2001 DODGE RAM 1500 Complaints

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 DODGE RAM 1500. WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH, THE HOOD OF THE VEHICLE OPENED AND SMASHED INTO THE WINDSHIELD. THE CONTACT AND THE PASSENGER DID NOT SUSTAIN ANY INJURIES AND WAS ABLE TO PULL OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING, BUT THE DETAILS WERE UNKNOWN. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE HOOD LATCH FAILED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 59,000.

REAR BRAKE LINE HEAVILY CORRODED AND RUPTURED IN BETWEEN THE FUEL TANK AND THE FRAME (VERY LITTLE CORROSION TO THE SURROUNDING PARTS/FRAME). FORTUNATELY THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED WHEN THE LINE BROKE AND I NOTICED I HAD LOST VIRTUALLY ALL BRAKING ABILITY WHILE ATTEMPTING TO PUT IT IN GEAR. I HAD DRIVEN IT 10 MINUTES PRIOR TO THE LINE FAILING, AND HAD NOTICED NO DEGRADATION WHATSOEVER.

EVERY SECOND GENERATION DODGE RAM TRUCK HAS THIS ISSUE. THE DASHBOARD FALLS APART AND SHATTERS INTO SHARP KNIFE-LIKE PIECES OF PLASTIC THAT CAN AND DO BLOW INTO YOUR EYES WHILE DRIVING OR CUT YOU WHILE DRIVING OR STATIONARY. I FEAR THAT IF MY AIRBAG DEPLOYED THE SHARP PIECES OF PLASTIC THAT WOULD BE SENT FLYING COULD INJURE ME OR EVEN BE FATAL. THIS IS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM THAT IS VERY WELL DOCUMENTED. THE FACT THAT SOMETHING THIS COMMON AND DANGEROUS HASN'T ENDED IN THE RESULT OF A RECALL OR REPLACEMENT IS ASTONISHING. I LOVE MY TRUCK BUT I AM SO AFRAID TO DRIVE IT. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 DODGE RAM 1500 EQUIPPED WITH COOPER DAKOTA MT (NA) TIRES, SIZE LT285/75R16 (NA). WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 70 MPH, A NOISE WAS HEARD COMING FROM THE FRONT PASSENGER WHEEL AND THE VEHICLE PULLED TO THE RIGHT. AFTER STOPPING THE VEHICLE, THE CONTACT DISCOVERED THAT THE TREAD SEPARATED FROM THE TIRE. THE TIRE WAS EXAMINED BY THE MANUFACTURER WHO INDICATED THAT THE FAILURE WAS CAUSED BY AGE, DRYNESS, AND WEAR. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE VEHICLE AND TIRE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 80,000.

WHEN I GO TO OPEN THE DOOR THE LIGHTS DON'T WORK , AND THE DASHBOARD ON MY TRUCK BREAKS INTO PIECES I NEED A NEW ONE!!

I WENT OUT TO MY TRUCK THE OTHER DAY AND NOTICED THAT THE DASHBOARD WAS STARTING TO CRACK ABOVE THE AIRBAG. I HAVE OWNED THIS TRUCK SINCE NEW BUYING IT FROM THE DEALER. THIS TRUCK HAS NEVER BEEN IN A WRECK. NOW THAT THE DASH IS CRACKING RIGHT ABOVE THE AIRBAG I'M AFRAID TO DRIVE IN ANYWHERE LET ALONE PUTTING MY FAMILY AT RISK.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2001 DODGE RAM 1500. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH, THE CONTACT CRASHED INTO A TREE TRUNK TO AVOID STRIKING A DEER. BOTH FRONTAL AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THERE WERE NO INJURIES REPORTED AND A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED AND TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100,000.

AFTER ABOUT 11,000 MILES THE DASH BEGAN TO GET CRACKS AND FALL APART. IT GRADUALLY HAS GOTTEN TO THE POINT THAT THERE ARE VERY LARGE HOLES AND PIECES OF THE DASH HAVE GOTTEN INTO THE DUCT WORK OF THE VEHICLE. ALSO HAVE BEEN HAVING ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS WITH FUSES BLOWING. THAT IS WHEN I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO VANN DODGE IN VINELAND NJ AND REPORTED THE PROBLEM. THEY TOOK PHOTOS AND LATER CALLED ME AND SAID THE DETERMINED THAT THE DASH WAS FAILING BECAUSE OF EXPOSURE TO SUN!!! THE VEHICLE IS GARAGED OR PARKED IN THE SHADE FOR MOST OF ITS EARLY LIFE AND CRACKS AND CHUNKS HAPPENED FOR NO APPARENT REASON, BUT THIS IS PROBABLY THEIR WAY OUT OF FIXING THE PROBLEM. NOW COMES ANOTHER PROBLEM OR INCIDENT THAT HAPPENED TO ME BECAUSE OF THIS FAULTY PLASTIC THAT WAS USED TO CONSTRUCT THE DASH. I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD AND TURNED ON MY DEFROSTER AND A PIECE OF PLASTIC BLEW OUT OF THE VENT ON THE TOP OF THE DASH OR LACK THERE OF, AND HIT ME IN THE FACE CAUSING ME TO SWERVE AND ALMOST HIT AN ONCOMING CAR. I WAS LUCKY THAT THE CAR AVOIDED ME OR IT COULD HAVE BEEN TRAGIC. I WENT BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP 2 MONTHS AGO TO HAVE SERVICE ON A DIFFERENT VEHICLE AND QUESTIONED THEM ON THE STATUS OF ANY RECALL AND THEY ASKED ME FOR MY VIN # OF MY DODGE RAM PICKUP WHICH I PROVIDED AND THEY SAID THERE IS NO RECORD OF ME TAKING THE VEHICLE TO THEM FOR A INSPECTION, WHICH IS TOTALLY FALSE!!! THEY CONVENIENTLY LOST MY RECORDS ON MY PICK UP!!!!! SOMETHING HAS GOT TO BE DONE TO PREVENT SOMEONE FROM BEING KILLED DUE TO THIS FAULT OF CHRYSLER CORP. I HAVE PUT A REPLACEMENT SKIN ON THE DASH BUT THERE WAS NOT MUCH LEFT TO ADHERE THE SKIN TO AT A COST OF NEARLY $300 BUT THE PIECES CONTINUALLY FALL INTO THE VENTS. THANK YOU *TR

THE DASH ON MY 2001 DODGE RAM 1500 IS CRACKING IN MANY DIFFERENT PLACES. THE FRONT BEZEL ON THE INSTRUMENT GAUGE PANEL IS ALSO CRACKING. MY DODGE RAM HAS UNDER 60,000 MILES ON IT. I HAVE ALWAYS USED A SUN SHADE ON THIS TRUCK, SO THE CRACKING IS NOT FROM SUN EXPOSURE. I KNOW THIS IS HAPPENING TO MOST DODGE TRUCKS AROUND THE SAME YEAR AS MINE. THIS SHOULD BE RECALLED AND SHOULD BE REPLACED BY THE MANUFACTURER .

THE DASHBOARD ON THIS VEHICLE HAS BROKEN INTO MANY JAGGED PIECES. THIS WAS NOT CAUSED BY MYSELF OR BY THE VEHICLE'S AGE. IT WAS CAUSED BY THE USE OF FAULTY MATERIALS. IF I WERE TO GET INTO ACCIDENT, THESE JAGGED PIECES COULD EASILY BE PROJECTED INTO ME. I HAVE CONTACTED THE MANUFACTURER THREE TIMES ABOUT THIS AND THEY REFUSE TO FIX THEIR MISTAKE.