I have owned 2 Dodge 1500s& have had great luck with both - excluding the dashes.I boughtthe 1995 (w/ grey dash)used in 1997.Thedash was replaced twice between 2004& 2005 - lots of moola ($).I didn't think it wasa big deal since I live in Austin, TXwhere the sun is evil& the truck had few issues since I purchased it. But, one day it started& kept cracking (lots of pieces).I purchasedthe 2002 (w/ charcoal dash) new.I noticed cracks in the dash by the defrost ventslast year -it was replaced in April, 2007.The main part of my dashcracked in the middle shortly after&quoted $444 for the part&over $700 labor.I chose not to spend the money. I took the truck in todayto replace vents& repair fan mode door issues.They said the dash would need to be removed for the repair...BUT removal would destroy it& it would be $950 labor.I have been on the phone with Chrysler today after reading up on all the issues -they agreed to pay for the part but not the labor AND they wouldn't re-imburse me for the front dash replaced in April.I was specifically told that this is not part of a recall.I turned to the dealership to work out a deal & they said Chrysler would have to approve the labor cost reduction.Chrysler said the dealership would have to approve since I now had other work that needed to be done.Not a good answer for this fiesty Italian/Irish Texas girl!!So, I will continue spending time on the phone trying to reach a win-win solution.BTW, the dash is on NATIONAL BACKLOG - Hmmm, not a recall, huh? [&:]
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Ali-Cat
Frustrated in Texas
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RE: 2001 Dashboard Cover cheaper at different site
Man I'm glad to see I'm not the only one with this problem.My 01 2500 quadcakgot one crack in it a couple years ago then about 6 months ago went off with multiple large cracks..... Guess I need to read all these threads to figure out the best repair.
Thanks,
JT
I have a 2003 quadcab....second crack showed up yesterday. This one is on the forward dash just left of the passenger side speaker grill. The original crack is to the left of the recessed part of the dash on the passenger side.
Should i start at the NTSB, then go to the dealer with record of my complaint? Has anyone had any success with the aftermarket dash cap replacements that look good? I hate to put a suck looking dash pad on my otherwise nice truck.
I used a coverlay in a 96 k5 blazer and from my experience dont waste your money if you live in the South or out West and your vehicle sets outside. Mine started to curl and shrink up looking worse that the cracked dash did originally.
When my rams dash lost a piece off the top of the dash I pulled off my bezel and saw the multitude of screws so i went to the dealership to order just the top After arguing with Fletcher Dodge parts counter attendant he finally found out that Dodge did offer just the top for sale $230 in gray. He had wanted to sell me the whole assembly at 1100+.
I took out every screw on the face of the dash and the 5 at the back and the glovebox and pass airbag bolts near the windshield but it would not come out. further inspection of the new piece led me to believe there were screws that had been Installed in the whole assembly prior to it being attached to the firewall and impossible to extract without removing the whole dash. since my dash top was trashed anyway I chose to just start breaking it away a piece at a time until all that remianed were just a few pieces around those impossible screws.I used side cutters to cut off one side of the plasitc that the screws were threaded into and removed them.
It was at this timeI realized that the dash was the wrong color, it was gray but lighter and bluish. I got some semcoat and painted the upper dash and the airbag and the vents the color is not exact but its so close no one has ever noticed. WhenI reinstalled the dash topI installed some roll pins in the back screw holes just to act as alignment pins.I reinstalled the top with just the top and front screws. I had some difficulty getting the side window vent tubes screwed back onto the top soIused piece of foam noodle (swimfloat) to wedgethem in place and screwed the front screws 20 or so back in. To dateI have noticed no rattles or squeaks and the interior looks brand new.
I also had a problem with the lower dash as well the hinge pins for the glove box were broken unfortunately these are made in the entire dash lower instrument panel. I went to a salvage yard and found a wrecked 2nd gen hit in the drivers side rendering the dash useless for complete salvagebut with the passenger side intact with all three hinge pins. I unbolted all fasteners from the right side back over to the cup holders. I used a hammer and sharp chisel to cut it away staying far away from the actual glove box section. The salvage yard charged me5 bucks for the part. Igot it home and using a dremelI cut out the old broken area and then fitted the salvaged one in leaving the stock screw holes. I used silicone to helpprevent any rattles, Idrilled a couple of extra holes for screwsjust for good measure and screwed it down. Since the inside walls of the glove box cover it anyway you cant tell it was ever done.
I hope this helps. Unfortunately I did this without taking any photos prior to finding this site. Feel freeemail me at 1100acerider@sbcglobal.net if you have any questions.
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Daddy always said "Just because you can, doesn't mean you should".
I have looked at dozens of these trucks and almost everyone has a cracked dash. After reading page after page of these post with the same problem, I have to think that there is something that could be done to organize all of us with the same problem together and get some sort of resolution for the problem. Any lawyers out there with the same problem? Class action lawsuit a possibility? Anyway that we could petition the NTSB or some agency that could make them recall the problem? I have read that these pieces have fallen down and rubbed wires until the insulation has a hole in it causing a fire danger. I have also read concerns about safety in the event that an accident occurs causing the air bags to deploy, sending pieces of the faulty dash flying as high speed projectiles that could seriously hurt or kill someone!
Also, if anyone knows of anyone that has been hurt or had property damage because of this, that would probably get more response than anything.
Bottom line is something need to be done to resolve the problem. If anyone has any ideas, please post them. I am pretty sure that if enough people contact regulatory agencies or Dodge sees masses organizing against them, they would probably go ahead and recall the dashes rather than have their name associated with any injuries caused by their problem.
Vehicle: A special 1500 dodge ram off road edition
Location: Allentown, PA
Posts: 1,261
RE: 2001 Dashboard Cracks
Ive got a 2000 1500, dash has large cracks in it. No sun discolor at all. Not sure if its been said already but maybe we should send dodge this forum topic and say HEY?NOT A COMMON PROBLEM?! FIX
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My lug nuts take more torque than your ricer makes.
1500 5.9 4x4 off road Yeah, its Special. USAF ROTC Det 752 Silver truck club #20 College Student Club Member #30
My 2001 2500 has the same problem, cheap plastic cracking dash. I have spent the morning reading this entire post and if I worked at Dodge I would be concerned about all these people so upset they would never buy another Dodge product ever again. Seems like fixing a $600 dollar dash would be cheaper than loosing all these future customers, myself included. If Dodge won't stand by their product, then my next truck will not be a Ram.
2001/2002 Dashboard Cracks
