IllustrationTRANSMISSION LEAKAGE..AXEL FLUID LEAKAGE..THIS IS THE THIRD VECHILE THAT THIS DEALERSHIP HAS PUT US IN IN 15 MONTHS!!THE TRUCK WE HAVE NOW ISNT SAFE AND THEY REFUSE TO FIX IT AND THEY ARE RESPONSIBLE BECAUSE THEY DID NOT GIVE US A WARRANTY LIKE THEY TOLD US WHEN WE BOUGHT TRUCK IN APRIL. *AK
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
What owners actually said
520 reportsA RECALL LETTER WAS RECEIVED, AFTER TAKING THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER THE CONSUMER WAS TOLD THAT HIS VEHICLE IDENTIFICATION NUMBER DID NOT COME UP IN THE COMPUTER. . RECALL 01V153000. *JB
WHILE RETURNING HOME FROM SEEING MY FIRST GRANDCHILD, SOUTH OF HERSHEY PA MY TRANSMISSION DIED AT APPROX. 50,000 MILES. I HAD TO HAVE THE VEHICLE TOWED FROM THE INTERSTATE AND THE TRANSMISSION REBUILT. THEY TOLD ME THERE WERE A LOT OF METAL SHAVINGS IN THE TRANSMISSION WHICH CLOGGED UP THE WORKS. THIS COST ME ALMOST $3,000.00…
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WHILE RETURNING HOME FROM SEEING MY FIRST GRANDCHILD, SOUTH OF HERSHEY PA MY TRANSMISSION DIED AT APPROX. 50,000 MILES. I HAD TO HAVE THE VEHICLE TOWED FROM THE INTERSTATE AND THE TRANSMISSION REBUILT. THEY TOLD ME THERE WERE A LOT OF METAL SHAVINGS IN THE TRANSMISSION WHICH CLOGGED UP THE WORKS. THIS COST ME ALMOST $3,000.00 PLUS THE COST OF BEING STRANDED OUT OF TOWN FOR 5 DAYS. I NOW HAVE 92,000 MILES ON THE TRUCK AND HAVE TO HAVE THE TRANSMISSION REBUILT AGAIN. I DO NOT KNOW THE COST TO DO THIS YET. PLUS I HAVE THE COST OF OBTAINING ALTERNATE TRANSPORTATION TO GET TO WORK FOR ABOUT 14 DAYS UNTIL I GET THE WORK COMPLETED. THE FIRST REPAIR WORK WAS DONE BY AAMCO AND THE WARRANTY ON THEIR WORK WAS FOR 12 MONTHS OR 12,000 MILES, WHICHEVER CAME FIRST. I HAD AAMCO DO A DIAGNOSTIC ON THE VEHICLE AND THEY TOLD ME THE TRANSMISSION WAS "TOAST". *JB
LOWER BALL JOINTS FAILED AT 27000 MILES. NO FITTINGS FOR GREASE.*AK
DODGE TRUCK ENGINE SEIZED UP AFTER HAVING A COMPLETE OIL MAINTENANCE.*MR EIGHT DAYS PRIOR TO THE ENGINE SEIZING THE DEALER REPLACED THE OIL PAN, BELTS, OIL AND OIL PUMP. *NM
CONSUMER NOTICED IN COLD WEATHER HORN ASSEMBLY IS HARD TO DEPRESS IN AN EMERGENCY. *AK
I HAD A PROBLEM WITH THE RIGHT BRAKE EVER SINCE I BOUGHT THE TRUCK. I TOOK IT INTO THE DODGE DEALER IN VICTORVILLE WHO TOLD ME THAT I DID NOT HAVE A RECALL SO IT WOULD COST ME TO CHNAGE THE ROTORS SINCE IT WAS DAMAGED. I JUST HAD MY HUSBAND REPLACE IT WITH A NEW ROTOR WHICH WAS VERY COSTLY SINCE I WAS NOT ABLE TO STOP ANYMORE BE…
