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1998 Dodge RAM 3500

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Similar to other model years

Owner complaints for the 1998 Dodge RAM 3500 do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 124.5.

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When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

46 reports with mileage · 59 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.

  • Power Train. Review the 19 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Electrical System. Review the 14 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Exterior Lighting. Review the 14 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

12 crash reports10 fire reports7 injury reports

What owners actually said

105 reports
360,000 miles · Dec 3, 2018
Electrical System

AT LEAST THE THIRD TIME I HAVE REPLACE THE HEADLIGHT SWITCH, TWICE THE HARNESS BECAUSE IT MELTED TOGETHER. AND NOW TODAY HAVING TO REPLACE MARKER WIRE (GREEN WITH WHITE STRIPE) AND IT IS TO HOT TO TOUCH, THE WIRE HAS GONE STIFF AND HARD AND I AM AFRAID IT WILL CAUSE A FIRE THIS TIME.

NHTSA ODI #11155548

Mileage unknown · Nov 12, 2017
Unknown Or Other

DASHBOARD IS CRACKED AND DISINTEGRATING

NHTSA ODI #11045458

121,613 miles · Jul 31, 2017
Unknown Or OtherInjury

DASHBOARD IS DISINTEGRATING AND HAS SHARP SHARDS THAT CUTS HANDS WHEN CLEANING IT.

NHTSA ODI #11011839

Mileage unknown · Jul 30, 2017
Visibility/wiper

DEFROSTER WON'T WORK DUE TO BROKEN DASH

NHTSA ODI #11011520

56,000 miles · Jul 24, 2017
Unknown Or Other

BROKEN DASH. I BOUGHT TRK NEW IN 98. IN 2000 I FOUND A CRACK IN MY DASH. I WENT TO MY LOCAL DEALER AND THE SERV. MNGR. ADVISED IT WAS A COSMETIC ISSUE THEREFORE NOT COVERED BY WARRANTY. I DID NOT REPLACE DASH AS IT WAS QUOTED AS OVER 750 TO R/R. OVER YEARS IT HAS GOTTEN WORSE. FOR LAST COUPLE OF YEARS SMALL PIECES OF THE DASH WO…

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BROKEN DASH. I BOUGHT TRK NEW IN 98. IN 2000 I FOUND A CRACK IN MY DASH. I WENT TO MY LOCAL DEALER AND THE SERV. MNGR. ADVISED IT WAS A COSMETIC ISSUE THEREFORE NOT COVERED BY WARRANTY. I DID NOT REPLACE DASH AS IT WAS QUOTED AS OVER 750 TO R/R. OVER YEARS IT HAS GOTTEN WORSE. FOR LAST COUPLE OF YEARS SMALL PIECES OF THE DASH WOULD BLOW OUT OF THE A/C VENTS STRIKING ME IN THE FACE WHILE DRIVING. VERY DANGEROUS ISSUE.

NHTSA ODI #11010286

173,000 miles · Mar 21, 2016
Service BrakesSteeringSuspension

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 DODGE RAM 3500. WHILE DRIVING 5 MPH, THE VEHICLE PULLED TO THE RIGHT INDEPENDENTLY. WHILE MAKING A LEFT TURN, THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE WHEEL DETACHED. THE ANTI-BRAKE AND BRAKE SYSTEM WARNING LIGHTS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE WHEEL BEAR…

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 DODGE RAM 3500. WHILE DRIVING 5 MPH, THE VEHICLE PULLED TO THE RIGHT INDEPENDENTLY. WHILE MAKING A LEFT TURN, THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE WHEEL DETACHED. THE ANTI-BRAKE AND BRAKE SYSTEM WARNING LIGHTS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE WHEEL BEARING FAILED DUE TO THE TIE RODS AND THE WHEEL HUB NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED, BUT THE TIE RODS WERE NOT REPLACED. THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 08E027000 (STEERING). THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 173,000.

