Five problems related to side/window air bag have been reported for the 2001 Dodge Ram 1500. The most recently reported issues are listed below.
Dash board has cracked from exposer to sunlight. In past year it has broken into very sharp pieces above passenger side air bag and directly in front of driver. One can cut himself and I have just trying to dust or clean inside of truck. I am very concerned about what these sharp pieces of the defective dashboard would do in an accident and if air bags would push these sharp pieces into faces of both driver and passengers in front seat of truck.
While my daughter was driving home late one night, she fell asleep and hit a large tree. She lives in CA. While I am in CO. The truck she was in, a Dodge Ram 1500 4x4 extended cab, was a total loss. She was flown into a hospital 90 or so miles away. She was wearing her seat belt, as was her passenger. My daughter broke some ribs, her arm, and her pelvis in 8 places. Her left leg was attached by skin and muscle only. The passenger side airbag fully deployed, whereas the drivers side did not fully deploy. By what I have seen during my research of this incident, and seeing the truck, her airbag should have deployed. As a matter of fact, it tried. According to the carfax I pulled, it has never been in an accident, and was purchased from the federal government, who would,I assume, have a vehicle repaired properly if it had been involved in an accident.
I have a 2001 Dodge Ram 1500 (sport) and for no apparent reason, my dash started cracking and has gotten worse as time goes. Chunks have fallen out, and not only am I worried about the heat from the sun destroying the wires under my dash (brake lights, turn signals, etc) it also provides sharp edges for my passenger side air bag to get snagged on and effect the deployment of it.
: the contact stated the frontal side airbag exploded inside the dashboard of the vehicle while driving 25 mph. There was not an impact to the vehicle to cause deployment. The contact expressed that the local dealers refused to service the vehicle after a brief inspection. The manufacturer has been contacted but also offered no resolution to the contact in regards to servicing on the vehicle.
The dashboard on the 2001 Dodge ram, 1500 started cracking about 18 months ago. It has now progressed to the point that I am fearful that the structural integrity of the entire dashboard was compromised , and that the passenger side air bag might not function as designed.