Looks like I get to join the ever expanding DODGE RAM cracked dashboard club. Mines a 1999 1500 with only 56k miles. Always in the garage....The FOUR cracks started as one just 3 weeks ago. Just a tiny crack I noticed, about an inch. Well, they're growing faster than weeds and multiplying. I can't BELIEVE Dodge knows of the problem and refuses to do anything.

I have 2 friends with 2001's, both cracked. I called the dealer and told him it was cracked and he said "yea, you and a thousand others, I get calls all the time"

I refuse to pay, if I have to I'll get a cover. I'll be emailing and calling Dodge this week then filing safety complaints. While you folks seem nice it's not a club that I wanted to belong to!

 

Here's my response from an email



Thank you for contacting the Dodge Customer Assistance Center regarding your 2003 Dodge Ram 1500. Your email has been received and the concerns you have raised are appreciated. After thoroughly reviewing your request and the files on this matter, we respectfully concur with the decision rendered by our Senior Staff Representative. Thank you for taking the time to communicate with us. It is regrettable that a more favorable reply can not be provided. Any future communication related to this issue will be retained in corporate records. If, at some future date, we can be of assistance to you in some other area, please let us know. Thanks again for your email to Dodge.


Looks like I'm SOL

 

Not surprising I'am sure....but I have the same problem too....I found this site by accident, was putting in a search for recall of dashboards. Everyone that we know...and every dodge that we see in parking lots have the same problems from cracks to peices actually falling out. If this is such a problem; they have to be able to do something about it. I will try to do what everyone else has and if I get results will be sure to post anything I find out.

 

I have a 2000 Ram 1500 with two cracks coming out of each defroster vent, for a total of 8 cracks that appeared in the past year. I called the 800 #, they told me to take it to a dealer first. Had it to the dealer a few days ago, the service manager came out, checked the mileage, looked at the cracks and took my phone number. Said he had to contact Dodge and would contact me within a week. Seems like they've had a lot of these issues and the responses are all over the place from Dodge. If I don't like the answer I get this week, I may ask them to contact Dodge again, but talk to a different rep. I'll let everyone know how it goes.

Update: Dodge offered me a big fat zero dollars towards replacing the dash. The dealer could replace the dash, but not cover it. I decided to trade the truck in rather than spend the $1200 to replace the dash or go the cheap route and buy a cover and hope the cracks beneath the cover don't cause any new problems. Hugely disappointed with Dodge over this one.

 

http://www.wrdw.com/home/headlines/8536697.html
You can also send an email to jeff.anderson@wrdw.com with details and photos of your problem.



Another channel has asked for comments on the dashboards back in July. I figure its never to late.

 

Insurance not an option. Won't cover defects. worth a try

 

Well looks like I have been DENIED!!!!! Called the 800 # and was told that my truck being 6years old and 150k miles made me ineligible for any warranty and assistance. They would tell me nothing else. I referred to the news stations and other cases and his response was the exact same canned BS each time. He would not even answer a question refering to the dash. He made his decision and that was that. My dash is not just cracked...its gone! The entire top of the dash has collapsed and fragmented. There is barely anything there to lay a cover on. I think there should be some other course we can take rather then a case by case denial! Class Action maybe? Dodge could a the very least assist in the cost.

Sigh!

Troy

 

Find this site today. Was looking for info on Trans and found this thread. I have a HOLE the size of a football in my dash. 2001 Ext Cab. Cracking started small then the dash caved in!!! I still don't have all the pieces out.

 

Hi y'all! New to this forum. Anywho, I have a 2001 Dodge Ram 1500 with 57K miles, purchased used (milage was 46K miles) in '05. Dash started to crack, I called Chrysler Automotive Group
@ 1-800-992-1997 on 24thSept '07. Spoke with a cat named Bernard (ext: 69424) <<<<<<that ext. is just voicemail for NO ONE and I NEVER spoke with "Bernard" again! Anyway, got a Reference #xxxxxx24. Was told to take my Dodge to the dealership and have it looked at. I did. Justin said he'd contact Dodge/Chrysler.

NOTE: I gave Justin a folder with 2 documents in it. One was my complaint to the NTSB
(ODI # xxxxx001) and the other listed everything about my vehicle, to include the Ref.# and what I wanted to happen.

Justin also stated that the part ran approx. $1,2000.00US JUST FOR THE PART! Labor would be more.

So, I have been playing phone take with the local dealership and Justin since the 2nd of this month. Today is the 17th and I still haven't heard back from Justin. So, I called Chrysler. 20 minutes of holding got me this:

Chrysler has AUTHORIZED Justin (at the local dealership) to REPLACE the dash, with ME paying LABOR CHARGES. Justin couldn't give a straight answer for that - thru the call rep I was talking to. "Sherry" was her name and when I asked what the cost to me was going to be, she put me on hold. Low and behold, she called Justin - DUH! I could have done that! And, "Sherry" said Justin stated that it would be "in the neighborhood of $500.00US, but possibly more, because he won't know until the work is complete". [:@][:@][>:][:'(]

Um, DUH! Ok, it's cool that they are willing to cover the cost of the dash (NOT sure what that entails, but hoping the WHOLE thing). But it's not cool that it's gonna cost $500 & ^ for labor!!!

Just wanted to share my information.

I will get pics as soon as is possible, of the look of the dash right now and when i get it fixed. I'd leave the darn thing if I wasn't so concerned that the dash could cause even MORE damage, if not injure me or another!!!

EDIT: On the phone now with local dealership and Justin. He said the parts cost "right at $900.00US". THAT's a bit less than the $1,200.00US he originally quoted me. I told him that too. [:'(]Asked about the labor cost - said it wouldn't be more than $520.00US. [:@][:'(]But this has to be done for safety purposes!!!. I think we should ban together and get Mike Wallace & "60 Minutes" involved. I will say that CHRYSLER should be paying for ALL of it, parts and labor, because it is THEIR fault for putting out a faulty product (well, maybe they didn't know when they made the vehicles, but they darn well know now. And, it IS a safety issue, what with the AIRBAGS and the DAGGERS of plastic that are forming when pieces of the dash FALL INTO / UNDER / on the WIRES!!!!! HELLO! CHRYSLER needs to do the right thing!!!! ----But, when does that ever happen with any HUGE company?!? Don't know if I will own another Dodge.

AND, I had to have the trany rebuilt and the torque converter replaced already, to the tune of $4,200.00US!!!! Paid $12,000.00US for it used, add the work, plus a Rhino Liner, underbody undercoating and now the dash....(shall I mention that I need a new a/c compressor too[:@][:@]) I darn-well need to keep this thing for, like, ever!

Guess what? The dash is on BACKORDER! go figure!!! Don't know when it will be in, but Justin said he'd call me. JOY!!![:@][:'(][sm=boosign.gif]
Who would y'all call at the paper to get something in the paper?

 

[align=left]Hey all..just wanted to add my 2cents...my 2001 Dodge 1500 had a rattle in the dash a week or so ago. The next day I noticed that a big crack had appeared about where the defrost vent was and came all the way to the front...today the cracks are spreading and another one is starting above the glove box. The old ones are beginning to crack apart and I believe it will not be long before they begin to fall off (oh yeah - I stuffed a kleenex in the biggest crack to keep it from rattling so much , ((this is probably the dealers answer to the problem)). I bought the truck new and have never used Armorall on the dash. I checked the site on automotive complains (NHTSA) but saw nothing on our Dodge truck dash problem. What seems to be the collective forums plan to attack this problem? Even more - what should I do next?
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