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1998 Dodge RAM 2500

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Similar to other model years

Owner complaints for the 1998 Dodge RAM 2500 do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 275.

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When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

79 reports with mileage · 146 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.

  • Service Brakes, Hydraulic. Review the 37 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Power Train. Review the 29 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Steering. Review the 24 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

19 crash reports3 fire reports14 injury reports

Power Train complaints

29 reports
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Mileage unknown · Mar 7, 2017
EnginePower Train

I WAS PULLING A CAR FROM INDIO CA TO PHX. AZ WHEN IT STARTED TICKING AND SMOKEING AND LOST POWER I PULLEDOVER CHECKED THE OIL AND IT WAS 2 QUARTS LOW IT HAD NEVER USED OIL BEFORE THIS IT NEVER GOT HOT THOUGH I SLOWED WAY DOWN AND BARELY MADE IT HOME.

NHTSA ODI #10959024

Mileage unknown · Mar 7, 2014
Power TrainSuspensionUnknown Or Other

I OWN A 1998 DODGE RAM 2500, I HAVE NOTICED THIS PROBLEM ON MULTIPLE DODGES AND READ ABOUT IT ON THE INTERNET, THE FRONT LOWER AXLE MOUNT ROTS OUT DUE TO POOR DESIGN LEAVING NOTHING TO HOLD THE SPRING IN PLACE MY COIL MOUNT IS ROTTED OUT AND THERE IS BARELY ANY LEFT OF IT, AND DODGE NOR DO ANY AUTO PART STORES SELL COIL MOUNTS T…

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I OWN A 1998 DODGE RAM 2500, I HAVE NOTICED THIS PROBLEM ON MULTIPLE DODGES AND READ ABOUT IT ON THE INTERNET, THE FRONT LOWER AXLE MOUNT ROTS OUT DUE TO POOR DESIGN LEAVING NOTHING TO HOLD THE SPRING IN PLACE MY COIL MOUNT IS ROTTED OUT AND THERE IS BARELY ANY LEFT OF IT, AND DODGE NOR DO ANY AUTO PART STORES SELL COIL MOUNTS TO REPLACE IT THE MOUNT IS WELDED DIRECTLY ON THE AXLE SO THE AXLE HOUSING WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED, THIS IS VERY UNSAFE IF THE AXLE WERE TO GIVE OUT DEW TO THIS. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10567788

164,385 miles · Jan 26, 2011
Power TrainSteering

EVENT: PULLED UP IN FRONT OF BARN TO GET A LOAD OF HAY. MOVED GEAR SELECTOR LEVER TO REVERSE TO BACK UP TO BUILDING, BUT WHEN ACCELERATOR WAS PRESSED, VEHICLE MOVED FORWARD. FAILURE: INTERNAL PARTS IN STEERING COLUMN HAD BECOME DISCONNECTED FROM EACH OTHER, THE RESULT BEING THAT MOVEMENT OF THE GEAR SELECTOR LEVER …

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EVENT: PULLED UP IN FRONT OF BARN TO GET A LOAD OF HAY. MOVED GEAR SELECTOR LEVER TO REVERSE TO BACK UP TO BUILDING, BUT WHEN ACCELERATOR WAS PRESSED, VEHICLE MOVED FORWARD. FAILURE: INTERNAL PARTS IN STEERING COLUMN HAD BECOME DISCONNECTED FROM EACH OTHER, THE RESULT BEING THAT MOVEMENT OF THE GEAR SELECTOR LEVER DID NOT AFFECT THE LEVER AT THE END OF THE STEERING COLUMN THAT IS CONNECTED TO THE TRANSMISSION CONTROL ROD. THE ONLY WAY THAT THE VEHICLE COULD BE PLACED IN PARK, STARTED, OR PUT INTO A GEAR POSITION WAS TO RAISE THE HOOD AND MOVE THE TRANSMISSION CONTROL ROD BY HAND. SOLUTION: SINCE THE STEERING COLUMN IS A WELDED ASSEMBLY AND IS NOT SERVICEABLE, IT WAS REPLACED. THE OLD ASSEMBLY IS AVAILABLE FOR INSPECTION. THE ASSEMBLY PART NUMBER IS P55351175 RELATED COMPLAINT: SIMILAR TO COMPLAINT ODI ID 892310 WHICH WAS ENTERED AS A PROBLEM WITH COMPONENT : POWERTRAIN: AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION: P/N START SWITCH. MY PROBLEM WOULD HAVE MANIFESTED ITSELF IN THE SAME WAY IF I HAD PLACED THE SHIFT LEVER INTO PARK POSITION AND HAD GOTTEN OUT OF THE VEHICLE WITHOUT SETTING THE BRAKE. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10379242

91,400 miles · Apr 23, 2008
Power Train

I NOTICED AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION FLUID LEAKING UNDER THE TRUCK WHEN RETURNING FROM A TRIP. CLOSE INSPECTION REVEALED THAT TWO OF THE TRANSMISSION LINES HAD BEEN RUBBING TOGETHER WHICH RESULTED IN A BREAK IN ONE OF THE LINES. FORTUNATELY, I NOTICED IT BEFORE THE TRANSMISSION HAD LOST ENOUGH FLUID TO FAIL. HAD I BEEN ON A LONG TRI…

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I NOTICED AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION FLUID LEAKING UNDER THE TRUCK WHEN RETURNING FROM A TRIP. CLOSE INSPECTION REVEALED THAT TWO OF THE TRANSMISSION LINES HAD BEEN RUBBING TOGETHER WHICH RESULTED IN A BREAK IN ONE OF THE LINES. FORTUNATELY, I NOTICED IT BEFORE THE TRANSMISSION HAD LOST ENOUGH FLUID TO FAIL. HAD I BEEN ON A LONG TRIP TOWING A TRAILER THE RESULTS OF A HIGHWAY SPEED TRANSMISSION FAILURE MIGHT HAVE BEEN FAR MORE SERIOUS, ESPECIALLY ON A MOUNTAIN ROAD. THE LINE SHOULD BE REPLACED. THIS APPEARS TO BE A DESIGN/MANUFACTURING/ASSEMBLY DEFECT. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10225525