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I HAD A PROBLEM WITH THE RIGHT BRAKE EVER SINCE I BOUGHT THE TRUCK. I TOOK IT INTO THE DODGE DEALER IN VICTORVILLE WHO TOLD ME THAT I DID NOT HAVE A RECALL SO IT WOULD COST ME TO CHNAGE THE ROTORS SINCE IT WAS DAMAGED. I JUST HAD MY HUSBAND REPLACE IT WITH A NEW ROTOR WHICH WAS VERY COSTLY SINCE I WAS NOT ABLE TO STOP ANYMORE BECAUSE I HAD NO BRAKE PAD ON THE INSIDE OF THE RIGHT ROTOR SINCE IT HAS ALWAYS BEEN STUCK AND JUST FINALLY WORE OUT EVERYTHING. *AK
WHILE DRIVING AT 50 MPH DRIVER LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE, CAUSING A HEAD ON COLLISION WITH A TREE. UPON IMPACT, BOTH FRONTAL AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. DRIVER SUSTAINED MINOR INJURIES. *ASK
I PURCHASED MY 1998 DODGE RAM 1500 IN THE SPRING OF 1998 AND HAVE BEEN TH ONLY OWNER. CURRENTLY, THE PAINT IS COMING OFF THE METAL ON THE HOOD AND ROOF OF THE TRUCK. THE DODGE REP IN THE AREA HAS INDICATED THAT DODGE WOULD PAY 1/3 OF THE COST TO FIX THE PROBLEM. I HAVE DONE NOTHING TO CAUSE THIS PROBLEM AND DO NOT BELIEVE DOD…
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I PURCHASED MY 1998 DODGE RAM 1500 IN THE SPRING OF 1998 AND HAVE BEEN TH ONLY OWNER. CURRENTLY, THE PAINT IS COMING OFF THE METAL ON THE HOOD AND ROOF OF THE TRUCK. THE DODGE REP IN THE AREA HAS INDICATED THAT DODGE WOULD PAY 1/3 OF THE COST TO FIX THE PROBLEM. I HAVE DONE NOTHING TO CAUSE THIS PROBLEM AND DO NOT BELIEVE DODGE IS STANDING BEHIND THEIR PRODUCT.*AK
I WAS DRIVING MY 1998 DODGE RAM 4X4 EXTENDED CAB 1500SLT 318 MOTOR ON THE FREEWAY DOING 70-75 MPH WHEN I LOST ALL POWER. I HAD NO POWER STEERING OR POWER BRAKES AND WAS STUCK IN THE FAST LANE ON THE INTERSTATE. I WAS FINALLY ABLE TO GET TO THE SHOULDER BY CUTTING OFF ANOTHER VEHICLE. I HAD MY TRUCK TOWED TO LITHIA DODGE OF ROSEB…
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I WAS DRIVING MY 1998 DODGE RAM 4X4 EXTENDED CAB 1500SLT 318 MOTOR ON THE FREEWAY DOING 70-75 MPH WHEN I LOST ALL POWER. I HAD NO POWER STEERING OR POWER BRAKES AND WAS STUCK IN THE FAST LANE ON THE INTERSTATE. I WAS FINALLY ABLE TO GET TO THE SHOULDER BY CUTTING OFF ANOTHER VEHICLE. I HAD MY TRUCK TOWED TO LITHIA DODGE OF ROSEBURG AND THEY SAID THE INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET WAS LEAKING . THEY ALSO SAID THIS WAS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THIS MODEL. IT CAUSED OIL TO BLOW DOWN MY EXHAUST AND PLUG MY CATALYTIC CONVERTER WHICH CHOKED OFF MY MOTOR AND CAUSED THE ENGINE TO DIE. THEY WOULD NOT WARRANTY THIS BECAUSE THE TRUCK HAS 46000 MILES ON IT. I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY THIS WASN'T RECALLED AS I WAS LUCKY I DIDN'T GET IN A WRECK. I KNOW TWO OTHER PEOPLE THIS SAME PROBLEM HAS HAPPENED TO. *LA
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.