1997 DODGE RAM 1500 Structure Problems

BARE BONES OF DASH CRACKING/SHATTERING COUSINS BUTTONS/ INSTRUMENT CLUSTER/ SWITCHES TO FALL AROUND AND ON ME WHILE DRIVING. CANNOT SECURE ANY THING IN DASH DUE TO THE CRACKING/ SHATTERING OF INTERNAL DASH. CANNOT SECURE BOLTS OR CLIPS TO BARE BONES OF DASH . CRACKING/ SHATTERING HAS CAUSE THERE TO BE NO WERE TO ATTACH PARTS TO.ALL OF DASH IS AFFECTED. *TR

ALRIGHT SO AS I BOUGHT MY TRUCK AND HAVE ASKED AROUND MANY PLACES AND ALL HAVE THE SAME TYPE OF RUST AND MOST OF IT IS WHERE THE IDLER ARM BRACKET MEETS THE FRAME AT THE FRONT FRAME RAIL ON THE PASSENGER SIDE ONLY AND ALSO THE FRAME HAS BEEN WELL TAKING CARE OF YOU CAN LOOK DOWN THE REST OF THE WHOLE FRAME AND ITS BARELY TOUCHED BY ROT AND WHAT HAPPENS IS IT TENDS TO RUST OUT AND THEN BREAKS AND CAN CAUSE A ACCIDENT MANY PEOPLE CONSIDER PATCHING IF ITS NOT TOO BAD AND MANY HAVE JUNKED IT DUE TO IT BEING NOT REPLACE ABLE DODGE HAS BEEN CONTACTED MANY TIMES ALSO AND REFUSE TO DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT SOMETHING NEEDS DONE ABOUT THESE CHEAPLY MADE FRAMES I'VE OWNED VEHICLES 9 YEARS OLDER AND THE FRAMES WHERE NO WHERE NEAR ROTTED. *TR

DASH STARTED WITH SMALL CRACKS, NOW HUGE HOLES AND NOTHING REALLY HOLDING THE DASH UP NOW!! *TR

MY REPORT IS NOT NECESSARILY CONCERNING A SPECIFIC INCIDENT. APPROXIMATELY THE DATE AND TIME SPECIFIED ABOVE I NOTICED MY DASH CRACKING, SINCE THAT TIME THE ENTIRE DASH OF MY TRUCK HAS CRACKED AND BROKEN. I HAVE HAD THE CUPHOLDERS BREAK AND SPILL ON ME AND NOW MY DASH BACKLIGHT HAS STOPPED FUNCTIONING. IT IS ONLY A MATTER OF TIME UNTIL IT COMPLETELY FALLS APART. I HAVE APPLIED ADHESIVE TO A DASH COVER TO PREVENT FURTHER DEGRADATION OF THE PLASTIC. FROM WHAT I SEE ON MY TRUCK AND MY FATHER-IN-LAWS 2003 DODGE RAM IT IS A FUNDAMENTAL FLAW IN THE MATERIAL THE DASH COMPONENTS ARE MADE FROM. I FEAR IT UNSAFE TO DRIVE SINCE I DON'T KNOW WHEN CATASTROPHIC FAILURE WILL OCCUR. NUMEROUS OTHER DODGE TRUCKS THAT BELONG TO FRIENDS AND COWORKERS HAVE THE SAME PROBLEMS. ANY ATTENTION YOU CAN GIVE TO THIS ISSUE WILL BE APPRECIATED. *TR

THE ENTIRE DASH PANEL HAS CRACKED AND SHATTERED. THE ENTIRE TOP PORTION OF THE DASH PANEL IS MISSING, EXPOSING THE GAUGES AND WIRES. THE BEZEL AROUND THE GAUGES AND CUP HOLDER IS CRACKED. THE REMAINING PART OF THE DASH PANEL IS LOOSE AND VIBRATES, MAKING NOISES DURING TRAVEL. DASH CONTINUES TO CRACK AND FALL APART DURING TRAVEL. *TR

MY DASH IS LITERALLY FALLING APART. I BOUGHT IT IN FEBRUARY WITH 0 CRACKS AND NOW IT LOOKS LIKE A PIECE OF PEANUT BRITTLE. I SEARCHED AND APPARENTLY THIS IS A HUGE PROBLEM. I JUST WANT IT FIXED. *TR

DASH HAS CAVED IN AND CRACKED. *TR

THE PLASTIC DASHBOARD TOP SUDDENLY BEGAN BREAKING INTO LARGE, SHARP SHARDS AND FALLING APART. ONCE THIS BEGAN, ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS INSIDE THE DASH BEGAN, INCLUDING RADIO FEATURE FAILURES, HEADLIGHT SWITCH WIRING, ETC. *TR

