Investigations
| NHTSA ID | Manufacturer | Date open | Date close | Subject | Recall campaign | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| STRUCTURE - BODY - HOOD - HINGE AND ATTACHMENTS | ||||||
| PE08047 | CHRYSLER GROUP LLC | 07/25/2008 | 12/17/2008 | 2000-2001 DODGE RAM PICKUP HOOD LATCH | ||
| The agency opened this investigation based on 30 complaints alleging that the hoods on model year (my) 2000 and 2001 dodge ram pickup trucks flew up and blocked the driver's vision.these vehicles have a primary hood latch and a secondary (backup) hood latch.the secondary latch is designed to secure the hood if the primary hood latch is not properly closed or otherwise malfunctions.in these complaints, the secondary hood latch malfunctioned, apparently due to corrosion, and did not latch.dodge conducted recall 01v-040 in 1999 to address similar problems on model year 1994-1997 dodge ram pickup trucks.the information chrysler provided in response to odi's information request letter indicated that the my 2000 and 2001 vehicles were equipped with secondary hood latches with stainless steel return springs, as opposed to the earlier recalled trucks that had zinc coated carbon steel return springs.the recalled components were susceptible to corrosion-induced failure due to the type of material used, whereas the corrosion failures in the newer models appear to be due to lubrication loss over time (regular application of grease is advised per instructions in the owners' manual). odi's review of chrysler's warranty, complaint, and injury data for the 2000 and 2001 vehicles indicates that the rates for subject vehicles are low and are declining.a potential defect trend has not been identified.this investigation is closed. | ||||||
Consumer Complaints
| Fail date | miles | occurences | Purchase date |
|---|---|---|---|
| STRUCTURE | |||
| 01/03/2012 | 95213 | 1 | |
| Dash board has multiple cracks and has sunken in. *tr | |||
| 08/05/2003 | 17500 | 1 | |
| 2001 dodge ram 1500 pickup has cracked dashboard. started about 2 years after i bought the truck new. still has new cracks developing. some cracks extend into passenger airbag compartment and into driver's instrument panel. installed carpeted dashboard cover to help prevent the cracks from progressing but they still remain to increase in size. appears that whenever the a/c or heater is used the cracks extend and can be heard audible. the rapid change in interior temperature when using the a/c or heater can cause the cracks to quickly extend. have to slowly increase temperature to reduce the failure rate. have tried everything to prevent the cracks but nothing helps. concerned now about the airbag compartment being comprised and leading to premature airbag deployment. the dashboard appears to very brittle and every precaution is used not to place any weight on dashboard. over the years, several cracks have appeared and dashboard is developing new ones. some cracks now extend into the dashboard trim that attach to the main dashboard. dodge is aware of the problem but refuse to do anything about it. cost is very expensive to replace. at this time, passenger airbag is turned off as a dodge mechanic advised me to do since the airbag might accidentally deploy due to a major crack into airbag compartment. *tr | |||
| 07/06/2007 | 35000 | 1 | |
| 2001 dodge ram pickup 1. normal usage at 35,000 miles. 2. cracked dashboard may cause injury/ exposure to electrical components. the entire dashboard appears to be caving in. 3. dodge has yet to accept responsibility after repeated complaints. *tr | |||
| 05/15/2009 | 141000 | 1 | |
| 2001 dodge ram sport cracking dash. *tr | |||
| 07/10/2005 | 32000 | 1 | |
| 2001 dodge ram quad cab short bed pickup has mysterious failure of the dashboard. cracks extend throughout. very concerned about potential dangers associated with a collision and airbag deployment. pieces of the dashboard could become dangerous projectiles causing serious injury or death. cracks began in july of 2005 and have become so severe by 2009 there is not much of the dashboard left intact. *tr | |||
| 07/15/2008 | 105000 | 1 | |
| No indications of failure before occurrence, top dash piece cracked and broke (essentially shattered) across the whole dash also caused the bezel to crack and brake i have heard of several others with the same make and model that have the same trouble. *tr | |||
