IllustrationTHE GEAR SHIFTED OUT OF DRIVE WHEN THE VEHICLE WENT OVER A BUMP.*JB
1998 Dodge RAM 2500
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 1998 Dodge RAM 2500 do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 275.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all RAM 2500 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
70–25K
925–50K
1450–75K
1575–100K
15100–150K
19150K+
79 reports with mileage · 146 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.
- Service Brakes, Hydraulic. Review the 37 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Power Train. Review the 29 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Steering. Review the 24 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
19 crash reports3 fire reports14 injury reports
Power Train complaints
29 reportsFRONT BRAKE PADS AND SHOES WEAR EXCESSIVELY AND CAUSE TRUCK TO PULL WHEN DEPRESSING BRAKE PEDAL. OTHER FAILURE INVOLVED A BOLT THAT HOLDS 5TH GEAR IN PLACE FELL OFF WHILE TRUCK WAS BEING DRIVEN. HAD ITEM REPAIRED, AND IT FELL OFF AGAIN. PLEASE DESCRIBE DETAILS. *AK
WHILE DRIVING, THE TRANSMISSION STARTED SLIPPING. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO DEALER. THE TRANSMISSION COOLING LINES HAD BEEN RUBBING TOGETHER, WHICH CAUSED THEM TO LEAK. THE TRANSMISSION HAD TO BE REPLACED. *AK *SCC
WHEN BACKING UP A CLUNKING NOISE EMITTED FROM DIFFERENTAL. DEALER REPLACED FLUID AND ADDED SOME "ADDITIVE". DID NOT CORRECT PROBLEM. THEY KEPT TRUCK TO DISASSEMBLE DIFFERENTAL, FOUND NOTHING AMISS, REPLACED FLUID AND ADDITIVE. AT THIS TIME, ALL SEEMS OK. THE COST WAS $83.90. WHEN THEY DECIDED TO KEEP THE TRUCK OVER NIGHT T…
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WHEN BACKING UP A CLUNKING NOISE EMITTED FROM DIFFERENTAL. DEALER REPLACED FLUID AND ADDED SOME "ADDITIVE". DID NOT CORRECT PROBLEM. THEY KEPT TRUCK TO DISASSEMBLE DIFFERENTAL, FOUND NOTHING AMISS, REPLACED FLUID AND ADDITIVE. AT THIS TIME, ALL SEEMS OK. THE COST WAS $83.90. WHEN THEY DECIDED TO KEEP THE TRUCK OVER NIGHT THEY THOUGHT IT WOULD BE COVERED UNDER WARRANTY. HOWEVER, IT WAS OUT OF POCKET EXPENSE.*AK
FROM DAY 1 OF THE NEW TRUCK, I HAD SHIFTING PROBLEMS. BEFORE I HAD 1200 MILES ON THE TRUCK IT WAS IN THE SHOP TWICE. THE FIRST TIME THEY TOOK THE TRANSMISSION APART AND INSPECTED AND PLACED BACK INTO THE TRUCK. PROBLEM SHIFTING CONTINUED. THE 2ND TIME IN THE SHOP, THEY REPLACED THE TRANSMISSION, CLUTCH AND SLAVE CYLINDER, THIS W…
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FROM DAY 1 OF THE NEW TRUCK, I HAD SHIFTING PROBLEMS. BEFORE I HAD 1200 MILES ON THE TRUCK IT WAS IN THE SHOP TWICE. THE FIRST TIME THEY TOOK THE TRANSMISSION APART AND INSPECTED AND PLACED BACK INTO THE TRUCK. PROBLEM SHIFTING CONTINUED. THE 2ND TIME IN THE SHOP, THEY REPLACED THE TRANSMISSION, CLUTCH AND SLAVE CYLINDER, THIS WORKED. THEN AT 53000 MILES I TOOK THE TRUCK IN FOR RECALL WORK (828), TO REPLACE THE SLAVE CYLINDER. AT 60000 MILES I HAD SHIFTING PROBLEMS AGAIN. THEY REPLACED THE TRANSMISSION AND CLUTCH WHICH WAS 50% OUT OF MY POCKET. THE DAY I PICKED THE TRUCK UP FROM THE DEALER I WENT ON VACATION FOR 2000 MILES WHICH RESULTED IN SHIFTING PROBLEMS. I TOOK THE TRUCK BACK AT 62000 AND THEY REPLACED THE SLAVE CYLINDER, BUT THE TRANSMISSION WAS LEAKING. AT 64470 MILES THE TRANS WENT DRY AND DEALER REPLACED ANOTHER TRANS. AFTER I PICKED THE TRUCK UP FROM THE DEALER, THE SLAVE CYLINDER BLOW APART 5 MILES AWAY FROM THE DEALER ON THE WAY HOME. HYDRALIC FLUID SPILLED ON TO THE HOT EXHAUST PIPES, WHICH CAUSE SMOKE. AFTER PICKING THE TRUCK UP FROM THE DEALER ON 11/28/01 THE SLAVE CYLINDER BLOW AGAIN 1 MILE FROM THE DEALERSHIP WITH FLUID AGAIN POURING ONTO THE EXHAUST PIPES WHICH CAUSE SMOKE. THE TRUCK IS CURRENTLY AT THE DEALER PUTTING IN A 5TH CYLINDER WITH 64477 MILES ON THE TRUCK.
