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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.

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When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

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 reports
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Mileage unknown · Jul 8, 2009
Structure

I HAVE FOUND THAT THE DODGE PU'S ALL HAVE DEFECTIVE AND FAILING DASHES. WHAT WILL IT TAKE TO GET YOU TO HAVE THIS PROBLEM RESOLVED. A CHILD DECAPITATED IN A MINOR ACCIDENT FROM A "KNOWN DEFECT" IN DODGES DASHES. A FAMILY BURNED ALIVE WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY BECAUSE THE DASH CAVES IN AND SHORTS OUT WIRING. OR PERHAPS AN AC…

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I HAVE FOUND THAT THE DODGE PU'S ALL HAVE DEFECTIVE AND FAILING DASHES. WHAT WILL IT TAKE TO GET YOU TO HAVE THIS PROBLEM RESOLVED. A CHILD DECAPITATED IN A MINOR ACCIDENT FROM A "KNOWN DEFECT" IN DODGES DASHES. A FAMILY BURNED ALIVE WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY BECAUSE THE DASH CAVES IN AND SHORTS OUT WIRING. OR PERHAPS AN ACCIDENT WHEN THE AIR BAG DEPLOYS AT 70 MPH DUE TO AN ELECTRICAL SHORT. THIS IS A SERIOUS ISSUE AND DODGE/CHRYSLER NEED TO ADDRESS IT AND FIX IT NOW. OR PERHAPS WE ARE TOO BUSY FINANCING THE CONTINUED DEFECTIVE MANUFACTURING OF DEATH TRAPS BY DODGE/CHRYSLER WITH TAX PAYERS DOLLARS TO BE CONCERNED WITH LIVES OF WORKING CLASS AMERICANS WHO SUPPORTED THE COMPANY BY PURCHASING THEIR JUNK VEHICLES. MY DASHBOARD IS FALLING APART AROUND ME AND THIS HAS BEEN AN ISSUE FOR A LONG, LONG TIME. YOU HAVE KNOWN OF IT, YET NO RECALLS HAVE BEEN ISSUED. CHRYSLER AND DODGE HAVE KNOWN OF IT, "PROFITS OVER LIFE SEEMS TO BE THEIR ONLY CONCERN". DO A SEARCH ON THE INTERNET AND YOU WILL LITERALLY FIND THOUSANDS OF DODGE RAM PU OWNERS WITH THE SAME ISSUES AND COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS VEHICLE. AND YOU WILL ALSO FIND THAT CHRYSLER AND DODGE FULLY INTEND TO JUST IGNORE THE PROBLEM. PERSONALLY, I DON'T THINK MY TAX DOLLARS SHOULD GO TO BAIL OUT A COMPANY THAT "WILLINGLY MANUFACTURES AND SELLS DEFECTIVE PRODUCTS TO CONSUMERS AND WHEN BROUGHT TO THEIR ATTENTION, THEY WILL JUST BRUSH IT ASIDE OR BLAME THE CONSUMER". AND I STRONGLY FEEL THAT YOUR AGENCY NEEDS TO BE A BIT MORE FORCEFUL WITH CHRYSLER AND DODGE TO GET THESE SUBSTANDARD ITEMS REPAIRED AND REPLACED AT THEIR EXPENSE BEFORE MORE "TAXPAYERS WHO BAILED THEM OUT GET INJURED OR DIE FROM THEIR KNOWN DEFECTS". *TR

NHTSA ODI #10276066

Mileage unknown · Feb 23, 2009
Structure

I HAVE TWO 1998 DODGE 1500 TRUCKS BOTH HAVE THE DASH BREAKING APART. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10259665

120,795 miles · Feb 7, 2009
Structure

DASH IS CRACKING AND FALLING APART DUE TO DEFECTIVE MATERIAL USED FOR MAKING THE DASH. THIS PROBLEM CAUSES SHARP PROTRUDING PIECES. THIS COULD MAKE IT UNSAFE FOR THE DRIVER OR PASSENGERS IF AN ACCIDENT OCCURS. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10257824

Mileage unknown · Dec 10, 2008
Structure

LIKE MANY OTHER AMERICAN CONSUMERS OWNING DODGE RAMS YEARS RANGING FROM 1994 -2006, THE TOP COVER OF THE DASH HAS CRACKED AND FELL IN. THIS HAS CAUSED MY AIR BAG LIGHT TO COME ON. WHETHER IT IS STILL FUNCTIONAL IS UNKNOWN, BUT HIGHLY UNLIKELY FOR THE LIGHT TO APPEAR. EVEN IF IT DOES WORK WHAT WOULD HAPPEN TO MY PASSENGERS, WHICH…

