2nd Gen Non-Engine/Transmission Cracked Dashes?

[MAllen]

I went out this morning and got in my truck and noticed my dash has cracked right in the middle from front to back. The crack is about 12 inches long. Would this be caused from heat in the sun and does it cause any problems with air flow for my air ducts. Has anyone else had this problem?

 

[odieub]

you will rarely see a dodge that don't have a cracked dash. just bought my 01 and was amased that it was not cracked but looked it over real good it has one of the covers that geno's sell and it looks pretty good.

 

[VHolloway]

how was the install

I need a dash

 

[SHobbs]

You think a crack is bad you should see mine. I won't have a dash before too long with all the pieces that have fallen off.

 

[Ossie2]

Same problem with mine. Repaired cracks with plastic weld then coveredit with a carpet dash cover fron GENOS GARAGE. Looks great and I don't have to be ashamed of my dash anymore. Search the web for class action suit out of Florida against Chrysler for cracked dash. Local TV station has a good special report on this. If I can find the link I'll post it. It's pretty interesting.

 

[VHolloway]

yes but will they give you a new dash?

and the over lay dash deal what if you need remove the dash in the truck for heater or ac work

i would think you would have a hell of a mess and never get it back rite

 

[Ossie2]

Don't know if you'll get a new dash. Didn't want to get into it. As for the dash overlay. It's form fitted and lays right over your old dash. No fuss no mess and stays in place. You get small velcro strips with the cover if you feel you need to make it more secure. I got the gray and it looks great. Can be lifted right off for cleaning and then put on again with no problem. Check out GENOS GARAGE for the CoverCraft Polycarpet Dash Cover. You'll get a better idea what it looks like. Hope I answered your question.

 

[VHolloway]

I don't know what it is about me but I cant just put a carpet type pad over it and say it's fixed

that's not me

it needs to be rite

just need to know what rite is

and I thank for me rite is to look factory and never crack

carpet over a cracked dash is not even a bandaid

when the dash is fixed rite then I would do the carpet thing

 

[PUMPERDUDE]

No cracks in my 95s dash Bought a Dashmat in 2000 and covered it... wish I could say the same for the paint on the cab,hood and bed

 

[JBain]

cracked dash

I used some gray epoxy to "fix" the dash and going to get one of those molded covers from Geno's so it looks nice.

 

[24Vpirate]

mine goes in next week for the lawsuit deal supposed to cost me 250 bucks for a new installed dash been waiting since sept last year the dash has been on backorder

 

[VHolloway]

can we all get a dash and if so what do we need to do

to get one put in?

 

[Grizzly]

Your dash will never crack if you do four things;



1, Always keep the dash dusted.

2, Keep a dash mat on your dash.

3, Never use chemicals, such as ArmorAll.

4, Use a windshield cover when parked in the sun.

 

[Gary - K7GLD]

you will rarely see a dodge that don't have a cracked dash. just bought my 01 and was amased that it was not cracked but looked it over real good it has one of the covers that geno's sell and it looks pretty good.

Guess I have a "rare" one then - no cracks! But I prefer the appearance of the Dash Mats over the hard plastic OEM, so installed the mat for appearance, long before I was aware of any cracking issues...

 

[Cummins Thunder]

My thoughts are that the sun "dries" out the plastic and causes it to shrink up and at that point it cracks.



The 3500 has a few small hair line cracks that I stoped with super glue. The 2500 has one nice sized split and my dads 01 is a cratered mess.

 

[SSell]

wont hurt airflow from the ducts, will start to squeak and rattle and drive u nuts though!. I changed the dash top on my '95 few years ago---whole dash comes out easy enough, couple bolts, few harness connectors. What sucked was that the plastic "structure" underneath the skins was also cracked/shrunk/brittle/broken (I live in the desert). Took about an hour to remove the dash, 5 minutes to remove the top, 3 DAYS to rebuild the inside of the dash with JB weld, aluminum plate, popsicle sticks and so on, 2 hours to paint and reassemble. Still looks great & doesn't squeak but gotta be a easier way!

 

[24Vpirate]

it has nothing to do with being in the sun or dusting or armorall its a defect from the molding process. the plastic wasnt cooled at the proper rate or something to that effect. mine was never in the sun for the first 40k and had lots of crackes by 20k. was told by the dealer it was from parking in the sun. #@$%! said thats not possiable its parked inside all the time. maybe a couple out of town weekends. but not like my buddys thats parked in the sun all day everyday in the 100 plus deg. heat and has no cracks.

 

[MKinner]

My dash has finally started to crack... . #@$%!. I've been using Vinylex for some time now which has done me wonders. i didn't pay attention and forgot to soak the very front edge by the windshield which is where the crack started, right in the middle. That stuff smell like a liquid plasticizer and works well a putting the plastic "nutrient" back in after the heat evaporates out the old. irritating to say the least.

 

[HOT0124valve]

it has nothing to do with being in the sun or dusting or armorall its a defect from the molding process. the plastic wasnt cooled at the proper rate or something to that effect. mine was never in the sun for the first 40k and had lots of crackes by 20k. was told by the dealer it was from parking in the sun. #@$%! said thats not possiable its parked inside all the time. maybe a couple out of town weekends. but not like my buddys thats parked in the sun all day everyday in the 100 plus deg. heat and has no cracks.

plasticisers they used in the dashes is cheap! the plastic is only a 5 year life if they even use that high of grade plastic the new repops are good quality modular plastic,also the cool time has some to do with it to but mostly the plastic and the mold shape and the mounting points has to do with cracking

also vaseline works good for cleaning plastic and not sucking the plasticisers and polymers out. if you ever look at the dash it looks like powder kinda at the crack and high bubble count in the plastic i would bet good money if they were injecting air in the plastic (looks like sugar boiling) to make them light and save money

 

[Grizzly]

it has nothing to do with being in the sun or dusting or armorall its a defect from the molding process. the plastic wasnt cooled at the proper rate or something to that effect. mine was never in the sun for the first 40k and had lots of crackes by 20k. was told by the dealer it was from parking in the sun. #@$%! said thats not possiable its parked inside all the time. maybe a couple out of town weekends. but not like my buddys thats parked in the sun all day everyday in the 100 plus deg. heat and has no cracks.

The only dash that has ever cracked on any of my vehicles was on my F250 Furd, which isn't too surprising because every thing else went wrong with that truck, including three engines. On all my other vehicles, I've kept the dash well dusted and covered and not one has cracked, and I live in the sun belt.