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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.

About this comparison →
520Owner complaints

Model-year median: 520

0Recall campaigns

View recall details →

0Investigations

View investigation details →

How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

Other model years Selected year
213
1995298
1996361
1997520
1998610
1999513
20001,112
2001
Compare all RAM 1500 years →

Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.

What owners reported most

Structure
102Power Train
85Air Bags
63Service Brakes, Hydraulic
56Engine And Engine Cooling
35
All reported categories
Seat Belts
34Suspension
34Electrical System
32Steering
28Tires
27Unknown Or Other
24Latches/locks/linkages
17Fuel System, Gasoline
14Visibility
14Equipment
13Vehicle Speed Control
13Service Brakes
7Exterior Lighting
6Fuel System, Other
6Wheels
5Seats
4Fuel/propulsion System
3Interior Lighting
2Engine
1Parking Brake
1Trailer Hitches
1

Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.

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
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

100,000 miles · Jun 20, 2008
Structure

THE DASH ON MY 98 DODGE RAM 1500 TRUCK HAS DEVELOPED SEVERAL CRACKS IN VARIOUS PLACES. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10231865

74,000 miles · Jun 12, 2008
Structure

DASHBOARD CRACKED AND CRUMBLED FROM ONE END TO THE OTHER. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10230881

90,000 miles · Jun 12, 2008
Structure

THE DASHBOARD IN MY 1998 DODGE RAM PICKUP IS CRACKING AND FALLING APART. I HAVE NOT YET REPLACED THE DASH, BUT IF IT CONTINUES TO CRUMBLE, I WILL HAVE TO DUE TO SAFETY. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10230792

136,000 miles · May 30, 2008
Structure

CRACKED , OR SHOULD I SAY FALLING APART DASH ON TRUCK. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10229376

80,000 miles · May 21, 2008
Structure

DASHBOARD IS CRACKED IN SEVERAL PLACE ON MY 1998 DODGE TRUCK THAT I JUST PAID OFF. THIS BEGAN 2 YEARS AGO AS A RESULT OF THE VEHICLE BEING IN THE SUN. THIS HAS CAUSED THE DASH TO BECOME LOOSE AND DANGEROUS FOR THE INTERNAL PARTS THAT THE DASH PROTECTS. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10228593

93,242 miles · May 5, 2008
Tires

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 DODGE RAM 1500. THE VEHICLE HAS BRIDGESTONE DUELER A/T 693 TIRES, SIZE LT265/75R16. WHILE DRIVING AT AN UNKNOWN SPEED, THE TREAD ON THE REAR PASSENGER SIDE TIRE BEGAN TO SEPARATE. THE REAR PASSENGER SIDE DOOR AND TIRE WERE DAMAGED. NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 04T018000 (TIRES:TREAD/BELT) WAS REFERENCE…

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TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 DODGE RAM 1500. THE VEHICLE HAS BRIDGESTONE DUELER A/T 693 TIRES, SIZE LT265/75R16. WHILE DRIVING AT AN UNKNOWN SPEED, THE TREAD ON THE REAR PASSENGER SIDE TIRE BEGAN TO SEPARATE. THE REAR PASSENGER SIDE DOOR AND TIRE WERE DAMAGED. NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 04T018000 (TIRES:TREAD/BELT) WAS REFERENCED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A TIRE DEALER, BUT WAS NOT DIAGNOSED. THE DOT NUMBER WAS UNKNOWN. THE VEHICLE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 93,242. THE TIRE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 30,000. UPDATED 06/05/08 *BF UPDATED 05/28/08

NHTSA ODI #10226648

63,000 miles · Mar 27, 2008
Unknown Or Other

DASHBOARD CRACKS. I FIRST NOTICED THE DASHBOARD CRACKS SHORTLY AFTER I PURCHASED THE TRUCK IN JULY 2007. THE CRACKS CONTINUED IN BOTH THE NUMBER AND LENGTH. AFTER READING ABOUT OTHER DODGE RAM OWNERS WHO HAD SIMILAR PROBLEMS AND THE ASSOCIATED ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS WHEN THE DASHBOARD DETERIORATED FURTHER, I THOUGHT IT PRUDENT TO I…

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DASHBOARD CRACKS. I FIRST NOTICED THE DASHBOARD CRACKS SHORTLY AFTER I PURCHASED THE TRUCK IN JULY 2007. THE CRACKS CONTINUED IN BOTH THE NUMBER AND LENGTH. AFTER READING ABOUT OTHER DODGE RAM OWNERS WHO HAD SIMILAR PROBLEMS AND THE ASSOCIATED ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS WHEN THE DASHBOARD DETERIORATED FURTHER, I THOUGHT IT PRUDENT TO INSTALL A PLASTIC DASHBOARD COVER TO PREVENT ANY ELECTRICAL MALFUNCTIONS AND/OR FIRES. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10222454

Mileage unknown · Mar 14, 2008
Structure

1998 DODGE 1500 PICKUP TRUCK CRACKED DASH FALLING APART. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10221237

119,767 miles · Mar 14, 2008
Electrical SystemFire

WIRING HARNESS UNDER DASHBOARD FRIED IN 98 RAM WHILE USING A/C. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10221138

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.