NHTSA Complaint #10289768 — 1999 DODGE RAM 1500

I BOUGHT THIS 1999 DODGE RAM IN 2002 WITH ABOUT 40,000 MILES ON IT. I NOW HAVE 79,000. SHORTLY AFTER PURCHASE, THE DASH CRACKED. AFTER ABOUT 10 CRACKS ACROSS THE TOP OF THE DASH IN EVERY HORIZONTAL DIRECTION. I WENT TO THE "5 STAR" LOCAL DODGE DEALER AND SHOWED THEM THE PROBLEM. THEY SAID THAT THEY HAD NEVER HEARD OF THE PROBLEM AND ESTIMATED $1500 TO REPAIR. UNTIL NOW, I THOUGHT THAT I WAS THE ONLY ONE WITH THE PROBLEM AND ASSUMED THAT THIS CERTAINLY WASN'T A WIDESPREAD PROBLEM THAT MAY BE IN LINE FOR A CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT. I ORDERED A CUSTOM FIT MAT TO PUT OVER THE CRACKS. THE CRACKS HAVE CONTINUED AND ARE NOW GOING VERTICAL ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL BEZEL. THERE ARE PROBABLE 15 CRACKS IN ALL. IN ADDITION, THE GLOVE COMPARTMENT PLASTIC DOOR FRAME HINGE PIN (PART OF THE DASH) BROKE OFF ON THE LOWER LEFT SIDE. I EPOXIED IN A PIECE OF WOOD DOWEL ROD TO MAKE THE GLOVE BOX DOOR WORK. SEEMS LIKE THE DASH FALLING APART WOULD SET OFF THE AIR BAG OR SHORT THE WIRING TO CAUSE UNSAFE OPERATIONAL PROBLEM SUCH AS A FIRE. IF THE AIR BAG DEPLOYS WITH A FRAGMENTED DASH, WILL THE SHARP FRAGMENTS BECOME MISSILES THAT COULD INJURE OR KILL THE DRIVER OR PASSENGER? THIS APPEARS TO BE A REALLY UNSAFE CONDITION. THERE ARE HUNDREDS OF COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS ON THE INTERNET. CAN YOU HELP PUT THE PRESSURE ON DODGE FOR A RECALL TO REPLACE OUR DASHES? *TR