THE DASH BOARD ON MY 97 DODGE RAM HAS CRACKED IN SEVERAL PLACES. ONE MAJOR CONCERN IS THE DASH CRACKED OVER THE AIR BAG, I CAN SEE ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS INSIDE THE DASH AREA. THE LOCAL DODGE DEALERSHIP REFUSES TO REPAIR THE DAMAGED DASH BOARD. CONSUMER WANTED TO KNOW THE OUTCOME TO THE MANY COMPLAINTS INVOLVING THE CRACKING OF THE DASHBOARD. UPDATED 11/01/11. *KB

97 DODGE RAM 1500 CRACKED DASH IN MANY PLACES. *TR

DASHBOARD CRACKED IN TWO PLACES. THIS CRACKING WAS APPARENTLY SPONTANEOUS. *KB

THE DASH IN MY 1997 DODGE RAM 1500 IS COMPLETELY CAVED IN AND IN THOUSANDS OF PIECES. THIS DASH PIECE IS WHAT HOLDS THE VIN IN PLACE, I NOW HAVE IT STORED IN THE VEHICLES GLOVE COMPARTMENT. I HAVE BEEN INFORMED BY MANY DODGE OWNERS THAT THIS PROBLEM IS NOT JUST MINE BUT MANY OF THEIR PRODUCTS. I WAS ALSO INFORMED THAT CONTACTING DODGE DIRECTLY WOULD GET ME NOWHERE. IM HERE ASKING FOR HELP IN RIGHTING THIS SITUATION, IM A DISABLED VETERAN AND CANT AFFORD TO BUY A DASH FOR MY TRUCK. THANK YOU VERY MUCH *TR

THE DASH IN MY 1997 DODGE RAM 1500 IS DISINTEGRATING. IT'S JUST FALLING TO PIECES WITH SHARP JAGGED EDGES EVERYWHERE....... *TR

THE DASHBOARD ON MY 1997 DODGE RAM 1500 HAS NOT JUST CRACKED, BUT BROKEN INTO JAGGED PIECES. I HAVE NEVER USED ANY TYPE OF CHEMICALS OR POLISHES ON THE DASHBOARD, AND IT STILL JUST CRACKED INTO PIECES. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 DODGE RAM 1500. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING WITH THE WINDOWS OPENED, THE TOP OF THE DASHBOARD SUDDENLY FLEW UP AND INTO THE CONTACT'S FACE, OBSTRUCTING HIS VIEW OF THE ROADWAY. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO LOCATE SIMILAR COMPLAINTS VIA INTERNET FOR THE EXACT FAILURE IN HIS YEAR, MAKE AND MODEL. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE APPROXIMATELY 100,000.

I HAVE A 1997 DODGE RAM 1500 AND THE DASH IS CRACKED SEEMS TO BE A PROBLEM WITH THIS MODEL OF DODGE I LIVE IN TEXAS DODGE WONT REPLACE THE BROKEN PART ITS OBVIOUSLY DEFECTIVE. *TR

I PURCHASED A 1997 DODGE RAM NEW IN 97. PAINT DEFECT STARTED OVER LAST 7 YEARS. CLEAR COAT BEGAN PEELING OFF ON TOP OF CAB. PAINT IS PEELING OFF IN SHEETS ON BED SIDES AND TAIL GATE. PAINT HAS ALSO FAILED ON LOWER SIDE PANELS. VEHICLE HAS BEEN WELL TAKEN CARE OF. WANT TO KNOW IF THERE IS ANY RECOURSE TO GET FIXED. *TR

1997 DODGE RAM 1500 DASHBOARD SHATTERED UNDER CONSUMERS HAND.*CW THE CONSUMER ALSO WANTED TO ADD THAT CHRYSLER PT CRUISER HAS THE SAME DASH PROBLEM. UPDATED 03/08/10

I OWN A 1997 DODGE 1500 PICKUP TRUCK AND THE DASHBOARD IS LITERALLY FALLING IN PIECES. THIS TRUCK HAS BEEN TREATED WITH A LOT OF CARE AND HAS BEEN DETAILED FREQUENTLY TO KEEP ITS APPEARANCE LIKE NEW. IT SURPRISED ME TO SEE A SMALL CRACK AND I IMMEDIATELY SEALED THE CRACK TO AVOID IT GETTING LARGER. I WAS AMAZED THAT LARGER CRACKS STARTED APPEARING IN VARIOUS AREAS OF THE DASHBOARD AND SOON IT STARTED TO FALL IN PIECES. *TR

