Consumer - There are already several complaints filed with the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration. The more complaints that are filed the more chances of a recall there will be.
Aftermarket Replacement Dash For 2003-2005 - This dash is advertised to never crack. This is the only full replacement dashboard that I have found for my 2003 Dodge 4x4 3/4 ton. They also have earlier models as well. You can also check out www.lmctruck.com and www.genosgarage.com and both of them have full replacement dashboards for the dodge pickup. Don't buy the one from Dodge, it will just crack again.
It started small, but quickly grew. My dashboard on my Dodge Ram 1500 truck started cracking and splitting. If you were to ask me what part of my truck would fail first, I would have never guessed my dashboard. It is cracking in new places that it should not be cracking when last examined. After buying American cars and trucks all my life, my next vehicle will be foreign. I have gone out of my way to buy American, but sadly no more.
I went to the Dodge dealership to buy the replacement parts and as soon as I mentioned that I needed a new dashboard the receptionist behind the counter said "You must have a Dodge Ram". Then she went on to tell me that it was a common problem.. She quoted me over eight hundred dollars for the two parts....What kind of crap is that........I am going to call Chrysler and if they dont stand behind it, then this will be my last Daimler/Chrysler product..
Right in the middle of the dash has started to crack. Have kept it clean and kept a dash lub on it to protect it. Don't know what else to do to stop it. The should recall it.
You know I figured I had enough miles on my truck things were going to start happening, its expected, but to find that this has happend to people everywhere I actually got a little pissed off. If it is this large of a problem Dodge really needs to take a look into this and make it right if they want to keep their customer base.
I noticed one guy also had the same issue with the heat pump dieing and leaking all over the passenger side of the truck, what a pain in the ass that was.
I totally thought we were alone on this issue.... I ran across these complaints on Google when I was trying to purchase a new dash board for my 2003 Dodge Ram 1500. The issue started happening in April of 05, I could not believe that a few months later it continued to get worst.... I contacted Dodge and of course it was not under guarantee..... Dodge has received many many complaints on the same problem, They need to step up and do something about it. I dont think anyone would purposely cause these embarrassing damages to there trucks on purpose.... My truck looks like crap it not only has this issue but also my paint is fading all on it's own.... What a load of crap..... I will also be filling a BBB complaint, Dodge needs to step up and admit they screwed up and take responsibility. They have not heard the end of me.
I have taken great care of the truck - inside and out. I would wipe the dash down with a damp cloth and then use UV protection products. I do this on all of my vehicles and have since my dad gave me my first vehicle at 16. The dash in my Dodge truck has (8) very noticeable cracks running from front to back and they're almost perfectly straight like they were cut. Each crack happened at different times in about a year�s time. I would never see one happen while in it. I would jump in to go somewhere and notice a new crack. It seems the material the dash is made of does not contract and/or expand with the changing temperature. Most of the time my truck sits in the driveway (under trees 90% of the day) because I use my company truck for work and home; and our SUV because of needed room for my wife and baby. I took it back to the dealer for some questions and they would not tell me anything about my year model and bad dash reports from other customers. Luckily, one salesmen I went to school with all my high school life came over and said several people has had the same problem and Dodge has knew about this for years. I know nine other Dodge truck owners with cracked or completely destroyed dashes - from 1998 to 2003. So far my dash has not had large pieces break and fall down into the AC ducts. I think Dodge should issue a recall for their dash boards and come up with a better design that allows it to move during changing temperatures. The screws should be surrounded by rubber or something of that nature. My dash does not feel brittle and it still looks shiny and smooth so this is why I believe it�s the way it's fastened to the metal framing under it. I guess this is why a Dodge loses their value quick, worst than any other maker. I do not recommend a Dodge of any kind to anyone unless they have a Chevy also. They will need something to pull it home often.
Yesterday I wiped down the interior of my 2003 Dodge Ram 1500. Today I pulled in to fill-up with gas & noticed a 8" crack on the passenger side on the dashboard which just appeared from nowhere. I looked on the internet & noticed this is a rampant problem with Dodge but Dodge refuses to do anything about it. I will have to eith but a replacement or a cover as I cannot stand to have this crack which will surely spread over time.
Here's another babied 2003 cracked dash just adding to the list hoping something will get done, love my truck, hate the eyesore dash. This truck is like new otherwise!