| 08/10/2006 | 120000 | 1 | |
| In 2004 i purchased a 2001 dodge ram quad cab 1500 truck from a local dealer. the truck was in great shape. about 3 yrs. later i noticed the dash starting to crack from the defrost vents outward. with in a week i had large holes in the middle of my dash. the plastic pieces that broke off fell down inside. i contacted a local dealership and was told that they knew of this problem but because it was not a recall they couldn't do nothing about it. i feel from being a medic firefighter that this is a safety issue. if i should be involved in an accident and my passenger side airbag becomes deployed more pieces of the dash can become projectiles causing damage and bodily injury. *tr | |||
| 01/29/2009 | 139000 | 1 | |
| The dash on my 2001 dodge ram 1500 started to crack about eight months ago. it began as a small crack near the defroster area on the passenger side and grew to about eight inches toward the front of the dash. a second crack began within the last couple months and also grew to about eight inches. this time much more rapidly. i use my truck only for short trips to work and back and rarely take passengers. nothing is, or has ever been, stored on the dash, yet it continues to crack. i have read about 50 complaints on the same issue for this model year vehicle. i too share the concern that continued cracking of the dash with pieces caving in will negatively impact electrical connections under the dash and possible even prevent the passengers side airbag from properly deploying in the event of an accident. *tr | |||
| 02/10/2007 | 1 | ||
| 2001 dodge ram pickup dash board cracked and fell apart exposing sharp plastic shards to diver and passenger. *tr | |||
| 10/22/2008 | 126000 | 1 | |
| 2001 dodge quad 3/4 ton v10 - dash cracked in one place on passenger side - later dash caved in leaving huge hole. we purchased a dash cap at the cost of $130.00 to correct the problem as we could not drive around with a big hole in the dash right above a/c vents. *tr | |||
| 02/19/2003 | 1 | ||
| 2001 dodge ram 1500 pick-up dash is almost completly collapsed/broken. *tr | |||
| 04/15/2004 | 60000 | 1 | |
| Dash on 2001 dodge quad cab has been cracking for the last 3 years even into air bag department, dodge company says they are not responsible for the dash, i think its is time dodge steps in before someone is kill there are enough complaints the national safety board steps in and investigate as to what went wrong. *tr | |||
| 08/27/2008 | 61000 | 1 | |
| The dashboard is cracking starting at the defroster vent and continuing on the passenger side to the air bag compartment. only 60,000 miles on the vehicle and has been well maintained. dealer claims there is no remedy with dodge and i will have to pay to install new dashboard. this is definitely a safety hazard if the air bag were to deploy as shape pieces of loose plastic have the potential to harm passengers. *tr | |||
| 05/27/2008 | 80000 | 1 | |
| Dash board cracked and fell apart. *tr | |||
| 06/01/2008 | 80000 | 1 | |
| Excessive dash board cracking!! in a months time 2 large cracks have appeared on the dashboard leading me to believe that crash safety may be compromised. *tr | |||
| 05/03/2007 | 100000 | 1 | 08/24/2003 |
| My 2001 dodge ram 1500 4x4 dash has completely cracked to pieces. it started out as just two cracks. now hunks of the dash are falling out, about 8 months later. it just continues to get worse. *tr | |||
| 01/01/2004 | 45000 | 2 | 10/24/2003 |
| Cracked dash-we purchased our 2001 dodge ram 1500 4x4 quad cab used in oct 2003 with less than 46,000 miles on odometer. when we purchased the truck the cup holder was not closing properly and we asked the dealership to adjust it. they did but it still did not close properly or hang properly and was not usable as is. cup holder fell completely off within about 3 months although we couldn't use it much. our dash began to crack within the same time of purchasing the truck and now the bezel is cracked so badly is it falling in. we are looking into purchasing a bezel now because it is just so bad now. when the truck was purchased the dash had a rattling that we couldn't figure out, it is obviously the bad dash bezel design. we did purchase a new cup holder when fixing it didn't work anymore. i do not have the old cup holder but i can tell you the hinges broke completely off of it. my husband put new screws in and tried to save it before we finally bought a new one. the dash bezel will be available and i believe the pieces will be inside(somewhere)the wiring of the truck. i am so dissatisfied by this cheap fragile plastic in my dash. oh, and my glove box is now acting up and i open that exactly once a year to change information like insurance, registration, etc. guess i will be buying a new glove box sometime too. *tr | |||
