IllustrationDASH CRACKED AND IS CLOSE TO BECOMING A HOLE. WHY HAS THIS NOT BEEN A RECALL ISSUE I KNOW OF AT LEAST 200 OTHER DODGE RAM OWNERS WHO HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM AND THAT IS JUST IN TAMPA FL. STOP DRAGGING YOUR FEET AND SAVE US SOME MONEY FROM THEM CUTTING COST AND DOING IT WRONG THE FIRST TIME. *KB
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
Structure complaints
102 reportsTHE DASHBOARD ON MY 1998 DODGE RAM HAS CRACKED AND FALLEN INTO THE ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS IN SEVERAL PLACES. IT SEEMS TO BE A PROBLEM WITH THE PLASTIC ITSELF AS NO EXTERNAL SOURCES CAUSED THE DAMAGE. IT STARTED HAPPENING IN FEBRUARY OF 2009 AND HAS GOTTEN STEADILY WORSE.THE PLASTIC HAS BECOME SO SHARP AND BRITTLE THAT DRIVING …
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THE DASHBOARD ON MY 1998 DODGE RAM HAS CRACKED AND FALLEN INTO THE ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS IN SEVERAL PLACES. IT SEEMS TO BE A PROBLEM WITH THE PLASTIC ITSELF AS NO EXTERNAL SOURCES CAUSED THE DAMAGE. IT STARTED HAPPENING IN FEBRUARY OF 2009 AND HAS GOTTEN STEADILY WORSE.THE PLASTIC HAS BECOME SO SHARP AND BRITTLE THAT DRIVING ON A BUMPY ROAD WILL ACTUALLY CAUSE PIECES TO FALL INTO THE DASH.THIS COULD BE A SAFETY ISSUE IF THE VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN CRASH, THE DASHBOARD COULD BECOME AIRBORNE IN SHARDS. THESE SHARDS OF PLASTIC ARE SHARP ENOUGH TO CAUSE SERIOUS INJURY IF THEY WERE TO STRIKE YOUR FACE OR EYES. THE PIECES FALL INTO THE DASHBOARD AND ONTO ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS, ONCE THEY FALL INTO THIS POSITION IT IS ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO REMOVE THEM FROM THE INSIDE OF THE DASHBOARD. I CAN SEE FUTURE ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS SUCH AS A VEHICLE FIRE RESULTING FROM THE SHARP SHARDS OF PLASTIC BEING IN CONTACT WITH WIRING THAT IS NOW EXPOSED AS A RESULT OF THE PLASTIC FALLING AWAY. I HAVE CONTACTED DODGE BUT WAS ADVISED THAT NO RECALL EXISTS AND THEREFORE THEY WILL NOT REPLACE THE DASHBOARD. IT SEEMS THAT A SIMPLE FIX ON THEIR BEHALF COULD AVOID MAJOR PROBLEMS WITH SOMEBODY GETTING SERIOUSLY INJURED. AN INTERNET SEARCH HAS REVEALED THAT THERE ARE HUNDREDS OF COMPLAINTS OF THE SAME NATURE, I HAVE OWNED A DODGE VEHICLE FOR ALMOST MY ENTIRE ADULT LIFE AND I AM NOW LOOKING TO PURCHASE A NEW FORD THIS YEAR BECAUSE I AM SO CONCERNED ABOUT THIS PROBLEM. *TR
THE DASHBOARD STARTED CRACKING. IT HAS BEEN SEVERAL YEARS NOW, BUT IT HAS GOTTEN ALOT WORSE. I MEAN ALOT WORSE. I'VE NEVER SEEN CRACKING OF THE DASHBOARD QUITE THIS BAD EVER IN MY LIFE. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 DODGE RAM 1500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THERE WAS A FRACTURE IN THE DASHBOARD.THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER AND THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 89,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 108,450.
DASH HAS NUMEROUS CRACKS. CONCERNED ABOUT THE PASSENGER AIR BAG BEING DEPLOYED AND CAUSING INJURY WHEN PARTS OF DASH COME OFF. *TR
1998 DODGE RAM 1500 & 1999 DODGE RAM 2500. CRACKING DASHBOARD ON 1998 AND 1999 DASHBOARD HAS COMPLETELY FELL OUT. *TR
I OWN A 1998 DODGE RAM 1500 EXTENDED CAB. I BOUGHT THE VEHICLE NEW. FOR SEVERAL YEARS THE DASH HAS BEEN CRACKING AND THE PLASTIC AIR CONDITIONING VENTS ARE FALLING APART. I HAVE MADE NO REPAIRS AND IT NEEDS FIXING. ALSO THE REAR END IS ROARING PROBABLY FROM A BEARING GOING BAD. OTHER THAN THIS PROBLEM, IT HAS BEEN A GOOD TRUCK. …
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I OWN A 1998 DODGE RAM 1500 EXTENDED CAB. I BOUGHT THE VEHICLE NEW. FOR SEVERAL YEARS THE DASH HAS BEEN CRACKING AND THE PLASTIC AIR CONDITIONING VENTS ARE FALLING APART. I HAVE MADE NO REPAIRS AND IT NEEDS FIXING. ALSO THE REAR END IS ROARING PROBABLY FROM A BEARING GOING BAD. OTHER THAN THIS PROBLEM, IT HAS BEEN A GOOD TRUCK. *TR
DASH IN MY 1998 DODGE RAM 1500 HAS CRACKS AND KEEPS GETTING WORSE. *TR
DASH CRACKED IN THE AREA OF PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG. *KB
MY DODGE TRUCK 1998 RAM 1500 DASHBOARD IS CRACKING AND HAS BEEN FOR SEVERAL YEARS. THE CRACKS NOW ARE MOVING TOWARD THE PANEL OF INSTRUMENTS AND THE CRACKS ARE COMING TOGETHER TO MAKE HOLES I CAN NOT GET THE EVAPORATOR FOR MY AIR CONDITIONER FIXED DUE TO THE FAULTY DASH. I CONTACTED CHRYSLER AND STATED THAT THERE IS NO RECALL A…
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MY DODGE TRUCK 1998 RAM 1500 DASHBOARD IS CRACKING AND HAS BEEN FOR SEVERAL YEARS. THE CRACKS NOW ARE MOVING TOWARD THE PANEL OF INSTRUMENTS AND THE CRACKS ARE COMING TOGETHER TO MAKE HOLES I CAN NOT GET THE EVAPORATOR FOR MY AIR CONDITIONER FIXED DUE TO THE FAULTY DASH. I CONTACTED CHRYSLER AND STATED THAT THERE IS NO RECALL AND WOULD NOT REPAIR DASH. I WENT ONLINE AND THIS APPEARS TO BE A COMMON PROBLEMS WITH THE RAM 1500 MY TRUCK IS KEPT INSIDE WHEN NOT BEING USED AND IS UP TO DATE ON ALL MAINTENANCE. *TR
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.