2001 Dodge Ram - collapsing dashboards

news-press.com http://snipurl.com/1j409

ORLANDO — Several owners of 2001 Dodge Rams
http://snipurl.com/beware_of_Rams are reporting that the dashboards on
their vehicles are mysteriously collapsing or cracking, possibly
putting their lives in danger, according to an investigation by WKMG
Local 6 News.

Local 6 showed video from the inside three 2001 Dodge Rams belonging to
Central Floridians. Two of the vehicles had cracks and the third had a
large hole on the dashboard.

"The (dashboard) is practically sunk," Local 6's Steven Cooper said
about one of the vehicle's dashboards. "Think of this as a sinkhole on
your dashboard."

Billi Hilt was the first viewer to report the cracks to Local 6 News.
Hilt said she called Local 6 after she called someone at Dodge. "He
told me it wasn't a recall item so there was absolutely nothing they
would do about it," Hilt said.

Another Dodge Ram owner in Central Florida, Suzanne Hudson, said she
got the same response. "I had gone to the Dodge where I had purchased
the truck and had showed that to them and they said they were aware
there has been problems like that in the past but (it is) not a recall
problem so they would pay for half of it," Hudson said. Hudson said
once her dashboard caved in, she started having electrical problems.
She said a mirror and front speaker no longer work inside the vehicle.
Hudson said the wiring was either clipped when the dashboard collapsed
or started melting when the hole left wiring exposed to the harsh sun.
Hudson also said she was traveling down a road at night and tried to
turn on her bright lights when her Ram's lights instead shut completely
off.

Dodge Ram owner Scott Whitney said he is convinced the apparent
dashboard problem is unique to Dodge. "You don't see Chevrolets running
around with cracks or Fords running around with their dashboards caving
in," Whitney said...

Customers are urged to call (800) 992-1997 to report any concerns.

 

It's a good thing "Local 6" found a competent engineer in Ms. Hudson,
otherwise they'd
never make the correlation. She better fix that [admittedly cheap-ass
plastic] dash before
she blows out a tire or cuts a fart.

What total news agency shit. <flush>

 

Maybe they ought to look at the splits in the dash of the 300M's over
the passenger side airbags. Dash must be made by the same supplier. No
help from DC on that problem either from what I understand.

Bill Putney
(To reply by e-mail, replace the last letter of the alphabet in my
address with the letter 'x')