IllustrationWHILE TURNING A SHARP CURVE AT 30 MPH LEFT REAR WHEEL HUB DISCONNECTED FROM VEHICLE. DEALER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*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 reportsWHILE ON A BUSY HIGHWAY CONSUMER HEARD A RATTLING NOISE COMING FROM ENGINE. CONSUMER THOUGHT NOISE WAS COMING FROM FUEL THAT WAS PUT IN EARLIER, CHANGED FUEL, BUT THE RATTLING NOISE WAS STILL PRESENT. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER, AND THEY STATED INTAKE MANIFOLD WAS LEAKING. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK
WHILE DRIVING, CONSUMER HIT A DEER AND LOST CONTROL, THE VEHICLE ENDED UP ROLLING OVER 3 TIMES, THE AIR BAGS NEVER EXPERIENCED DEPLOYMENT, CONSUMER WAS INJURED. *SLC
THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT APPEAR ON THE DASBOARD WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING. THE DEALERSHIP IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. *NLM SPEED SENSOR WAS ON RECALL BUT THE RECALL DID NOT COVER THE CONSUMER'S VEHICLE. *YH
A KNOCING NOISE WOULD SOUND WHEN APPLYING BRAKES IN REVERSE, DEALER NOTIFIED. *AK *YH
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
I HAD TO REPLACE THE STEERING COLUMN AND COCKSPRING AT 62237 MILES IN OCT 2000. MY FIRST INDICATION SOMETHING WAS WRONG WAS DRIFTING AT SPEED AND A GRINDING NOISE FROM THE STEERING COLUMN. MY CHOICE THE FIRST TIME ACCORDING TO THE DODGE DEALER WAS TO LET IT GO AND RISK COMPLETE FAILURE OF THE STEERING OR REPLACE IT. I REPLACED…
Read full complaint
I HAD TO REPLACE THE STEERING COLUMN AND COCKSPRING AT 62237 MILES IN OCT 2000. MY FIRST INDICATION SOMETHING WAS WRONG WAS DRIFTING AT SPEED AND A GRINDING NOISE FROM THE STEERING COLUMN. MY CHOICE THE FIRST TIME ACCORDING TO THE DODGE DEALER WAS TO LET IT GO AND RISK COMPLETE FAILURE OF THE STEERING OR REPLACE IT. I REPLACED IT. NOW 17 MONTHS LATER IN MAR 2002 THE GRINDING HAS RETURNED. WHILE I FACE THE PROSPECT OF REPLACING THE STEERING ONCE AGAIN IT IS NOT NORMAL FOR FREQUENT WEAR AND TEAR OF A STEERING SYSTEM. I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE IN SC, BUT HAVE SINCE MOVED TO UTAH. I DO NOT USE THE VEHICLE FOR OFF-ROAD RECREATION OR FOR HEAVY LOADS. I HAVE ONLY USED THE VEHICLE ON 3 OCCASIONS FOR TOWING. ANY ASSISTANCE WOULD BE GREATLY APPRECIATED. *AK
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
RECEIVED RECALL LETTER FROM DODGE REGARDING SECONDARY HOOD LATCH, AND THEY WERE REFUSING TO HONOR RECALL LETTER. DODGE STATED THAT REPAIRS WOULD HAVE TO BE PERFORMED ON A WEEKDAY. CONSUMER STATED IT WOULD HAVE TO BE A WEEKEND, AND DODGE WILL NOT HONOR THAT. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*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.