This data is from the NHTSA — the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints are spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem.
So how do you find out what problems are occurring? For this NHTSA complaint data, the only way is to read through the comments below. Any duplicates or errors? It's not us.
Where the sway bar is bolted to the chassis has completely deteriorated causing sway bar to completely detach from both sides of the frame. This has caused it very difficult to steer and nearly impossible the more MPH the vehicle goes. I own another vehicle nearly exactly the same but a 1998 dodge ram 1500 vin number [XXX]. It to has the same exact problem. I believe that the quality of steel used in manufacturing the frame of these vehicles was not up to standards. INFORMATION Redacted PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).
The contact owns a 2001 Dodge Ram 1500. The contact stated that the dash board was disintegrating. Pieces of the dashboard were penetrating through the heater vacuum system, which caused the heater not to work. The manufacturer was contacted. The dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The failure mileage was 163,000.
Dash panel has cracked badly to the point pieces have fallen out exposing wires, connectors, ducts and other under-dash components. I am concerned this may affect inflation of air bags and potential for pieces of cracked dash to cause severe injury in the event of air bag deployment. Dash panel cracking on these models is well known to Chrysler, and has drawn national media attention (eg New York times, 2013). Chrysler has apparently refused to acknowledge its liability to repair this problem.
Disintegration of dashboard plastics. This is a known problem for Dodge trucks in this timeframe. If this vehicle were to be in an accident sufficient to deploy the airbags, sharp plastic shards would be propelled everywhere, including the face and eyes.
The hood latch behind the grill broke or failed. My hood flew up as I was driving down the road and shattered my windshield. The hood and hinges are bent. It felt like I hit a brick wall. I could not see anything. I gradually got to the side of the road. I could not pull the hood down. A gentleman stopped to help me and we got the hood down but it would not close. The hood had to be secured with a bungee cord. My truck was towed and is currently in the shop. They will be replacing the hood, windshield and hood latch. This was a dangerous situation I was put in from a faulty hood latch.
- Vero Beach, FL, USA
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Dash, fromt cover covering instument panel. Severly cracked so brittle, that even just a single touch makes it crack and fall apart. My youngest son has gotten cut by the sharp edges of the cracks before. Vehicle was stationary. I haven't been involved in an accident, but I would be concerned that those sharp shards of hard plastic could fly an injury my xhildren and myself.
I purchased this vehicle new in 2001. Since then, the dashboard has been replaced 3 times. Once by Dodge and 2 times by me. This dashboard continues to crack and split. Now the bezel has cracked into several pieces. Now, within the last week, the glovebox, made of the same plastic material has split and broken at the hinges. I have noticed that this is a real problem that is all over NHTSA's complaint board under several locations such as body, structural, airbags. These dashboards have cracked so badly, no one knows which portion of the vehicle that is affected but could show up in several locations. Although they have blamed this on uv degradation, I have other vehicles from 1986 and 87 that still have never had this problem. I also have A1999 Dodge 1500 that the dash has also cracked and I have replaced as well. When will NHTSA finally issue a recall for free replacements. Right now, mopar and aftermarket parts continue to sell the dashboard that has multiple defects. If the dash comes apart during a crash, shrapnel from the dash can be blown into a persons face or chest during an airbag deployment. It is all over the web about poor dashboards on this particular model. When is the recall" it is all over NHTSA's web site under various category's. when is the recall going to occur? a lot of Dodge owners are tired of pulling money out there pockets to fix a reoccurring problem for a defect that Dodge/Chrysler is aware of? the vehicle's cracking and breaking of the dash, bezel and glovebox are made of the same material. The problem cracks when the vehicle is stationary, in motion, on streets or highways. Can NHTSA help get a recall done on this continuing problem"
We own this 2001 Dodge Ram 1500. The problem we are faced with is that the paint of the truck has been fading every day to the point that it has spots and instead of being a black truck is a spot truck. The rust on it is incredible, underneath, around the trim of the tire panels and the overall bottom of the truck. I know we are in New Hampshire and the weather does not help, but a truck this expensive should not have to look the way it does. The dashboard inside the truck has cracked to the point that we have it all together with duct tape. My husband does not drive the truck far, because he is afraid it will be a safety issue. One time just going to the trash place, the breaks went on the truck and we had to have that truck fixed. It really bothers us that the truck should last longer and the condition this truck is in it says to us "how can a vehicle do this". we own two other cars, and they are in no way shape like this truck is. He takes care of the truck as much as he can, but is there any recalls or anyone else out there that has the same issues, with the paint, rust and the interior of the truck? the truck has been debilitating since it was purchased. We are not knowledgeable but we have taken the truck to the dealer and they fix what ever is wrong with it, but there is no mention of any recalls. My humble opinion this truck should be looked at by the dealer and fixed completely. We shouldn't have to be limited to travel in the truck because we are afraid it will fall apart due to all the rust etc underneath. Any information that you can provide us will be of great help. I've attached pictures of the truck so you can see what it looks like. Thank you for your attention.
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.
The contact owns a 2001 Dodge Ram 1500. While driving 30 mph, the power steering failed. The vehicle had a past failure with the brakes, corrosion of the frame, a cracked dashboard, and warning indicators illuminating since 26,000 miles. The vehicle was repaired for these failures, but not for the steering failure. The manufacturer was made aware of the failures. The failure mileage was approximately 41,000.....updated 01/04/2016
The contact owns a 2001 Dodge Ram 1500. The contact stated that sections of the plastic dashboard were cracked and separated, which created sharp plastic edges. Some of the sharp edges were located near the passenger side air bag. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 50,000.
Dashboard has completely fragmented apart. It has been taped to prevent pieces of hard plastic from dropping into electrical components. Should an accident occur, serious injury will result from dashboard breaking into many sharp shards.
Hood become unlatched and flew up at ~ 50mph and hit top of truck. It completely bent backwards and after safely maneuvering off the road, 2 people had to stand on top of each truck side panel and pull repeatedly to bend back down and latch securely. Metal is now bent and peeled back at the joint/hinge near windshield.
The hood flew open. Hood was not previously used, or opened, and was latched normally. However it just flew open, obstructing my view. Luckily I was able to crawl over to the side of the road, and did not crash. This issue has been previously recalled by Dodge in other year pick-ups, but does not look like they have ever properly corrected this safety issue. I called Dodge today and asked them if they would repair my truck, but they said it did not have a recall issued, and so they would not fix it and it was up to me.
The contact owns a 2001 Dodge Ram 1500. The contact stated that the trailer hitch fractured. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was contacted about the failure. The failure mileage was not available.
I had a cover on my dashboard and took it off to clean under it a few years ago. I noticed cracks all over the top of the dash. After a year or so I looked under the cover again & noticed there were big open spots where the dash actually was falling apart. I pulled pieces out that were large in size & now have holes in the dash exposing wiring and duct work and there are cracks that are now extending to the face of the dash. I had a chip on my window & had it replaced. When the window tech came to replace the window I told him about it so he didn't lean on it & get hurt. He said this was a common problem with this year Dodge trucks. I found this website & was reviewing all the complaints & can't believe there isn't a recall for this issue with all these complaints.
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- Norfolk, VA, USA