NHTSA Complaint #10344523 — 1999 DODGE RAM 1500

TYPICAL PROBLEMS WITH CRACKED PLASTIC DASHBOARD ON 1999 DODGE RAM PICKUPS (2) COMBINED WITH FAILURE OF AIRBAGS TO DEPLOY. BOTH SEEM TO BE EPIDEMIC IN PROPORTION, UNFORTUNATELY HAVE EXPERIENCED BOTH. DASH IS NOT SAFE WITH CRACKED, JAGGED PLASTIC EDGES WAITING TO IMPALE OR SLICE YOU, ASSUMING THAT FLYING PEICES WOULDNT DO EVEN MORE HARM IF AIRBAG HAD GONE OFF. SAME PROBLEM IN DASH ON TWO PERSONAL VEHICLES, NOW RELUCTANT TO GO ANYWHERE IN ONE THAT WASNT WRECKED BECAUSE AIRBAG PROBABLY WONT WORK IN IT EITHER IF SOMETHING WERE TO HAPPEN. I KNOW MINE ISNT THE ONLY ONE, WHOVER HAS CONTROLLING INTEREST OF DODGE THIS MONTH NEEDS TO STEP UP AND ADDRESS THESE ISSUES. RIDICULOUS TO THINK OF REPLACING DASH FOR $800 - 1200 WITH A PART OF NO BETTER INTEGRITY THAN THE ONE IT ALREADY HAD. MORE RIDICULOUS IS THE FACT THEY KNOW THE AIRBAGS FAILURES ARE AN ISSUE ON THESE TRUCKS FOR YEARS NOW AND HAVE DONE NOTHING TO REMEDY THE PROBLEM. IT SHOULDNT BE UP TO THE CUSTOMER TO WORRY ABOUT THESE TWO CRITICAL SAFETY ITEMS . I SPENT A MAJORITY OF MY WORKING LIFE IN THE DODGE BUSINESS, HAVE SEEN IT FROM ALL ANGLES, NOW AS THE IRATE AND DISGUTED OWNER OF TWO VEHICLES THAT LEAVE ME WITH NO DESIRE TO OWN/OPERATE. *TR