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LIKE MANY OTHER AMERICAN CONSUMERS OWNING DODGE RAMS YEARS RANGING FROM 1994 -2006, THE TOP COVER OF THE DASH HAS CRACKED AND FELL IN. THIS HAS CAUSED MY AIR BAG LIGHT TO COME ON. WHETHER IT IS STILL FUNCTIONAL IS UNKNOWN, BUT HIGHLY UNLIKELY FOR THE LIGHT TO APPEAR. EVEN IF IT DOES WORK WHAT WOULD HAPPEN TO MY PASSENGERS, WHICH COULD VERY WELL BE MY FAMILY, AND I IN THE INSTANCE OF A CRASH HAPPENING IN THE TRUCK. IT IS VERY, VERY POSSIBLE BRITTLE, BROKE SHARDS OF PLASTIC WOULD END UP IN OUR FACE. WITH THE ACCELERATED RATE THAT AN AIRBAG DEPLOYS, THIS COULD END TRAGICALLY. PLEASE HELP THE TENS OF THOUSANDS OF US THAT SHARE THIS FAULTY CHYRSLER PRODUCT PROBLEM. WITH LITTLE RESEARCH IT IS VERY EASY TO SEE JUST HOW WIDE SPREAD THIS PROBLEM HAS BECOME. IT WILL ALSO BE CLEAR AS TO HOW MANY PEOPLE THIS PROBLEM COULD HARM. WE ARE NOW TAKING A STAND, STARTING WITH THIS. PLEASE HELP US CORRECT THIS ISSUE BEFORE LIVE ARE TAKEN OR RUINED BY FAULTY CHYRSLER PRODUCTS. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10251261

Mileage unknown · Nov 26, 2008
Structure

I PURCHASED A USED 1998 DODGE RAM 1500 4X4 QUAD CAB AND THE DASHBOARD IS IN PIECES. OBVIOUSLY I KNEW IT'S CONDITION WHEN PURCHASED BUT ASSUMED A JUNK YARD WOULD BE THE ANSWER. I'M NOW REALIZING THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THE RAM AND AM HOPING A RECALL WILL BE MADE...UNTIL THEN IT'S A DASH MAT. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10249902

80,000 miles · Nov 16, 2008
Structure

CRACKED DASH, 98 DODGE RAM 1500 PICKUP. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10248953

85,000 miles · Oct 4, 2008
Structure

THE DASH IN MY 1998 RAM 1500 IS ALL CRACKED AND FALLING APART. THE VIN HAS FALLEN OFF TOO (IT WAS RIVETED TO THE DASH). I THINK THIS COULD AFFECT THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE AIR BAG. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10244391

50,000 miles · Aug 30, 2008
Structure

1998 DODGE TRUCK DASH FALLING OUT ON LARGE PIECES. ONE PIECE GOT BEHIND BRAKE PEDAL AND NEARLY CAUSED AN ACCIDENT. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10240306

132,000 miles · Aug 27, 2008
Structure

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 DODGE RAM 1500. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 50 MPH, THE HOOD DISENGAGED FROM THE LATCH MECHANISM AND CRASHED INTO THE WINDSHIELD. THE HOOD AND DRIVER'S SIDE WINDSHIELD WERE DAMAGED. THERE WERE NO PRIOR WARNINGS OR INJURIES. THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN TO THE CONTACT'S RESIDENCE. THE CONTACT NOTIFIED TH…

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TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 DODGE RAM 1500. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 50 MPH, THE HOOD DISENGAGED FROM THE LATCH MECHANISM AND CRASHED INTO THE WINDSHIELD. THE HOOD AND DRIVER'S SIDE WINDSHIELD WERE DAMAGED. THERE WERE NO PRIOR WARNINGS OR INJURIES. THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN TO THE CONTACT'S RESIDENCE. THE CONTACT NOTIFIED THE INSURANCE COMPANY OF THE DAMAGES AND IS WAITING ON THE VEHICLE TO BE REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 132,000.

NHTSA ODI #10239959

82,825 miles · Jun 25, 2008
Structure

MY 1998 DODGE RAM HAS A VERY LARGE AND FAST GROWING CRACK ON THE DASH, THAT JUST APPEARED ONE DAY. IF IT FALLS APART ANY MORE IT CAN CAUSE ALL TYPES OF ELECTRICAL, STEERING PROBLEMS AND POSSIBLY COULD CAUSE A VEHICLE FIRE. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10232317

Official recalls

0

No 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

0

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.