NHTSA ODI #10850744

350,000 miles · Mar 2, 2016
Exterior LightingPower TrainService Brakes

TAKATA RECALL SITTING IN PARK AND THE TRANSMISSION BUCKED TRIED TO GO FORWARD EVEN AGAINST THE BRAKES

NHTSA ODI #10839514

300,000 miles · Dec 16, 2014
SteeringSuspension

DRIVING ON A HIGHWAY TRAVELING AT 75 MPH, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY SHOOK VIOLENTLY AND IT WAS VERY DIFFICULT TO KEEP A GRIP ON THE STEERING WHEEL OR SWITCH TO THE BRAKE PEDAL. I WAS THRUST AROUND IN MY SEAT AND ITEMS FROM UNDER THE BACK SEAT WERE THROWN FORWARD INTO THE DASH OF THE VEHICLE AS WELL. VEHICLES AROUND ME ALSO NOTICED …

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DRIVING ON A HIGHWAY TRAVELING AT 75 MPH, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY SHOOK VIOLENTLY AND IT WAS VERY DIFFICULT TO KEEP A GRIP ON THE STEERING WHEEL OR SWITCH TO THE BRAKE PEDAL. I WAS THRUST AROUND IN MY SEAT AND ITEMS FROM UNDER THE BACK SEAT WERE THROWN FORWARD INTO THE DASH OF THE VEHICLE AS WELL. VEHICLES AROUND ME ALSO NOTICED AND SLOWED DOWN AND STEERED CLEAR OF MY VEHICLE. I WAS ABLE TO SLOW TO A STOP AT THE CURB AND IT STOPPED. THAT WAS THE FIRST INCIDENT. I DID LOOK OVER THE FRONT END AND FELT THE TIE-RODS, ECT TO TEST AND EVERYTHING IS TIGHT AS IT SHOULD BE AND NOTHING VISIBLE TO CAUSE THIS PROBLEM. IT HAPPENED AGAIN A WEEK LATER TRAVELING AT 65 MPH. IT HAS OCCURRED OCCASIONALLY SINCE THOSE INCIDENTS IN JUNE AND THE SPEED SEEMS TO BE LESS EACH TIME. I HAVE AVOIDED DRIVING IT FOR FEAR I WILL WRECK AND KILL MYSELF OR SOMEONE ELSE. I HAVE RESEARCHED AND FOUND IT IS THE "DEATH WOBBLE" THAT CHRYSLER HAS BEEN INVESTIGATED FOR AND DID A RECALL ON. BUT, THE RECALL DOES NOT COVER ALL SECOND GENERATION DODGE PICKUPS, SUCH AS MINE. THIS MUST BE NOTICED AND THE RECALL MUST COVER ALL TRUCKS IN THE SECOND GENERATION CLASS AS WELL. I WILL SUE IF I WRECK THIS TRUCK DURING A DEATH WOBBLE. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10664549

120,000 miles · Oct 10, 2014
Electrical SystemExterior LightingFire

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 DODGE RAM 3500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE HEADLIGHTS AND RUNNING LIGHTS FAILED TO ACTIVATE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC, WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE WIRING MELTED TO THE CONNECTOR AND THE INTERNAL SWITCH WAS MELTED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED BUT THE FAILURE PERSISTED. THE MANUFACTURER…

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 DODGE RAM 3500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE HEADLIGHTS AND RUNNING LIGHTS FAILED TO ACTIVATE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC, WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE WIRING MELTED TO THE CONNECTOR AND THE INTERNAL SWITCH WAS MELTED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED BUT THE FAILURE PERSISTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 120,000.

NHTSA ODI #10643925

70,000 miles · Dec 4, 2012
Fuel/propulsion System

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 DODGE RAM 3500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 55 MPH, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY STALLED. THE DRIVER STOPPED AND MERGED THE VEHICLE ON THE SHOULDER OF THE ROAD. THE CONTACT INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND NOTICED THE FUEL PUMP WOULD NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE CONTAC…

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 DODGE RAM 3500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 55 MPH, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY STALLED. THE DRIVER STOPPED AND MERGED THE VEHICLE ON THE SHOULDER OF THE ROAD. THE CONTACT INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND NOTICED THE FUEL PUMP WOULD NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE CONTACT STATED THE FUEL PUMP WAS REPLACED THREE DIFFERENT TIMES. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 70,000.

NHTSA ODI #10487297

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

1

PE02049 · Tire Valve

Opened Jun 3, 2002 · Closed Oct 1, 2002

Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Tires

No summary supplied.