1996 Dodge 1500 Body & structure Problems

HEADLIGHT SWITCH OVERHEATS AND THE PLASTIC START TO MELTING

NHTSA ID

11395795

Incident

Feb 9, 2021

ON 1/27/2018 MY DASH BOARD SHATTERED WHILE I WAS ATTEMPTING TO WIPE CLEAN IT WITH MOIST TOWEL. I BOUGHT THIS VEHICLE USED FROM DODGE DEALERSHIP IN JUNE 1998 WITH 45120 MILES. AT PRESENT IT HAS ONLY 83000 APPROX. THE VEHICLE AT THE TIME WAS STATIONARY. I HAVE THE PHOTOS, UNFORTUNATELY I DO NOT KNOW HOW TO UPLOAD IT.

NHTSA ID

11065684

Incident

Jan 27, 2018

Mileage

83,009 mi

DASHBOARD STARTED CRACKING IN 2010 AND BROKE OFF INTO SHARP PIECES. I HAVE ABOUT 25% OF MY DASHBOARD LEFT. THIS WAS NOT CAUSED BY ANYTHING I DID. I KEPT A SUN REFLECTOR IN THE WINDSHIELD AND HAVE NEVER BEEN IN AN ACCIDENT. *TR

NHTSA ID

10715053

Incident

Sep 1, 2010

Mileage

140,000 mi

TL-CONTACT OWNS A 1996 DODGE RAM 1500. CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 40, VEHICLE HOOD INDEPENDENTLY. THIS CAUSED THE WINDSHIELD TO CRACK AND THERE WAS DAMAGE TO THE HOOD. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHO REPAIRED THE LATCH ON THE HOOD UNDER THEIR INDEPENDENT RECALL. THE DAMAGE TO TO THE HOOD AND REPLACEMENT OF WINDSHIELD WAS NOT DONE BY DEALER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE DEFECT. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 83,458. RG.

NHTSA ID

10610599

Incident

Jul 6, 2014

Mileage

83,458 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 DODGE RAM 1500. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH, THE HOOD LATCH DETACHED UNEXPECTEDLY WHICH CAUSED THE HOOD LID TO RELEASE AND CRASH INTO THE WINDSHIELD GLASS. AS A RESULT, THE FRONT WINDSHIELD SHATTERED UPON IMPACT. IN ADDITION, THE HOOD LID WAS SLIGHTLY BENT. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE PROBLEM. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 176,000.

NHTSA ID

10481167

Incident

Sep 27, 2012

Mileage

176,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 DODGE RAM 1500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE HOOD FLEW OPEN WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO CLOSE THE HOOD, WHICH SEEMED TO BE SECURE HOWEVER THE FAILURE RECURRED ONCE HE REACHED 60 MPH. THE HOOD VIOLENTLY STRUCK THE FRONT WINDSHIELD AND CAUSED THE GLASS TO SHATTER. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTICS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND ADVISED THE CONTACT THAT THERE WAS A MANUFACTURER'S RECALL FOR THE FAILURE BUT HE BELIEVED THAT THE RECALL WAS EXPIRED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 193,000.

NHTSA ID

10464315

Incident

Jun 28, 2012

Mileage

193,000 mi

DASH PANEL CRACKED WHICH SEEMS TO BE INDICATIVE OF DODGE PICKUP. THIS FLAW SHOULD BECOME STANDARD RECALL AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. CHRYSLER, DODGE, SHOULD STEP UP TO THE PLATE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10424001

Incident

Jun 7, 2009

1996 DODGE RAM 1500 SLT: I BOUGHT THIS TRUCK BRAND NEW AND APPROXIMATELY 5 YEARS AGO, THE DASHBOARD STARTED CRACKING. IT HAS BEEN CONTINUOUSLY CRACKING INTO LITTLE PIECES AND NOW I HAVE NO DASHBOARD AND I DON'T KNOW IF THE PASSENGER AIRBAG IS OPERABLE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10377933

Incident

Aug 1, 2006

Mileage

70,000 mi

MY DODGE RAM 1500'S DASHBOARD IS COMPLETELY FALLING APART. IT STARTED 5 YEARS AGO AND HAS ACCELERATED OVER THE PAST THREE, NO MATTER HOW PROTECTED THE DASH BOARD IS FROM THE SUN. IT HAS MULTIPLE CRACKS WHICH ARE CAUSING THE DASH BOARD TO COLLAPSE AND BECOME LOSE AND IS BECOMING A SAFETY HAZARD AS WELL AS VERY UNAPPEALING. I PURCHASED THIS TRUCK NEW AND HAVE TAKEN EXCESSIVELY GOOD CARE OF IT. THERE IS NO REASON THAT THIS PROBLEM OCCURRED DUE TO MY ACTIONS. IT IS A QUALITY OF MANUFACTURE AND MATERIALS. *TR

