2001 DODGE RAM 2500 Unknown Or Other Problems

My 2001 Dodge Ram Instrument Panel has cracked in three pieces causing the defroster & vents to stop working recently due to the moisture/UV Issue. I'm aware of this problem because I participated in the investigation as manager of validation and testing for the manufacturer, Textron Automotive. How can I get a replacement to correct this Safety issue...?

I have a 2001 Dodge Ram 2500. In 2003, I noticed parts of the dash, starting to break apart. In 2004, I had a major head on collision, and the airbag, did NOT deploy. The damage was extensive, with bent frame. The damage was $17,000 in 2004. I was told by the Chrysler Dealership, that did the repairs, that they could not check the condition of the airbag wiring, because the dashboard was broken. I wonder how many others out there, that have the same issue, with the dashboard, and don't have a working airbag. The other issue I have, is the seatbelt tensioner, has caused the seatbelt, to get chewed up. The belt, is now, no more than an inch wide.

Hood latch Hood came off while driving.

I own a 2001 Dodge RAM 2500 and the truck’s dashboard is disintegrating. Pieces have fallen into my heating system, and I believe that is what’s causing my vacuum issue! It is winter time right now, and i was stranded in 10° weather for hours. I could not stay warm by running the trucks because of these pieces getting into the heating system. My girlfriend put her hand on the dash and it broke and she was cut. I would hate to think if that was one of my small grand children, climbing in and the dash breaking away and them getting injured! I own two other Dodge trucks And the dashboards are just as brittle! The dashboards could be manufactured better. I’ve never had dashboards crumble away like these have! People are getting hurt. Dodge is supposed to be a quality American vehicle! And yet they don’t seem to care that people are getting injured, heating systems aren’t working from pieces getting into the system. I have to drive with the heater fan on high, trying to stay warm during the winter months, and little pieces of plastic have come out of the vents. What if one of those pieces got into my eyes, and cause me to wreck, possibly injuring myself, or injuring others. some may think this is just a cosmetic issue, but it is not! These dashboards need to be a better quality! Sure, dashboards may crack when they’re older! But they shouldn’t crumble that way and sharp brittle pieces, causing injuries! Causing mechanical problems! It’s not right! I tried to upload a picture, but after five attempts of it, not uploading, I gave up

DASH BREAKING.

AS 2ND OWNER FOR PAST 12 YRS VEHICLE WAS LIKE NEW, ABOUT 3YRS AGO IT DEVELOPED A CRACK IN THE DASHBOARD FROM THE WINDSHIELD TO GLOVE BOX DOOR AND SINCE HAS CRACKED IN 2 OTHER AREAS FROM WINDSHIELD TO FRONT! THIS VEHICLE SITS UNDER COVER OF AN RV SHELTER WITH MY RV 90% OF IT'S EXISTENCE! I JUST RECENTLY FOUND OUT THAT DAIMLER-CHRYSLER HAS REFUSED ANY RECALL TO TO CORRECT THIS FAULTY PRODUCT FOR THOUSANDS OWNERS EXPERIENCING THIS PROBLEM! I.CANNOT BELIEVE THE GOVERNMENT HAS NOT MADE CHRYSLER RESPONSIBLE FOR REPLACING THIS INFERIOR PRODUCT AS THEY HAVE THE AIR BAGS. I WHOLEHEARTEDLY PRAY THAT YOU CAN USE YOUR POWER TO HOLD CHRYSLER TO STAND UP AND CORRECT THIS PROBLEM!

Mileage: 81,000

THE WHOLE DASH HAS FALLEN IN AND PARTS GOING EVERYWHERE,KID GOT CUT,PARTS FALLING OUT BOTTOM,AWFUL,

Mileage: 125,000

SHARP PLASTIC PIECES ARE BREAKING OFF FROM THE DASHBOARD AND TRIM AROUND INSTUMENT PANEL THAT COULD CAUSE INJURY, ESPECIALLY DURING ANY TYPE OF A COLLISION.

DASHBOARD IS CRACKING AND BRAKING APART PEACE S ARE COMING OFF AND HITTING ME IN THE FACE AND EYES.

