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

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 DODGE RAM 1500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 2 MPH, THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO WOBBLE AND THERE WAS AN ABNORMAL NOISE COMING FROM THE REAR END THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE REAR FUEL TANK STRAP, THE BOLTS AND THE NUTS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 140,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 DODGE RAM 1500 EQUIPPED WITH NITTO MUDGRAPPLER TIRES (NA), SIZE 33X12.50R17 LT. THE DOT NUMBER WAS 73BDED54311. THE CONTACT STATED THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR AN UNRELATED REPAIR AND THEY NOTICED THAT THE TREAD ON ALL FOUR TIRES WAS DRY ROTTED. THE TIRES HAD NOT BEEN REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE PROBLEM. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 173,739.

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.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 DODGE RAM 1500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 55-60 MPH, THE VEHICLE WOULD WOBBLE AND JERK VIOLENTLY OUT OF CONTROL. THE CONTACT WAS UNABLE TO CONTROL THE STEERING WHEEL OR REACH THE BRAKE PEDAL WHEN THE FAILURE OCCURRED. THE VEHICLE QUICKLY TURNED SIDE WAYS, TRAVELED UP ON THE FRONT WHEELS AND CRASHED INTO A DITCH. THE CONTACT, WHO WAS NOT INJURED, WAS ABLE TO MANEUVER THE VEHICLE OUT OF THE DITCH AND PROCEED TO HIS RESIDENCE. THE CONTACT LATER INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND WAS UNABLE TO LOCATE ANY FAILURES THAT WOULD HAVE CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO WOBBLE UNCONTROLLABLY. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 130,000.

I PURCHASED THE 2001 DODGE RAM NEW AND IT HAS BEEN GARAGE KEPT AND HAS LESS THAN 70,000 MILES. I WAS DRIVING ACROSS A RAILROAD CROSSING AT THE SPEED LIMIT OF 30 MPH. THIS CROSSING IS NOT ROUGH. FOR LACK OF A BETTER TERM THE DASH EXPLODED. PIECES OF THE DASH HIT ME IN THE FACE AND PIECES WERE ALL OVER THE FRONT SEAT. THE DASH IS ESSENTIALLY GONE NOW EXPOSING THE AIRBAG MODULE, ELECTRONICS AND SHARP METALS THAT SHOULD BE 'UNDER THE DASH'. THIS IS DANGEROUS AND SOMEONE IS GOING TO GET HURT, EITHER FROM THE DASH FAILURE CAUSING THEM TO LOOSE CONTROL WHEN IT FAILS, THE PIECES CAUSING A FIRE OR BECAUSE THE SHARP AREAS ARE EXPOSED THAT COULD CAUSE ADDITIONAL INJURIES IN A CRASH. *TR