IllustrationTL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 DODGE RAM 2500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE ENTIRE DASHBOARD CRACKED AND PIECES WERE FALLING OFF. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER OR INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING OR REPAIRS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 180,000.
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.
Counts are not adjusted for sales, age, mileage exposure or reporting. A lower count does not establish that a car is problem-free.
About this comparison →225Owner complaints
Model-year median: 275
0Recall campaignsView recall details →
0InvestigationsView investigation details →
Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗ Model-level counts do not show whether a particular VIN is affected or repaired.
Inspection summary
1998 Dodge RAM 2500
NHTSA snapshot: September 18, 2026. 225 owner complaints · 0 recall campaigns · 0 investigations.
Counts are not failure probabilities and are not adjusted for sales, age, mileage exposure or reporting. One report may name several categories. Comparison method and limitations.
Top reported categories (up to 5)
- Service Brakes, Hydraulic: 37 reports
- Power Train: 29 reports
- Steering: 24 reports
- Structure: 22 reports
- Tires: 22 reports
Full reported-category list and vehicle report
Recall links
No recall campaigns in this snapshot.
Check a VIN with NHTSA. Model-level history does not establish whether a particular VIN is affected or repaired.
Print the top reported categories, recall links, snapshot date and comparison limits.
How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all RAM 2500 years →Counts vary with age, sales, mileage exposure 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
70–25K
925–50K
1450–75K
1575–100K
15100–150K
19150K+
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
Structure complaints
22 reportsTHE UPPER INTERIOR DASH PANEL CRACKING INTO MANY PIECE. DURING ACCIDENT THE PANEL WILL COME A FLYING MISSILE OF PARTS HITTING OCCUPANCIES IN THE COMPARTMENTS AND SMALL CHILDREN. I WAND THE CHRYSLER CORPORATION TO REPAIR IT ASAP. ITS ACCIDENT WAITING TO HAPPENED.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 DODGE RAM 2500. WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED, THE AIR BAG LIGHT REMAINED ILLUMINATED AND THE HORN SOUNDED WITHOUT BEING PROMOTED. IN ADDITION, THE CONTACT HEARD A NOISE UNDER THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE METAL PARTS THAT HELD THE WHEELS WERE CORRODED AND CAUSED THE SPARE TIRE TO DETACH. THE…
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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 DODGE RAM 2500. WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED, THE AIR BAG LIGHT REMAINED ILLUMINATED AND THE HORN SOUNDED WITHOUT BEING PROMOTED. IN ADDITION, THE CONTACT HEARD A NOISE UNDER THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE METAL PARTS THAT HELD THE WHEELS WERE CORRODED AND CAUSED THE SPARE TIRE TO DETACH. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED NOR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 200,000.
DASHBOARD IS SERIOUSLY CRACKED AND BROKEN, CHUNKS ARE MISSING, CRACKS GO FROM FRONT ALL THE WAY TO THE WINDSHIELD, GIVING VEHICLE TO SON NEXT YEAR, WORRIED PIECES OF PLASTIC MAY FLY INTO HIS EYES, AND IT LOOKS EMBARRASSING ALSO. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 DODGE RAM 2500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DASHBOARD EXHIBITED SEVERAL FRAGMENTED PIECES. IN ADDITION, THE FAULTY HORN SWITCH WAS NO LONGER BEING PRODUCED AS AN INDIVIDUAL PART AND WAS CURRENTLY BEING MANUFACTURED AS ONE ASSEMBLY PART WITH THE COMBINATION OF THE HORN SWITCH AND FRONTAL AIR BAG. THE C…
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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 DODGE RAM 2500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DASHBOARD EXHIBITED SEVERAL FRAGMENTED PIECES. IN ADDITION, THE FAULTY HORN SWITCH WAS NO LONGER BEING PRODUCED AS AN INDIVIDUAL PART AND WAS CURRENTLY BEING MANUFACTURED AS ONE ASSEMBLY PART WITH THE COMBINATION OF THE HORN SWITCH AND FRONTAL AIR BAG. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE PART WAS MORE COSTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. AN AUTHORIZED DEALER AND THE MANUFACTURER WERE NOTIFIED OF THE PROBLEM. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 70,000.
DASH HAS BECOME BRITTLE AND IS DEVELOPING CRACKS THROUGHOUT THE PART. IT IS FALLING APART. *TR
UPON REMOVAL OF DASHBOARD TO REPLACE HEATER AND EVAPORATOR CORES WHILE REMOVING THE DASHBOARD IT CRUMBLED INTO DUST THE DASH HAD NO VISIBLE CRACKS UNTIL VIEW FROM BELOW SEEING ABOUT 200+ CRACKS FROM DASHBOARD BECOMING BRITTLE FROM BEING IMPROPERLY MADE, THIS OCCURS WITH ALL DODGE RAM DASHBOARDS FROM YEARS 94-98.5 AND YET NO RECA…
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UPON REMOVAL OF DASHBOARD TO REPLACE HEATER AND EVAPORATOR CORES WHILE REMOVING THE DASHBOARD IT CRUMBLED INTO DUST THE DASH HAD NO VISIBLE CRACKS UNTIL VIEW FROM BELOW SEEING ABOUT 200+ CRACKS FROM DASHBOARD BECOMING BRITTLE FROM BEING IMPROPERLY MADE, THIS OCCURS WITH ALL DODGE RAM DASHBOARDS FROM YEARS 94-98.5 AND YET NO RECALL HAS BEEN MADE, HAD THIS DASH SHATTERED WHILE DRIVING OR IN A CRASH I COULD HAVE HAD LOTS OF SHARP PLASTIC CUTS FROM THE SHATTERED DASHBOARD BUT IT SEEMS THAT THE NHTSA DOESN'T RESPOND TO THE AMOUNT OF PEOPLE SUBMITTING THE SAME PROBLEM. COST TO REPLACE DASH IS $600 FROM DEALER WITH THE SAME DASHBOARD THAT WILL LAST APPROX 3 YEARS ACCORDING TO DEALERSHIP. *KB
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 DODGE RAM 2500. THE CONTACT STATED THE ENTIRE LENGTH OF THE DASHBOARD HAD NUMEROUS HAIRLINE CRACKS. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE DEFECT. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 200,000.
THE DASH STARTED CRACKING A COUPLE YEARS AFTER NEW PURCHASE OF RAM 2500. *KB
DASH BOARD HAS CRACKED AND IS FALLING APART FOR NO APPARENT REASON. *TR
Recall campaigns
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 ↗
Defect investigations
0No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.
An investigation is not a finding of a defect, and closure does not prove a vehicle is problem-free.