NHTSA Complaint #10200993 — 2002 DODGE RAM 2500

MY 2002 DODGE RAM 2500 QUAD TRUCK DASH BOARD STARTED TO CRACK ABOUT THREE YEARS AGO. WHEN I CHECKED WITH MY DEALER I WAS TOLD THAT IT WOULD NOT BE COVERED BY WARRANTY. SHORTLY LATER I WAS WALKING IN A WALMART PARKING LOT AND NOTICE A 2001 DODGE RAM 1500 WHICH HAD A DASH BOARD CRACKED WORSE THAN MINE. I THEN MADE A TRIP TO MANY USED CAR LOTS--I FOUND THAT SEVEN (7) OUT OF TEN (10) 2001+ DODGE RAM PICKUPS I CHECKED HAD CRACKED DASHES. I CONTACT DODGE WITH MY COMPLAINT AND WHAT I HAD OBSERVED IN OTHER DODGE PICK UPS AND ASKED ABOUT ANY RECALL FOR THE PROBLEM. I WAS SENT THE TYPICAL FORM LETTER THAT SAID SORRY NOT UNDER WARRANTY NOR RECALL. NOW WHERE CRACKS JOINED CHUNKS OF THE DASH HAVE FELL IN LEAVING GAPING HOLES WITH JAGGED EDGES. I HAVE NEVER HAD AN ACCIDENT IN MY TRUCK AND GOD FORBID IF I SHOULD--CAN JUST SEE ALL THE JAGGED PARTS OF THE DASH FLYING AND WITH THE FORCE OF THE AIRBAGS JUST WHAT INJURES WOULD BE RECEIVED. IN FACT I HAVE CUT THE PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG OFF FOR FEAR OF ADDITIONAL INJURY TO MY WIFE IN AN EVENT OF AN ACCIDENT. ALSO MINE IS NOT AN ISOLATED EVENT--ONE COULD SPEND COUNTLESS HOURS READING OF THE SAME COMPLAINT ON THE WEB. BUT TO DATE DODGE HAS DONE NOTHING. I HAVE SEEN WHERE SOME DEALERS HAVE COVERED HALF THE LABOR COST--YOU CAN REST ASSURED THAT WAS FROM THE DEALER AND NOT DODGE JUST TO MAINTAIN GOOD CUSTOMER RELATIONS! THIS IS A SAFETY HAZARD IN THAT SEVER INJURIES COULD BE RECEIVED FROM THE DEPLOYMENT OF THE AIR BAGS. *TR