2003 DODGE RAM 1500 Structurebody Problems

DASHBOARD DIRECTLY ABOVE THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG HAS COMPLETELY CRACKED CREATING A SIGNIFICANT GAP. THIS HAS CAUSED MY WIFE TO INADVERTENTLY GET HER FINGER CAUGHT IN IT AND BE CUT AND INJURED. ADDITIONALLY THE LOCATION AND SEVERITY OF THE CRACK HAS SIGNIFICANTLY WEAKENED THE DASHBOARD AND COMPROMISED IT'S STRUCTURAL INTEGRITY. THIS PROBLEM WILL ONLY GET WORSE AND EXPAND. SHOULD THE VEHICLE BE INVOLVED IN A COLLISION WHICH CAUSES THE AIRBAG TO DEPLOY IT WILL MOST CERTAINLY POSE A GREAT RISK TO ALL OCCUPANTS AS THE DASHBOARD IS LIKELY TO FRAGMENT AT HIGH VELOCITY, SENDING SHARP SHARDS OF PLASTIC THROUGHOUT THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT. ADDITIONALLY, THIS MAY CAUSE THE AIRBAG TO BE PUNCTURED UPON DEPLOYMENT AND FAIL TO OPERATE AS DESIGNED.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 DODGE RAM 1500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE FRONT PASSENGER'S SIDE DOOR RELEASED INDEPENDENTLY. THE FAILURE RECURRED FOUR TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER FOR INSPECTION. THE TECHNICIAN WAS NOT ABLE TO PROVIDE A REMEDY TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE DEFECT. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 300. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE. UPDATED 3/28/14*CN *TR

I HAD JUST STOPPED MY TRUCK IN FRONT OF MY GARAGE AND, WITH MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE, SHIFTED INTO THE PARK GEAR POSITION. SUDDENLY THE ENGINE BEGAN TO RACE AND MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE PEDDLE WENT TO THE FLOOR AS IF I HAD NO BRAKES AT ALL. I TOOK MY FOOT OFF OF THE BRAKE PEDDLE AND THE ENGINE LEAPED FORWARD THROUGH MY GARAGE DOOR. I HIT THE BRAKES IMMEDIATELY AND CAME TO A SCREECHING STOP. I PUT THE TRUCK IN REVERSE BUT IT WOULD NOT ENGAGE. A NEIGHBOR CAME AND ASKED IF I NEEDED HELP. I ASKED HIM TO TRY BACKING OUT OF THE GARAGE FOR ME. HE TOOK MY PLACE BEHIND THE WHEEL AND SHIFTED INTO REVERSE WITH THE SAME RESULT. HE ASKED ME IF I HAD THE EMERGENCY BRAKES ON BECAUSE THE TRUCK WOULD NOT MOVE. I TOLD HIM NO AND WHEN HE ATTEMPTED TO...

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 DODGE RAM 1500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DASHBOARD HAD SEVERAL CRACKS ALONG THE SURFACE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED ABOUT THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE AND VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 DODGE RAM 1500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DASHBOARD HAD BEGUN TO CRACK NEAR THE DRIVER'S SIDE AIR BAG AND ON THE PASSENGER'S SIDE NEAR THE GLOVE BOX. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INSPECTED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE ISSUE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 54,000. THE CONSUMER STATED THERE WERE TWO SEPARATE CRACKS ON THE DASHBOARD. UPDATED 03/11/14

VEHICLE DASH BOARD CAME APART WHILE DRIVING AT 45 MPH. I HAD NOTICED IT HAD ALREADY CRACKED. WHEN THE DASH CAME APART SMALL PIECES BECAME AIR BORN. WAS NOT INJURED NEITHER WAS MY WIFE, SURPRISED THOUGH AND WE COULD HAVE BEEN. *TR

TIRE POPPED AND I SPUN OUT OF CONTROL WHEN IT STARTED TO RAIN. I SPUN INTO SOME TREES. *TR

DASHBOARD CRACKED IN MULTIPLE PLACES. DEFROST VENTS DISINTEGRATED AND FELL INTO DUCTS. DEFROST BLEND DOOR NOT FUNCTIONING AND CAUSING WINDSHIELD TO FOG UP WHEN USING A/C. REAR FENDERS ROTTED OUT FROM THE INSIDE OUT ON BOTH SIDES IN THE EXACT SAME PLACE. RANDOM ENGINE LOSS OF POWER, RE-STARTING FIXES PROBLEM UNTIL NEXT OCCURRENCE. *TR

