NHTSA Complaint #10478915 — 2002 DODGE QUAD

SHORTLY AFTER PURCHASING THE TRUCK, THE DASHBOARD DEVELOPED A SMALL CRACK; WITHIN A WEEK, THE DASH BEGAN TO CRACK FROM ONE SIDE TO THE OTHER. I INITIALLY TRIED TO PUT A PIECE OF FABRIC TAPE OVER THE LARGER CRACK, BUT THE DASH HAS CONTINUED TO SHATTER INTO SHARP SHARDS, AND PIECES OF THE INSULATION ARE NOW DROPPING OUT IN LARGE CHUNKS. THIS MORNING, WHEN I STARTED THE DEFROSTER, A PIECE OF THE DASHBOARD FLEW OUT & CUT MY FOREHEAD ABOVE THE RIGHT EYE. I HAVE OWNED AT LEAST A DOZEN VEHICLES IN MY LIFE AND I HAVE NEVER HAD A PROBLEM LIKE THIS WITH THE DASH. ON ONE OTHER VEHICLE I OWNED, ALTHOUGH THERE WAS A SMALL CRACK IN THE DASH, THE PLASTIC WAS SECURED TO A FOAM MATERIAL THAT WAS PART OF THE DASH COMPONENT. WITH THIS TRUCK, THE DASH IS DISINTEGRATING: VENTS ARE DROPPING DOWN THROUGH THE DASH, SHARDS FROM THE SHATTERED DASH ARE FALLING THROUGH & INTO THE FAN, CHUNKS OF BLACK INSULATION ARE FALLING OUT ALMOST DAILY. I BELIEVE THAT DODGE HAS KNOWN ABOUT THE DEFECT FOR QUITE SOME TIME AND HAS FAILED TO ACT IN A RESPONSIBLE MANNER TO CORRECT THE KNOWN DEFECT. IN A COLLISION, THE DASHBOARD CAN CAUSE SIGNIFICANT INJURY TO A PERSON BY CAUSING LACERATIONS FROM THE BRITTLE PLASTIC THAT WAS USED TO COVER THE DASHBOARDS. WITH THE RATE OF DETERIORATION, THE INTEGRITY AND STABILITY OF THE DASH & THE COMPONENTS IT HOUSES HAS BEEN COMPROMISED. I FEAR THAT THE AIRBAG COULD DEPLOY UNEXPECTEDLY DUE TO THE INSTABILITY OF THE DASH. *TR