| 04/01/2006 | 73120 | 1 | 05/12/2001 |
| Cracked dash. dash has cracked in multiple places with some cracks running from front to back, cracking crack to crack, and exposing undersurface. dealer indicated this is a common problem and wants to charge in excess of $1100 to repair. internet complaints make this appear to be a factory known defect that has occurred very often with safety concerns. *tr | |||
| 07/01/2005 | 32198 | 1 | 01/01/2001 |
| Dashboard cracking in my 2001 dodge ram 1500. *tr updated 01-14-08. *kb updated 12/12/07. *jn | |||
| 03/01/2007 | 110000 | 1 | 05/11/2006 |
| Dashboard cracking/breaking off leaving jagged edges to the extent that it is dangerous to drive. *ak | |||
| 06/01/2006 | 0 | ||
| The dashboard on my 2001 dodge ram is cracked in several places with big gaping holes. after googling this problem, i discovered there are thousands of these. *tr | |||
| 09/05/2006 | 69000 | 7 | 08/10/2004 |
| Dashboard cracking in several places long crack by passenger side airbag. total of 7 cracks that keep getting larger. noticed first one sept. 2006. *tr | |||
| 06/01/2006 | 56000 | 4 | 06/09/2001 |
| I am the original owner of a 2001 dodge quad cab dashboard is almost completely gone from cracking. had a piece come off as i was driving, and hit me in the eye while windows were open..called d/c once, no response..called today, and they said they would look at it for me..report from local tv showed this to be a major problem. the electrical components are failed. *ak | |||
| 10/15/2006 | 1 | ||
| Dashboard cracked and pieces fell out. *ak | |||
| 12/01/2006 | 75433 | 1 | 10/27/2001 |
| The dashboard on the 2001 dodge ram 1500 was falling apart. *ak | |||
| 02/17/2003 | 58000 | 1 | 10/14/2002 |
| Cracked dashboard bad and getting worse. *tr | |||
| 02/16/2007 | 1 | ||
| I own a 2001 dodge ram pick up. approximately 2 years ago we discovered that the dashboard had cracked in numerous places. we had it replaced while the vehicle was still under warranty. we have discovered that the replaced dashboard is again cracking. i feel that these particular models are defective and i would like for the dashboard to be exchanged again without cost to me as a consumer. i do not want this dashboard caving in like others that have been reported with the same problems. i dearly love my truck and it's a shame that an item such as this could decide whether i buy from dodge in the future. thank you for your consideration of this request. *tr | |||
| 12/10/2001 | 25000 | 1 | 05/25/2000 |
| On going problem with our 2001 dodge trucks complete front dash cracking and falling in on itself. i continue to use an epoxy and silicon to try to hold it together. dodge and the dealership told us it was a cosmetic problem. no warranty *tr | |||
| 05/01/2007 | 47000 | 1 | 09/10/2003 |
| Large cracks in dash of truck becoming a safety hazard. plastic dash and gauge bezel cracking badly. i have not found this issue on the 2000 or 2002 model. i have also spoken to other owners of this vehicle with the same year and cracking of the dash, suspect this to be a defect in manufacturing. *tr | |||
| 03/01/2005 | 69000 | 1 | 02/09/2001 |
| This complaint concerns the disintegration of the dashboard on the 2001 dodge ram pickup. my truck was only 4 yrs old when it started cracking. it is totally unacceptable for a auto manufacturer to produce something that falls apart so quickly and then not offer to replace it. i am also having problems with the left front speaker, probably due to the wiring being damaged with the breakage. *tr | |||
| 04/28/2005 | 1 | 04/28/2005 | |