OK, SO I RECENTLY BUY THIS ONE OWNER DODGE RAM 1500 PICKUP. 2003, 90,000. IN PRISTINE CONDITION. I MEAN PRIMO. I GET IN THE PICKUP, AND AM PULLING OUT OF MY DRIVEWAY AND HEAR WHAT WAS A LOUD CRAKING SOUND, LIKE BREAKING PLASTIC. I DIDN'T THINK MUCH OF IT, THINKING I RAN OVER A CAN OR SOMETHING. LATER IN THE DAY, I NOTICE MY DASH BOARD. OH MY GOD. IT HAS THIS LARGE CRACK IN IT. RIGHT ABOVE THE GLOVE BOX FROM THE GLOVE BOX TO THE WINDOW. I THEN NOTICE ANOTHER CRACK RIGHT ABOVE THE PASSANGER DOOR VENT (DASH) THAT IS WORKING IT'S WAY UP TOWARD THE WINDOW. I DO SOME MORE INSPECTION AND SEE YET ANOTHER CRACK NEAR THE DEFROST VENT AND A SMALL PART OF THE VENT MISSING. I FIGURED THAT OUT TODAY WHEN I PIECE OF PLASTIC BLEW IN MY FACE AND HIT ME IN THE...

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 DODGE RAM 1500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DASHBOARD BECAME CRACKED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER BUT WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND ADVISED THE CONTACT THAT THERE WERE NO RECALLS FOR THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 79,800 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 84,316.

MY 2003 DODGE RAM 1500 HAS A DEFECTIVE CRACKED DASHBOARD. THIS SEEMS TO BE A COMMON ISSUE FOR DODGE RAM TRUCKS AND THE MANUFACTURE IS REFUSING TO TAKE ANY RESPONSIBILITY FOR A DEFECTIVE ITEM. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 DODGE RAM 1500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DASHBOARD EXHIBITED A HAIR LINE FRACTURE THAT EXPANDED OVER THE DASHBOARD AREA, TO THE DEFROSTER VENTS AND CAUSED THE PLASTIC TO FRACTURE INTO SEVERAL PIECES. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 90,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 120,000. UPDATED 02/12/13*LJ UPDATED 02/13/13

I LOVE MY TRUCK AND PAID HARD EARNED MONEY FOR IT. I KEEP IT IN GOOD SHAPE. EARLIER THIS SUMMER, I NOTICED MY DASH HAS STARTED CRACKING. I KEEP PROTECTANT ON IT AND SUN SHIELDS IN THE FRONT WINDSHIELD. IT'S DIS-HEARTENING TO HAVE SOMETHING I TOOK CARE OF AND SPENT GOOD MONEY ON FAIL IN THIS MANNER. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 DODGE RAM 1500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE ENTIRE FRAME OF THE VEHICLE WAS COMPLETELY RUSTED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER FOR DIAGNOSIS. THE DEALER INSPECTED AND TOOK PICTURES OF THE FAILURE, SENDING THEM TO THE REGIONAL REPRESENTATIVE. THE REGIONAL REPRESENTATIVE DENIED THE CONTACT ANY ASSISTANCE WITH THE REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED BUT OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 108,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 DODGE RAM 1500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DASHBOARD WAS FRACTURED AND FALLING APART FROM THE WINDSHIELD TO THE FRONT PORTION OF THE DASHBOARD. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER AND THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 111,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 DODGE RAM 1500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE DASHBOARD DEVELOPED A FRACTURE ABOVE THE LEFT SIDE OF THE GLOVE COMPARTMENT THAT CONTINUED UP TO THE WINDSHIELD. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A LOCAL MECHANIC WHO ADVISED THE CONTACT THAT THE DASHBOARD WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE WHO DID NOT OFFER ANY IMMEDIATE ASSISTANCE AND EXPLAINED TO THE CONTACT THAT ONCE THE REPAIRS WERE PERFORMED, SHE COULD SEND THE PAPER WORK IN TO DETERMINE ELIGIBLE FOR REIMBURSEMENT. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 75,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 110,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 DODGE RAM 1500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE ENTIRE DASHBOARD WAS SEPARATED FROM THE VEHICLE CAUSING THE WIRES TO SHORTEN. AS A RESULT, THE HORN AND EXTERIOR LIGHTING FAILED INTERMITTENTLY. THE AIR BAG WAS ALSO EXPOSED. IN ADDITION, THE VEHICLE STALLED INTERMITTENTLY WHILE DRIVING. THE DEALER HAD NOT BEEN NOTIFIED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A PRIVATE MECHANIC WHO INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE ELECTRICAL WIRES WERE COMPROMISED DUE TO THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM MALFUNCTIONING SINCE THE FRAGMENTS WERE TAMPERING WITH THE WIRES. THE MANUFACTURER WAS AWARE OF THE FAILURE; HOWEVER, DID NOT OFFER ANY ASSISTANCE SINCE THERE WERE NO RECALLS. NO REPAIRS WERE PERFORMED. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 97,643 AND THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 82,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 DODGE RAM 1500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DASHBOARD WAS CRACKED AND CAUSING THE DEFROSTER TO MALFUNCTION. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER AND THE DEALER ADVISED THAT THE ENTIRE DASHBOARD NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE CONTACT CALLED THE MANUFACTURER AND THE MANUFACTURER STATED THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD DO TO ASSIST. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE LACK OF WORKING DEFROSTERS COULD IMPAIR HIS VISION AND CAUSE A CRASH. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 116,000.

