IllustrationCONSUMER WAS BACKING OUT OF PARKING SPACE WHEN FRONT BRAKE PADS FELL OFF, AND BRAKE PEDAL WENT TO FLOOR, CAUSING LOSS OF BRAKES. MANUFACTURER SENT OUT TSB FOR NEW BRAKE DESIGN. *AK
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
Service Brakes, Hydraulic complaints
56 reportsI WAS DRIVING ALONG WHEN THE CAR STOPPED HARD I PROCEEDED TO SLAM ON MY BRAKES, WHEN I NOTICED I WAS NOT STOPPING. THE TRUCK HAS BEEN INSPECTED BY 4 OUTSIDE PERSONAL AND THEY ALL SAY THE SAME THING. THAT I HAVE A SEVER PROBLEM WITH MY REAR BRAKES, BUT THEY CAN NOT FIND THE PROBLEM INCLUDING CHRYLSER. *AK
WITHIN 57,000 MILES FRONT BRAKE PADS HAVE BEEN REPLACED FOUR TIMES CAUSE UNKNOWN, DEALER CANNOT IDENTIFY CAUSE. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS.*AK
I REALLY ENJOY THIS DODGE RAM1500 ,BUT I FEEL THAT SINCE IT IS OUT OF WARRANTY IT WILL NOT HOLD UP TO MY EXPECTATIONS. NO SAFETY DEFECT LISTED IN SUMMARY. *AK
BRAKES HAVE NEVER WORKED CORRECTLY, VERY SPONGY, HAVE HAD INTO SHOP TWICE FOR THIS AT WORL THOMPSON, CALDWELL, OHIO. BRAKES ARE VERY WEAK AND HAVE BEEN SINCE PURCHASE. I HAD TO REPLACE FRONT BRAKE PADS AT LESS THAN 50, 000 MILES. I REALLY HAVE TO PUSH HARD TO STOP. *AK
NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *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
I HAVE CONTACTED CHRYSLER TOO MANY TIMES ABOUT THESE PROBLEMS, ESPECIALLY THE BRAKES, WHICH I ADMIT IS AN INTERMETTENT PROBLEM. HOWEVER I HAVE DEMONSTRATED THE PROBLEM TO THE SERVICE MANAGER AT RIVERHEAD DODGE. NO REPAIRS WERE EVER MADE. APPARENTLY AFTER SEARCHING ON THE INTERNET I FIND I AM NOT THE ONLY ONE WHO HAS THESE SAME P…
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I HAVE CONTACTED CHRYSLER TOO MANY TIMES ABOUT THESE PROBLEMS, ESPECIALLY THE BRAKES, WHICH I ADMIT IS AN INTERMETTENT PROBLEM. HOWEVER I HAVE DEMONSTRATED THE PROBLEM TO THE SERVICE MANAGER AT RIVERHEAD DODGE. NO REPAIRS WERE EVER MADE. APPARENTLY AFTER SEARCHING ON THE INTERNET I FIND I AM NOT THE ONLY ONE WHO HAS THESE SAME PROBLEMS. HOW MANY PEOPLE HAVE TO BE HURT BEFORE DODGE DOES SOMETHING ABOUT THIS? DOES THIS HAVE TO EVOLVE INTO ANOTHER FIRESTONE PROBLEM BEFORE ANYTHING IS DONE? *AK
WHILE DRIVING ON HIGHWAY WENT TO APPLIED THE BRAKES, AND BRAKE PEDAL WENT ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR. CONSUMER HAD TO APPLY EXCESSIVE FORCE, AND IT GETS WORST AS THE BRAKES GETS HOTTER. CONTACTED THE DEALER, AND DEALER SAID NOTHING WAS WRONG. THIS WAS PERFECTLY NORMAL.*AK
WHILE DRIVING CONSUMER SHIFTED INDICATOR AND IT FAILED TO WORK PROPERLY. COULD NOT LOCATE WHAT GEAR TRANSMISSION WAS IN. POPS OUT OF GEAR INTERMITTENTLY WHEN GAS PEDAL PRESSED. ALSO, WHENEVER APPLYING BRAKES, VEHICLE WOULD CONSTANTLY INCREASE IN SPEED. TOOK TO DEALERSHIP & EACH TIME TEST DRIVEN, BUT NOTHING COULD BE FOUND…
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WHILE DRIVING CONSUMER SHIFTED INDICATOR AND IT FAILED TO WORK PROPERLY. COULD NOT LOCATE WHAT GEAR TRANSMISSION WAS IN. POPS OUT OF GEAR INTERMITTENTLY WHEN GAS PEDAL PRESSED. ALSO, WHENEVER APPLYING BRAKES, VEHICLE WOULD CONSTANTLY INCREASE IN SPEED. TOOK TO DEALERSHIP & EACH TIME TEST DRIVEN, BUT NOTHING COULD BE FOUND. TRANSMISSION WAS REPLACED 3 TIMES FOR FAULTY GEAR SHIFTING. IN ADDITION, FUEL TANK ASSEMBLY WAS REPLACED DUE TO PROBLEM WITH TRANSMISSION. ONGOING PROBLEMS. *AK *ML
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.