NHTSA Complaint #10222037 — 2000 DODGE RAM 1500

I PURCHASED A 2000 DODGE RAM 1500 NEW IN 2000. AT 50,000 MILES THE DASH BEGAN TO CRACK AT 2 YRS OLD. ALTHOUGH I PURCHASED AN EXTENDED WARRANTY TO 75K MILES, I WAS INFORMED BY A DEALER THAT TRIM AND UPHOLSTERY WAS NOT COVERED. NOW THE DASH HAS COMPLETELY FAILED, A HUGE HOLE HAS EMERGED, IT RATTLES THIS HAS CAUSED THE DEFROST VENT NOT WORK PROPERLY AND POSSIBLY THE PASSENGER AIRBAG MAY BE COMPROMISED DUE TO THE DASH BECOMING UNSECURE BECAUSE THE PLASTIC HAS BROKEN FROM AROUND THE SCREWS. I RECENTLY WENT TO ANOTHER DEALER TO GET A QUOTE OF OVER $1000 TO REPAIR. THE DEALER TELLS ME THAT CHRYSLER HAS BEEN FIXING THESE TRUCKS IF THE ORIGINAL OWNER STILL OWNS IT REGARDLESS OF WARRANTY EXPIRATION. BECAUSE OF THE PRODUCT FAILURE. SO I THEN CALL THE 800 NUMBER GIVEN ONLY TO BE TOLD THAT IT IS BASICALLY TOO LATE NOW BECAUSE MY TRUCK IS 8 YRS OLD. THIS WAS HARD TO SWALLOW BECAUSE I TRIED TO REPAIR IT UNDER MY EXTENDED WARRANTY WHEN ONLY 2 YRS OLD. I AM VERY, VERY DIS-SATISFIED WITH THE PRODUCT AND SERVICE OF CHRYSLER CORP. I KNOW THAT THERE ARE LITERALLY THOUSANDS OF HAVE EXPERIENCED THE SAME PROBLEM AND I LOOK AT EVERY TRUCK THE SAME BODY STYLE AS MINE, AND THEY ALL HAVE CRACKED DASHES. I WENT ONLINE TO FIND SEVERAL WEBSITES OF DODGE OWNERS WITH THE SAME PROBLEM WITH WARRANTY AND SERVICE. THIS IS A FACTORY DEFECT THAT CHRYSLER SHOULD AT LEAST OFFER A SUBSTANTIAL AMOUNT OF ASSISTANCE WITH THE REPAIR OR LOWER THE COST OF THE PARTS TO REPAIR SO THAT PEOPLE CAN AFFORD THEM. *TR