I wonder if this happens from the bolts up at the windshield loosing up. The center one is in the sheet metal and the rest are on plastic sliding nuts. To get it down where you can work on it, take the steering column out, disconnect the main harness on the left side, take the hood control and brake release off. Then loosen the bottom two bolts and take the top bolts out. It will then roll down in your lap. Have some help that thing is heavy. The service manual shows how to bend a wire to hold it up, fat chance, put some pillows on the front of the seats and ease it down on them. If you need to remove it, you disconnect the rest of the stuff with it rolled down. Do yourself a favor, roll it down, then drink a pint of good whisky. After you sober up, put it back together. Only thing is you cannot close the doors with the dash rolled down. Yeah and it rained on me, had to tarp the truck.

 

I parked the truck today and just went out and I could hardly see the crack this thing is weird somehow its expanding when it warms up. probably why i didnt notice when I bought it

 

Lawnpro,

Check with the dealerships around your area, many of them have guys who do little repairs to used cars prior to them hitting the lot, if nothing else they should be able to point you in the right direction.

I have had guys fix dash assy's while in the car, weld, texture, and paint, and they hold up pretty well. Cost you about $75-100 bucks. The only other alternative would be to HIDE it with a nice molded dash carpet. Superglue and other adhesives will not work.

 

Haulin I hope you weren't drinking all that whiskey when you were overhaulin your engine???

 

The dash pad is very brittle after a relatively short period of time from the sun. I recommend not to try and glue it as it will not hold. Mine was actually damaged when the windshield was out and some guy at the shop stepped on the dash to sand the top of the truck. 1998 quadcab 2500 diesel. The shop took it off and actually sewed it, filled it, painted it, and installed it. One week after it came out of the shop it was showing cracks above every mounting hole where it is held on. When they took it off again it was just breaking into pieces as it was so brittle. They replaced it with a new one which was much more flexible. I intend to get the clear window tint to cut down on the damaging U.V.'s. Buy the way it also cracked at the windshield on the right side after it was repaired. Did not crack again on the repairs. The more you handle it the more it cracks.

 

In November of 03, I bought a 2001 RAM from my father in law in FL, and brought it back up to Virginia. Now I realize this is a diesel truck form, and I have a lowly 318 gas engine, but since January I have had the same Dash cracking problem everone here is describing. My dealer here told me $800 for a new dash , and $700 to install it. I told him he must be nuts. It really sounds like this is more than an isolated incident. Does anyone know how many cases have to be reported to force the dealer to do a recall? If anyone would like to e-mail me their name, location, and VIN number, I'd like to start a database to track how many instances of this there are. kevinRmac@aol.com Make sure you put "cracked Dash" in the subject heading so I don't accidentally delete it as some of the massive amount of junk mail I get. Thanks!

 

ive seen a few posts from people with 01 rams cracking while searching for answers on other forums. mine was out of warranty by 6k miles so i m screwed. I asked the dealer what could of caused it the other day and he said the sun. My f150 sat in the sun for 9 years and there was no cracks. This truck is only 3 yrs old and if it was the sun it would be faded and cracked in other places I believe its a defective part.

 

We've done two or three of them at work over the last couple of years.

 

My dealer gave me the Chrysler complaint number. 1-800-992-1997. They weren't exceptionally helpful, but they did document the complaint. Their automated system to get to a person is a bit of a pain... .but maybe if enough people call in, they might realize it's more than the sun.

 

I had a crack on my 99 that started moving from the defroster opening on the drivers side. I used a very small drill bit, not much larger then the crack, and "finger" drilled a hole right at the end of the crack. It hasn't moved since.

 

my 96 has no cracks in it and it sits in the sun all the time course its ranch truck there is alot of dust on the dash but i have had some dashes just turn to powerd and every thing you came in to contact with the dash it turns them the color of the dash