NHTSA Complaint #10339633 — 2003 DODGE RAM QUAD CAB

I WAS GETTING INTO MY PICKUP TRUCK WHILE IN THE PROCESS OF LEAVING WORK TO GO HOME FOR DAY. I REACHED IN AND GRAB THE GRAB HANDLE LOCATED ON THE "A-PILLAR" AND STARTED TO PULL MY SELF INTO MY VEHICLE. THE "A-PILLAR" GRAB HANDLE BROKE, CAUSING ME TO FALL BACKWARD STICKING MY HEAD ON THE DRIVERS DOOR AND THEN THE GROUND AS I CONTINUED THE FALL TO THE GROUND. AS A RESULT OF THIS FALL I DEVELOPED A SUBDURAL HEMATOMA AND ALMOST DIED TWICE AS A RESULT OF THIS DEFECTIVE PART. BOTH THE DRIVERS SIDE "A-PILLAR" GRAB HANDLE AND "B-PILLAR" GRAB HANDLE FROM THE PASSENGER SIDE ARE IN THE HANDS OF A FORENSIC ENGINEER WHO HAS DETERMINED THAT BOTH PARTS WERE SUBSTANDARD. THE PASSENGER SIDE WAS ALSO CRACKED AROUND HOLD DOWN BOLTS AND READY TO FAIL. PICKUP TRUCK WAS A 2003 DODGE QUAD CAB 1500 4X4 ON FACTORY 20" TIRES. CHRYSLER LLC. IS WELL AWARE THAT THIS PROBLEM EXISTS BUT HAS CHOSEN TO DO NOTHING! IN 2003 WHEN MOTOR TREND TESTED THE DODGE QUAD CAB FOR THEIR " TRUCK OF YEAR AWARD" THE PART FAILED ON MOTOR TREND MAGAZINE. THERE HAVE BEEN NUMEROUS SERIOUS INJURIES REPORTED PERTAINING TO THESE DEFECTIVE PARTS, BUT CHRYSLER HAS DECIDED THAT THEIR BOTTOM LINE WAS MORE IMPORTANT THAN THEIR CUSTOMERS HEALTH. A RECALL NEEDS TO BE MADE FOR THESE PARTS TO STOP THESE INJURIES. I ENDED UP MISSING 3.5 MONTHS OF WORK AND MY HEALTH INSURANCE COMPANY ENDED UP PAYING OUT OVER $350,000.00 FOR THESE INJURIES. I BOUGHT THIS TRUCK IN 2003 NEW AND I DID SO IN GOOD FAITH. CHRYSLER NEEDS TO ACT IN GOOD FAITH AND REPLACE THESE PARTS AND PROTECT THEIR CUSTOMERS. *TR