| We seen on local 6 wkmg a story concerning dashboards cracking on dodge ram trucks. well, we're one of the statistics. we own a 2001 dodge ram 2500 quad cab turbo diesel, with a cracked dashboard, or should i say many cracks! the speaker volume goes up and down with every whim, never knowing when it's going to happen. could happen during a turn or maybe going over a bump. one of the cracks has invaded down to the light switch, which makes me very nervous wondering if my lights might go out some night while i'm driving. the incident date for us, is when we bought the truck as we bought it used and it continued to crack over time. *tr | |||
| 04/05/2006 | 75000 | 1 | 09/12/2003 |
| Cracking dash on my 2001 dodge ram truck. *nm | |||
| 05/16/2003 | 10236 | 1 | 07/21/2000 |
| I have a 2001 dodge ram 1500 quad cab, which is a nice truck. i started noticing a crack in the dash about a year after i got it. since then it has cracked in several places, with pieces falling out. i removed the dash from the truck and ended up with about 20 pieces. dodge or the dealership won't do anything. i will have to pay 200.00 dollars for a new dash in order to replace a defected one. *nm | |||
| 10/23/2005 | 6 | ||
| The dash- has cracks that run the length of the dash total of six the truck only has 29,000 miles and is garaged all the time. i feel this is a defect. the truck has never been abused in anyway before last week my truck was in excellent shape. *nm | |||
| 06/01/2001 | 5000 | 02/24/2001 | |
| Dash cracked within a year of owning the truck. i asked when it was a small crack to be replaced. the service manager at landers in little rock, ar tried to say i had cut it. now that the factory warranty is out the dash has become a mess cracked from end to end, side to side. in looking for a solution to my problem i have been to salvage yards and an independant who rebuilds and works on dodge trucks exclusively and all have said they have had an extreme run on 2001 dodge dashes as of the last 12 months. | |||
| STRUCTURE - BODY | |||
| 06/01/2005 | 90000 | 1 | |
| 2001 dodge ram 1500 quad cab approximately 4 years ago, june 2005, 2 small cracks opened on the dashboard, one above the glove box and the other above the speedometer. over the last 4 years these cracks have gotten bigger and spread length and width across the dash board. the dash board is literally in pieces. the air conditioning quit working a short time after the 2 initial cracks occurred. we have not taken any corrective actions. i would like to pursue having chrysler repair the defective parts, we have lived with it long enough. *tr | |||
| 04/03/2003 | 1 | 03/05/2001 | |
| Dashboard on the 2001 dodge off road had multiple cracks across the entire dashboard. it was , a safety concern with flying particles and with proper operation of the air bags. this truck was very new when the cracks began to appear. almost every dodge with the same year that i have seen had the same problem. if you go to almost any dodge forum you could see that this has happened to thousands of other people, and dodge will not do anything about it .please help. thank you. *ak | |||
| STRUCTURE - BODY - HOOD - HINGE AND ATTACHMENTS | |||
| 03/07/2010 | 134300 | 1 | |
| The hood unexpectedly flew open and smashed the windshield of my 2001 dodge ram 1500 truck! the front end of the truck is now destroyed and i have come to find out that this truck has already been recalled for this exact same issue from 1994-1999. obviously it was not fixed after 1999 because i have located 9 other people besides myself who own 2001 models and who have had the exact same problem. *tr | |||
| 07/14/2006 | 115930 | 1 | 12/19/1999 |
| Two hours of highway travel 45-65 mph. traveling north on interstate 91, 1 mile south of exit 3 vermont @approximately 13:50 speed approximately 65 mph. hood unexpectedly flew up and back against the windshield blocking all field of view. luckily, i was able to slow down and once off a bridge pulled over in the emergency lane. damage to windshield, hood, hinges and grille. 3 other passengers in the vehicle but no one was hurt. latched the hood down with rope and slowly returned to 336 knower rd westminster. inspection of the hood latches showed both very rusty and the safety latch frozen. this appears to have failed. all equipment was original on the vehicle. *jb | |||