NHTSA Complaint #10669517 — 2000 DODGE RAM 1500

SHORTLY AFTER WE PURCHASED THE VEHICLE BACK IN 2000 THE DASHBOARD STARTED TO CRACK. THROUGHOUT THE YEARS THE PLASTIC DASH HAS BECOME MORE BRITTLE AND THE BROKEN PIECES HAVE THE STRENGTH AND TEXTURE OF PEANUT BRITTLE BUT ARE RATHER SHARP. WE WOULD FIND PIECES ALL OVER THE CAB OF THE TRUCK AND IF YOU DROPPED SOMETHING DOWN IN THE DASH AND TRIED TO RETRIEVE IT, YOU WOULD OFTEN COME IN CONTACT WITH THE SHARP EDGES OF THE PLASTIC THAT WAS STILL ATTACHED TO THE REST OF THE DASH ASSEMBLY. HERE RECENTLY THE INNER-FRAME THAT IS ALSO MADE OF THE SAME FAULTY PLASTIC WHICH HOLDS THE RADIO, TEMPERATURE CONTROLS, HEADLIGHT SWITCH, AIRBAG CONTROL SWITCH, INSTRUMENT PANEL, ETC HAS ALSO STARTED TO CRACK AND THE COMPONENTS ARE BEGINNING TO DETACH FROM THE REST OF THE DASH ASSEMBLY. THE MAIN CONCERN THAT WE HAVE RECENTLY NOTICED IS HOW THE PASSENGER AIR-BAG COVER SNAPS ONTO THE CRACKING DASHBOARD PLASTIC, IF THE AIR-BAG WERE TO DEPLOY SHARP PLASTIC SHARDS WOULD BE SENT TOWARDS THE PASSENGER WITH THE AIRBAG. WE HAVE FILED MULTIPLE COMPLAINTS WITH OUR LOCAL DODGE DEALER AND THE DODGE CORPORATION DIRECTLY AND THEY SIMPLY TELL US THE VEHICLE IS OUT OF WARRANTY AND THERE IS NOTHING THEY CAN DO AND OFFER FOR US TO PAY FOR THE DASHBOARD TO BE REPLACED. WE SHOULD NOT HAVE TO PAY FOR THE MISTAKE OF THE COMPANY DUE TO THEM USING DEFECTIVE PLASTIC TO MOLD THE DASHBOARD ASSEMBLY. *JS