2003 DODGE RAM QUAD CAB Air Bags Problems

TAKATA RECALL / I RECEIVED THE NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 15V312000 (AIRBAGS) FRONTAL PASSENGER AIR BAG INFLATOR HOWEVER, IN ORDER TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE THE DASHBOARD WOULD HAVE TO BE REMOVED AND THE DEALER STATED THAT THEY WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO REMOVE THE EXISTING DASHBOARD WITHOUT DAMAGING THE DASHBOARD FURTHER. DODGE STATED THEY WILL NOT COVER THE PARTS NOR LABOR TO REPLACE THE DASHBOARD. THE DEALER CONTACTED WAS NATIONAL DODGE CHRYSLER JEEP RAM LOCATED AT 2223 N MARINE BLVD, JACKSONVILLE, NC 28546. I BELIEVE THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR AND SHOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY DAMAGE TO THE VEHICLE CAUSED IN THE COMPLETE OF THE RECALL. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE ISSUE AND CONTACTED THE DEALER. SEE ATTACHED EMAILS/PICTURES.

SO MANY OF THESE TRUCKS HAVE DASHBOARDS THAT ARE LITERALLY FALLING APART AND THE RECALL ON THE AIRBAGS CAN'T BE DONE WITHOUT THE DASHBOARDS BEING REPLACED WHICH IS ABOVE $1400.00! MY 2004 TOYOTA 4RUNNER DASHBOARD DID THE SAME THING, ONLY NOT AS EXTREME AS FALLING APART LIKE MY DODGE RAM 1500. TOYOTA DID THE RIGHT THING AND RECALLED THE DASHBOARD! THIS TRUCK WAS JUST PURCHASED FOR MY SON AND NOW THEY CAN'T AND WON'T REPLACE THE AIRBAG UNLESS WE PAY TO HAVE THE DASHBOARD REPLACED? IF THE MANUFACTURER OF DODGE DOESN'T DO THE SAME AND I OR ONE OF MY PASSENGERS IS HURT BECAUSE OF THE RECALL AIRBAG, YOU BEST BELIEVE THERE WILL BE A HUGE LAWSUIT COMING THEIR WAY!

TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2003 DODGE RAM QUAD CAB. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 50-55 MPH, THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO AVOID CRASHING INTO A DEER AND LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. AS A RESULT, THE VEHICLE CRASHED INTO A CORN FIELD. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED INJURIES THAT REQUIRED MEDICAL ATTENTION. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED AND THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE VIN WAS INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 15V312000 (AIR BAGS). THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.

THE WINDSHIELD APPEARS WEAK HAVING MANY POCK MARKS IN IT. THIS CAUSES THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS TO NEED TO BE REPLACED OFTEN. THE DASH IS SEVERELY CRACKED AND WE ARE AFRAID THAT THIS IS GOING TO CAUSE THE AIR BAG TO RUPTURE ON THE PASSENGER SIDE (BESIDES THE FACT THAT IT IS COMING APART).

Mileage: 100,000

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 DODGE RAM 2500. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14V354000 (AIRBAG) HOWEVER, THE PART NEEDED TO DO THE REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE.

THE DASH BOARD ON THIS VEHICLE IS CRACKING ALL OVER. IT HAS CRACKED AROUND THE PASSENGER AIRBAG AND PIECES HAVE FALLEN INTO THE AIRBAG COMPARTMENT. THIS HAS NOT CAUSED INJURY YET, BUT IF INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT, THE BROKEN PIECES WILL DEFINITELY CAUSE INJURY AND I HOPE THAT THEY DO NOT AFFECT THE AIRBAG DEPLOYMENT. PIECES BLOW INTO YOUR FACE WHILE RUNNING THE DEFROST WHICH IF STRUCK IN THE EYE COULD CAUSE AN ACCIDENT. *TR

Mileage: 82,100

I HAVE A 2003 DODGE RAM AND THE DASH HAS 2 CRACKS IN IT. I AM AFRAID THAT THE CRACKS COULD SOMEHOW CAUSE THE AIR BAGS TO DEPLOY. *KB

