NHTSA Complaint #10351966 — 2000 DODGE RAM 1500

`LIKE THOUSANDS OF OTHER DODGE RAM OWNERS, I HAVE A SEVERELY CRACKING AND COLLAPSED DASHBOARD IN MY 2000 RAM 1500. THE CRACKING STARTED AROUND 60KMI AND HAD STARTED ON THE PASSENGER SIDE ORIGINATING FROM THE BOLTS SECURING THE UPPER DASH TO THE INSIDE FIREWALL. EVENTUALLY A CRACK WILL FORM FROM ALL OF THE BOLTS, WITH SOME CRACK CONNECTING WITH OTHERS CAUSING PIECES OF THE DASH TO COLLAPSE. ONCE THIS HAPPENS, THE UPPER (5) BOLTS WILL BE PROVIDING NO SUPPORT TO ANY PART OF THE DASH, EXCEPT FOR THOSE PIECES DIRECTLY CONNECTED TO THE BOLTS. THIS VEHICLE WAS ASSEMBLED IN THE MEXICO PLANT. I BELIEVE THAT THE PROBLEM IS WITH THE INSTALLATION. MY THEORY IS THAT WHEN THE DASH IS ORIGINALLY INSTALLED, THE DASH IS RESTED UPON (2) BOLTS AT THE BOTTOM UNDER THE SIDE KICKPLATES AND THEN THE TOP (5) ARE USED TO BRING THE DASH INTO ITS FINAL RESTING POSITION. WHILE DOING THIS, THERE MAY STILL BE RESIDUAL FORCES ON THOSE TOP BOLTS PULLING THE DASH DOWN EVEN AFTER THE (2) LOWER BOLTS ARE TIGHTENED. THE PROCEDURE SHOULD BE TO PUSH OR HOLD THE DASH IN PLACE UNTIL THE LOWER (2) BOLTS ARE TIGHTENED AND THEN THE TOP (5) BOLTS ARE THERE ONLY TO SECURE THE UPPER DASH ONLY. I WOULD LIKE TO RECOMMEND INSTALLING A CENTER SHIMMY BRACE THAT WOULD BE USED TO POSITION THE ASSEMBLY IN THE FINAL RESTING POSITION THAT WOULD CONNECT BETWEEN THE DASH SUBFRAME AND THE INSIDE FIREWALL. ONCE IN POSITION THE DASH THE LOWER (2) BOLTS CAN BE TORQUED. THEN THE (5) TOP BOLTS WOULD NOT BE ATTEMPTING TO HOLD THE DASH IN PLACE. I CONSIDER THIS A SAFETY HAZARD DURING AN EVENT WHERE THE PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG IS DEPLOYED AND POTENTIAL SHARP PIECES OF THE CRACKED DASHBOARD ARE THROWN ABOUT THE CAB AREA. *TR