VEHICLE DIES AT IDLE AND WHILE DRIVING. *ET
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
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.
What owners actually said
520 reportsVEHICLE WAS PARKED IN DRIVEWAY AND ENGINE RUNNING WITH CHILDREN IN BACK SEATS;.ALL OF A SUDDEN A LOUD SOUND WAS HEARD AND THE VEHICLE ROLLED OUT OF DRIVEWAY INTO A TREE. THREE INJURIES WERE SUSTAINED, INCLUDING MINOR CUTS & BRUISES. DEALER NOTIFIED. CAN NHTSA PROVIDE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. *AK
VEHICLE OUT OF ALIGNMENT, CAUSED EXCESSIVE WEAR TO TIRES. MJS
BACK SEAT WAS MADE WITH A HEAD REST.CONSUMER HAS CONTACTED DEALER AND MANUFACTURER. *AK
AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS BRAKING WILL TRANSFER TO FRONT BRAKES, CAUSING BRAKES TO FADE , TAKES ABOUT 190 FEET BEFORE IT STOPS . *AK
CONSUMER HEARS NOISES COMING FROM THE FRONT END WHEN TURNING. DEALER SAYS THAT THE TIRES ARE WORN BECAUSE VEHICLE NEEDS AN ALIGNMENT. *AK
RRONT PADS WEARING AT A EXCESSIVE SHORT PERIOD OF TIME. *AK
WE STARTED TO HAVE PROBLEMS WITH THE VAN SINCE IT WAS PURCHASED, WE WENT BACK TO THE DEALER RIGTH AFTER WE NOTICED A FEW PROBLEMS WITH THE VAN, SUCH AS CAR PULLING TO THE RIGTH AND A LOUD THUMP SOUND COMING FROM THE RIGTH REAR SIDE EVERY TIME WE PASS THOSE SPEED BUMPS. AND WHEN THEY INSPECTED THE VAN THEY (THE DEALER TECHNICIANS…
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WE STARTED TO HAVE PROBLEMS WITH THE VAN SINCE IT WAS PURCHASED, WE WENT BACK TO THE DEALER RIGTH AFTER WE NOTICED A FEW PROBLEMS WITH THE VAN, SUCH AS CAR PULLING TO THE RIGTH AND A LOUD THUMP SOUND COMING FROM THE RIGTH REAR SIDE EVERY TIME WE PASS THOSE SPEED BUMPS. AND WHEN THEY INSPECTED THE VAN THEY (THE DEALER TECHNICIANS), TOLD ME THAT A SHOCK ABSORVER NEEDED TO BE REPLACE AND ALIGNMENT WAS NEEDED AS WELL. AFTER THIS TWO THINGS WERE DONE, EVERYTHING WENT DOWN THE HILL....WHEN I DROVE HOME THE VAN I NOTICED THAT VAN WAS PULLING STILL TO THE RIGTH AND A NOISE WAS COMING FROM THE LEFT FRONT SUSPENSION WHEN BRAKING, IS MORE LIKE A CRACKING NOISE, I'LL MENTION THAT THIS WAS'T HAPPENING ALL THE TIME, BUT THE PULLING TO THE RIGTH WAS. WE WENT BACK WITH THEM, THEY ALIGNED AGAIN...BUT, THIS TIME THE VAN WAS NOT PULLING TO THE RIGTH BUT TO THE LEFT INSTEAD, THIS HAPPEND WHEN DRIVING STRAIGTH OR WHEN BRAKING AS WELL, WE WENT BACK TO THE SAME DEALER, BUT AFTER SOME ATTEMPSOF FIXING THIS PROBLEM AND A VERY UNPLEASENT EXPERIENCES WITH THEIR (CUSTOMER REPRESENTAIVES) AT DESPLAINES DODGE DEALER, NOT TO TRY AGAIN WIH THEM, WE CONTACTED CHRYSLER REPRESENTATIVES, AND TOLD THEM ABOUT THE VERY DUMB COMMENT THE CUSTOMER REPRESENTATIVE OF DESPLAINES DODGE