Mileage: 30,000

DASH CRACKED ALL OVER AND FELL APART WITH NO ACCIDENT

I WAS DRIVING HOME WHEN I RAN INTO SOME BUMPY ROADS AND I LOOKED AT MY PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG CONTROL MODULE IN THE DASH AND IT WAS GONE. THE WHOLE INNER DASH WAS BROKE LOOSE AND PLASTIC PARTS WERE FALLING ONTO THE FLOORBOARD. I'VE E-MAILED DODGE AND HAVEN'T RECEIVED ANYTHING BACK FROM THEM YET. THE DEALERSHIP SAYS IT COULD BE FROM $1000 TO $7000 TO FIX. IT HAD A FEW CRACKS IN IT BEFORE BUT NOW IT SEAMS TO BE JUST FALLING TO PIECES. I BELIEVE THIS COULD CAUSE MY AIRBAGS TO DEPLOY AT ANY MINUTE AND THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE. IN AN ACCIDENT HOW COULD YOU TELL IF THE AIRBAG DEPLOYED BEFORE OR AFTER THE INCIDENT? COULD THE AIRBAG CAUSE AN ACCIDENT? DODGE SAYS IT'S OUT OF WARRANTY AND I WILL HAVE TO FIX IT MYSELF. I THINK WITH ALL THE DASH ISSUES, DODGE SHOULD AT LEAST BARE SOME OF THE RESPONSIBILITY. THEY WON'T EVEN TELL ME IF MY TRUCK IS SAFE TO DRIVE? SO IT SETS IN BACK YARD.

Mileage: 98,000

WHILE DRIVING THE DASH CRACKED. TWO DAYS LATER ANOTHER CRACK AND PIECES FELL IN BEHIND THE DASH. TODAY THE PLASTIC DASH CONTINUE TO CRACK AND FALL APART. CHRYSLER CONTINUE TO SAY THEY ARE NOT RESPONSIBLE, BUT THEY ARE THE INSTALLERS AND MANUFACTOR. 70 % OF THE DASH IS GONE.

Mileage: 150,000

DASHBOARD BEGAN CRACKING ON 2001 DODGE RAM TRUCK IN LATE 2007. IT HAS NOW COMPLETELY DESINTEGRATED AND LARGE PIECES HAVE COME LOOSE AND FALLEN BEHIND THE DASH. I'M TRULY CONCERNED THAT THE LOOSE DASHBOARD PIECES COULD CAUSE A MALFUNCTION OF ELECTRICAL OR MECHANICAL SYSTEMS OF THE VEHICLE MAKING IT UNSAFE TO DRIVE. TT

Mileage: 78,964

THE DASHBOARD ON MY 2001 DODGE RAM 2500 BEGAN TO CRACK, NOW THERE ARE SEVERAL CRACKS IN THE DASH. THIS VEHICLE IS IN A HEATED GARAGE MOST OF THE TIME AND THE WINDOWS ARE OPEN WHEN IN THE GARAGE DURING THE SUMMER AND WINTER. THE VEHICLE IS WELL CARED FOR AND CLEAN, I SEE NO REASON FOR THIS TO HAVE OCCURRED. THERE ARE SEVERAL CRACKS NOW ACROSS THE DASHBOARD ON THE TOP PART.

Mileage: 86,500

TOP OF DASH CRACKED SO BAD PIECES ARE FALLING OUT. IF WE WERE TO GET INTO A HEAD ON COLLISION, THESE PIECES OF BROKEN PLASTIC WOULD TURN INTO SHRAPNEL. IF I KNEW ABOUT THIS SITE SOONER I WOULD OF CERTAINLY BROUGHT IT TO YOUR ATTENTION. I'M NOT ALONE IN THIS PROBLEM, OR THAT IT WAS CAUSED BY THE SUN, ARMORAL, ETC. COMPILED OVER 1,500 OTHER PEOPLE ON DODGE RAM FORUMS, CAR COMPLAINTS, AND OTHER SUCH INTERNET SITES WITH THE SAME PROBLEM, AND NO RECALL FROM DODGE TO FIX THIS PROBLEM.

Mileage: 80,000

DASH PAD IS CRACKED ALL TO PIECES. SHARP PIECES ARE COMING OFF AND COULD POTENTIALLY BE DANGEROUS. THIS IS A SAFETY CONCERN AND DODGE SHOULD RECALL THIS.