I have a Dodge Ram 1500, 2003 and I am still paying on it, and the dash on the passenger side just started cracking, I have owned several Ford trucks and never had this problem. I also have a 1999 Chrysler Concord and the same thing happened to the dash, something has to be done this is poor workman ship, or quality, surely Dodge and Chrysler is aware of this problem, what can be done about this
The Dash in my 2003 Ram 1500 quad cab now has approx 5 large cracks. I have already had to have my ac repaired with a cost of $150 because a piece of the cracked plastic fell in the ac vent and was hold the vent closed. The dash is constantly getting worse and my truck is in fantastic condition except for the dash. I only have 40,000 miles on it. when i called the dealer i was told that it was out of warranty and that it was my problem because there is no current recalls on the dash. I will never purchase another dodge because of the bad customer service. I have never had this type of problems with the dash in any other vehicle i have ever owned.
Just got off the phone with Dodge about the 4 canyon like cracks in my dash. All they did was give me a reference number and told me to take it to a dealership so they could diagnose the cause of the problem and then I am supposed to get back to them, of course this is all out of my pocket. I have over 99000mi on my truck and have taken great care of it inside and out. It seems to be a problem of poor quality material more than anything else. Hopefully Dodge will take some pride in their product and fix this before I get sick of it and take my business to another brand.
even though i paid extra for the extended more detail warranty i was told i was out of luck. they could offer me to fix the dash at a reduced cost of 600 dollars... so much for dodge
Post your responses in addition to carcomplaints.com but also directly to the Dodge website. Believe me, I posted both and glad to find out I didn't do anything wrong, defective product.
I am frustrated over the product in my Dodge Ram Quad La ramie truck, better know as the cracked up dash syndrome. First it started in the middle of the dash a long crack, then came the next crack not even two weeks later, and it started between where the radio and glove box are located. Now just today June 20,2008 wouldn't you guess it, another crack appeared on the far right front speaker. I just cannot believe this truck was such an expensive truck to purchase and it has such lousy dash board. I keep my sunshade on all the time so I do not understand why so many people on this site have the same cracks and in the same order, something is wrong here. I will call the 800# on Monday morning, as they have a defective interior trim and Dodge should work with the Dodge owners in replacing it would a good quality product to represent their name.
Was Googling to see how much a new dash would cost for me to install myself and didn't realize it was such a big problem. I'll probably call Dodge to report it. I'm likely to sell my truck soon anyhow. Won't be getting another Dodge anytime soon unless its a Cummins.
This is the first Dodge I have owned. I traded a Chevy in for this truck because I wanted a 4 door. My Chevy had 130,000 miles on it and looked brand new! I really take pride in what I drive. Since then, at 24,000 miles, the dash cracked (among other defects KNOWN to Dodge). When I talked to the Dodge dealer, they said "that shouldn't happen", you need to call the company. There comment was that they will not fix because the truck is a 2003, no matter how clean or low mileage the truck was. When are they going to recognize this is a problem?
Other Dodge recognized problems are: Faulty rear light housing (Dodge said "We get that a lot, it's in the housing"), Driver's window bezel mounting screw shafts cracked.
Right now, my truck has 40,000 miles on it and has already had or is needing the following repairs (aside the ones previously mentioned): Rear axle replaced at 24,500 miles; ABS pump circuit shorted; Dash glass at gauges cracked.
Hi All, My 2003 Dodge Ram 1500 Hemi's Dash is starting to crack really bad. The Speaker grill on the passenger side has broken, I have one big crack in the middle next to the front wind shield and another huge crack off right of middle closer to the seats between the radio and glove box. I called Dodge and they said they had no recalls at the moment. The guy did tell me that if they get enough complaints called in then they will be pressured to issue a recall to repair the problem. So please forward this on to everyone who owns a Dodge Truck 2002 and up so that we can get it fixed and take care of any future problems with the vehicles and the ones that are not there yet. The Dodge Customer Service number is 1-800-992-1997 and they will ask you for you last 8 characters of your VIN number. Please call in and file a complaint!!!!!!
A D V E R T I S E M E N T S
It started small, but quickly grew. My dashboard on my Dodge Ram 1500 truck started cracking and splitting. If you were to ask me what part of my truck would fail first, I would have never guessed my dashboard. It is cracking in new places that it should not be cracking when last examined. After buying American cars and trucks all my life, my next vehicle will be foreign. I have gone out of my way to buy American, but sadly no more.
- msjones1263, Plano, TX, US