I HAVE A 1997 DODGE 1500. MY DASH STARTED CRACKING, WHICH APPEARS TO BE STRESS CRACKS. SINCE THEN MY WINDSHIELD HAS STARTING CRACKING AS WELL. THEY BOTH HAVE NOT STOPPED CRACKING. *TR

1997 RAM 1500 CRACKED DASH IS DANGEROUS. PIECES ARE SHARP AND I FEEL IS UNSAFE TO DRIVE IN THE EVENT OF AN ACCIDENT.. *TR

1997 DODGE RAM 1500 PICKUP DASH BOARD CRACKED IN SEVERAL PLACES. THIS IS A REPLACEMENT OF A PREVIOUS DASHBOARD THAT HAD ALSO CRACKED. FIRST DASHBOARD CRACKED AFTER WINDSHIELD WAS REPLACED DUE THE A CRACK. WINDSHIELD COMPANY STATED WINDSHIELD CRACKED FROM STRESS. *TR

1997 DODGE 1500 RAM TRUCK, CRACKED DASH BOARD IN SEVERAL PLACES. MANY OWNERS NEW AND OLD ARE HAVING PROBLEMS WITH THIS ISSUE. DANGEROUS FOR AIRBAG DEPLOYMENT AND WIRING ISSUES IN DASHES. *TR

DASHBOARD CRACKING AND FALLING APART. *TR

1997 DODGE RAM 1500 - TAN INTERIOR - 2 CRACKS OPENED UP FROM THE FRONT TO THE REAR OF THE DASHBOARD ABOUT 1/8" WIDE. THIS HAPPENED OVERNIGHT, WITH NO ADVERSE WEATHER CONDITIONS AND NO CHANGES IN HABITS. NOTHING WAS PLACED ON THE DASHBOARD. I AM CONCERNED THAT THE LOCATION OF THE CRACKS WILL INTERFERE WITH OR DAMAGE THE AIR BAG IF IT IS DEPLOYED, NOT TO MENTION THE SHRAPNEL THAT WOULD BE CREATED BECAUSE THE CRACK IS SO CLOSE TO THE AIRBAG AREA ON THE PASSENGERS SIDE. THERE IS NO REASON FOR THIS ON A 12 YEAR OLD VEHICLE. *TR

WHEN I GOT THE TRUCK THERE WERE MINOR CRACKS IN THE DASH NOTHING TO NOTICEABLE AND I DON'T USE ARMOR ALL OR ANY SILICONE BASED PRODUCT ON IT AND THE CRACKS HAVE WORSENED MAINLY ON THE DRIVERSIDE AND ON THE PASSENGERSIDE THE DASH IS CRACKING OVER THE GLOVE COMPARTMENT AND THE WINDOWS ARE 5% TINTED AND A WINDOW SHADE IS ALWAYS USED DAY OR NIGHT PUT I'VE READ UP ON THE PROBLEM AND ITS ON ALL MODELS 94 AND UP AND IT MAKES NO SENSE TO BUY A NEW ONE FROM THE DEALER WHEN THE SAME THING IS GOING TO HAPPEN WITH THE POOR QUALITY OF MATERIALS USED TO MAKE. *TR

UPPER DASH PANEL CRACKING INTO 15 TO 20 PIECES AND THE PIECES ARE FALLING INTO INSIDE OF THE DASH. I'VE USED A DASH COVER THAT FITS IN THE WIDOW SINCE THE VEHICLE WAS BOUGHT NEW. *TR

I BOUGHT A 1997 DODGE RAM SLT 1500. IT IS USED AND HAS 135,000 MILES ON IT. HOWEVER, I LIKE THE TRUCK AND I DON'T WANT TO SELL IT BECAUSE IT IS NOT SAFE FOR MY FAMILY AND I TO BE IN. IT HAS CRACKS ALL IN THE DASHBOARD...AND THEY ARE GETTING WORSE EVERY DAY. I CAN ACTUALLY SEE WIRES AND THE INTERNAL PART OF MY DASH COMPONENTS. IT SQUEAKS AND I CAN ALSO SEE STEEL MOUNTING POST THAT LOOK REALLY DANGEROUS FOR A SUDDEN STOP OR EVEN I MINER FENDER BENDER. IT IS ACTUALLY CAVING IN....AND COMPLETELY DETERIORATING. NOTHING HAS BEEN DONE TO CORRECT THIS PROBLEM BY DODGE AS FAR AS I KNOW. I HAVE RESEARCHED THIS AND THERE IS NO RECALL THAT I CAN FIND...AND I DO NOT FEEL THAT THE ORIGINAL..OR EVEN A SECOND OWNER SHOULD HAVE TO PAY FOR THIS...NOR DO CHRYSLERS JOB...AND MAKE THE VEHICLE...

