IllustrationSTEERING COLUMN HAS A CLUNKING NOISE AND CAN BE FELT THROUGH THE STEERING WHEEL. HEADLIGHTS WILL GO OFF WHEN HIGH BEAM IS APPLIED THEN TURNED OFF. *AK
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
What owners actually said
225 reportsREAR (ABS) BRAKES WOULD CAUSE A SHIMMYING EFFECT WHEN APPLIED. PROBLEM HAD OCCURRED TWICE BEFORE. FRONT (ABS) BRAKES WERE THREE TIMES REPLACED, INCLUDING PADS AND SHOES/ROTORS AND CALIPERS. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALERSHIP & WAS INFORMED THAT DRUMS NEEDED TO BE CUT. THE PROBLEM WAS INTERMITTENT. DEALER OFFERED TO ACCEPT VEHICLE AS …
Read full complaint
REAR (ABS) BRAKES WOULD CAUSE A SHIMMYING EFFECT WHEN APPLIED. PROBLEM HAD OCCURRED TWICE BEFORE. FRONT (ABS) BRAKES WERE THREE TIMES REPLACED, INCLUDING PADS AND SHOES/ROTORS AND CALIPERS. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALERSHIP & WAS INFORMED THAT DRUMS NEEDED TO BE CUT. THE PROBLEM WAS INTERMITTENT. DEALER OFFERED TO ACCEPT VEHICLE AS A TRADE-IN. *AK *ML
WHILE GOING DOWN THE ROAD SEAT BELT LIGHT CAME ON, AND BELTS ON BOTH DRIVER'S SIDE AND PASSENGER'S SIDE LOCKED UP. WENT TO DEALER, DEALER TRIED 7 TIMES TO REPAIR DEFECT, BUT WAS UNABLE. SEAT BELTS DIDN'T RELEASE UNTIL VEHICLE WAS SHUT OFF OR DOOR WAS OPENED. *AK
CONSUMER STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AND MAKING A TURN STEERING WHEEL LOCKED UP. DEALER REPLACED STEERING GEAR BOX WITH A NEWER MODEL. *AK *ML
WHEN CONSUMER APPLIES BRAKES, VEHICLE PULLS TO TO THE LEFT AND RIGHT. VEHICLE HAS REAR ABS BRAKES ONLY. *AK
WHILE DRIVING ON A COUNTY ROAD ONCOMING SCHOOL BUS LOST CONTROL AND HIT CONSUMER HEAD-ON. PUSHED CONSUMER INTO A 15 FOOT EMBANKMENT. UPON IMPACT, DRIVER'S SIDE AIRBAG DIDN'T DEPLOY. DIDN'T CONTACT DEALER OR MANUFACTURER. *AK *ML
AXLE DESIGNED TO LEAK GREASE EXCESSIVELY. YH
NO DEPLOYMENT OF BOTH FRONTAL AIR BAGS DURING FRONTAL COLLISION WITH SEVERE DAMAGES, INJURIES DUE TO FAILURE. *MJS
WHILE SITTIING IN PARK POSITION AND RUNNING, VEHICLE TOOK OFF AND HIT A CAR. THEN RAN INTO A PILE OF SNOW. DEALER HAS NOT SEEN VEHICLE. *AK
WHILE ACCELERATING TRANSMISSION DOWN SHIFTED AT WILL, ALMOST CAUSING AN ACCIDENT.*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.