1998 DODGE RAM 1500. SEATBELT/RESTRAINT HARNESS FAILURE/AUTOMATIC DISENGAGEMENT WHEN BELTS ARE USED TO SECURE CHILD SAFETY SEATS. *TR
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
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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.
What owners actually said
520 reportsTL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 DODGE RAM 1500. WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED, THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHTS REMAIN ILLUMINATED. THE MECHANIC STATED THAT THE CLOCK SPRING ASSEMBLY NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THERE IS A RECALL # 01V153000 (AIR BAGS), HOWEVER THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THE VEHICLE IS EXCLUDED FROM THE RECALL. THE…
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TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 DODGE RAM 1500. WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED, THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHTS REMAIN ILLUMINATED. THE MECHANIC STATED THAT THE CLOCK SPRING ASSEMBLY NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THERE IS A RECALL # 01V153000 (AIR BAGS), HOWEVER THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THE VEHICLE IS EXCLUDED FROM THE RECALL. THE CONTACT FEELS HIS VEHICLE SHOULD BE INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 87,000.
THE DASH CRACKED FROM THE CENTER WHERE IT MEETS THE WIND SCREEN ALL THE WAY ACROSS THE DASH GOING OUT OF SIGHT WHERE THE DASH ROLLS INTO THE AIRBAG COMPARTMENT. A FEW WEEKS LATER THE WIND SCREEN CRACKED FROM THE SAME ORGIN WHEN IT GOT WET. *JB
I OWN A 1998 DODGE RAM 1500 SPORT 4X4 QUAD CAB TRUCK AND THE DASHBOARD IS CRACKED TERRIBLY. NOW I'VE SPOKEN TO A LOT OF RAM OWNERS AND HAVE VISITED MANY DODGE DEALERSHIPS AND THEY SAY THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THESE TRUCKS. AS YOU ARE AWARE THE DASH ALSO HOUSES IMPORTANT COMPONENTS OF THE AIRBAG SAFETY SYSTEM. SOMETHING NEED…
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I OWN A 1998 DODGE RAM 1500 SPORT 4X4 QUAD CAB TRUCK AND THE DASHBOARD IS CRACKED TERRIBLY. NOW I'VE SPOKEN TO A LOT OF RAM OWNERS AND HAVE VISITED MANY DODGE DEALERSHIPS AND THEY SAY THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THESE TRUCKS. AS YOU ARE AWARE THE DASH ALSO HOUSES IMPORTANT COMPONENTS OF THE AIRBAG SAFETY SYSTEM. SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE DONE ABOUT THIS PROBLEM. THE COST TO REPLACE THIS DASH IS VERY HIGH. *JB
1998 DODGE RAM 1500 4 WD SHORT BED STANDARD CAB HOOD LATCH FAILED. WHILE DRIVING (AFTER A COUPLE MILES) THE HOOD BEGAN TO SHAKE UP AND DOWN. I PULLED OVER AND SLAMMED THE HOOD CLOSED. COMPLETED MY TRIP (30 MILES ROUND TRIP). 2 WEEKS LATER I WAS DRIVING TO WORK. AFTER 1/2 MILE THE HOOD BEGAN TO SHAKE UP AND DOWN. I BEGAN TO …