I HAVE A 97 DODGE RAM THAT STARTED CRACKING AROUND 2004 AND HAS STEADILY GOTTEN WORSE AND WORSE. AS A RESULT I HAVE A TERRIBLE LOOKING INTERIOR AND I BELIEVE MY ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS ARE A TESTAMENT OF THE DASHBOARDS EXPOSING MY ELECTRICAL WIRING TO THE SUN. THE ONLY WAY TO HALFWAY FIX IT I'VE FOUND IS TO MOUNT FORMICA SQUARES(NOT CHEAP MIND YOU) OVER THE WHOLES WITH MOUNTING SQUARES, THOUGH IT LOOKS TERRIBLE. MY ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS ARE BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO: POWER DOOR LOCKS THAT ONLY UNLOCK THE DRIVER SIDE DOOR AND POWER WINDOWS THAT ONLY WORK HALF THE TIME AND A CUPHOLDER THAT HAS FALLEN OUT ON MORE THAN ONE OCCASION AND CAUSED ME TO RIG BACK INTO PLACE. OF COURSE BESIDES INCONVENIENCE OF HAVING A LOUSY DASH THAT STICKS OUT LIKE A SORE ON A USUALLY SOUND TRUCK, I AM AFRAID OF THE OTHER PROBLEMS IT CAN...

THE DASH ON MY 1997 DODGE RAM AND 2000 DODGE RAM HAVE CRACKED FOR NO APPARENT REASON. THEY NOT ONLY HAVE CRACKED BUT THEY LOOK LIKE JIG SAW PUZZLES. *TR

1997 DODGE RAM 1500 THE DASH IS CRACK ALL OVER. *TR

I HAVE A 1997 DODGE RAM AND THE DASH BOARD IS NOW CRACKED IN 4 DIFFERENT PLACES WERE ONE OF THE SCREWS IS HOLDING IT ON THERE WERE NOW YOU CAN SEE WIRES THROUGH THE DASH SO MY LAWYER TOLD ME TO CHECK WITH U ALL TO SEE IF THERE WERE ANY RECALLS ON THE DASH BOARDS ??? *TR

1997 DODGE RAM 1500 DASH IS CRACKING AND FALLING OUT IN CHUNKS. BEZEL IS ALSO CRACKING. *TR

MY DASHBOARD IN MY 1997 DODGE RAM STARTED CRACKING AND BEFORE I KNEW IT I HAD GAPING HOLES IN THE DASH BOARD. IT IS AN EYE SORE TO ME AND I AM CURRENTLY TRYING TO LOOK FOR A DASH BOARD THROUGH THE INTERNET. I WISH I COULD GET SOME HELP IN PAYING FOR THIS. *TR

DASHBOARD AND ALL OTHER INTERIOR PLASTIC DETERIORATING, CRACKED, BROKEN, FALLING INTO FIREWALL AREA. WHILE DRIVING AT NIGHT ON I-95, LARGE PIECE OF DASHBOARD BROKE OFF AND FELL INTO AREA BEHIND SPEEDOMETER AND CAUSED DASH LIGHTS TO GO OUT. THIS SCARED ME TERRIBLY AND I WAS ABLE TO PULL OFF THE ROAD AND RECONNECT THE WIRE COUPLING TO GET MY DASH LIGHTS BACK ON. *TR

DASH BOARD CRACKING ALL UP AND FALLING APART MAKING SHARP EXPOSED PLASTIC PIECES EASILY TO GET CUT ON . *TR

DASH HAS CRACKED IN NUMEROUS PLACES. I AM CONCERNED THAT THE INTEGRITY OF WIRING AND AIRBAGS BENEATH THE DASH MAY BE COMPROMISED. *TR

DASH CRACKED AND STARTED TO FALL INSIDE, LARGE PIECES FELL ON FLOOR. I HARD TO PAY 3 HOURS OF LABOR PLUS THE PRICE OF THE NEW DASH BOARD. *TR

DASHBOARD CRACKED/SPLIT INTO PIECES CAUSING WIRES TO BE CUT. LOSS OF HEADLAMPS, TAILLAMPS, AND BRAKE LIGHTS. UNKNOWN IF ANY DAMAGE HAS BEEN DONE TO THE AIRBAG SYSTEM. HOW DO I CHECK THAT? *TR

