW ONE AS WELL. BUT NOTHING WAS EVER DONE AND AFTER CONTACTING DODGE CUSTOMER ASSISTANCE I WAS TOLD BECAUSE OF AGE OF TRUCK AND MILEAGE NOW (60,000) NOTHING COULD BE DONE. MY CONCERNS ARE IF INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT THE DASH COULD JUST CRUMBLE AND SEND SHARP PIECES FLYING THROUGHOUT INTERIOR. AS WELL AS INTERIOR OF DASH BEING EXPOSED AND CAUSING OPERATIONAL ISSUES WHILE DRIVING. *TR

MY 2001 DODGE RAM 1500 HAS HAD THE DASHBOARD DISINTEGRATING SINCE 30,000 MILES AS I WAS INFORMED BY THE PREVIOUS OWNER. IT ONLY HAD CRACKS BUT SINCE I HAVE OWNED IT THE DASH HAS LITERALLY DISINTEGRATED WITH SHARP OBJECTS FLYING ABOUT THE CAB WHEN WINDOWS ARE DOWN. MY RESEARCH SUGGEST THAT CHRYSLER USED INFERIOR PRODUCTS AS A COST REDUCTION, DID NOT ACQUIRE THE PROPER MANUFACTURING TEMPERATURES WHICH RESULTS IN CRACKING, AND THE DASH IS INADEQUATELY MOUNTED CAUSING FLEXING. THIS IS A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION.........AND NOT A COSMETIC ISSUE AS DODGE HAS HIDDEN BEHIND!! WHEN THE DASH BREAKS, SHARP OBJECTS ARE IN FLIGHT THROUGHOUT THE CAB. WHEN IT BREAKS NEAR THE AIR BAGS, I BELIEVE THEY WILL DEPLOY THEMSELVES AND THAT ALONE IS A SERIOUS EVENT WHILE DRIVING IN TRAFFIC! DODGE HAS A HISTORY ALL THE WAY BACK TO MY FIRST PURCHASE OF A BRAND NEW 1973 DODGE RAM, IGNORING WARRANTY AND MAKING EXCUSES OF WHY THINGS AREN'T THEIR FAULT! IT'S HIGH TIME THIS COMPANY ASSUMES IT'S RESPONSIBILITY ESPECIALLY AFTER TAX PAYERS BAILED THEM OUT!!!! I HAVE FOUGHT MANY BATTLES WITH THIS COMPANY CONCERNING WARRANTY ISSUES AS WELL WHERE A BRAND NEW 1976 DODGE RAM I PURCHASED SPUN THE RACES IN THE REARS AS A RESULT OF DEFECTIVE MANUFACTURING!!! THE TIME FOR MAKING EXCUSES IS OLD, IT'S TIME FOR ACTION AND ASSUMING RESPONSIBILITY FOR AN INFERIOR PRODUCT!!! *TR

I COULD NOT GET PAST THE ENTER 'FAILED COMPONENT' REQUIREMENT SO I HAD TO CHOSE AIR BAGS BECAUSE IT IS THE CLOSEST COMPONENT RELATED TO THE DASH AREA I COULD FIND. I AM ONE OF THE THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE WHO OWNS A DODGE TRUCK WITH A SEVERELY CRACKING DASH. I REALIZE THAT THIS MAY NOT SEEM TO BE A 'SAFETY' ISSUE, BUT BELIEVE ME, WHEN YOU HAVE A DASH THAT IS CRACKED INTO PIECES WITH NUMEROUS SHARP EDGES IT SHOULD BE. I WOULD NEVER LET ANY CHILD BE IN MY TRUCK UNSUPERVISED BECAUSE THIS DASH IS SO BAD I TRULY BELIEVE AN INJURY COULD RESULT FROM CONTACT WITH THE SHARP EDGES. I REALIZE DODGE WOULD BE OUT AN INCREDIBLE AMOUNT OF MONEY TO RECALL THIS PROBLEM, AND I'VE ALSO BEEN TOLD THEY ARE STILL SELLING THE SAME BAD PLASTIC DASHES AS REPLACEMENTS, BUT SOMETHING SHOULD BE DONE. AT LEAST THEY COULD OFFER A NEW DASH MADE FROM DIFFERENT MATERIAL AT A MUCH MORE AFFORDABLE COST. PLEASE FIND A WAY TO HELP THOSE OF US WHO ARE TRYING TO COPE WITH THIS PROBLEM...THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. *TR