1999 Dodge Ram 2500 Owner Complaints

I know I am not the only one that thinks this is a bad problem, in fact I have not met a person that has owned this era of Dodge Ram that has their Dashboard and the whole parts inside can have been falling apart. Mine has fallen and hit my legs and or lap. Now I don’t mean the whole dash at one time but I have glued, taped and put a dash pad over top to try to keep things from falling into the vents and blower motor or anything that is behind and under the top. This is a definite safety problem cause I never know when this will happen and happening more often. I bought this truck with 11 miles on it from Logansport Indiana, September of 1999. I had been looking for a 2 wheel drive with a Cummins 5.9 Diesel and found it there in Logansport we lived in Lafayette Indiana and hoped we would be able to travel and see this beautiful country. My Wife’s family started having medical problems and after we did what we could for them, then my family needed help and none wanted nursing homes so we put aside our wishes and took care of them. They took care of us even so to many on both sides didn’t want to take care of us and some didn’t even want us, luckily we knew what that felt like so we didn’t turn our backs when we were needed, (Golden Rule) All that aside we wanted to be able to take the Airstream 2002 we got in 2020 still wanted to travel. We sold Florida home and made sure 2500 Ran was mechanical sound and power train was checked, oil, transmission fluid changed put helper bags on leaf springs and drove to Indiana, sold our home we had bought in 78 and sold that house and pulled the Airstream to Tucson Az to find our forever home and think we might have finally got one and put our dream of travel aside. I was diagnosed with Miligant Myloma in Florida Cancer Center and went through Radiation and Chemotherapy in Port Charlotte Florida before the trip and now just went through Radiation here at Banner University Cancer Center and go see my Cancer Doctor at VA here to see

NHTSA ID

11516771

Incident

May 16, 2007

While wiping down the dashboard, I sliced my finger open on a piece of the dashboard which was sticking up. This dashboard is a brittle as a potato chip and had cracked but I didn't notice it since the crack was very near the windshield and the section that broke apart was at the defroster vent situated away from my viewpoint.

NHTSA ID

11462403

Incident

Apr 27, 2022

THE DASHBOARD HAS DISINTEGRATED CAUSING EXPOSURE TOO WIRING, INTERMITTENT DIAGNOSED AND UNDIAGNOSED PROBLEMATIC WIRING ISSUES WITH INTERMITTENT 'NO BUS' CAUSING LOSS OF POWER ON FREEWAY. DEALER UNABLE OR UNWILLING TO FURTHER DIAGNOSE ISSUE UNLESS ENTIRE DASHBOARD PLASTIC IS REPLACED UNFORTUNATELY IT IS THE SAME PLASTIC THAT NUMEROUS PEOPLE ACCORDING TO DEALER AND ACCORDING TO SEVERAL INTERNET SEARCHES THAT THE DASHBOARD PLASTIC WAS NOT MANUFACTURED PROPERLY CAUSING PHYSICAL, EMOTIONAL AND FINANCIAL HARM TO TENS OF THOUSANDS OF DODGE /CHRYSLER OWNERS. WHEN MY TRUCK LOST ALL POWER I WAS DRIVING IN FAST LANE OF FWY. ALL POWER WAS GONE INCLUDING BRAKES AND STEERING. HAD TO USE MUSCLE POWER TO STEER AND LET VEHICLE SLOW ENOUGH TO USE FORCE TO BRAKE. MULTIPLE PEOPLE HAVE INFORMED THE NHTSA IN REGARDS TO THE DASHBOARD. THE NHTSA WOULD ONLY INVESTIGATE IF I HAD DIED.

