IllustrationNO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *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 reportsTHE REAR DIFFERENTIAL WAS FOUND BENT BY THE DEALERSHIP, WHICH REQUIRED REPLACEMENT, NOISE FROM THE UNIT PRIOR TO REPLACEMENT. *MJS
DRIVING ON FEEDER ROAD AT 45MPH ALL OF SUDDEN AN 18 WHEELER IN FRONT JUST STOPPED. CONSUMER DIDN'T HAVE ENOUGH TIME TO REACT BY APPLYING BRAKES AND REARENDED INTO THE 18 WHEELER. UPON IMPACT, AIRBAG DIDN'T DEPLOY. *AK
SUDDEN LOSS OF STEERING CONTROL ARMS CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO RUN INTO A DITCH RESULTLING IN MAJIOR DAMAGE FOR THE VEHICLE. YH
WHEN APPLYING THE BRAKES THE VEHICLE WILL SLOW DOWN AND THEN GO FREE FOR ABOUT 10 FEET. DEALER HAS SEEN AND REPLACED THE BRAKES TWICE, AND PROBLEM STILL EXISTS. *AK
WHILE TRAVELING AT ABOUT 35 MPH HIT ANOTHER VEHICLE ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE WITH FRONT OF TRUCK. CONSUMER STATES IF SYSTEM IS NOT GOING TO WORK, PLEASE REMOVE. *AK
VEHICLE HAS NO INTERLOCK SAFETY MECHANISM. VEHICLE CAN BE PLACED INTO GEAR WITHOUT APPLYING THE BRAKE. THE DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. *AK
TIRE SEPERATED FROM TRUCK, CAUSING LOSS OF CONTROL, ROLLED ? TIMES, EVERYONE WAS EJECTED AND KILLED EXCEPT FOR 1. I DO NOT WANT MY INFORMATION RELEASED TO THE MANUFACTURER, PENDING LEGAL MATTERS.
AT A STOP LIGHT REAR ENDED AND HIT THE VEHICLE IN FRONT, AND NEITHER AIRBAG DEPLOYED.*AK
WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE SMOKE SUDDENLY WAS NOTICED COMING FROM THE GAS TANK BY OTHER DRIVERS. CONSUMER PULLED OVER AND NOTICED FLAMES AROUND THE GAS TANK. FIRE DEPARTMENT PUT THE FIRE OUT, CAUSE UNKNOWN, AND THE DEALER HAS NOT BEEN CONTACTED.*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.