IllustrationVEHICLE WAS PARKED FLAT IN A PARKING LOT, JACK WAS LEVEL AND ON ASPHALT. VEHICLE WAS JACKED UP AND TIRE REMOVED. AFTER TIRE WAS REMOVED, JACK BROKE APART AND TRUCK FELL TO THE GROUND LANDING ON ROTOR ASSEMBLY. VEHICLE GRAZED MY LEG, AND FRIENDS LEG AS IT WAS FALLING TO THE GROUND. *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 reportsCRONIC PROBLEMS IN SAFTEY RELATED ITEMS: STEERING, TIRES, MIRRORS FUEL SYSTEM
WE WERE TAVELING ON HWY. 400 AT APPROX. 65MPH, WHEN THE DRIVESHAFT FELL OUT OF THE TRUCK, DUE TO A BROKEN BOLT HEAD. BEING THAT IT IS OUT OF WARRANTY , CHRYSLER DOESN'T WANT TO DO ANY THING ABOUT IT. I FEEL THAT THIS IS A SAFETY HAZARD, AND SHOULD BE COVERED UNDER SOMETHING OTHER THAN A TYPICAL WARRANTY, SINCE THE TRUCK HAS BE…
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WE WERE TAVELING ON HWY. 400 AT APPROX. 65MPH, WHEN THE DRIVESHAFT FELL OUT OF THE TRUCK, DUE TO A BROKEN BOLT HEAD. BEING THAT IT IS OUT OF WARRANTY , CHRYSLER DOESN'T WANT TO DO ANY THING ABOUT IT. I FEEL THAT THIS IS A SAFETY HAZARD, AND SHOULD BE COVERED UNDER SOMETHING OTHER THAN A TYPICAL WARRANTY, SINCE THE TRUCK HAS BEEN WELL MAINTAINED AND TAKEN CARE OF. BY THE GRACE OF GOD WE WERE ABLE TO STEER THE TRUCK INTO THE MEDIAN WITHOUT GETTING HIT.
WHILE TRAVELING AT SPEEDS ABOVE 25 MPH AND TAKING FOOT OFF ACCELERATOR, THERE IS A WHINING NOISE COMING FROM REAR AXLE OF VEHICLE, SPECIFICALLY REAR DIFFERENTIAL. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION/ATTACHMENTS. *AK
DEFECT IN FRONT AND BRAKING SYSTEM. *AK
FRONT AXLE STARTED MAKING A NOISE AT 35,000 MILES. IT WAS TAKEN TO DEALER, BUT PROBLEM COULDN'T BE DULPICATED FOR REPAIRS. CURRENTLY, AT 39,000 MILES BEARINGS ARE SHOT AT U-JOINT. DEALER OFFERS TO PAY FOR PART AT BOTH SIDES.*AK
TRANSMISSION GEAR CAN BE PUSHED INTO DRIVE WITHOUT PUTTING FOOT ON BRAKE FIRST. CONCERNED BECAUSE CONSUMER HAS SMALL CHILDREN. *AK CONSUMER WAS NOT INFORMED OF THIS FEATURE PRIOR TO PURCHASE OF VEHICLE. *SLC
RIGHT FRONT TIRE EXPERIENCED TREAD SEPARATION WHILE DRIVING AT 40 MPH WITH DRIVER AND ONE PASSGENER IN A 1998, DODGE, RAM 1500; AFTERMARKET TIRE INSTALLED AT 35,000 MILES, TIRE SIZE P265/75R15, DOT# 7BHPUB286; TIRE CTR. NOTIFIED AND WILLING TO EXCHANGE TIRE AT A PRORATED DEAL. *AK CONSUMER STATES SINCE TIRE FAILURE, THE OTHER…
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RIGHT FRONT TIRE EXPERIENCED TREAD SEPARATION WHILE DRIVING AT 40 MPH WITH DRIVER AND ONE PASSGENER IN A 1998, DODGE, RAM 1500; AFTERMARKET TIRE INSTALLED AT 35,000 MILES, TIRE SIZE P265/75R15, DOT# 7BHPUB286; TIRE CTR. NOTIFIED AND WILLING TO EXCHANGE TIRE AT A PRORATED DEAL. *AK CONSUMER STATES SINCE TIRE FAILURE, THE OTHER TWO REMAINING TIRES HAVE BEGAN TO EXPERIENCE TREAD SEPARATION, ALL TIRES HAVE VISIBLE BULGES ON THE RUNNING TREAD, CAUSING OSCILLATIONS OF THE VEHICLE AT SLOWER SPEEDS AND VIBRATIONS AT HIGHER SPEEDS, ONE OTHER TIRE EXPERIENCED TREAD SEPARATION WHILE DRIVING PRIOR TO THE ONE REPORTED, THIS OCCURRED IN SEPTEMBER OF 2000. *SLC
TRANSMISSION FAILED IN OVERDRIVE WHICH CAUSED FAILURE TO THE REST OF THE TRANSMISSION WHICH REQUIRED THE TRANSMISSION TO BE REBUILT.*AK
CONSUMER HEARD A HUMMING SOUND FROM REAR OF VEHICLE. DEALER FOUND REAR WHEEL BEARINGS WERE ALL CHEWED UP, MECHANIC STATED THEY WERE TOO TIGHT.*AK EVAPORATOR CORE FAILED. BEARINGS, PINION BEARING, AND AXLE SEALS WERE REPLACED DUE TO POSSIBLY BEING PUT ON TOO TIGHT AT THE FACTORY. *SLC
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.