NHTSA ID

11365018

Incident

Jul 20, 2016

Mileage

114,705 mi

WENT TO HAVE A FRONT END ALIGNMENT DONE BECAUSE THE TRUCK FELT OFF IN THE FRONT WHEN DRIVING.AND THE MECHANIC STATED HE COULDN'T DO IT AS THE FRAME IS ROTTED WHERE THE DRIVERS SIDE SWAY BAR BOLTS TO THE FRAME. IT IS RIGHT BEFORE THE STEERING GEAR BOX AND WAS TOLD IT'S A HUGE PROBLEM THAT THESE DODGE'S HAVE. TRUCK ONLY HAS 98000 MILES ON IT AND IT IS ALWAYS GARAGED. MAINTENANCE ALWAYS DONE AS STATED PER THE OWNERS MANUAL. IT'S NOT SAFE TO DRIVE.

NHTSA ID

11311588

Incident

Feb 21, 2020

Mileage

98,000 mi

DRIVING OVER A SPEED BUMP UNDER 5 MPH THE DASH BOARD CRUMBLED INTO SEVERAL PIECES. IF THIS WERE TO HAPPEN IN A COLLISION THAT SHRAPNEL WOULD BE DEADLY. MY TRUCK ONLY HAS 99800 MILES ON IT. IN EXCELLENT CONDITION THERE IS NO REASON FOR THIS TO HAPPEN. THERE ARE THOUSANDS OF COMPLAINTS ONLINE ABOUT THESE DASHBOARDS JUST FALLING APART. IT'S A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE AND DODGE NEEDS TO BE MADE TO RECALL THEM.

NHTSA ID

11310446

Incident

Feb 20, 2020

Mileage

99,800 mi

AFTER RELATIVELY SHORT LIFE, THE SEAT BELT CONTROL TIMER MODULE FAILS, LEAVING SEAT BELTS INOPERABLE - A SIGNIFICANT SAFETY HAZARD!! SEAT BELTS REMAIN IN A LOCKED POSITION, PREVENTING USE WHILE DRIVING. DODGE P/N 56043003AD. DODGE HAS RECEIVED REPORTS ABOUT THE PROBLEM ALONG WITH REQUESTS TO PURCHASE PART, FOR MANY YEARS BUT HAS CHOSEN TO STOP PRODUCTION OF THE PART. THAT WOULD NOT BE AS BIG AN ISSUE IF THEY HAD ENSURED AN ONGOING SUPPLY FROM THIRD PARTY VENDORS. AS IT STANDS, THEY HAVE CREATED A MAJOR SAFETY CRISIS FOR TENS OF THOUSANDS OF USERS OF THE LATE 90'S TO EARLY 2000'S TRUCKS.

NHTSA ID

11162295

Incident

Dec 18, 2018

FOR NO APPARENT REASON THE AIR BAG LIGHT CAME ON. IT SEEMS TO BE THE CLOCK SPRING MECHANISM. THE CURRENT RECALL FOR THIS PROBLEM DOES NOT INCLUDE MY VEHICLE, WHERE I BELIEVE IT SHOULD.

NHTSA ID

11101121

Incident

Mar 21, 2018

Mileage

165,000 mi

THIS IS MY SECOND COMPLAINT REGARDING DASH BOARD. THE DASH STARTED CRACKING WITH JUST 30,000 MILES ON TRUCK, WHEN I PUT IN COMPLIANT TO NHTSA. NOW 109,000 THE ELECTRICAL, AIR BAGS, COMPUTER HARNESS WIRING ARE EXPOSED WITH A INTERMITTENT STALLING AND A GUESSING GAME FROM AUTHORIZED DODGE DEALERS AS TO WHAT MIGHT BE THE ISSUES. "UNDETERMINED ELECTRICAL SHORTS FROM CRACKED DASH A POSSIBILITY" "ABS SERVICE LIGHT STAYS ON, ALSO "UNDETERMINED BY DEALER", "CAN'T TRACK CODE" "DON'T DRIVE AS AIRBAG MIGHT DEPLOY BECAUSE DASH HAS DASH DEBRIS FROM CRACKS" PLUS HEARING "REFUSE TO SERVICE UNLESS REPLACE THE DASHBOARD" ALL THESE QUOTES WHEN TRYING TO TAKE TO GET THE TRUCK FIXED. MAIN COMPUTER HARNESS INTERMITTENT "NO BUS" CAN'T FIND SHORTS! STALLS OUT ON FREEWAY. THE GLOVE BOX EVEN HANGS ON ONLY ONE SIDE. UNSAFE IF AIRBAGS DEPLOY. SPLINTERING OF REMAINS CHARDS OF FAULTY DASHBOARD PLASTIC, STALL ON FAST LANE OF 14 FREEWAY IN CA HAD TO COAST TO RIGHT SIDE WITH NO POWER STEERING LUCKY THE BRAKES WORKED AND THE TRAFFIC WAS LIGHT. SHORT IN WIRE DUE TO EXPOSED DASH BOARD.