DEALER, THAT THEY SUGGESTED TO TAKE THE VAN TO A 5 STARS SHOP THE COMMENT THE CUSTOMER REPRESENTATIVE MADE WAS (THAT THE VAN WAS PULLING TO THE RIGTH BECAUSE IT WAS A SAFETY FEATURE BUILD IN THE VAN TO PREVENT PEOPLE WANDER TO THE TO THE LEFT IN CASE THE FELL SLEEP, THIS WAS A VERY DUMB THING TO SAID. SO FINALLY WE WENT TO THAT 5 STARS DEALER, AND A (BIG) INPROVEMENT WAS ACHIEVE, THE VAN WAS PULLING LESS BUT ON THIS OCCASION INSTEAD OF PULLING TO RIGTH IT STARTED TO PULL TO THE LEFT AND THE STEERING WHEEL WAS NOT STRAIGHT, IT WAS CROOCKED TO THE LEFT AND BEFORE WAS TO THE RIGHT. I NOTICED MORE PLAY ON THE STEERING WHEEL. I'LL MENTION THAT EVER SINCE WE HAVE THIS VAN IN OUR POSSESSION THE STEERING WHEEL NEVER TH. *AK
THE HORN IS ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO WORK IN AN EMERGENCY. YOU HAVE TO HIT IT IN EXACLY THE RIGHT SPOT FOR IT TO WORK WITH A SIZABLE AMOUNT OF FORCE. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER THINKING IT WAS A PROBLEM WITH MY VEHICLE ALONE. THEY SAID THEY TESTED IT AND IT WAS THE SAME AS ALL OTHER HORNS. I HAVE ALMOST BEEN INVOLVED IN SEVERAL ACC…
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THE HORN IS ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO WORK IN AN EMERGENCY. YOU HAVE TO HIT IT IN EXACLY THE RIGHT SPOT FOR IT TO WORK WITH A SIZABLE AMOUNT OF FORCE. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER THINKING IT WAS A PROBLEM WITH MY VEHICLE ALONE. THEY SAID THEY TESTED IT AND IT WAS THE SAME AS ALL OTHER HORNS. I HAVE ALMOST BEEN INVOLVED IN SEVERAL ACCIDENTS BECAUSE I HAVE NOT BE ABLE TO WARN A PERSON MOVING INTO MY LANE BECAUSE I COULD NOT GET MY HORN TO WORK. PLEASE LOOK INTO THIS ISSUE AS I FEEL IT POSES A THREAT OF DANGER TO ANYONE WHO OPPERATES THIS VEHICLE. *AK
A VISITING RELATIVE FROM THE EAST COAST MENTIONED THAT THE DODGE PICKUP WAS NOT HELD IN HIGH ESTEEM DUE TO THE TRANSMISSIONS NOT HOLDING UP UNDER SNOW PLOWING WORK. THIS DIDN'T CAUSE ME ALARM SINCE MY TRUCK IS USED FOR PASSENGER USE ONLY. EXACTLY 10 DAYS LATER MY TRANSMISSION WENT OUT. THE DEALER "RECONDITIONED" IT AND IT LASTED…
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A VISITING RELATIVE FROM THE EAST COAST MENTIONED THAT THE DODGE PICKUP WAS NOT HELD IN HIGH ESTEEM DUE TO THE TRANSMISSIONS NOT HOLDING UP UNDER SNOW PLOWING WORK. THIS DIDN'T CAUSE ME ALARM SINCE MY TRUCK IS USED FOR PASSENGER USE ONLY. EXACTLY 10 DAYS LATER MY TRANSMISSION WENT OUT. THE DEALER "RECONDITIONED" IT AND IT LASTED LESS THAN 1000 MILES BEFORE FAILING AGAIN. TO BE CONTINUED. *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.
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