DASH IN 2001 DODGE RAM 2500 HAS BROKEN INTO PIECES. DODGE WILL NOT REMEDY THE SITUATION EVEN THOUGH THERE IS A MORE THAN ENOUGH INSTANCES OF THIS PROBLEM WITH THIS YEAR MODEL OF VEHICLE. MATERIAL DASH IS MANUFACTURED WITH IT'S DEFECTIVE CAUSING THE DASH TO BREAK APART AND BECOME A SAFETY CONCERN WITH THE STABILITY OF THE DASH IN CASE OF CRASH. COMPLAINT WOULD HAVE BEEN FILED EARLIER BUT JUST RECENTLY LEARNED OF THIS SITE. *DT

Mileage: 80,000

2001 DODGE RAM DASH CRACKED IN MULTIPLE PLACES. IN THE EVENT OF AN AIR BAG DEPLOYMENT/CRASH, DASH WILL EXPLODE AND CREATE EXTENSIVE INJURIES. REPLACED AT OWN EXPENSE BECAUSE DODGE WOULDN'T DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT BECAUSE ITS OUT OF WARRANTY. *TR

Mileage: 150,000

2001 DODGE RAM 2500 DASHBOARD CRACKING. CONSUMER STATED THAT HE SAW MORE COMPLAINTS LIKE THIS ON THE INTERNET. HE STATES THAT HIS DASHBOARD HAS COMPLETELY CRACKED. *KB

DODGE 2500 2001 MODEL DASH IS FALLING OUT TO THE POINT IT IS A SAFETY CONCERN WIRES ARE BEING EXPOSED AND KIDS CAN GET HANDS AND FINGERS CAUGHT IN HOLES IN DASH. DEALER SAYS IT IS AWARE OF PROBLEM BUT WILL DO NOTHING ABOUT IT. DON DAVIS DEALERSHIP. *CN

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 DODGE RAM 2500. THE CONTACT NOTICED SMALL CRACKS ON THE TOP PART OF THE INSTRUMENT PANEL, WHICH HAVE TURNED INTO LARGE HOLES. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN INSPECTED. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 131,000 AND THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.

DODGE 2500 4X4 DIESEL TRUCK DASH IS CRACKED IN ABOUT 5 PLACES. IT IS GOING TO FALL THROUGH PRETTY SOON. I HAVE TAKEN CARE OF THE VEHICLE EXTREMELY WELL WITH SUN SHADES WHEN EVER I PARK IT. STILL THE DASH HAS CRACKED AND WILL BECOME A SAFETY HAZARD. DODGE SHOULD REPLACE THIS DASH WITH A PLASTIC OR MATERIAL THAT WILL WORK EFFECTIVELY. *JB

DASH BOARD CRACKED LEADING TO A CRACK IN MY WINDSHIELD. I WENT OUT TO MY TRUCK ON THE 4TH OF JULY AND FOUND THAT MY WINDSHIELD HAD A CRACK IN IT, UPON FURTHER INSPECTION I FOUND THAT THE DASHBOARD WAS CRACKED IN ABOUT 4 PLACES. I HAVE RECENTLY FOUND A NUMBER OF REPORTS ON THE INTERNET ABOUT DASHBOARD FAILURE. *JB

Mileage: 73,800

WE PURCHASED A BRAND NEW 2001 DODGE RAM 2500. (CONSTRUCTION CO.) BY 2003 THE DASH WAS CRACKING. QUCIKLY FALLING APART WITH CHUNKS CAVING INWARD. EVEN THOUGH THERE WAS NO NEGLIGENCE ON OUR PART AND OBVIOUSLY A MANUFACTURER PROBLEM, THE DODGE DEALERSHIP WOULD NOT FIX IT FOR US. WE HAVE CALLED THE 800 NUMBER, SEEN ON TV BUT HAVE GOTTEN NO HELP. THE 2ND TIME WE CALLED THEY DID NOT EVEN RETURN OUR CALL. AS YOU CAN SEE, BY THIS COMPLAINT SITE, THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM OF THE 2001 PICKUPS! WHAT CAN WE DO ABOUT IT??