NHTSA ID

11058145

Incident

Jul 23, 2010

Mileage

100,000 mi

THE DASH IS BREAKING INTO SHARP PIECES THAT MAY HIT OCCUPANTS AND CAUSE INJURY IN AN ACCIDENT.

NHTSA ID

10994213

Incident

Oct 15, 2005

Mileage

95,000 mi

THE DASHBOARD OF MY 99 DODGE RAM IS COMPLETLY SHATTERED. IT IS SO BRITTLE THAT IT CRUMBLES WHEN TOUCHED. I HAVE HAD PIECES BREAK OFF JUST BY TURNING ON MY DEFROSTER. PIECES HAVE FALLEN OFF WHILE GOING OVER A SPEED BUMP.

NHTSA ID

10935568

Incident

Sep 10, 2015

Mileage

245,000 mi

SEAT BELTS FAIL TO LOCK AT BRAKING AND ALSO FAIL TO RETRACT

NHTSA ID

10935033

Incident

Dec 2, 2016

Mileage

235,000 mi

SEAT BELTS ARE LOCKED IN A RETRACTED POSITION. THIS WAS FIRST NOTICED UPON ENTERING THE VEHICLE AFTER IT HAD BEEN PARKED. THE SEAT BELT CONTROL TIMER MODULE (SCTM) IS LIKELY THE CAUSE OF THIS MALFUNCTION. THIS PART IS NO LONGER BEING MANUFACTURED, SO THE SEAT BELTS REMAIN UNUSABLE.

NHTSA ID

10928898

Incident

Oct 28, 2016

Mileage

130,000 mi

DASH FALLING APART IN CLUDING AIR BAG AIR BAG S/W VENTS FALLING OUT THE BEZEL FALLING THE GLOVE CONPARTMENT FALLING WIRES CUT HAD TO BE REPAIRED RADIO FELL OUT OF DASH GOT A DASH BOARD COVER AND HAVE TO TAPE THE CONPONITS TOGEATHER NEED TO REPLACE HEATER CORE NO SHOP WILL DO IT BECAUSE OF THE DASH I HAVE CUT MY HANDS AND ARMS DO TO DIGGING PIECES OF DASH OUT THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE NHTSA NEED TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT THIS I CAN'T AFFORD TO BUY ANOTHER TRUCKI GUESS WHEN THE DASH FALLS IN THE FLOOR AND CAUSE IT TO WRECK.

