IllustrationAT 71,000 MILES TRANSMISSION FAILED FOR THE SECOND TIME. FIRST TIME WAS AT 34,000. $3200 TO REPACE WITH REBUILT UNIT. ALSO, THE REAR DIFFERENTIAL NEEDS REBUILDING FOR ANOTHER $1600.
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
Power Train complaints
85 reportsNOTICED A VIBRATION WHILE DRIVING. TOOK TO DEALER. ADVISED TRANSMISSION NEEDS OVERHAUL. $2400.00. MR
REAR RIGHT AXLE SEAL HAS FAILED FOR THE SECOND TIME IN LESS THAN 2 YEARS. REAR RIGHT BRAKE IS RENDERED USELESS HENCE WAS A FACTOR IN AN ACCIDENT THE 1ST TIME THE SEALS FAILED. CORPORATE REJECTS THE CLAIM AS WELL AS THE DEALERSHIP WHICH "REPAIRED" THE SEALS LAST TIME. CUSTOMER IS LEFT TO EAT THE COST. NLM
I WAS ON THE FREEWAY, AND AS I WENT TO PASS A SLOWER VEHICLE, I FELT THE TRANSMISSION "SLIP" AND WATCHED THE RPM'S INCREASE DRAMATICALLY, WHILE MY SPEED ACTUALLY DECREASED. I SLOWED DOWN AND TRIED TO CONTINUE TO DRIVE AT A SLOWER SPEED, HOWEVER THIS BECAME IMPOSSIBLE VERY QUICKLY. I ALSO SMELLED SOMETHING, PROBABLY THE CLUTCHE…
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I WAS ON THE FREEWAY, AND AS I WENT TO PASS A SLOWER VEHICLE, I FELT THE TRANSMISSION "SLIP" AND WATCHED THE RPM'S INCREASE DRAMATICALLY, WHILE MY SPEED ACTUALLY DECREASED. I SLOWED DOWN AND TRIED TO CONTINUE TO DRIVE AT A SLOWER SPEED, HOWEVER THIS BECAME IMPOSSIBLE VERY QUICKLY. I ALSO SMELLED SOMETHING, PROBABLY THE CLUTCHES "SLIPPING" SO I PULLED OVER AND CALLED FOR A TOW TRUCK.*AK
GEAR SELECTOR SHAFT BROKE INSIDE STEERING COLUMN HOUSING, 3 DEALERS COULD NOT FIX THE PROBLEM BECAUSE THE ENTIRE STEERING COLUMN HAS TO BE REPLACED. *TT . ZLSO, STEERING COLUMN/TRACK BAR FOR FRONT AXLE, AND CATALYTIC CONVERTER MALFUNCTIONED. *AK
A LOUD HUMMIMG NOISE WOULD COME FROM VEHICLE WHILE DRIVING. DEALER NOTIFIED AND INFORMED CONSUMER THAT REAR BEARING AXLE SHAFT NEEDED TO BE REBUILT. *AK CONSUMER STATES THAT THIS IS THE SECOND TIME THE REAR BEARING AXLE SHAFT FAILED. *TT
WAS LOADING BOAT AT DOCK RAMP WHEN CAME OUT OF PARK INJURED LEG BADLY. NO SAFETY DEFECT LISTED. *AK
DURING NORMAL OPERATION OF THE VEHICLE AT ANY SPEED, THERE IS A LOUD "HUMMING NOISE" COMING FROM REAR OF TRUCK. AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC DIAGNOSED THAT BEARINGS AND GEARS FOR THE REAR AXLE HAVE TO BE REPLACED. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION / DOCUMENTATION.*AK
REAR AXLES SEALS LEAKED LUBRICANT ON THE BRAKE SHOES CAUSING LOSS OF BRAKING. THIS PROBLEM A VERY SERIOUS SAFETY CONCERN WHEN TOWING A TRAILER DUE TO LOSS OF BRAKING AND COULD CAUSE A POSSIBLE ACCIDENT. THE SECOND ISSUE IS THE FUEL SENDER IN THE FUEK TANK FAILING.THE FUEL GAUGE READING WILLINDICATE ZERO TO FULL RANDOMLY, THU…
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REAR AXLES SEALS LEAKED LUBRICANT ON THE BRAKE SHOES CAUSING LOSS OF BRAKING. THIS PROBLEM A VERY SERIOUS SAFETY CONCERN WHEN TOWING A TRAILER DUE TO LOSS OF BRAKING AND COULD CAUSE A POSSIBLE ACCIDENT. THE SECOND ISSUE IS THE FUEL SENDER IN THE FUEK TANK FAILING.THE FUEL GAUGE READING WILLINDICATE ZERO TO FULL RANDOMLY, THUS YOU NEVER KNOW HOW MUCH FUEL RESERVE YOU HAVE. THIS HAS BEEN REPLACED ONCE BEFORE UNDER WARRANTY. UPON INSPECTION THE THE SENDING UNIT THE WIPER MECHANISM APPEARS TO WEAR OUT PREMATURELY AND SENDING ERRONEOUS SIGNAL TO THE FUEL GAUGE IN THE DASH.*AK
I REPORTED THE FAILURE TO CHRYSLER WHO AGREED TO A DIAGNOSIS. A REPRESENTATIVE VERBALLY AGREED THAT CHRYSLER WOULD PAY FOR DIAGNOSIS AND REPAIR IF PROBLEM WAS CAUSED BY FACTORY DEFECT. A DIAGNOSIS SHOWED THAT THE FAILURE WAS CAUSED BY A FACTORY DEFECT. AT LEAST ONE METAL PART WAS MISSING FROM THE TRANSMISSION CAUSING THE FAILURE…
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I REPORTED THE FAILURE TO CHRYSLER WHO AGREED TO A DIAGNOSIS. A REPRESENTATIVE VERBALLY AGREED THAT CHRYSLER WOULD PAY FOR DIAGNOSIS AND REPAIR IF PROBLEM WAS CAUSED BY FACTORY DEFECT. A DIAGNOSIS SHOWED THAT THE FAILURE WAS CAUSED BY A FACTORY DEFECT. AT LEAST ONE METAL PART WAS MISSING FROM THE TRANSMISSION CAUSING THE FAILURE. CHRYSLER THEN SAID I WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR $350 OF THE REPAIR COST, GOING AGAINST THEIR EARLIER AGREEMENT.*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.