← New search

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 →

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

What owners actually said

520 reports
Mileage unknown · May 17, 2010
Structure

DASHBOARD HOLE KEEPS GETTING LARGER 1998 DODGE RAM. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10330908

164,000 miles · May 1, 2010
Structure

I HAVE A 1998 DODGE RAM 1500. MY DASH BOARD IS CRACKING AND FALLING APART. DO NOT UNDERSTAND HOW THIS COULD BE HAPPENING, AS NO UNUSUAL USE OF THE VEHICLE. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10328381

136,000 miles · Mar 21, 2010
Air Bags

MY 1998 DODGE RAM 1500 PICKUP HAS A CHRONIC CASE OF CRACKED DASH. THIS HAS BEEN HEAVILY NOTED FROM 1998 MODELS THROUGH THE 2004 MODELS. THIS IS EXTREMELY HAZARDOUS TO PASSENGER SAFETY BECAUSE IF THE PASSENGER AIRBAG SHOULD DEPLOY THE PASSENGER OR DRIVER COULD BE IMPALED BY SHARP SHARDS OF PLASTIC FROM THE FRACTURED DASH. THESE …

Read full complaint

MY 1998 DODGE RAM 1500 PICKUP HAS A CHRONIC CASE OF CRACKED DASH. THIS HAS BEEN HEAVILY NOTED FROM 1998 MODELS THROUGH THE 2004 MODELS. THIS IS EXTREMELY HAZARDOUS TO PASSENGER SAFETY BECAUSE IF THE PASSENGER AIRBAG SHOULD DEPLOY THE PASSENGER OR DRIVER COULD BE IMPALED BY SHARP SHARDS OF PLASTIC FROM THE FRACTURED DASH. THESE DASHES NEED TO BE RECALLED DUE TO THIS EXTREME SAFETY HAZARD. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10321300

205,000 miles · Feb 27, 2010
Seat Belts

NO ACCIDENT AS OF YET. NO REASONABLE CAUSE OF CONDITION FOUND AT PRESENT TIME. SAFETY BELTS LOCKED IN FULLY RETRACTED STATE, AND ARE UNABLE TO EXTEND FOR FASTENING. NO ACCIDENT HAS HAPPENED AT CURRENT TIME TO OWNERS KNOWLEDGE. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10314818

89,000 miles · Feb 24, 2010
Structure

I HAVE A 1998 DODGE RAM 1500 WITH A CRACKED DASH AND RESEARCHED OTHER YEARS WITH THE SAME PROBLEM . I HAVE CALL DODGE LIKE A LOT OF OTHERS HAVE WITH NO RESULTS . MY CONCERN IS WITH THE WINDOWS DOWN I HAVE HAD A PEACE OF THE DASH FLY IN TO FACE WHILE DRIVING . AND I THINK IT IS A SAFETY ISSUE. NOW I CANT ROLL DOWN THE WINDOWS WI…

Read full complaint

I HAVE A 1998 DODGE RAM 1500 WITH A CRACKED DASH AND RESEARCHED OTHER YEARS WITH THE SAME PROBLEM . I HAVE CALL DODGE LIKE A LOT OF OTHERS HAVE WITH NO RESULTS . MY CONCERN IS WITH THE WINDOWS DOWN I HAVE HAD A PEACE OF THE DASH FLY IN TO FACE WHILE DRIVING . AND I THINK IT IS A SAFETY ISSUE. NOW I CANT ROLL DOWN THE WINDOWS WITH OUT FEAR OF BEEN HIT IN THE FACE AGAIN ...... *TR

NHTSA ODI #10313977

130,000 miles · Feb 23, 2010
Structure

THE DASHBOARD IS CRACKED AND EXPOSING THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM. THERE ARE ALSO SHARPE EDGES EXPOSED CAUSING A SAFETY RISK. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10313113

155,240 miles · Feb 5, 2010
StructureInjury

1998 DODGE RAM 4X4 SLE PICK-UP TRUCK WITH CRACKED DASH. SHARP EDGES ON DASH HAS CAUSED AN INJURY TO MY HAND WHILING CLEANING THE WINDOW. DAMAGE WAS NOT CAUSED BY ANY PERSON OR PERSONS IN YOUR AROUND THE VEHICLE. THE CRACKED DASH IS A COMMON PROBLEM IN 2ND GENERATE DODGE PICKS (1994-2001). *TR

NHTSA ODI #10306427

125,000 miles · Jan 30, 2010
Structure

1998 DODGE RAM 1500, SEVERELY CRACKED DASH. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10303320

148,000 miles · Dec 22, 2009
Power Train

I DRIVE A 98 DODGE RAM. THE TRANSMISSION SLIPS OUT OF OVERDRIVE ON IT'S OWN. I WILL BE REPLACING THIS TRANSMISSION AT A COST OF $2000.00. IT DOES IT AT SPEEDS OF 70 MPH AND COULD BE DANGEROUS IF TOWING A TRAILER. DODGE TRUCKS ARE KNOWN FOR FAULTY TRANSMISSIONS. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10296655

165,000 miles · Dec 19, 2009
Vehicle Speed Control

WHILE DRIVING MY 1998 DODGE RAM 1500 2WD 5.2 AUTO., THE THROTTLE STUCK OPEN AT HALF THROTTLE AND I HAVE NO FLOOR MATS TO GET CAUGHT IN THE PEDALS,I TIRED PULLING THE PEDAL UP WITH MY FOOT, I HAD TO SWITCH THE TRUCK OFF WHILE ON THE INTERSTATE, COASTED TO THE SHOULDER AND IT WAS STILL STUCK, RESTARTED AND IT WAS FINE AND DROVE OF…

Read full complaint

WHILE DRIVING MY 1998 DODGE RAM 1500 2WD 5.2 AUTO., THE THROTTLE STUCK OPEN AT HALF THROTTLE AND I HAVE NO FLOOR MATS TO GET CAUGHT IN THE PEDALS,I TIRED PULLING THE PEDAL UP WITH MY FOOT, I HAD TO SWITCH THE TRUCK OFF WHILE ON THE INTERSTATE, COASTED TO THE SHOULDER AND IT WAS STILL STUCK, RESTARTED AND IT WAS FINE AND DROVE OFF AND PRESSED IT DOWN HALF WAY AGAIN AND NO IT STICKS EVERYTIME AT HALF THROTTLE OR MORE--THE RETURN SPRING IS WORKING FINE I HAVE BEEN A MECHANIC ALL MY LIFE AND HAVE NEVER HAD THIS HAPPEN,WHEN EVERYTHING FEELS FINE--CABLE,THE THROTTLE LINKAGE-MY WIFE IS NOW SCARED TO DRIVE THE TRUCK BECAUSE OF THIS--PLEASE IF YOU CAN HELP ME IN ANYWAY PLEASE SEND INFO. FOR THE REPAIR---ALMOST RAN INTO ANOTHER CAR TRYING TO GET THE TRUCK TO SLOW DOWN BEFORE I SWITCH OFF THE KEY. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10296439

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.