NHTSA ID

10871406

Incident

Jan 2, 2000

TRUCK HAS A 53 BLOCK WHICH HAS CRACKED BELOW THE #5 CYLINDER FREEZE PLUG AT 74,000 MILES. FIRST NOTICED OVERHEATING WITH LOSS OF COOLANT THAT DIDN'T GO ON THE GROUND, THEN FOUND 53 ON BLOCK AND FOUND CRACK. DODGE WILL NOT EVEN ACKNOWLEDGE THE PROBLEM OF THE 53 BLOCK EXISTS, AND HAVE BEEN SOMEWHAT RUDE IN THEIR DENIALS AND LACK OF INFO. CUMMINS WILL AT LEAST ACKNOWLEDGE THE PROBLEM, BUT HAS OFFERED NO SOLUTIONS FOR A PROBLEM CAUSED BY POOR BLOCK DESIGN. ESTIMATES TO FIX ARE ABOUT $9,000. WHICH I CAN'T AFFORD. THIS PROBLEM SHOULD BE COVERED UNDER A DODGE EXTENDED WARRANTY, HOWEVER DODGE REFUSES TO ACCEPT ANY RESPONSIBILITY. THIS ISSUE CAN CAUSE THE TRUCK TO OVERHEAT, WHICH COULD LEAVE DRIVER AND PASSENGER(S) STRANDED OR EVEN CAUSE A FIRE.

NHTSA ID

10863302

Incident

Feb 1, 2016

Mileage

74,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 DODGE RAM 2500. WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH AT NIGHT, THE CONTACT HEARD AN UNUSUAL NOISE FROM THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT DISCOVERED THAT THE DRIVESHAFT WAS ON THE GROUND. THERE WAS NO WARNING INDICATOR. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE COLUMN SHIFT ASSEMBLY WAS DISASSEMBLED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 345,000. THE VIN WAS NOT PROVIDED.

NHTSA ID

10853992

Incident

Apr 5, 2016

Mileage

345,000 mi

WHILE DRIVING THE ABS LIGHT,CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON ALONG WITH THE SPEEDOMETER AND TACK QUIT WORKING, BY TAPPING THE BRAKE PEDAL THE LIGHTS GO OFF AND EVERYTHING STARTS WORKING AGAIN.

NHTSA ID

10790439

Incident

Nov 14, 2015

Mileage

55,000 mi

BOTH FRONT TIRES ARE EXHIBITING BUBBLED SIDEWALLS ON THE LT235/85R16 TIRES SUGGESTING EARLY STAGES OF TREAD SEPARATION FROM CARCASS. DRIVER'S SIDE LOOKS TO BE OUT OF ROUND AS WELL. LOT NUMBERS ARE IDENTICAL ELW0408. NO ACCIDENT AS YET, BUT APPEARANCE IS WORRISOME BASED ON LISTED FAILURES IN IN THE NHTSA DATABASE. AFTER THE RECENT REPORTS ON THE POOR TRACKING OF TIRE FAILURES AND LACK OF ACCOUNTABILITY, I BELIEVE THIS REPORT IS RELEVANT AND PERTINENT TO PUBLIC SAFETY.

NHTSA ID

10787149

Incident

Oct 29, 2015

Mileage

104,503 mi

MY DASH IS FALLING APART. IT HAS CRACKED INTO MANY SHARP PIECES AND LOST ALL OF IT'S STRUCTURAL INTEGRITY. SINCE CAR SEATS SHOULD BE PLACED IN THE FRONT SEAT OF THIS VEHICLE, THE PIECES THAT HAVE COMPLETELY BROKEN AWAY FROM THE DASH ARE HAZARDOUS TO MY CHILD'S HEALTH.

NHTSA ID

10744712

Incident

Jul 1, 2010

Mileage

125,000 mi

THE DASH OF MY TRUCK STARTED TO CRACK AND NOW IT IS IN PIECES. I PUT ON A DASH COVER TO COVER THE LARGE HOLES. I NOTICED OTHERS HAVE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM. THE EDGES ARE SHARP I TRIED TO GLUE SOME TOGETHER, BUT THEN ANOTHER PART OF THE DASH FAILED. WILL THIS AFFECT THE AIR BAGS? IT SEEMS THIS PROBLEM SHOULD BE ADDRESSED, THE HARD PLASTIC HAS SHARP EDGES. UPDATED 09/25/15*LJ UPDATED 11/28/2017*CN

NHTSA ID

10734820

Incident

Jan 1, 2006

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 DODGE RAM 2500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 3 MPH AND ATTEMPTING TO STOP, THE BRAKE PEDAL EXTENDED TO THE FLOORBOARD AND THERE WAS AN INCREASED IN STOPPING DISTANCE. THE CONTACT DISCOVERED THAT THE RUBBER BRAKE LINE HAD SEPARATED FROM THE PLASTIC UNION CAUSING THE BRAKE FLUID TO LEAK OUT OF THE BRAKE LINES. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 121,000.