DASH CRACKING ON A 97 DODGE RAM 1500. *JB

THE DASHBOARD WAS CRACKING UP AND FELL INTO THE INSIDE OF THE DASHBOARD, CAUSING THE LIGHT TO SHORT OUT. *AK

THE 1997 DODGE RAM DASHBOARD IS CRACKED THROUGH OUT. I HAVE TRIED TO BANDIED THE PROBLEM , BUT IT JUST KEEPS GETTING WORSE.*AK

PURCHASED A USED 1997 DODGE RAM IN 2001. THE DASHBOARD BEGAN TO CRACK. NOW, THERE I WAS A LARGE HOLE WHEN PART OF THE DASHBOARD BROKE OFF, AND ANOTHER CRACK WAS BEGINNING TO FORM. WHEN I ASKED THE DEALER AND THE MANUFACTURER ABOUT THE PROBLEM I WAS TOLD THAT THIS ITEM WAS NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANTY AND THERE WAS NO RECALL ON THIS ITEM EITHER. I RESEARCHED PRICES ON A REPLACEMENT DASHBOARD, AND THEY WERE VERY EXPENSIVE, TIME CONSUMING, AND LABOR INTENSIVE PROJECT. THIS DASHBOARD SHOULD LAST MORE THAN FOUR YEARS , A FOUR YEAR OLD DASHBOARD SHOULD NOT BE FALLING APART. THERE WAS DEFINITELY A PROBLEM WITH THIS DODGE LINE OF EQUIPMENT. NOTE: I WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN AWARE OF THIS WIDESPREAD PROBLEM IF IT WERE NOT FOR CHANNEL 6 NEWS. *AK

I HAVE A 1997 DODGE RAM 1500 4X4 SPORT. THREE YEARS AGO I NOTICED CRACKS FORMING ON THE TOP OF THE DASHBOARD. SINCE THEN THE CRACKS HAVE WORSENED TO THE POINT THAT LARGE PIECES WERE ABOUT TO FALL OFF. I HEARD RECENT REPORTS THAT WHEN THE INSIDE OF THE DASHBOARD WAS EXPOSED THAT ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS OCCURRED, LOST LIGHTS, ETC. I HAVE HEARD OF THESE PIECES FALLING IN SUCH A WAY THAT THE GAS PEDAL WASLOCKED IN A POSITION. I AM CONCERNED ABOUT MY SAFETY IN THE TRUCK.) I HAD GOTTEN A QUOTE TO HAVE THE DASHBOARD REPLACED LAST YEAR BUT IT WAS TOO EXPENSIVE.*AK

I HAVE A 1997 DODGE RAM 1500 P/UP WITH A CRACKED DASHBOARD. I UNDERSTAND THIS IS A MAJOR PROBLEM, AND FEEL DODGE SHOULD DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT. *AK

SEVERE CRACKING OF THE DASHBOARD. OTHER VEHICLES FROM MANUFACTURER HAVE EVEN LOST ELECTRICAL FUNCTIONS WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD DUE TO THE DASHBOARD DROPPING. I AM CONCERNED, AND DODGE SAID TOUGH LUCK YOUR VEHICLE WAS OUT OF WARRANTY.*AK

I HAVE A 1997 DODGE RAM PICKUP AND THE DASH IS CRACKING AND FALLING IN. THIS STARTED IN 2000 AND HAS GOTTEN WORSE OVER THE YEARS. DODGE TOLD ME THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD DO. *TR

I HAVE A DODGE RAM 1500, RECENTLY I DISCOVERED THAT MY DASHBOARD WAS CRACKING INTO SECTIONS ABOUT A-HALF FOOT EACH OR MORE.THERE IS ALSO A GAPING HOLE AT THE VIN NUMBER DISPLAY AREA, THAT ALLOWS ME TO SEE DOWN IN THE INSIDE OF THE DASH. I WANT TO KNOW WHY THIS IS HAPPENING? *TR

THE DASH ON MY 1997 DODGE RAM 1500 IS CRACKING FOR NO APPARENT REASON. *TR

I OWN A 1997 DODGE RAM 1500. THE DASH STARTED CRACKING BY ITSELF AND IS CAVING IN. MY RESEARCH ON THE INTERNET AND RESEARCH BY LOCAL TV (WKMG) INDICATE THAT THIS IS HAPPENING ALL OVER- EVERY DASH ON A DODGE PICKUP WILL CRACK AND FALL APART. THIS CREATES A SAFETY HAZARD WITH THE WIRING. DODGE REFUSES TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THERE IS A PROBLEM. *TR