2001 Dodge RAM 1500

MY FATHER BOUGHT THIS TRUCK NEW IN 2001, AND I BOUGHT IT FROM HIM IN 2008. ABOUT 20000 MILES ON THE UNIT WHEN I BOUGHT IT. IN 2008, THE DASH STARTED CRACKING AND BECAME VERY BRITTLE, PIECES BEGAN TO BREAK OUT AND HAS CONTINUED TO CRACK AND BREAK. IT IS NOW 2014, ABOUT 32000 MILES ON THIS UNIT, AND I AM GOING TO HAVE TO REPLACE THE DASHBOARD WITH AN AFTERMARKET PRODUCT. BASED ON THE NUMBER OF COMPLAINTS FROM OTHER OWNERS, I WOULD BELIEVE THAT THE MATERIALS USED IN THE ORIGINAL DASH WERE BELOW ACCEPTABLE QUALITY. NO FRONT END ZERK FITTINGS FOR STEERING COMPONENTS- CHEAP DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION. I HAD TO HAVE NEW FRONT END ASSEMBLIES WITH ZERK FITTINGS, AT A COST OF ABOUT $1400.00. (BECAUSE CHRYSLER/DODGE WENT CHEAP IN CONSTRUCTION.) MY LAST DODGE VEHICLE, I THINK I CAN DO BETTER. *TR

I HAVE THE SAME ISSUE AS THOUSANDS OF OTHERS WITH THE DASH FALLING APART, THIS INCIDENT HAPPENED WHEN THE BEZEL JUST FELL OFF OF THE DASH ONTO THE STEERING WHEEL WHILE TRAVELING DOWN A BUSY HIGHWAY. I HAD TO TRY AND STEER WITH ONE HAND WHILE USING THE OTHER TO DISLODGE THE BEZEL AND HOLD IT AWAY FROM THE STEERING WHEEL UNTIL I COULD SAFELY PULL OVER TO THE SHOULDER OF THE ROAD. SINCE THEN MY GLOVE BOX HAS FALLEN OFF ALONG WITH THE DRINK HOLDER. I AM ALSO CONCERNED THAT IF I AM INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT WHERE THE AIR BAGS MAY BE DEPLOYED THAT THE PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG WILL CAUSE THE DASH TO EXPLODE AND SEND PLASTIC SCHRAPNEL INSIDE THE CAB. THIS COULD CAUSE SERIOUS DAMAGE OR DEATH FOR THE PASSENGER AND\OR DRIVER.

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

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 DODGE RAM 1500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 5 MPH, THE VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE WITHOUT WARNING. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE AND A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE CONTACT WAS NOT INJURED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. THE MECHANIC STATED THAT THE CAUSE FOR THE FIRE WAS UNKNOWN. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 227,000. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED.

THE DASHBOARD GET DESTROY TO EASLY AND THE DEBRIES FLIES TO THE FACE MAKING DRIVE INSECURE BECAUSE THE PLASTIC PARTS WERE HITING THE FACE. THE POWERS TRAIN GETS VERY EASLY DAMAGE BY ROCKS AND DEBRIS ON THE STREET MAKING IT TO VULNERABLE TO GET DESTROY (AND THAT HAPPEN TO ME) . THE CHARGING REGULATOR GETS BROKES FOR NOTHING ANYTIME AND YOU NEED TO BE CHANGING THE COMPUTER OR ADING AN EXTERNAL ONE AND SOLDER IT TO THE PRINCIPAL CABLES THAT GOES TO THE ALTERNATOR, AND RELAYS.

I AM AN OWNER OF A 2001 DODGE 1500 TRUCK THAT WAS IN PERFECT CONDITION UP UNTIL 2 DAYS AGO, THAT WAS WHEN MY DASHBOARD CAVED IN. I TOOK MY TRUCK TO MY MECHANIC FOR A SUMMER TUNE-UP. I LIVE IN ARIZONA AND WHEN THOSE TRIPLE DIGITS START ROLLING IN YOU WANT TO BE SURE YOUR AC IS BLOWING COLD AND MINE SEEM TO BE HAVING SOME AIRFLOW PROBLEMS. WHEN MY MECHANIC GOT THROUGH INSPECTING THE TRUCK HE DISCOVERED THAT MY DASHBOARD WAS SLOWLY "CAVING IN" CAUSING SOME ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS. HE DECIDED TO TAKE THE DASH OFF TO GET A BETTER LOOK AND WHEN HE TOOK THE SCREWS OUT THE WHOLE DASHBOARD JUST BROKE INTO MANY PIECES. I AM VERY CONCERNED BECAUSE THAT DASH HAS MANY ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS BEHIND IT WHICH COULD POTENTIALLY CAUSE SOME MAJOR PROBLEMS. I AM ALSO IN FAVOR OF A RECALL, BECAUSE THE DASHBOARD INSPECTOR MUST OF BEEN ON VACATION IN 2001 WHEN THEY LET THIS TRUCK LEAVE THE FACTORY WITH ISSUES LIKE THAT. RECALL THAT DASH!!! *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

MY 2001 DODGE RAM 1500 4X4 KEEP STALLING WHEN DECELERATING. THE ENGINE WILL START RIGHT UP AGAIN WHEN I TURN THE KEY BUT UNLESS I KEEP MY FOOT ON THE GAS IT DIES AGAIN AND AGAIN. IT'S ALWAYS AT LOW SPEEDS LIKE IN A PARKING LOT OR APPROACHING STOP SIGNS OR RED LIGHTS. THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS IN TRAFFIC. I HAVE HAD IT TO 3 DIFFERENT MECHANICS AND WE'VE REPLACED THE ALTERNATOR AND THE BATTERY (TWICE ON THE BATTERY) AND IT IS STILL DOING THE SAME THING. SOMETIMES IT RUNS FINE AND THEN IT JUST STARTS QUITTING ON MY. *TR