2001 Dodge RAM Quad Cab

BOUGHT A 2001 DODGE QUAD CAB SPORT 4X4 IN 2003. THE DASH HAD A SMALL CRACK ON THE DRIVERS SIDE AT TIME OF PURCHASE. THE CRACK SPREAD RAPIDLY TO ALL AREAS OF THE DASHBOARD. I USED PROTECTANTS, ADHESIVES AND DASHBOARD SHADES AND A DASH PAD TO PREVENT FURTHER SPREAD TO NO AVAIL. DURING ONE EVENING TRIP,I HIT A BUMP IN THE ROAD AND THE ENTIRE DASH CAVED IN CAUSING THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER TO LOSE LIGHTING. I HAD TO COLLECT ALL THE EXTREMELY SHARP SHARDS OF PLASTIC OUT OF THE DASHBOARD RECESS TO LOOK FOR THE PROBLEM. IT WAS DURING THIS INCIDENT THAT A EXTREMELY SHARP PIECE OF PLASTIC CUT DEEP INTO MY RIGHT HAND. I SHOULD HAVE GOTTEN STITCHES, BUT USED GAUZE AND WRAP UNTIL HEALED. WHAT WOULD HAVE HAPPENED IF THE AIRBAG WAS DEPLOYED WITH LOOSE PLASTIC PARTS FLYING ALL OVER THE PLACE? SURVIVE THE CRASH AND THEN DIE FROM MASSIVE LACERATIONS FROM BROKEN DASH PIECES? I CONTACTED MULTIPLE LOCAL DODGE DEALERS AND WAS TOLD THAT THEY KNEW AND CORPORATE KNEW OF THE PROBLEM, BUT THEY WOULD NOT REPLACE IT BECAUSE DODGE CORPORATE WOULD NOT AUTHORIZE OR PAY FOR THE OBVIOUS MANUFACTURING DEFECT. I PROBABLY WILL NEVER BUY A DODGE AGAIN. DODGE KNEW THIS WAS A BIG PROBLEM, BUT DID AND STILL DOES NOT CARE. ALMOST EVERY DODGE I'VE SEEN WITHIN THE 2000-2003 YEARS HAS THIS BLARING PROBLEM. SOME HAVE REPLACED THE DASH WITH AFTERMARKET PARTS OR JUST TRY TO COVER IT UP WITH DASH PADS OR MATS. DOES THE NHTSA CARE? HAS THIS MASSIVE ISSUE EVEN LOOKED INTO? *TR

IN TRAFFIC GOING DOWN THE ROAD AT 65 MPH, THE DASHBOARD CAVED IN. LOOSE PIECES EVERYWHERE. I DIDN'T KNOW IF THIS HAD AFFECTED THE ELECTRONICS OR NOT AT THE TIME. I JUST HAD TO PULL OVER AND CUT THROUGH THREE LANES OF TRAFFIC. LUCKILY SO FAR, JUST SOME MINOR ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS HERE AND THERE. I AM SCARED THIS WILL AFFECT THE AIRBAG SYSTEM LATER ON. DODGE SAYS THERE IS NO RECALL ON THIS. VERY UNFORTUNATE, LAST DODGE I WILL EVER OWN. *TR

I HAVE A 2001 DODGE RAM 1500 EXT CAB THAT I BOUGHT NEW FROM THE DEALERSHIP. AT 42,000MI THE DASH HAD A CRACK IN THE CENTER. I TOOK IT BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP BUT THEY SAID IT WAS OUT OF WARRANTY AND TO USE SOMETHING WITH UV PROTECTION. AT 101,000MI THE FRONT SPEAKERS WENT OUT. NOW MY DASH IS MISSING BIG PIECES. I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD LAST MONTH AND HIT A BUMP IN THE ROAD. A PIECE OF DASH FLEW UP AND HIT MY WIFE IN THE FOREHEAD. SHE WILL NO LONGER LET THE GRANDCHILDREN RIDE IN MY TRUCK. SHE IS AFRAID THE AIR BAG WILL GO OFF OR A PIECE OF DASH WILL HIT THEM IN THE EYE. NOW THE FRONT LIGHTS HAVE BLINKED ON AND OFF 2 OR 3 TIMES ON SEPARATE OCCASION. I'VE CALLED DODGE AND THEY SENT ME TO A SERVICE CENTER. THEY AGREED TO REPLACE THE DASH, INSTRUMENT COVER AND GLOVE BOX ALL WHICH HAVE CRACKED. BUT NOW I HAVE TO PAY 580.00$. MY TAX DOLLARS BAILED THEM OUT AND NOW I HAVE TO PAY FOR THEIR DEFECTED PARTS? THIS IS A DANGER TO DRIVERS. *TR

