IllustrationTHE CONSUMER WAS INVOLVED IN A FRONTAL VEHICLE COLLISION IN WHICH THE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE SUSTAIN EXTENSIVE DAMAGE, NEITHER DRIVER NOR PASSENGER AIR BAGS DEPLOYED AND AS A RESULT TWO OCCUPANTS SUSTAIN INJURIES. NLM
1998 Dodge RAM 1500
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 1998 Dodge RAM 1500 do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 520.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all RAM 1500 years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
All reported categories
Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
90–25K
2125–50K
4050–75K
5375–100K
61100–150K
43150K+
227 reports with mileage · 293 unknown
NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.
What to inspect
Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.
- Structure. Review the 102 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Power Train. Review the 85 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Air Bags. Review the 63 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
66 crash reports16 fire reports46 injury reports
Air Bags complaints
63 reportsROAD CONDITIONS WERE FOGGY, LOST CONTROL, AND HIT A TELEPHONE POLE AT 20 TO 25 MPH. UPON IMPACT, NONE OF FRONTAL AIRBAGS DEPLOYED.*AK
FRONT CRASH AT 55 MPH, AND NEITHER AIRBAG DEPLOYED. *AK
AFTER IMPACT ON THE DRIVERS SIDE AT THE DOOR, I TURNED THE STEERING WHEEL TO THE RIGHT AND IT LOCKED UP, I APPLIED THE BRAKES AND FOUND THAT I HAD NONE. I TRAVELED ACROSS THREE LANES OF TRAFFIC (NO BRAKES NO STEERING) AND HIT A CONCRETE BARRIER HEAD-ON AT APPROXIMATELY 45MPH, AND THE AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. HAD MY STEERING NOT…
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AFTER IMPACT ON THE DRIVERS SIDE AT THE DOOR, I TURNED THE STEERING WHEEL TO THE RIGHT AND IT LOCKED UP, I APPLIED THE BRAKES AND FOUND THAT I HAD NONE. I TRAVELED ACROSS THREE LANES OF TRAFFIC (NO BRAKES NO STEERING) AND HIT A CONCRETE BARRIER HEAD-ON AT APPROXIMATELY 45MPH, AND THE AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. HAD MY STEERING NOT LOCKED UP THIS WOULD HAVE ONLY BEEN A MINOR ACCIDENT, NOW MY TRUCK IS TOTALED.*AK
AIR BAG FAILED AND REPLACED, DURING REPAIR DEALERSHIP DAMAGED VEHICLE. YH
WHILE DRIVING 35 - 40 MPH, HAD A FRONTAL IMPACT WITH A TREE WHICH CAUSED MAJOR DAMAGE TO THE FRONT END. UPON IMPACT, DRIVER'S AND PASSSENGER'S AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY, WHICH DID NOT PROTECT THE OCCUPANTS IN THE CRASH. DEALER SAID THE IMPACT WAS HARD ENOUGH. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK
BREAKS FAILED AT 45 MPH. REAR-ENDED CAR IN FRONT. AIRBAGS NEVER DEPLOVED. 2 PASSENGERS IN VAN HURT, DRIVER IN FRONT CAR HURT. *AK
THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY DURING ACCIDENT. YH
DRIVING ON FEEDER ROAD AT 45MPH ALL OF SUDDEN AN 18 WHEELER IN FRONT JUST STOPPED. CONSUMER DIDN'T HAVE ENOUGH TIME TO REACT BY APPLYING BRAKES AND REARENDED INTO THE 18 WHEELER. UPON IMPACT, AIRBAG DIDN'T DEPLOY. *AK
WHILE TRAVELING AT ABOUT 35 MPH HIT ANOTHER VEHICLE ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE WITH FRONT OF TRUCK. CONSUMER STATES IF SYSTEM IS NOT GOING TO WORK, PLEASE REMOVE. *AK
Official recalls
0No recalls in this snapshot.
Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗
NHTSA investigations
0No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.