Mileage unknown · Jun 8, 2006
Power TrainService Brakes, HydraulicUnknown Or Other

1998 DODGE RAM 2500 24 VALVE CUMMINS DIESEL DASH BOARD CRACKING SEVERELY, ANTI LOCK BRAKES NOT FUNCTIONING PROPERLY, OVERDRIVE LOCKING AND UNLOCKING AROUND 45 MPH. AFTER TRYING SEVERAL REMEDIES. *JB

NHTSA ODI #10159296

Mileage unknown · Mar 12, 2005
Power Train

HAVING TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS WITH A 1998 DODGE RAM 2500. TRANSMISSION OVERHEATS AND "TRANSTEMP" LIGHT COMES ON AFTER OVERDRIVE SHUTS OF WHILE DOING HIGHWAY DRIVING. TRUCK HAS HIGH MILES BUT I BELIEVE THE PROBLEM IS ATTRIBUTED TO A POORLY DESIGNED TORQUE CONVERTER MALFUNCTIONING AND IS NOT DIRECTLY RELATED TO THE AGE, MILES OR NO…

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HAVING TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS WITH A 1998 DODGE RAM 2500. TRANSMISSION OVERHEATS AND "TRANSTEMP" LIGHT COMES ON AFTER OVERDRIVE SHUTS OF WHILE DOING HIGHWAY DRIVING. TRUCK HAS HIGH MILES BUT I BELIEVE THE PROBLEM IS ATTRIBUTED TO A POORLY DESIGNED TORQUE CONVERTER MALFUNCTIONING AND IS NOT DIRECTLY RELATED TO THE AGE, MILES OR NORMAL WEAR AND TEAR OF THE VEHICLE. I HAVE LEARNED IT IS COMMON TO HAVE THE TRANSMISSION REBUILT OR REPAIRED ONE OR MORE TIMES DURING THE DURATION OF THE TRUCKS LIFE. IF WHAT I HAVE LEARNED IS TRUE THEN THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE BUSINESS PRACTICE FROM DODGE AND THE CONSUMER SHOULD NOT HAVE TO PAY FOR A DEFECT IN MANUFACTURING.*AK

NHTSA ODI #10113969

61,852 miles · Sep 21, 2004
Power Train

CONSUMER PULLED UP TO A STOP SIGN WITH CLUTCH ENGAGED. THE VEHICLE STOPPED THEN LURCHED FORWARD. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER, AND DEALER STATED THE PILOT BEARING/CLUTCH FAILED.*AK THE CONSUMER TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE SHOP AND HAD A NEW CLUTCH KIT INSTALLED AND THE VEHICLE TESTED OK. *TC

NHTSA ODI #10045031

93,000 miles · Mar 1, 2004
Power Train

CLUTCH WHEN DEPRESS DOES NOT DISENGAGE. IT IS TO MY BELIEVE IT IS AN ENGINEERING FLAW IN THE CLUTCH SLAVE CYLINDER. IT HAPPENS MORE FEQUENT WHEN VECHILE IS WARM THAN COLD. I HAVE HAD TWO CLUTCHES REPLACED, 4 TRANSMISSIONS AND 6 SLAVE CYLINDERS REPLACED AND IT IS NOW IN THE REPAIR SHOP AGAIN WITH 93,000 MILES. *AK

NHTSA ODI #10060118

106,000 miles · Jul 15, 2003
Power Train

WHILE DRIVING ON FREEWAY, 5TH GEAR WENT OUT AS IF CLUTCH WAS PUSHED IN. COULD NOT GET 5TH GEAR TO WORK, HAD TO DRIVE TO DEALERSHIP IN 4TH GEAR WHICH IS CHALLENGING TO DO IN A DIESAL TRUCK. AFTER SANTA CRUZ NISSAN DODGE SUPPOSEDLY REPLACED THE ENTIRE MANUAL TRANSMISSION, DRIVING BACK HOME, THE 1ST GEAR WOULD NOT ENGAGE.*AK

NHTSA ODI #10026133

97,210 miles · Jun 6, 2003
Power Train

TRANSMISSION FAILURE IN MY 1998 DODGE RAM 2500. JASPER.COM LISTS THIS TRANSMISSION AS A HIGH RATE OF FAILURE DUE TO LACK OF LUBRICATION. THIS PROBLEM EXISTS IN ALL DODGE TRUCKS MANUFACTURED FROM 1995 TO 2001 AND MAYBE MORE. LOCAL TRANSMISSION REBUILDERS ALSO AGREE THAT THE TRANSMISSION WAS BUILT WITH TO LOW A VOLUME TRANSMISS…

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TRANSMISSION FAILURE IN MY 1998 DODGE RAM 2500. JASPER.COM LISTS THIS TRANSMISSION AS A HIGH RATE OF FAILURE DUE TO LACK OF LUBRICATION. THIS PROBLEM EXISTS IN ALL DODGE TRUCKS MANUFACTURED FROM 1995 TO 2001 AND MAYBE MORE. LOCAL TRANSMISSION REBUILDERS ALSO AGREE THAT THE TRANSMISSION WAS BUILT WITH TO LOW A VOLUME TRANSMISSION PUMP AND THAT YOU SHOULD NOT LET THE TRUCK IDLE, BECAUSE THERE IS NO LUBRICATION. *AK

NHTSA ODI #10021133

Official recalls

0

No 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

0

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.