NHTSA Complaint #10192501 — 2000 DODGE PICKUP

ENTIRE DASH HAS CRACKED. HOLES NOW EXIST WHERE PLASTIC HAS FALLEN OUT, THE LARGEST BEING 12" LONG. SAW NEWS REPORT ON ORLANDO, FLORIDA CHANNEL WKMG REGARDING CRACKED DASHES ON DODGE RAMS. WENT BY DEALER (PARK CITIES DODGE IN DALLAS, TX) TO SEE ABOUT REPAIR. THEY QUOTED $600 MINIMUM FOR REPAIR, SO I DECIDED NOT TO HAVE THE WORK DONE AT THAT TIME. CALLED THE DODGE CONSUMER RELATIONS LINE TO SEE HOW THIS COULD BE RESOLVED. AS THE NEWS REPORT INDICATED SOME PEOPLE ARE HAVING THEIR DASH REPLACED FOR AS LITTLE AS $100. DODGE PLACED ME ON HOLD, CALLED THE DEALER AND THEY ULTIMATELY DECIDED THIS WAS PURELY A COSMETIC ISSUE AND WOULD NOT HELP AT ALL. IN ADDITION, HER DECISION WAS FINAL AND THERE WAS NOTHING I COULD DO ABOUT IT. CLEARLY THIS IS NOT A "COSMETIC ISSUE" IF I'M HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM AS ARE DODGE OWNERS IN FLORIDA. I AM MOST CONCERNED ABOUT THIS REGARDING THE IMPACT IT HAS ON THE PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG. ADDITIONALLY, I'M CONCERNED ABOUT THE WEATHER AFFECTING THE EXPOSED WIRING UNDER THE DASH. *TR