2003 DODGE RAM 1500 4X4 5.7 HEMI RUSTING OUT FROM THE INSIDE OUT AROUND THE REAR WHEEL WELLS. BETWEEN THE OUTER BED SIDE AND THE INNER METAL FENDER. THERE ARE FACTORY DRILLED HOLES THAT LET THE ROAD DIRT IN AND GET TRAPPED TO RUST OUT THE BED SIDES. *TR

THE SIDE PANELS OF THE TRUCK BED STARTED TO RUST THROUGH WITH 2 INCH HOLES. THEN A COUPLE OF MONTHS LATER WE NOTICED THE TRUCK WAS MAKING A FUNNY NOISE UNDERNEATH. CLIMBED UNDER TO FIND OUT THAT THE FRAME WAS ALL RUSTED AND LARGE HOLES THROUGHOUT AND IT WAS ONLY HANGING ON BY A THIN PIECE OF RUSTED METAL. A MECHANIC WELDED A SMALL PLATE UNDERNEATH TOWARDS THE FRONT OF THE FRAME TO TRY AND HOLD THINGS TOGETHER. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 DODGE RAM 1500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE GRAB HANDLE ON THE PASSENGER SIDE BROKE AND HIT THE PASSENGER IN THE FACE. THE PASSENGER SUSTAINED SERIOUS INJURIES TO THE FACE; HOWEVER, THE OCCUPANT WAS NOT TRANSPORTED TO THE HOSPITAL. THE DEALER CONFIRMED THAT THERE WERE NO RECALLS OR WARRANTY RELATED TO THE GRAB HANDLE. THE CONTACT REFUSED TO PURCHASE THE REPLACEMENT GRAB HANDLE DUE TO THE COST. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE DODGE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 60,000.

I OWN A 2003 DODGE RAM PICKUP AND THE DASHBOARD HAS RECENTLY STARTED TO CRACK DRAMATICALLY. THERE ARE NOW 3 LARGE CRACKS IN THE DASHBOARD THAT GO FROM THE FRONT WINDSHIELD TO THE OPPOSITE EDGE OF THE DASHBOARD. I OWNED A GMC PICKUP FOR 10 YEARS AND THERE WAS NEVER A SINGLE CRACK AND I HAVE BEEN LIVING IN THE SAME ENVIRONMENT/AREA SO I KNOW THAT THE WEATHER/SUN IS NOT THE CAUSE. I AM AFRAID THAT THE CRACKS ARE GOING TO CAUSE THE ENTIRE DASHBOARD TO COLLAPSE AND POSSIBLE DAMAGE WIRING OR BE A POSSIBLE HAZARD WHILE DRIVING. *TR