NHTSA ID

10367298

Incident

Jan 1, 2004

Mileage

60,000 mi

I HAVE A 1996 DODGE RAM AND LIKE JUST ABOUT EVERY OTHER RAM OWNER MY DASH IS CRACKED ALL TO PIECES.ALL THE OTHER PICTURES OF DODGE RAMS THAT HAVE CRACKED DASHES THE CRACKS ARE IN THE SAME PLACE AS MINE THIS IS A DEFECT AND DODGE KNOWS IT BUT REFUSES TO FIX IT THEY WOULD RATHER ME PAY 600.00 TO HAVE IT REPLACED THIS IS COMPLETE '!@#$%SOMEONE NEEDS TO STEP IN AND ADDRESS THIS PROBLEM. *TR

NHTSA ID

10262805

Incident

Apr 9, 1999

I BOUGHT A 96 DODGE RAM 1500 EXT CAB BRAND NEW FROM MICHIGAN I HAVE BEEN THE SOLE OWNER OF THIS VEHICLE AND TAKE CARE OF IT AS NEED BE. MY DASH BOARD STARTED OUT CRACKING THEN MORE CRACKS THAT GREW LARGER AND LARGER UNTIL THEY JUST BROKE INTO PIECES, SO NOW I HAVE NO DASH AT ALL. YOU CAN BUY NEW DASH BOARDS FROM DODGE BUT ALSO HAVE TO BUY THE BEZEL BECAUSE THE BRACKET PATTERN HAS CHANGED. THAT'S GOING TO COST AROUND $400 PLUS HAVE SOMEONE INSTALL IT. THIS IS OBVIOUSLY A FACTORY DEFECT THAT DODGE SHOULD BE HELD RESPONSIBLE FOR. MY VEHICLE IS NOT THE ONLY VEHICLE LIKE THIS I HAVE SEEN MANY OTHERS JUST IN MY AREA. *TR

NHTSA ID

10254870

Incident

Jan 10, 2007

Mileage

200,000 mi

DASH CRACKING. CRACKED EARLIER, DATE LISTED IS WHEN I BOUGHT IT. *TR

NHTSA ID

10243832

Incident

Sep 11, 2008

WHILE DRIVING SOUTH ON THE NEW JERSEY TURNPIKE ON 0/22/08, THE HOOD ON MY DODGE RAM 1500 OPENED CRASHING MY WINDSHIELD COMPLETELY AND DAMAGING THE HOOD ITSELF. I WAS ABLE TO DRIVE ALL THE WAY TO MY DESTINATION IN TEXAS. WHILE IN TEXAS, I WAS TRYING TO FIND A REPLACEMENT HOOD BUT WAS NEVER SUCCESSFUL UNTIL I DECIDED TO LOOK FOR INFORMATION ONLINE ABOUT MY TRUCK AND CAME TO THE CARFACT WEBSITE WHERE I FOUND THE WAS A RECALL ON THE SECONDARY HOOD LATCH ON IT. WHEN I CONTACTED THE CHRYSLER COMPANY ABOUT THE RECALL THE DECIDED NOT TO REPLACED THE DAMAGED HOOD AND RE-IMBURSE ME FOR THE DAMAGED WINDSHIELD. *TR

NHTSA ID

10225903

Incident

Apr 22, 2008

Mileage

189,000 mi

LARGE CRACKS IN THE TOP OF THE DASH. STARTED AS A SMALLER CRACK AND AS TIME HAS PASSED IT IS NOW ENORMOUS AND THE DASH IS SPLIT INTO 2 PIECES. *TR

NHTSA ID

10217686

Incident

Feb 11, 2008

1996 DODGE RAM 1500 DASH PAD HAS MULTIPLE CRACK EVERY DODGE OWNER I KNOW HAS THE SAME CRACKS IN THE SAME PLACES THIS IS A DEFECT I PAID ENOUGH FOR MY TRUCK AND NOW THEY SAY ITS GOING TO COST 600.00 TO FIX THIS PROBLEM SOMEONE NEEDS TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT THIS. *TR

NHTSA ID

10215843

Incident

Aug 15, 2001

DASHBOARD CRACKING AND CHUNKS COMING OFF. *JB

NHTSA ID

10202309

Incident

Aug 15, 2007

Mileage

135,000 mi

CRACKS IN THE DASHBOARD OF MY 1996 DODGE RAM 1500. I THOUGHT IT WAS SUN DAMAGE AND PURCHASED A DASHBOARD COVER FOR IT BUT HAVE SEEN ON TV THAT OTHER DODGE OWNERS HAVE SIMILAR PROBLEMS. *TR

