NHTSA Complaint #10231665 — 2001 DODGE STRATUS COUPE

THE DASHBOARD OF MY 2001 DODGE STRATUS R/T HAS BECOME SEVERLY CRACKED. I FIRST NOTICED A SMALL CRACK LAST YEAR SHORTLY AFTER I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE. A FEW MONTHS LATER I NOTICED THAT THE CRACK HAD BECOME EVEN LARGER AND THAT ANOTHER CRACK WAS FORMING. THEN DURING THE WINTER MONTHS I NOTICED A THIRD CRACK NEAR THE DEFROSTER VENT! I CONTACTED THE DEALERSHIP THAT I PURCHASED THE CAR FROM AND EXPLAINED THE PROBLEM TO THEM. THEY TOLD THAT THEY WERE UNFAMILIAR WITH ANY SUCH PROBLEM AND THAT SINCE THE CAR WAS OUT OF WARRANTY THAT THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD DO TO HELP ME. I NOTICED A 4TH CRACK A FEW WEEKS AGO AND DID SOME SEARCHING ONLINE TO SEE IF ANYONE ELSE WAS EXPERIENCING THIS SAME PROBLEM AND FOUND THAT ALOT OF PEOPLE HAVE! I HAVE READ WHERE OTHERS HAVE HAD THE DASHBOARD REPLACED/REPAIRED ONLY TO HAVE THE CRACKING PROBLEM RECUR. NOW I HAVE NOT TRIED TO TAKE THE DASHBOARD OFF TO REPAIR IT FOR FEAR THAT IT WOULD SIMPLY FALL TO PIECES. I BELIEVE THAT DAIMLER CHRYSLER IS WELL AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM AND SHOULD BE MADE TO RECALL ALL VEHICLES WITH THIS DEFECT AND FIX IT AT THEIR COST! IF I WERE TO HAVE AN ACCIDENT WHERE THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED I'M CONCERNED THAT PIECES OF PLASTIC WOULD FLY OFF AND CAUSE SERIOUS INJURY! *TR