NHTSA Complaint #10249588 — 2000 DODGE RAM 1500

DASHBOARD CRACKING AND FALLING IN. IN APPROXIMATELY LATE 2006, MY DASHBOARD DEVELOPED MINOR CRACKS. SOON THE CRACKS GOT LARGER UNTIL PIECES STARTED FALLING INTO THE DASH CAVITY. I WENT TO MY DODGE DEALER WITH THE CONCERN ABOUT A RECALL, BUT THERE WERE NO RECALLS FOR THIS SYMPTOM. DODGE SAID IT WOULD PAY 1/2 OF THE REPAIR, A TOTAL OF ABOUT $2,000 OF WHICH I WOULD HAVE TO PAY ABOUT $1,000. I COULD NOT AFFORD THIS AT THE TIME. SINCE THEN, THE DASH HAS CONTINUED TO CRUMBLE APART. NOW, THE AIR CONDITIONER UNIT HAS A HOLE IN THE EVAPORATOR CORE. TO REPAIR THIS, THE DASH WOULD HAVE TO BE REMOVED. YOU CAN IMAGINE, THE DASH WOULD BE REMOVED IN PIECES. I BELIEVE THE CRUMBLING DASH HAS CAUSED THE HOLE IN THE EVAPORATOR CORE. DODGE SHOULD REPLACE THE DASH AND REPLACE THE EVAPORATOR CORE TOO. WHAT'S NEXT? THE HEATER CORE, ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS, HEADLIGHTS ON A DARK BACK ROAD SOMEWHERE? DODGE NEEDS TO TAKE CARE OF IT'S CUSTOMERS. *TR