Illustration1998 DODGE RAM 1500 WAS INVOLVED IN A FOUR-CAR COLLISION-MINE BEING THE THIRD IN THE SERIES. THE TRUCK WAS REAR-ENDED WHICH PUSHED ME INTO THE CAR AHEAD. THE AIRBAG DID NOT DEPLOY ON EITHER PASSENGER'S SIDE OR DRIVER'S SIDE. VEHICLE WAS TOTALLED.*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
What owners actually said
520 reportsTREAD SEPARATION AND SIDEWALL FAILURE, INSIDE EDGE OF TIRE NEXT TO RIM. THIS IS THE FINAL TIRE TO FAIL PREMATURELY OF FOUR. THESE TIRES WERE RATED AS 60,000 MILE TIRES, THIS ONE FAILED AT 54,532. TIRE 1 FAILED 5/10/05 AT 40,838 MI WITH TREAD SEPARATION. TIRE 2 SUFFERED TREAD SEPARATION AND BLOWOUT EAST OF HAZLETON, BRITISH C…
Read full complaint
TREAD SEPARATION AND SIDEWALL FAILURE, INSIDE EDGE OF TIRE NEXT TO RIM. THIS IS THE FINAL TIRE TO FAIL PREMATURELY OF FOUR. THESE TIRES WERE RATED AS 60,000 MILE TIRES, THIS ONE FAILED AT 54,532. TIRE 1 FAILED 5/10/05 AT 40,838 MI WITH TREAD SEPARATION. TIRE 2 SUFFERED TREAD SEPARATION AND BLOWOUT EAST OF HAZLETON, BRITISH COLUMBIA CANADA. THIS WAS ON THE RIGHT REAR. THE THIRD TIRE ALSO SUFFERED TREAD SEPARATION AT THIS TIME ON THE RIGHT FRONT. THIS TIRE WAS ON VEHICLE LEFT FRONT AND IS AVAILABLE FOR INSPECTION AT THIS TIME. *JB
TREAD SEPARATIONS/BLOWOUT TRAVELING 62 MPH, HAZLETON, BRITISH COLUMBIA CANADA. OLD TIRES HAD TO BE LEFT AT TETLOW TIRES IN SMITHERS, B.C. CANADA. *JB
TIRE FAILURES-GOODYEAR WRANGLER HT. ALL 4 TIRES SUFFERED TREAD SEPARATIONS WITHIN A 6 MONTH PERIOD. *JB
I HAVE A 1998 DODGE RAM 1500. THE DASH CRACKED IN SEVERAL PLACES A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO ALONG WITH THE BEZEL. ALSO HAVE A PROBLEM WITH HORN, IT IS VERY HARD TO ACTIVATE WHEN PUSHED. THESE ITEMS ARE A CONCERN BEING NEAR OR PART OF THE AIR BAG DEPLOYMENT IF IN A CRASH. I BELIEVE THE DASH AND BEZEL ARE CHEAPLY MADE AND DODGE NEE…
Read full complaint
I HAVE A 1998 DODGE RAM 1500. THE DASH CRACKED IN SEVERAL PLACES A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO ALONG WITH THE BEZEL. ALSO HAVE A PROBLEM WITH HORN, IT IS VERY HARD TO ACTIVATE WHEN PUSHED. THESE ITEMS ARE A CONCERN BEING NEAR OR PART OF THE AIR BAG DEPLOYMENT IF IN A CRASH. I BELIEVE THE DASH AND BEZEL ARE CHEAPLY MADE AND DODGE NEEDS TO REPLACE THESE AT WHAT EVER COST TO PREVENT POSSIBLE INJURY IF PERSONS ARE IN A CRASH WHILE OPERATING OR RIDING IN THEIR VEHICLES. *NM
HIT A CURB GOING AROUND A CORNER AT ABOUT 15 MPH WITH THE REAR TIRE OF TRUCK. THIS CAUSED THE DASH TO CRACK FROM WINDSHIELD ALL THE WAY TO THE AIRBAG ENCLOSURE. I WAS TOLD THIS COULD CAUSE AN AIRBAG FAILURE IF THE PASSENGER AIRBAG DEPLOYED. *NM
STEERING PROBLEMS WONDERING NEEDED NEW STEERING BOX ROD AND PIN AND TIE RODS ON FRONT ALSO PAINT IS ALL COMING OFF. *JB
SEAT BELT BEGAN TO REFUSE TO COME OUT OF IT'S ROLLED-UP, UNUSED POSITION, UNTIL IT COMPLETELY QUIT COMING OUT. BUZZER QUIT SOUNDING, BUT RED SEAT BELT ALERT THAT SEAT BELT IS NOT IN USE REMAINS ON. THIS IS THE DRIVER SIDE SEAT BELT. *JB
DT: THE CONSUMER OWNS A 1998 DODGE RAM PICKUP TRUCK. HE STATED THE BRACKET THAT HOLDS THE LOWER CONTROL ARM ON THE RIGHT SIDE BROKE. THE DEALER AND THE BODY SHOP SAID IT LOOKED LIKE A DEFECT IN THE METAL. THE BODY SHOP SAID THE ONLY PROPER WAY TO FIX IT WAS TO GET A NEW FRAME. CHRYSLER SAID THAT BECAUSE THE CAR WAS OUT OF WAR…
Read full complaint
DT: THE CONSUMER OWNS A 1998 DODGE RAM PICKUP TRUCK. HE STATED THE BRACKET THAT HOLDS THE LOWER CONTROL ARM ON THE RIGHT SIDE BROKE. THE DEALER AND THE BODY SHOP SAID IT LOOKED LIKE A DEFECT IN THE METAL. THE BODY SHOP SAID THE ONLY PROPER WAY TO FIX IT WAS TO GET A NEW FRAME. CHRYSLER SAID THAT BECAUSE THE CAR WAS OUT OF WARRANTY, THEY WOULD NOT DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT. *JB
THIS VEHICLE HAS HAD AN ONGOING IGNITION PROBLEM. IT FINALLY BECAME NOTICEABLE IN FRONT OF MY MECHANIC. AFTER MUCH DIAGNOSIS IT WAS FOUND THAT THE #5 CYLINDER OF THE ENGINE HAD ZERO COMPRESSION. A PRESSURE TEST WAS PERFORMED, AND FOUND THAT NO PRESSURE COULD BE HELD IN THE CYLINDER BECAUSE IT WAS GOING DIRECTLY OUT THE EXHAUST…
Read full complaint
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
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.