IllustrationNO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOV EVEHICLE. *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 reportsTHE INTERIOR LIGHTS WILL NOT WORK INDEPENDENTLY OF EACH OTHER AND THE HEADLIGHT SWITCH CAME OUT IN THE CONSUMERS HANDS ON TWO OCCASIONS.
TRUCK PULLS/TRACKS TO RIGHT, CAUSING EXCESSIVE WEAR OF RIGHT FRONT TIRE. THIS IS THE SAME PROBLEM I HAD WITH THE 1995 DODGE RAM 4X4 I OWNED. THE PROBLEM WAS NEVER FIXED. SOLD THE 95 AND BOUGHT THE 98, THE SALESMAN, SERVICE MANAGER , AND SALES MANAGER ASSURED ME PRIOR TO PURCHASING THE 98 THE PROBLEMS WITH THE FRONT ENDS PULLI…
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TRUCK PULLS/TRACKS TO RIGHT, CAUSING EXCESSIVE WEAR OF RIGHT FRONT TIRE. THIS IS THE SAME PROBLEM I HAD WITH THE 1995 DODGE RAM 4X4 I OWNED. THE PROBLEM WAS NEVER FIXED. SOLD THE 95 AND BOUGHT THE 98, THE SALESMAN, SERVICE MANAGER , AND SALES MANAGER ASSURED ME PRIOR TO PURCHASING THE 98 THE PROBLEMS WITH THE FRONT ENDS PULLING TO THE RIGHT WERE FIXED. I CURRENTLY HAVE THE VEHICLE IN THE DEALERS SERVICE DEPARTMENT FOR A FRONT END INSPECTION. AT FIRST THEY TOLD ME IT WAS AN ALIGNMENT PROBLEM WITHOUT PROPERLY INSPECTING THE SUSPENTION. ADDITIONALLY THEY TOLD ME I WOULD HAVE TO PAY TO HAVE THE FRONT INSPECTED. IF AN ALIGNMENT WAS NEEDED I WOULD HAVE TO PAY FOR THAT ALSO DUE TO THE ALIGNMENT IS COVERED ONLY TO 12000 MILES. I HAVE DONE QUITE A BIT OF RESEARCH MYSELF TALKING WITH OTHER CONSUMERS AND VIEWING INFORMATION AVAILABLE ON THE WEB CONCERNING THE FRONT END PROBLEMS ON THESE VEHICLES AND THERE SUBSTANTIAL EVIDENCE THAT INDICATES A LARGE AMOUNT OF CONSUMERS ARE EXPERIENCING THE VERY SAME PROBLEM.
ENIGINE DEVELOPED A VERY SERIOUS KNOCKING AND BANGING, AND RECENTLY LOSS OF OIL PRESSURE AND LOW OVER 3 QUARTS OF OIL IN ABOUT 800 MILES AFTER OIL CHANGE. THE KNOCKING AND BANGING GOT SO BAD THAT I COULDN'T MAINTAIN HIGHWAY SPEEDS CAUSING A TRAFFIC HAZARD. IF ATTEMPTING TO PULL OUT AND PASS THE KNOCK MAY PREVENT ACCELLERATION …
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ENIGINE DEVELOPED A VERY SERIOUS KNOCKING AND BANGING, AND RECENTLY LOSS OF OIL PRESSURE AND LOW OVER 3 QUARTS OF OIL IN ABOUT 800 MILES AFTER OIL CHANGE. THE KNOCKING AND BANGING GOT SO BAD THAT I COULDN'T MAINTAIN HIGHWAY SPEEDS CAUSING A TRAFFIC HAZARD. IF ATTEMPTING TO PULL OUT AND PASS THE KNOCK MAY PREVENT ACCELLERATION CAUSING A HEAD ON COLLISION. CONTINUED KNOCK WILL RESULT IN ENGINE FAILURE AND DAMAGE. *AK
WHEN ACCELERATOR IS DEPRESSED THERE IS A LOUD HUMING SOUND. PLEASE PROVIDE DETAIL.*AK
WHILE DRIVING ON HIGHWAY WENT TO APPLIED THE BRAKES, AND BRAKE PEDAL WENT ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR. CONSUMER HAD TO APPLY EXCESSIVE FORCE, AND IT GETS WORST AS THE BRAKES GETS HOTTER. CONTACTED THE DEALER, AND DEALER SAID NOTHING WAS WRONG. THIS WAS PERFECTLY NORMAL.*AK
WHILE DRIVING CONSUMER SHIFTED INDICATOR AND IT FAILED TO WORK PROPERLY. COULD NOT LOCATE WHAT GEAR TRANSMISSION WAS IN. POPS OUT OF GEAR INTERMITTENTLY WHEN GAS PEDAL PRESSED. ALSO, WHENEVER APPLYING BRAKES, VEHICLE WOULD CONSTANTLY INCREASE IN SPEED. TOOK TO DEALERSHIP & EACH TIME TEST DRIVEN, BUT NOTHING COULD BE FOUND…
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WHILE DRIVING CONSUMER SHIFTED INDICATOR AND IT FAILED TO WORK PROPERLY. COULD NOT LOCATE WHAT GEAR TRANSMISSION WAS IN. POPS OUT OF GEAR INTERMITTENTLY WHEN GAS PEDAL PRESSED. ALSO, WHENEVER APPLYING BRAKES, VEHICLE WOULD CONSTANTLY INCREASE IN SPEED. TOOK TO DEALERSHIP & EACH TIME TEST DRIVEN, BUT NOTHING COULD BE FOUND. TRANSMISSION WAS REPLACED 3 TIMES FOR FAULTY GEAR SHIFTING. IN ADDITION, FUEL TANK ASSEMBLY WAS REPLACED DUE TO PROBLEM WITH TRANSMISSION. ONGOING PROBLEMS. *AK *ML
AIR BAG FAILED AND REPLACED, DURING REPAIR DEALERSHIP DAMAGED VEHICLE. YH
PLACEMENT OF MIRROR, WIDTH OF DOOR POST MAKE IT IMPOSSIBLE TO SEE ALL TRAFFIC COMMING FROM RIGHT. MIRROR COULD BE LOWERED AT LEAST 3 INCHES. THIS ALSO CAUSED AN EXACT ACCIDENT WITH A '95 RAM. VISIBILTY IS VERY LIMITED BY THE POST COUPLED WITH POOR MIRROR PLACEMENT. *AK
ENGINE STARTS TO PING AFTER 40 MPH. DODGE DEALERSHIP CLAIMS THAT DODGE IS WAITING TO PASS A NEW EPA LAW TO FIX PINGING PROBLEM THAT OCCURRED IN THOUSANDS OF 1998 DODGE RAMS. DODGE IS UNWILLING TO FIX MY TRUCK. I FEEL I HAVE THE RIGHT TO AT LEAST A NEW ENGINE. *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.