WHILE DRIVING, CONSUMER HEARD A SOUND AND THEN ATTEMPTED TO SHIFT BACK INTO FIFTH GEAR REALIZING IT WAS NO LONGER OPERATIONAL, AFTER INSPECTION MECHANIC INDICATED THAT THE FIFTH GEAR NUT HAD BACKED OFF CAUSING FAILURE OF THE FIFTH GEAR, FURTHER DISCUSSION WITH MECHANIC REVEALED DODGE REDESIGNED THE LOCKNUT, DODGE NOW PUTS A SET …
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WHILE DRIVING, CONSUMER HEARD A SOUND AND THEN ATTEMPTED TO SHIFT BACK INTO FIFTH GEAR REALIZING IT WAS NO LONGER OPERATIONAL, AFTER INSPECTION MECHANIC INDICATED THAT THE FIFTH GEAR NUT HAD BACKED OFF CAUSING FAILURE OF THE FIFTH GEAR, FURTHER DISCUSSION WITH MECHANIC REVEALED DODGE REDESIGNED THE LOCKNUT, DODGE NOW PUTS A SET SCREW IN THE NUT THAT IS TIGHTENED DOWN ON THE THREADED SHAFT TO HOLD IT IN PLACE. *SLC
PE01-021/ROLL AWAY IN PARK: WHILE PARKED AND IDLING VEHICLE JUMPED OUT OF GEAR WHILE CONSUMER'S DAUGHTER WAS PULLING PIN FROM HITCH ATTACHED TO VEHICLE, CAUSING TRUCK TO RUN OVER HER DAUGHTER WHO RECEIVED SEVERE INJURIES. DEALER / MANUFACTURER WERE NOTIFIED.*AK *SLC
WHILE I WAS DRIVING THE VEHICLE AT ABOUT 35 MPH, THE TRUCK BEGAN REVVING, THEN STOPPED. I COULD SEE TRANSMISSION FLUID LEAKING. THE TRUCK WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER, WHO REMOVED THE TRANSMISSION AND REBUILT IT.
AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION HAS DIFFICULTY SHIFTING BETWEEN DRIVE AND OVERDRIVE. ALSO, VEHICLE WILL NOT ACCELERATE PROPERLY WITH GAS PEDAL BEING PRESSED ALL WAY TO FLOOR. ALSO, THERE WAS ERRATIC OPERATION OF OVERDRIVE KICKING IN WITHOUT PROVOCATION. *AK THE CONSUMER WAS INFORMED BY THE DISTRICT MANAGER THAT THE MANUFACTUR…
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AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION HAS DIFFICULTY SHIFTING BETWEEN DRIVE AND OVERDRIVE. ALSO, VEHICLE WILL NOT ACCELERATE PROPERLY WITH GAS PEDAL BEING PRESSED ALL WAY TO FLOOR. ALSO, THERE WAS ERRATIC OPERATION OF OVERDRIVE KICKING IN WITHOUT PROVOCATION. *AK THE CONSUMER WAS INFORMED BY THE DISTRICT MANAGER THAT THE MANUFACTURER WAS INCREASING THE HORSE POWER AND TORQUE TO HELP SOLVE THE TRANSMISSION SHIFTING PROBLEM. *YH
WHILE TRAVELING AT 60 MPH -70 MPH VEHICLE POPPED OUT OF GEAR AND HAD NO POWER IN 5TH GEAR. DEALER STATED THAT 5TH GEAR NUT DISCONNECTED. PLEASE PROVVIDE 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.