ON AUGUST 2, 2010, IN THE EARLY EVENING, MY SPOUSE, THE SOLE OCCUPANT, FELL ASLEEP WHILE DRIVING OUR 2003 DODGE RAM 1500 SLT QUAD CAB AND HIT A STANDARD SIZE STEEL STREET SIGN, A STANDARD GAUGE GUIDE WIRE FOR A TELEPHONE/POWER POLE, AND FINALLY THE TELEPHONE/POWER POLE ITSELF. THE IMPACT OF THIS CRASH DESTROYED THE TRUCK. THANKFULLY, MY WIFE WAS WEARING HER SAFETY BELT, AND SUFFERED ONLY MINOR INJURIES. THE GUIDE/SUPPORT WIRE HAD EMBEDDED ITSELF INTO THE FRONT BUMPER AND HOOD AND HAD TO BE CUT OUT. AMAZINGLY, NEITHER THE DRIVER NOR PASSENGER AIRBAGS DEPLOYED IN THIS INCIDENT. AS THE POWER POLE HAD BROKEN IN TWO, THERE WERE LIVE ELECTRICAL WIRES AT THE SCENE. EMERGENCY CREWS TOOK NEARLY 7 HOURS TO CLEAR THE SCENE AND RESTORE POWER AND CABLE TO A LOCALIZED AREA. SHE HAD BEEN TRAVELING IN A SSE DIRECTION ON HESPERIA AVENUE IN VICTORVILLE, CA AT APPROX. 45 MPH. THE WEATHER WAS IDEAL FOR ROAD TRAVEL: CLEAR, DRY, WINDLESS, WITH TEMPERATURE AROUND 95 F. THE VEHICLE WAS WELL-MAINTAINED AND HAD APPROX. 42,200 MILES ON IT. I HAVE DONE SOME RESEARCH INTO THIS MATTER AND FOUND PRIOR INSTANCES OF SIMILAR AIRBAG NON-DEPLOYMENTS IN CHRYSLER VEHICLES. IN MY OPINION, IT APPEARS THAT THERE ARE TOO FEW, AND'OR POORLY LOCATED, AND'OR DEFECTIVE AIRBAG SENSORS ON THIS AND OTHER CHRYSLER PRODUCTS. THIS IS NOT A TOTAL CONDEMNATION OF CHRYSLER OR THE DODGE RAM. WE ENJOYED THIS TRUCK VERY MUCH FOR OVER 7 YEARS. WE ASSOCIATE MANY HAPPY MEMORIES WITH THE VEHICLE, HOWEVER THIS IS A GLARING PROBLEM THAT MUST BE RECTIFIED. THE LIKELIHOOD OF OTHER CATASTROPHIC CRASHES RESULTING IN INJURY OR DEATH IS HIGH. THE AIM OF SAFETY AIRBAGS IS TO REDUCE INJURIES AND DEATH. AN AIRBAG SYSTEM FAILURE FROM THIS HIGH SPEED AND HIGH IMPACT CRASH SCENARIO SHOULD NEVER OCCUR. PLEASE EXERCISE ALL LEGAL AND ETHICAL DUE DILIGENCE IN ALL MEANS AND MANNER AVAILABLE TO PERSUADE/DEMAND/FORCE CHRYSLER CORP. TO RECALL THIS AND OTHER PRODUCTS IN ORDER TO MAKE THEM FUNCTIONAL AND SAFE FOR THE PUBLIC. *TR

Mileage: 42,500

WHILE STOPPED AT A STOPLIGHT MY 2003 DODGE RAM PICKUP TRUCK WAS HIT IN THE REAR AND PUSHED OFF THE ROAD INTO A TREE. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THE VEHICLE IS A TOTAL LOSS AND MY HUSBAND AND I BOTH RECEIVED HEAD AND FACE INJURIES FROM HITTING THE DASH AND/OR THE STEERING WHEEL. *AK

WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 55 MPH VEHICLE HIT THREE COWS THAT WERE IN THE ROAD AND THE FRONT AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. DRIVER WAS TRANSPORTED TO THE EMERGENCY ROOM FOR TREATMENT OF BACK PAIN. ALSO, THE DRIVER HAD AN APPOINTMENT TO CHECK FOR ANY INTERNAL HEAD INJURIES. *AK

Mileage: 6,500