IllustrationWHILE SITTING IN VEHICLE CONSUMER PLACE HANDS UNDER THE DRIVERS SEAT AND BOTH DRIVERS AND PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAGS DEPLOYED. CAUSE IS UNKNOWN. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION. TS
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 reportsI WAS DRIVING DOWN I-94 GOING NORTH IN THE CENTER LANE, SUDDENLY IT FELT LIKE I HAD A FLAT TIRE ON THE DRIVER SIDE FRONT TIRE. I SLOWLY TURNED INTO THE RIGHT LANE AND SUDDENLY MY ENTIRE WHEEL ROLLED OFF MY TRUCK AT ABOUT 55 MPH DOWN THE HIGHWAY TOWARDS THE LEFT LANE AND THEN BOUNCED UP BETWEEN THE CONCRETE DIVIDERS AND FLEW INTO…
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I WAS DRIVING DOWN I-94 GOING NORTH IN THE CENTER LANE, SUDDENLY IT FELT LIKE I HAD A FLAT TIRE ON THE DRIVER SIDE FRONT TIRE. I SLOWLY TURNED INTO THE RIGHT LANE AND SUDDENLY MY ENTIRE WHEEL ROLLED OFF MY TRUCK AT ABOUT 55 MPH DOWN THE HIGHWAY TOWARDS THE LEFT LANE AND THEN BOUNCED UP BETWEEN THE CONCRETE DIVIDERS AND FLEW INTO ON COMING TRAFFIC HITTING ONE CAR IN THE FRONT END. I HAD DRIVEN THE TRUCK THE NIGHT BEFORE ABOUT 50 MILES AND NO PROBLEMS, I DROVE THE DAY OF THE ACCIDENT ABOUT 10-15 MILES BEFORE THE WHEEL FELL OFF THE TRUCK. ALL BUT 1 LUG ON THE ROTOR WERE BROKE OFF AND THE ONE LUG THAT WAS LEFT WAS BENT AND THE LUG NUT WAS GONE. I HAD MY TIRES ROTATED ABOUT 4-6 MONTHS PRIOR TO THIS ACCIDENT AND HAVE HEARD FROM OTHER FRIEND THAT CERTAIN TYPE RIMS ARE PRONE TO THE LUGS BECOMING LOOSE AND THE TIRE FALLING OFF. THAT'S WHY I THOUGHT IT WOULD BE A GOOD IDEA TO REPORT THIS POSSIBLE DEFECT. MANY MORE INNOCENT PEOPLE COULD HAVE BEEN SERIOUSLY INJURED. THIS WAS AN OVERSIZED TIRE AND PROBABLY WEIGHED OVER 75 LBS. DT
CONSUMER CALLED COMPLAINING ABOUT HAVING PROBLEMS WITH THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYMENT. ALSO STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE AT 55 MPH.THE VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED ON A COLLISION WHERE THE VEHICLE WAS A TOTAL LOST AND THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOYED. DEALER WAS CONTACTED AND VEHICLE IS DUE TO BE ON THE SHOP TODAY.PH
CONSUMER CALLED COMPLAINING ABOUT HAVING INTERMEDIATE BRAKE FAILURE EVER SINCE HE BOUGHT THE VEHICLE. DEALER WAS CONTACTED AND HAS STATED THAT THEY WANTED TO SERVICE THE VEHICLE BUT IT WAS NOT GOING TO REPLACE THE PROBLEM SO CONSUMER REFUSE TO HAVE ANYTHING DONE ON THE VEHICLE. TS
NOTICED A VIBRATION WHILE DRIVING. TOOK TO DEALER. ADVISED TRANSMISSION NEEDS OVERHAUL. $2400.00. MR
REAR RIGHT AXLE SEAL HAS FAILED FOR THE SECOND TIME IN LESS THAN 2 YEARS. REAR RIGHT BRAKE IS RENDERED USELESS HENCE WAS A FACTOR IN AN ACCIDENT THE 1ST TIME THE SEALS FAILED. CORPORATE REJECTS THE CLAIM AS WELL AS THE DEALERSHIP WHICH "REPAIRED" THE SEALS LAST TIME. CUSTOMER IS LEFT TO EAT THE COST. NLM
ON JULY 22ND 2002 I WAS STOPPED IN TRAFFIC, A FORD TRUCK HIT ME FROM BEHIND DOING 35MPH. THE IMPACT PUSHED ME INTO THE CAR AHEAD OF ME IT ENDED UP BEING A 5 CAR PILE UP. IN WHICH MY TRUCK FRONT AND REAR BUMPER WAS SMASHED IN. I WAS THROWN FORWARD INTO THE STEERING WHEEL CAUSING SEVERE PAIN DAYS LATER. I WAS REALLY SURPRISED THE …
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ON JULY 22ND 2002 I WAS STOPPED IN TRAFFIC, A FORD TRUCK HIT ME FROM BEHIND DOING 35MPH. THE IMPACT PUSHED ME INTO THE CAR AHEAD OF ME IT ENDED UP BEING A 5 CAR PILE UP. IN WHICH MY TRUCK FRONT AND REAR BUMPER WAS SMASHED IN. I WAS THROWN FORWARD INTO THE STEERING WHEEL CAUSING SEVERE PAIN DAYS LATER. I WAS REALLY SURPRISED THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THE REAR DRIVERS PANEL BENT AND ALSO THE TRANSMISSION COOLANT RADIATOR WAS SMASHED IN.. IT CAUSED 3700.00 DAMAGES TO MY TRUCK AND 2500.00 TO THE CAR(HONDA) IN FRONT OF ME.*AK
THE HEAD GASKET HAS CRACKED AND CAUSING OIL TO BURN PREMATURELY.THE DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED.*JB
THE SEAT CABLES BROKE AT THE CRIMPS AT ATTACHMENT POINTS. MANUFACTURER STATED THE SEAT CABLES BROKE DUE TO NORMAL WEAR AND TEAR. *JG
SINCE NEW THE TRUCK HAS PULLED TO THE RIGHT. DEALER SAID THAT THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG. I NOW FIND THAT RIGHT OUTER BRAKE PAD IS WORN OUT WHERE ALL THE OTHERS ARE FINE. THIS TO ME MEANS THAT THE CALIPER ON THE RIGHT SIDE IS NOT DISENGAGING. IT HAS BEEN THIS WAY FROM THE MANUFACTURER.*AK
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.