NHTSA Complaint #10249728 — 2003 DODGE RAM 2500

ON OR ABOUT 10/25/2008 WE NOTICED A CRACK IN THE DASHBOARD OF OUR 2003 DODGE RAM PICKUP. THE CRACK WAS APPROXIMATELY 8 INCHES LONG AND WAS BEGINNING TO CRACK AT DIFFERENT ANGLES. ON 10/28/2008 WE CONTACTED CHRYSLER CUSTOMER ASSISTANCE AND WERE ASSIGNED A REFERENCE NUMBER: 18023982. WE WERE ADVISED TO TAKE OUR PROBLEM TO A LOCAL DEALER. WE VISITED SCOTT GOULD, SERVICE MANAGER AT VENICE DODGE IN VENICE, FLORIDA. SCOTT DID NOT EVEN LOOK AT OUR PROBLEM. HE INFORMED US THAT HE KNEW WHERE THE DASHES WERE CRACKING ,WAS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM BUT COULD DO NOTHING WITHOUT APPROVAL FROM CHRYSLER. WE CALLED THE CUSTOMER ASSISTANCE CENTER 1-800-992-1997 AND SPOKE TO A SUZY WHO REFUSED TO SHARE HER LAST NAME. SUZY TALKED TO SCOTT AND THEN CALLED US BACK AND INFORMED US THAT WE COULD HAVE OUR DASH REPLACED FOR 250$. I ASKED HER WHY WE HAD TO PAY TO REPLACE THE DEFECTIVE PART. SHE INFORMED US THAT THERE WAS NO RECALL ON THE DEFECTIVE DASHES BECAUSE IT WAS NOT CONSIDERED A SAFETY DEFECT. ON 11/18/2008 WE HAD THE DEFECTIVE DASH REPLACED AT VENICE DODGE. I HAVE REQUESTED THE OLD CRACKED DASH BUT THEY HAVE NOT YET HONORED THAT REQUEST. THE DASH MATERIAL APPEARS TO BE A HARD PLASTIC APPROXIMATELY 3/16 IN THICK. THE VISIBLE CRACKS APPEARED JAGGED AND SHARP. SHARP ENOUGH THAT UPON IMPACT THEY COULD PUNCTURE AN AIR BAG OR AN INDIVIDUAL CAUSING INJURY, SERIOUS HARM AND/OR DEATH. THE PROBLEM WITH THE DASHES IS NOT AN ISOLATED ONE. IT IS EXTREMELY WIDESPREAD. LET THIS NOT BE THE PROTECTIVE NETTING AT THE HOCKEY ARENA. IT'S TIME FOR CHRYSLER TO OWN UP AND RECALL THEIR DEFECTIVE PART BEFORE SOMETHING BAD REALLY HAPPENS IF IT HASN'T ALREADY. *TR