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1998 DODGE RAM 1500 4 WD SHORT BED STANDARD CAB HOOD LATCH FAILED. WHILE DRIVING (AFTER A COUPLE MILES) THE HOOD BEGAN TO SHAKE UP AND DOWN. I PULLED OVER AND SLAMMED THE HOOD CLOSED. COMPLETED MY TRIP (30 MILES ROUND TRIP). 2 WEEKS LATER I WAS DRIVING TO WORK. AFTER 1/2 MILE THE HOOD BEGAN TO SHAKE UP AND DOWN. I BEGAN TO SLOW BUT IT WAS TOO LATE (40 MPH), THE HOOD FLEW OPEN AND SLAMMED AGAINST THE WINDSHIELD. SINCE I WAS ONLY 1 MILE FROM MY HOUSE I STOOD ON TOP OF THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT AND PULLED THE HOOD BACK DOWN WITH MY 200 POUND FRAME AND INCHED BACK TO HOME WHERE IT SITS. THIS IS DEFINITELY A FAILURE OF THE SECONDARY LATCH. THERE WAS MINOR YARD DAMAGE WHEN I DROVE OFF THE ROAD. DAMAGE TO THE HOOD (CREASED) AND THE HINGES, AND FRONT FENDERS. *NM
DUE TO THE SEAT BELTS ASSEMBLY COMING APART OUR BABY SEAT BECAME LOOSE CAUSING SEAT WITH INFANT TO LUNG FORWARD UPON BRAKING. TRIED SEVERAL TIMES TO GET ASSISTANCE THROUGH THE CHRYSLER 1-800 # FOR COMPLAINTS AND ISSUES. AS A MATTER OF FACT, I WAS TREATED WITH A COMPLETE LACK OF CONCERN FOR SUCH A CRITICAL. ATTEMPTED TO TAKE CARE…
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DUE TO THE SEAT BELTS ASSEMBLY COMING APART OUR BABY SEAT BECAME LOOSE CAUSING SEAT WITH INFANT TO LUNG FORWARD UPON BRAKING. TRIED SEVERAL TIMES TO GET ASSISTANCE THROUGH THE CHRYSLER 1-800 # FOR COMPLAINTS AND ISSUES. AS A MATTER OF FACT, I WAS TREATED WITH A COMPLETE LACK OF CONCERN FOR SUCH A CRITICAL. ATTEMPTED TO TAKE CARE OF IT THROUGH A LOCAL DEALERSHIP WHO UPON CALLING THE 1-800# FOR CHRYSLER SERVICE TO SEE THAT IT WOULD BE COVERED BEING A SEAT BELT FAILURE, WERE REFUSED. AT THIS POINT, I JUNK YARD WHOLE SEAT BELTS AND REPLACE THEM EVERY TIME THEY FALL APART WHICH IS VERY OFTEN. I HAVE REPLACED ALL OR PART OF (4) BELT ASSEMBLIES IN THE AREA OF (9) TIMES SINCE THE DATE NOTED. *NM
98 DODGE RAM 1500 2WD WINDSHIELD CRACKED FROM THE DASH TO THE TOP DURING WHEN I SPRAYED WATER ON IT IN THE SHADE. IT WAS NOT HOT, WARM BUT NOT HOT. NEXT DAY THE DASH CRACKED FROM THE SAME SPOT ALL THE WAY TO THE GLOVE COMPARTMENT. I KNOW OF 3 OTHER DODGE 1500'S THAT HAVE THE SAME CRACK IN THE WINDSHIELD AND DASH. I SUSPECT AN…
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98 DODGE RAM 1500 2WD WINDSHIELD CRACKED FROM THE DASH TO THE TOP DURING WHEN I SPRAYED WATER ON IT IN THE SHADE. IT WAS NOT HOT, WARM BUT NOT HOT. NEXT DAY THE DASH CRACKED FROM THE SAME SPOT ALL THE WAY TO THE GLOVE COMPARTMENT. I KNOW OF 3 OTHER DODGE 1500'S THAT HAVE THE SAME CRACK IN THE WINDSHIELD AND DASH. I SUSPECT AND ENGINEERING FAILURE...A STRESS POINT. ONLY I DRIVE THIS TRUCK. NOTHING HAS HIT THE WINDSCREEN THERE. NO CHIPS OR SCRATCHES IN THE AREA OF THE BREAK. *NM
1998 DODGE RAM 1500 PICKUP BLOWING OUT A BRAKE LINE ALL BRAKES LOST. *JB
THE DRIVER SEAT SUPPORT HAS FAILED. I HAVE CHECKED OUT 6 DIFFERENT TRUCK OF THE SAME YEAR AND THEY HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM. *JB
TRUCK IS PAINTED BLACK AND IS PEELING ON THE HOOD AND ROOF OF TRUCK. IT IS ACTUALLY TURNING WHITE IN COLOR AND IS VERY ROUGH. I WAS GOING TO HAVE THE TRUCK REPAINTED; HOWEVER, SEVERAL OTHER DODGE RAM OWNERS HAVE STATED THAT THEY HAVE HAD THE SAME PROBLEMS, AND THAT I SHOULD CONTACT DODGE. *JB
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.
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