NHTSA ID

10198377

Incident

Apr 30, 2007

I HAVE A 1996 DODGE RAM THE HOOD FLEW UP AND DAMAGED THE HOOD & GRILL AND BRACKETS. THERE WAS A RECALL ON MY HOOD LATCH, ALL THEY WANT TO DO IS REPLACE THE LATCH AND THE BRACKETS IS THIS RIGHT, DON'T THEY HAVE TO FIX THE DAMAGED PARTS CAUSED BY THE DEFECTIVE PART? I WAS NEVER NOTIFIED OF THE RECALL BECAUSE I WAS THE 2ND OWNER AND NEVER IN THERE SYSTEM. *TR

NHTSA ID

10195036

Incident

Apr 4, 2007

THE DASHBOARD WAS DEVOLOPING CRACKS THROUGHOUT. THE CRACKS WERE DEVELOPING INTO HOLES. THERE WAS NO CRASH OR INCIDENT.*AK

NHTSA ID

10190482

Incident

Jan 1, 2006

THE DASHBOARD IN THE DODGE RAMWAS CRACKED AND CAVED IN. THIS CREATED A SAFETY ISSUE AS IT EXPOSED ELECTRICAL SYSTEMS TO DAMAGE.*AK

NHTSA ID

10190303

Incident

May 9, 2007

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 DODGE RAM 1500. SEVEN YEARS AGO, THE CONTACT NOTICED THE VEHICLE'S DASHBOARD BEGINNING TO CRACK AT APPROXIMATELY 20,000 MILES. THE DASHBOARD WAS NOT REPAIRED AND THE CONTACT PUT A PADDING DOWN TO PROTECT IT FROM THE SUN. THE DASHBOARD IS STILL CRACKING. THE CONTACT HAS PICTURES. THE CURRENT MILEAGE IS 73,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 20,000.

NHTSA ID

10190287

Incident

May 6, 2000

Mileage

20,000 mi

DASH BOARD CRACKED AND FELL APART ON A 1996 DODGE RAM 1500 TRUCK. *TR

NHTSA ID

10189573

Incident

Feb 1, 2004

I BOUGHT THE DODGE RAM USED A (1996) I LOVE THE TRUCK, EXCEPT FOR THE DASHBOARD. IT STARTED AS ONE SMALL CRACK, AND IS FROM THE WINDSHIELD ALL THE WAY BACK TO THE GAUGE CLUSTER. AND NOW THERE ARE MORE CRACKS STARTING ! I KNOW IT'S JUST A MATTER OF TIME BEFORE I TOO HAVE A CAVED IN DASHBOARD! *TR

NHTSA ID

10189461

Incident

May 1, 2007

Mileage

100,000 mi

1996 RAM 1500 SWAY BAR ATTACHMENT FAILED. *TS THE CONSUMER STATED WHEN THE SWAY BAR FELL TO THE GROUND, IT CAUSED THE FRONT WHEELS TO RAPIDLY GO FROM FULL-LEFT TO FULL RIGHT AT THE RATE OF SEVERAL TIMES PER SECOND. SUBSEQUENT INSPECTION SHOWED THAT THE SWAY BAR PLATE HAD NEVER BEEN MACHINE WELDED TO THE FRAME AND FOR SEVERAL YEARS HAD BEEN HELD ON ONLY BY THREE SMALL SPOT WELDS, MEANT TO HOLD THE PLATE IN PLACE FOR THE MACHINE WELDER. THE MACHINE WELD APPEARED TO BE ABOUT AN EIGHTH TO A SIXTEENTH OF AN INCH OFF, MISSING THE ENTIRE PLATE. *JB

NHTSA ID

10174314

Incident

Sep 2, 2006

1996 DODGE RAM 1500'S SWAY BAR LINK BROKE WHILE DRIVING. *TS PRIOR TO THE SWAY BAR BREAKING, THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO SHAKE VIOLENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS BROUGHT TO A STOP ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. SUBSEQUENT INSPECTION OF THE TRUCK SHOWED THAT THE SWAY BAR PLATE HAD NEVER BEEN MACHINE WELDED TO THE FRAME AND HAD BEEN HELD ON ONLY BY THREE SPOT WELDS. THE PROBLEM WAS BROUGHT TO THE ATTENTION OF THE MANUFACTURER BUT THEY WERE NOT INTERESTED AND PROVIDED NO ASSISTANCE. *NM

NHTSA ID

10173260

Incident

Sep 2, 2006

Mileage

160,000 mi