NHTSA ID

10695273

Incident

Mar 18, 2015

Mileage

121,000 mi

AIR BAG: IGNITION SWITCH MOVES POSITION OR CONTACTS GET DISCONNECTED WHEN DRIVING: DISABLING THE WINDOWS, AIR CONDITIONER AND AIR BAGS. *TR

NHTSA ID

10671392

Incident

Jan 1, 2013

Mileage

86,000 mi

TL* CONTACT OWNS A 1999 DODGE RAM 2500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 55 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS ABLE TO BE RESTARTED BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED ON SEVERAL OCCASION. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 42,000.

NHTSA ID

10669314

Incident

Dec 29, 2014

Mileage

42,000 mi

SEAT BELTS LOCK AND CAN NOT BE PULLED OUT. THIS HAPPENS WHEN VEHICLE IS AND IS NOT MOVING. IT ALSO HAPPENS WHEN PASSENGERS ARE ABLE TO WEAR THEM. IT IS SO RANDOM. THE SEAT BELT LIGHT IS ON AND SEAT BELTS ARE LOCKED SO THEY CAN NOT BE PUT ON. THE SEAT BELT TIMER, LOCATED UNDER THE MIDDLE OF FRONT SEAT WHICH IS THE CAUSE OF THIS ISSUE CAN NOT BE PURCHASED FROM DODGE, IT IS ON LONG TERM BACK ORDER. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE THAT DODGE CORPORATION NEEDS TO ADDRESS AS IT IS NOT LEGAL TO OPERATE VEHICLE UNDER THESE CONDITIONS. *TR

NHTSA ID

10651338

Incident

May 1, 2014

Mileage

200,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 DODGE RAM 2500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 70 MPH THE SEAT BELTS SUDDENLY SEIZED. THE CONTACT EVENTUALLY EXPERIENCED DIFFICULTY BREATHING BECAUSE THE SEAT BELT HAD ERRONEOUSLY TIGHTEN TOO MUCH. THE CONTACT INDICATED THAT THE FAILURE WAS PRESENT WITH ALL THE SEAT BELTS IN THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE SEAT BELT MODULE WAS DEFECTIVE AND WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED BUT PARTS WERE NOT AVAILABLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 168,000.

NHTSA ID

10616745

Incident

Jun 3, 2014

Mileage

168,000 mi

WHEN TRAVELING ON INTERSTATE SEAT BELTS STARTING RETRACTING AND WOULD NOT RELEASE AND GETS TIGHTER WITH EVERY LITTLE MOVEMENT. THE ONLY WAY TO RELEASE WAS TO SHUT OFF VEHICLE AND OPEN DOOR. THIS HAS STARTED TO HAPPEN EVERY TIME WHEN GOING MORE THAN 25 - 30 MILES. I CONTACTED THE DEALERSHIP AND WAS TOLD THE PART TO FIX THIS WAS ON NATIONAL BACKORDER. I SEARCHED THE INTERNET TO SEE IF I COULD FIND A PART AND WAS TOLD BY ANOTHER DEALERSHIP THAT 129 OF THESE PARTS WERE ON BACKORDER AND SEEMS THAT NONE HAVE BEEN SHIPPED IN A WHILE. MY VEHICLE IS INOPERABLE WITH OUT THE USE OF THE SEAT BELTS.*JS

NHTSA ID

10616730

Incident

Jun 30, 2014

Mileage

168,000 mi