IllustrationWHILE TRAVELING AT 60 MPH -70 MPH VEHICLE POPPED OUT OF GEAR AND HAD NO POWER IN 5TH GEAR. DEALER STATED THAT 5TH GEAR NUT DISCONNECTED. PLEASE PROVVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK
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.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all RAM 2500 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
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
What owners actually said
225 reportsWHILE DRIVING AT 40 TO 50 MPH HOOD FLEW OPEN, BLOCKING CONSUMER'S SIGHT, TRUCK WENT TO RIGHT. CONSUMER HAD TO STICK HEAD OUT OF WINDOW TO SEE, AND VEHICLE WENT INTO A DITCH. CONSUMER COULD HAVE KILLED SOMEONE.*AK
CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING ON ICY ROADS AT 25-30MPH. CONSUMER SLID INTO A UTILITY POLE WITH NEITHER AIRBAG DEPLOYING. VEHICLE WAS TOTALED. DEALER NEVER SAID WHY AIRBAGS DIDN'T DEPLOY OR SEEM TO BE CONCERNED.*AK
EXCESSIVE LOSS OF ENGINE COOLANT, BUT NO SIGN OF LEAKAGES. VEHICLE BEEN IN / OUT OF DEALER SHOP ON FOUR OCCASIONS, AND STILL UNABLE TO LOCATE PROBLEM. *AK THE CONSUMER INDICATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER INTERNTIONALLY WITH HELD THE POSSIBLE PROBLEM WITH V-10 ENGINE TO AVOID RECALL. ACCORCING TO THE INFORMATION OBTAINED FROM…
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EXCESSIVE LOSS OF ENGINE COOLANT, BUT NO SIGN OF LEAKAGES. VEHICLE BEEN IN / OUT OF DEALER SHOP ON FOUR OCCASIONS, AND STILL UNABLE TO LOCATE PROBLEM. *AK THE CONSUMER INDICATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER INTERNTIONALLY WITH HELD THE POSSIBLE PROBLEM WITH V-10 ENGINE TO AVOID RECALL. ACCORCING TO THE INFORMATION OBTAINED FROM INTERNET, THE MANUFACTURER HAD INDICATED THAT THE V-10 HEADS AND CRANKSHAFT COULD EXPERIENCE HAIR LINE CRACKS CAUSING INTERNAL COOLANT LEAKAGE. SPARK PLUGS FAILED. FRONT BRAKE PADS FAIED. LEFT LOWER BALL JOINT FAILED. *YH
THE BELTS IN THE SIDEWALL OF THE TIRE SEPARATED CAUSING A BUBBLE THAT LEADS TO A RIP (2-4 INCHES LONG) THAT RAN PARRALLEL TO THE RIM, GOODYEAR WAS CONTACTED AND THEY STATED THAT THERE WAS A FLAW IN THE BONDING OF THE BELTS IN THE SIDEWALL (GOODYEAR WRANGLER LT 24575R16E). NLM
ENGINE STALLS INTERMITTENTLY. WHEN ENGINE STALLS THERE IS A LOSS OF STEERING & BRAKING. I HAVE TAKEN TRUCK TO TWO DEALERS THEY STATE NO PROBLEM WAS FOUND. TRUCK STILL STALLS!!*AK
APPROXIMATELY 50% OF THE MIRROR HAS DEVELOPED A DEFECT SO THAT THE IMAGES ARE DISTORTED. *AK
WHEN DRIVING ON HIGHWAY AND UPON EXITING OFF RAMP AT 70 MPH VEHICLE SUDDENLY EXPERIENCED LOSS OF ALL STEERING. STEERING WHEEL WOULD NOT RETURN AND VEHICLE WAS PULLING TO RIGHT. CONSUMER HAS CONTACTED DEALER. *AK WHEN TURNING A CORNER STEERING WILL NOT RETURN STICK TO THE RIGHT AND MAKES A SQUEALING NOISE DUE TO BAD STEE…
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WHEN DRIVING ON HIGHWAY AND UPON EXITING OFF RAMP AT 70 MPH VEHICLE SUDDENLY EXPERIENCED LOSS OF ALL STEERING. STEERING WHEEL WOULD NOT RETURN AND VEHICLE WAS PULLING TO RIGHT. CONSUMER HAS CONTACTED DEALER. *AK WHEN TURNING A CORNER STEERING WILL NOT RETURN STICK TO THE RIGHT AND MAKES A SQUEALING NOISE DUE TO BAD STEERING GEAR BOX. DAMPNER SHOCK IS LEAKING FROM SEAL. THE CONSUMER STATES THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NO LONGER SAFE TO DRIVE. *YH
BOTH TIE RODS REPLACED, FRONT END WAS LOOSE AND MADE A LOUD NOISE, UPPER AND INTERMEDIATE STEERING COLUMN WAS REPLACED. *SLC
WORST TIRES I HAVE OWNED. 4 FAILED SINCE I OWNED VEHICLE IN 24,500 MILES. THE LAST ONE IS STILL ON THE TRUCK BUT HAS BARE PATCHES. SIDE WALLS DEVELOP UNEVEN DIMPLES. LOOKS LIKE POOR MANUFACTURER AND/OR DESIGN. I WON'T BUY GOODYEAR AGAIN . *AK (TIRESIZE: 16-245-75)( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: 16-245-75 )
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.