Mileage: 2,000

I OWN A 2001 DODGE RAM2500. THE DASH STARTED CRACKING JUST AS MY EXTENDED WARRANTY RAN OUT. NOW THE DASH HAS CRACKS ALL OVER IT AND SOME OF IT HAS FALLEN DOWN. I AM AWARE OF MANY, MANY OTHER DODGE TRUCKS MADE IN 2001 THAT ARE DOING THIS. EVENTUALLY THIS WILL LEAD TO ELECTRICAL FAILURES. DODGE SAYS THEY WILL NOT FIX THIS. IT'S PRETTY OBVIOUS IF THIS MANY PEOPLE HAVE DODGES WITH CRACKED UP AND FALLING APART DASHES, IT IS A MANUFACTURERES DEFECT.

Mileage: 98,000

I HAVE A 2001 DODGE RAM PICKUP THAT THE DASH IS COLLAPSING IN ON ITSELF. NOW THE WIRING IS EXPOSED TO THE HARSH SUNLIGHT OF FLA. I KNOW THAT THIS IS A PROBLEM WITH MANY OTHER 2001 DODGE RAM PICKUPS

THE DASHBOARD CRUMBLED AND COLLAPSED INTO ELECTRICAL AND AIRCONDITIONING EQUIPMENT.

Mileage: 63,200

THE DASH IS SEVERELY CRACKED. THIS IS HAPPENING TO SEVERAL DODGE RAM'S OF THE 2001 YEAR THAT I KNOW OF. IT IS A DANGEROUS SITUATION, WITH THE POSSIBILITY OF THE BROKEN DASH FALLING DOWNWARD AND POSSIBLY DAMAGING WIRING, OR EVEN GETTING STUCK ON THE GAS PEDAL, POTENTIALLY CAUSING A SERIOUS ACCIDENT. *JB

I HAVE A 2001 DODGE RAM AND THE DASHBOARD HAS MANY CRACKS IN IT. MY LOCAL NEWS HAD A STORY ON THE MANY OTHER DODGE RAMS THAT HAVE SIMILAR PROBLEMS. SOME EVEN SAY IT HAS LED TO ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS. I HAVE NOT HAD ANY ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS YET, BUT AM CONCERNED IT MAY LEAD TO THAT. *JB

Mileage: 77,296

2001 DODGE RAM QUAD CAB ALL FOUR (4) DOORS RUSTING OUT VEHICLE HAD 32,000 MILES WHEN FIRST NOTICED BUT WAS OUT OF FACTORY WARRANTY DEALER SAID IT WOULD COST ABOUT $6-9,000 TO REPAIR CONTACTED MANUFACTURER THEY SAID DEALER HAS A GOOD FAITH REPAIR ACCOUNT, DEALER SAID NO NOW ONE YEAR LATER TRUCK LOOKS LIKE ITS 25 YEARS OLD AND THE DEALER CAN'T UNDERSTAND WHY I WON'T BUY ANOTHER. *JB

Mileage: 32,000

MY DASHBOARD IS FALLING APART. IT STARTED WITH A SMALL CRACK AND KNOW A CHUNK HAS FALLEN OUT. I HAVE E-MAILED DODGE, BUT THEY ARE NOT WILLING TO HELP. I AM CONCERNED THAT THE DAMAGED DASHBOARD COULD CAUSE PROBLEMS FOR OR WITH THE AIRBAG ON THE PASSENGER SIDE. DAIMLER CHRYSLER'S REFERENCE NUMBER IS: 13609941. *JB

I REMOVED THE SPARE TIRE TO FIX A FLAT. IT WAS THE ORIGINAL SPARE AND HAD NEVER BEEN USED BEFORE. AFTER HAVING TIRE REPAIRED I TRIED TO RETURN THE SPARE TO IT'S STOW AREA UNDER THE BED BUT THE WINCH WOULD NOT LIFT IT. IT WILL WORK WHEN THE CABLE DOES NOT HAVE WEIGHT ON IT BUT IT WILL NOT LIFT THE SPARE. THE WINCH APPEARS TO HAVE PLASTIC PARTS. I FEEL THIS COULD BE A SAFETY ISSUE IF IT WOULD FAIL WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY. *JB

Mileage: 30,000

WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH, THE SPARE TIRE CABLE BROKE WITHOUT WARNING, WHICH CAUSED THE SPARE TIRE TO RELEASE FROM THE VEHICLE. *JB *SC

Mileage: 63,000