I realized today that these dashboards are total pieces of crap. I've had a dashmat on mine for several years now thinking that it would protect the dash and keep it from cracking. Today, I removed the carpet mat to take a look at it and there were cracks all over the dash. Cracks were running everywhere. I don't really think it matters what you do to protect these dashes. They are going to cracking into pieces no matter what you do to try to protect them.

 

Move north.

I have seen a LOT of these trucks over the years and Ive never seen a cracked dash.

 

Saw my first cracked dash last week, truck was from southern IA. My trucks dash looks like new.

 

My 95 has no cracks and is in great shape. But we don`t get all that hot weather up this way.I do leave the windows down an 1" and I find that cuts down on cab temps. later Don T

 

Isn't it the later models that are so prone to cracking? I didn't think the early 2nd gens were too plagued with it.

 

My '95 spent 13 years in So. Cal, and only has one tiny little crack about 1 inch long at one of the defroster vents.

 

So far mine (knock on wood/crossed fingers) looks about like new with no cracks. I've only seen cracks in pictures. Never seen one in the flesh. I hope it stays that way.

 

97 has no crack 99,both 01s and 03 have cracked 01s have been covered there whole life Dodge needs to be sued but now that fiat owns them I think they are no longer responsable
SOBs

 

Armorall and other shiny so called dash protectors are the reason for cracked dash problems. The best place to find a good dash is from an old work truck that never got detailed.

 

My 95 has about 8 cracks in it, I can remove a softball size chunk on the drivers side front (made installing my gauges and Sirius real easy...).

This truck has spent 5 years in San Jose, Ca. 8 years in Central Ca. (Sacramento area), and 3 years in Montana.

I'll replace it when it's time to replace the the heater core and a/c unit. I'm sure both are due to bite me in the *** at anytime now.

 

Treating it with Mothers or Meguiar's would help

 

My '02 has holes so big you could pull a kid through 'em!. Found a full plastic cap on Flea bay and it works great. Then put a mat over that for the dog to lay on! Poor fibers in the original moldings causes the problem.

 

00 is ready to fall apart. I saw a 95 that had easy access to the heater core but you couldn't set a coffee cup on the dash. **** dodge. They still haven't fixed the problem.

 

I don't know about 'dash protectants' being the problem because I put Armoral on the dash once in '99 and the dash started cracking 10 years later. And I live in the North West. Just BAD plastic I think.

 

I agree with that. A surface treatment may affect the surface material, but it wouldn't cause structural failure. It has to be bad materials and/or design.
My 94 is in perfect shape, and it has been treated with Armor All its whole life.