IllustrationROAD CONDITIONS WERE FOGGY, LOST CONTROL, AND HIT A TELEPHONE POLE AT 20 TO 25 MPH. UPON IMPACT, NONE OF FRONTAL AIRBAGS DEPLOYED.*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 reportsWHILE STARTING TO PROCEED THROUGH INTERSECTION AT APPOX. 5 MPH, FELT JOLT FROM REAR OF TRUCK AND HEARD SOMETHING BREAK. WHEELS LOCKED UP AND TRUCK CAME TO IMMEDIATE STOP. IT HAD TO BE DRUG ONTO FLATBED AS REAR-END WAS LOCKED-UP. DEALER CLAIMS THAT PROBLEM WAS CAUSED BY DEFECTIVE GEAR.*AK
WHILE DRIVING 5-10 MPH CONSUMER HEARD LOUD NOISE. VEHICLE LURCHED FORWARD, AND REAR END LOCKED UP. CONSUMER PULLED OVER, AND LOOKED UNDERNEATH VEHICLE, AND NOTICED DRIVESHAFT WAS MISSING.*AK
CONSUMER HAD RECEIVED A RECALL FROM MANUFACTURER TELLING CONSUMER TO TAKE VEHICLE TO DEALER FOR CHECK AND REPAIR OF CRACKS ON T TRAILER HITCH, OR TO ATTACH SUPPORT TO AVOID CRACKS ON HITCH. BUT, DEALER NOR MANUFATURER HAD TRIED TO ANSWER HELP.*AK THE DEALER POINTED OUT THAT THE HITCH WAS INSTALLED AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS PURCH…
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CONSUMER HAD RECEIVED A RECALL FROM MANUFACTURER TELLING CONSUMER TO TAKE VEHICLE TO DEALER FOR CHECK AND REPAIR OF CRACKS ON T TRAILER HITCH, OR TO ATTACH SUPPORT TO AVOID CRACKS ON HITCH. BUT, DEALER NOR MANUFATURER HAD TRIED TO ANSWER HELP.*AK THE DEALER POINTED OUT THAT THE HITCH WAS INSTALLED AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED AND THE RECALL DOES NOT APPLY. HOWEVER, THE CONSUMER SAYS THIS WAS MANUFACTURER INSTALLED HITCH AND THE DEALER MUST DO THE REPAIR. *YH
CONSUMER'S WIFE WAS DRIVING WHEN SHE HEARD A BANG, STOPPED AND GOT OUT, AND TIRE HAD EXPLODED, CAUSING IT TO RIP OFF TIRE. *AK
WHILE DRIVING ENGINE CHECK LIGHT CAME ON, AND ENGINE GOT LOUD AND LOCKED UP 50 MILES LATER. DEALER HAS VEHICLE CURRENTLY. *AK
FRONT BRAKES \ ROTORS REQUIRED REPLACEMENT AFTER ONLY 20,000 MILES. I HAVE NOTICED OTHER RECALLS ON RAM 1500 FRONT DISC BRAKES (ROTOR PROBLEMS: FATIGUE BUT NOT ON MY PARTICULAR VIN). I ALSO NEED TO TAKE THE VEHICLE IN YET AGAIN FOR THE SAME PROBLEM ONLY 5 DAYS AFTER INITIAL "REPAIR"! I LOVE MY DODGE RAM, BUT I FEEL THERE IS SO…
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FRONT BRAKES \ ROTORS REQUIRED REPLACEMENT AFTER ONLY 20,000 MILES. I HAVE NOTICED OTHER RECALLS ON RAM 1500 FRONT DISC BRAKES (ROTOR PROBLEMS: FATIGUE BUT NOT ON MY PARTICULAR VIN). I ALSO NEED TO TAKE THE VEHICLE IN YET AGAIN FOR THE SAME PROBLEM ONLY 5 DAYS AFTER INITIAL "REPAIR"! I LOVE MY DODGE RAM, BUT I FEEL THERE IS SOMETHING DEFINITELY WRONG WHEN MYSELF AND OTHERS HAVE TO REPLACE BRAKES SO EARLY ON A RELATIVELY NEW VEHICLE. PERHAPS CHRYSLERS RECALL # 788 SHOULD BE REOPENED FOR FURTHER INVESTIGATION?*AK
WHILE DRIVING ON THE INTERSTATE, THE RIGHT REAR TIRE CAME APART. THE TIRE WAS BLOWN OUT IN MULTIPLE AREAS. THE RESPONDING TROOPER ADVISED IT WAS ONE OF THE WORST HE HAD SEEN AND SIMILAR TO THE FIRESTONE PROBLEM. *AK (TIRESIZE: P245/75R16)( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: P245/75R16 )
I HAVE JUST OVER 36,000 MILES ON THE TRUCK. I AM ON MY THIRD SET OF PADS FOR THE FRONT AND HAVE REPLACED THE SHOES ONCE. IN ADDITION, I'VE HAD THE DRUMS AND ROTORS TURNED. THE DEALER RESPONDS BY CHARGING ME TO ADJUST THE REAR BRAKES. I HAVE HAD THIS DONE BUT CONTINUE TO EAT UP THE FRONT BRAKES. THE MANUFACTURER CHANGED TO BIGGER…
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I HAVE JUST OVER 36,000 MILES ON THE TRUCK. I AM ON MY THIRD SET OF PADS FOR THE FRONT AND HAVE REPLACED THE SHOES ONCE. IN ADDITION, I'VE HAD THE DRUMS AND ROTORS TURNED. THE DEALER RESPONDS BY CHARGING ME TO ADJUST THE REAR BRAKES. I HAVE HAD THIS DONE BUT CONTINUE TO EAT UP THE FRONT BRAKES. THE MANUFACTURER CHANGED TO BIGGER PADS AND ROTORS SHORTLY AFTER MY TRUCK WAS MADE BUT DEALER & MANUFACTURER ARE NOT RESPONSIVE. ALSO, THE REAR ANTILOCK DOESN'T WORK RIGHT. *AK
CONSUMER WAS BACKING OUT OF PARKING SPACE WHEN FRONT BRAKE PADS FELL OFF, AND BRAKE PEDAL WENT TO FLOOR, CAUSING LOSS OF BRAKES. MANUFACTURER SENT OUT TSB FOR NEW BRAKE DESIGN. *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.