2001 DODGE RAM 1500 PICKUP HAS CRACKED DASHBOARD. STARTED ABOUT 2 YEARS AFTER I BOUGHT THE TRUCK NEW. STILL HAS NEW CRACKS DEVELOPING. SOME CRACKS EXTEND INTO PASSENGER AIRBAG COMPARTMENT AND INTO DRIVER'S INSTRUMENT PANEL. INSTALLED CARPETED DASHBOARD COVER TO HELP PREVENT THE CRACKS FROM PROGRESSING BUT THEY STILL REMAIN TO INCREASE IN SIZE. APPEARS THAT WHENEVER THE A/C OR HEATER IS USED THE CRACKS EXTEND AND CAN BE HEARD AUDIBLE. THE RAPID CHANGE IN INTERIOR TEMPERATURE WHEN USING THE A/C OR HEATER CAN CAUSE THE CRACKS TO QUICKLY EXTEND. HAVE TO SLOWLY INCREASE TEMPERATURE TO REDUCE THE FAILURE RATE. HAVE TRIED EVERYTHING TO PREVENT THE CRACKS BUT NOTHING HELPS. CONCERNED NOW ABOUT THE AIRBAG COMPARTMENT BEING COMPRISED AND LEADING TO PREMATURE AIRBAG DEPLOYMENT. THE DASHBOARD APPEARS TO VERY BRITTLE AND EVERY PRECAUTION IS USED NOT TO PLACE ANY WEIGHT ON DASHBOARD. OVER THE YEARS, SEVERAL CRACKS HAVE APPEARED AND DASHBOARD IS DEVELOPING NEW ONES. SOME CRACKS NOW EXTEND INTO THE DASHBOARD TRIM THAT ATTACH TO THE MAIN DASHBOARD. DODGE IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM BUT REFUSE TO DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT. COST IS VERY EXPENSIVE TO REPLACE. AT THIS TIME, PASSENGER AIRBAG IS TURNED OFF AS A DODGE MECHANIC ADVISED ME TO DO SINCE THE AIRBAG MIGHT ACCIDENTALLY DEPLOY DUE TO A MAJOR CRACK INTO AIRBAG COMPARTMENT. *TR

I WAS STOPPED AT A RED LIGHT AND DECIDED TO PUT MY HEADLIGHTS ON BRIGHT IN ORDER TO SEE FURTHER DOWN THE ROAD. WHEN I HIT THE DIMMER, THE LIGHTS WENT COMPLETELY OUT AND WOULD NOT COME BACK ON UNTIL THE SWITCH WAS OPERATED SEVERAL TIMES. AFTER THIS, I ALWAYS LEFT MY LIGHTS ON DIM FOR SAFETY REASONS. FINALLY WENT TO A JUNK YARD AND PULLED A REPLACEMENT DIMMER, WHICH SOLVED THE PROBLEM, I HOPE. *TR

I AM THE ORIGINAL OWNER OF A 2001 DODGE QUAD CAB DASHBOARD IS ALMOST COMPLETELY GONE FROM CRACKING. HAD A PIECE COME OFF AS I WAS DRIVING, AND HIT ME IN THE EYE WHILE WINDOWS WERE OPEN..CALLED D/C ONCE, NO RESPONSE..CALLED TODAY, AND THEY SAID THEY WOULD LOOK AT IT FOR ME..REPORT FROM LOCAL TV SHOWED THIS TO BE A MAJOR PROBLEM. THE ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS ARE FAILED. *AK