IllustrationTHE VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A FRONTAL COLLISION, AND THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY.*JB
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 reportsTRANSMISSION FAILED AT APROX 80,000 MILE. LOST ALL GEARS EXECPT FOR 4TH. COULD HAVE RESULTED IN A MAJOR ACCIDENT HAD IT FAILED ON THE FREEWAY WHICH WE HAD JUST EXITED. ALSO THE CLUTCH HAS BEEN REPLACED THREE TIMES SINCE THE TRUCK WAS NEW. ONE AT 37000, 56,000 AND 81,000. *JB
THE DODGE TRUCKS HAVE A SERIOUS DEFECT IN THEIR HORN SYSTEM. IMPROPER PACKING OF THE DRIVER-SIDE AIR BAGS RENDERS THE HORN INOPERABLE. I PURCHASED MY 1998 DODGE 1500 NEW IN 1998. I HAVE NEVER BEEN ABLE TO GET THE HORN TO WORK. DODGE DEALER IN WASHINGTON SAID IT NEEDED REPACKED BUT I WAS LEAVING FOR TEXAS AND TIME WAS NOT AVA…
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THE DODGE TRUCKS HAVE A SERIOUS DEFECT IN THEIR HORN SYSTEM. IMPROPER PACKING OF THE DRIVER-SIDE AIR BAGS RENDERS THE HORN INOPERABLE. I PURCHASED MY 1998 DODGE 1500 NEW IN 1998. I HAVE NEVER BEEN ABLE TO GET THE HORN TO WORK. DODGE DEALER IN WASHINGTON SAID IT NEEDED REPACKED BUT I WAS LEAVING FOR TEXAS AND TIME WAS NOT AVAILABLE TO WAIT FOR THE PARTS. UPON ARRIVAL AT BEAUMONT, TEXAS I TOOK THE TRUCK TO MIKE SMITH AUTOPLEX DODGE. THE SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE COULD NOT BLOW THE HORN AND SAID SHE WOULD ORDER A REPACK AND CALL ME WHEN IT CAME IN. TWO MONTHS LATER I FOUND OUT FROM HER THAT THE MANAGER CANCELED IT AND REFUSED TO FIX THE HORN UNDER THE WARRANTY. EVERY YEAR I WIRE A MICKY MOUSE RIG ON THE COLUMN WIRED DIRECTLY TO THE HORN TO PASS INSPECTIONS. RECENTLY HAD SERVICE AT MIKE SMITH AND THE SAME SERVICE MANAGER SAID THE HORN NEEDED REPACKED, SAID CRYSLER HAD PROBLEMS WITH THE HORNS AND DID NOT KNOW WHY THE MANAGER HAD REFUSED TO FIX IT. I HAVE BEEN DRIVING THIS UNSAFE TRUCK SINCE 1998 AND HAD MANY CLOSE CALLS AND NEVER ABLE TO USE THE HORN TO WARN VEHICLES AND PEDESTRIANS OF DANGER. THE MANAGER THAT REFUSED TO FIX IT ADMITTED THAT DODGE HAD TROUBLE WITH THE HORNS ON THESE TRUCKS. AFTER FOOLING WITH IT FOR A WHILE HE DID GET IT TO BLOW, ONLY TIME ANYONE HAS BEEN ABLE TO BLOW THE HORN AND IT TOOK HIM TWO HANDS AND A LOT OF PRESSURE. THESE TRUCKS ARE DANGEROUS. *NLM
WHEN APPROACHING A HILL OR ATTEMPTING TO PASS AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS (75 TO 85MPH) EITHER WITH CRUISE ON OR OFF THE TRUCK WILL DOWN SHIFT FROM OVERDRIVE TO LOW GEAR.(SUDDENLY BRINGING YOU TO A HAULT!) IT WILL THEN CAUSE THE ENGINE TO OVERDRIVE. THEN THE TRUCK WILL STAY EITHER IN LOW GEAR OR 2ND GEAR UNTIL YOU SHUT THE KEY OFF AND RES…
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WHEN APPROACHING A HILL OR ATTEMPTING TO PASS AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS (75 TO 85MPH) EITHER WITH CRUISE ON OR OFF THE TRUCK WILL DOWN SHIFT FROM OVERDRIVE TO LOW GEAR.(SUDDENLY BRINGING YOU TO A HAULT!) IT WILL THEN CAUSE THE ENGINE TO OVERDRIVE. THEN THE TRUCK WILL STAY EITHER IN LOW GEAR OR 2ND GEAR UNTIL YOU SHUT THE KEY OFF AND RESTART OR BY PUTTING IT INTO NEUTRAL THEN BACK INTO DRIVE AND LETTING IT COAST FOR A BIT. THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS! I HAVE BEEN ALMOST SMASHED INTO SEVERAL TIMES! THIS TRANSMISSION HAS BEEN REBUILT AND THE PROBLEM HAS BEEN WITH IT SINCE REBUILDING. THERE IS ONLY 4000 MILES ON THE REBUILD! I HAVE BROUGHT IT BACK OVER TEN TIMES FOR THIS PROBLEM BUT IT WILL NEVER LEAVE A CODE! I HAVE NOW BEEN TOLD THERE IS NOTHING THEY CAN DO WITH IT! THE REASON THE FIRST TRANNY WENT OUT IS BECAUSE THE PARK CONTROL ROD BROKE AND FELL INTO THE GUTS OF THE TRANNY AND VIRTUALLY DESTROYED IT!
VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A FRONTAL COLLISION, WERE THE AIRBAGS DIDN'T DEPLOY. WHICH RESULTED IN DRIVER BEING INJURED. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION. PH
THE VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A FRONTAL COLLISION AND NONE OF THE AIRBAGS DEPLOYED. THIS RESULTED IN DRIVER BEING INJURED. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION. PH
WHILE MY WIFE WAS SITTING WITH THE TRUCK ON, IN PARK, IT BURST IN TO FLAMES. THE ENTIRE FRONT AND CAB OF THE TRUCK WAS BURNED. IT WAS A TOTAL LOSS. ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS ARE SUSPECTED BY THE FIRE DEPT. VERY SCARY AND VERY DANGEROUS!!!
THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED OVER NIGHT WITH ENGINE TURN OFF. THE NEXT MORNING VEHICLE HAD CAUGHT ON FIRE. THE VEHICLE WAS A TOTAL LOSS. CAUSE IS UNKNOWN. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.
AT 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.
CONSUMER STATES WHILE DRIVING THE FRONT DRIVERS TIRE FELL OFF THE VEHICLE WHILE TRAVELING ABOUT 15 MPH. CONSUMER STATES THIS IS NOT THE FIRST TIME THE VEHICLE HAS LOST IT'S FRONT TIRE. *NLM
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.