IllustrationAT 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.
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.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all RAM 3500 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
20–25K
425–50K
650–75K
1475–100K
8100–150K
12150K+
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
Electrical System complaints
14 reportsTL* 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.
DASHBOARD CRACKED AND CAVED IN WHEN I HIT A BUMP WHILE DRIVING APPROX 68 MPH ON THE FREEWAY (I- 15 NORTHBOUND THROUGH LAS VEGAS). PLASTIC FALLING INTO THE DASHBOARD AREA DISCONNECTED SEVERAL WIRES CAUSING THE HEADLIGHTS TO GO OUT AS WELL AS SEVERAL OTHER ELECTRICAL ACCESSORIES. FREEWAY WAS WELL LIT ENOUGH FOR ME TO STOP SAFELY…
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DASHBOARD CRACKED AND CAVED IN WHEN I HIT A BUMP WHILE DRIVING APPROX 68 MPH ON THE FREEWAY (I- 15 NORTHBOUND THROUGH LAS VEGAS). PLASTIC FALLING INTO THE DASHBOARD AREA DISCONNECTED SEVERAL WIRES CAUSING THE HEADLIGHTS TO GO OUT AS WELL AS SEVERAL OTHER ELECTRICAL ACCESSORIES. FREEWAY WAS WELL LIT ENOUGH FOR ME TO STOP SAFELY AND CALL FOR ASSISTANCE. *TR
ON THREE DIFFERENT OCCASIONS THE RETAINING NUT FOR FIFTH-GEAR HAS FAILED. DEALER OFFERED REPAIR KIT... CONTAINED NEW MAIN SHAFT FOR TRANNY. COST WAS $3600.00, CHRYSLER REFUSES TO ACKNOWLEDGE DEFECT IN MANUFACTURING OF THREAD TAPERING. THERE IS ALSO NO POWER BRAKES. ABS SEEMS TO NOT BE WORKING, RELIES ON PRESSURE FROM OIL TO B…
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ON THREE DIFFERENT OCCASIONS THE RETAINING NUT FOR FIFTH-GEAR HAS FAILED. DEALER OFFERED REPAIR KIT... CONTAINED NEW MAIN SHAFT FOR TRANNY. COST WAS $3600.00, CHRYSLER REFUSES TO ACKNOWLEDGE DEFECT IN MANUFACTURING OF THREAD TAPERING. THERE IS ALSO NO POWER BRAKES. ABS SEEMS TO NOT BE WORKING, RELIES ON PRESSURE FROM OIL TO BRAKE. IF PRESSED CONTINUOUSLY, WILL GO ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR. WIRING HARNESS BURNED UP AFTER DEALER WORK, FRANK SHOUPE OF GEORGETOWN KENTUCKY REFUSED TO REPAIR THEIR MISTAKE. SAID IT WAS MY FAULT, THEN REFUSED TO KEEP SPEAKING WITH ME. STATED REPLACEMENT WAS $2015.00, AND WOULD TAKE A WEEK;RECEIVED ONE FROM JUNKYARD IN MONTANA, TOOK THREE DAYS, AND $300.00. *TR
TL*- THE WIRING OF THE HEADLIGHT HARNESS SWITCH BURNED ON THE CONTACT'S 1998 DODGE RAM 3500. THERE WAS A RECALL FOR THIS FAILURE, BUT THIS VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED DUE TO THE VIN. THE DODGE DEALER REFUSED TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THE PRIOR YEARS VEHICLES AND THIS TRUCK WERE HAVING THE SAME FAILURES AND REFUSED TO HONOR THE RECA…
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TL*- THE WIRING OF THE HEADLIGHT HARNESS SWITCH BURNED ON THE CONTACT'S 1998 DODGE RAM 3500. THERE WAS A RECALL FOR THIS FAILURE, BUT THIS VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED DUE TO THE VIN. THE DODGE DEALER REFUSED TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THE PRIOR YEARS VEHICLES AND THIS TRUCK WERE HAVING THE SAME FAILURES AND REFUSED TO HONOR THE RECALL. HE CALLED DODGE, AND THEY ALSO REFUSED TO HONOR THE RECALL. HE HAD TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE AT HIS OWN COST.*AK
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED FOR TWO DAYS, THE ALARM SUDDENLY SOUNDED. BY THE TIME THE DOOR WAS OPENED, SMOKE HAD FILLED THE CAB. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER WHO DETERMINED THE WIRING HARNESS UNDER THE DRIVER SEAT SHORTED OUT CAUSING THE WIRES TO BURN. THE DEALER REPLACED THREE WIRING HARNESSES…
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DT*: THE CONTACT STATED AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED FOR TWO DAYS, THE ALARM SUDDENLY SOUNDED. BY THE TIME THE DOOR WAS OPENED, SMOKE HAD FILLED THE CAB. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER WHO DETERMINED THE WIRING HARNESS UNDER THE DRIVER SEAT SHORTED OUT CAUSING THE WIRES TO BURN. THE DEALER REPLACED THREE WIRING HARNESSES, THE FUSE BOX AND THE FUSES.
DT: THE CONTACT STARTED VEHICLE IN ORDER TO MOVE IT. THEN, HE TURNED THE VEHICLE OFF. THE STARTER KEPT RUNNING, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO CATCH ON FIRE. THE FIRE WAS EXTINGUISHED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A DEALERSHIP TO BE INSPECTED. THEY FOUND THE FUEL SHUT OFF SOLENOID SHORTED OUT. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED.*AK
BURNING ODOR AND LIGHT SMOKE FROM DASHBOARD. ALL LIGHTS GOING ON AND OFF. TURNED OF HEADLIGHTS AND BURNING ODOR AND SMOKE STOPPED. WENT TO DODGE DEALER TO CHECK FOR RECALL - MANUFACTURER'S RECALL 819 WAS FOR SIMILAR PROBLEM BUT ONLY APPLIED TO MODEL YEARS 1994 - 1997. THIS TRUCK WAS 1998 MODEL. PURCHASED NEW HEADLIGHT SWITC…
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BURNING ODOR AND LIGHT SMOKE FROM DASHBOARD. ALL LIGHTS GOING ON AND OFF. TURNED OF HEADLIGHTS AND BURNING ODOR AND SMOKE STOPPED. WENT TO DODGE DEALER TO CHECK FOR RECALL - MANUFACTURER'S RECALL 819 WAS FOR SIMILAR PROBLEM BUT ONLY APPLIED TO MODEL YEARS 1994 - 1997. THIS TRUCK WAS 1998 MODEL. PURCHASED NEW HEADLIGHT SWITCH AND REPLACED THE BURNED SWITCH ALONG WITH SOME BURNT WIRING.*AK
1998-2001 B-VAN (DODGE FULL SIZE) BS CONTROL MODULE IS PROTECTED WITH A 40 AMP FUSE. A 10 GA. WIRE COMES OUT OF THE CONTROL MODULE THEN THE WIRE "Y"'S OUT TO TWO 14 GA. WIRES. IT APPEARS AS THOUGH THE ABS PUMP OR RELAY STICKS ON THESE VEHICLES. THEN ONE OF THE 14 GA. WIRES OVER HEATS AND STARTS THE WIRING HARNESS ON FIRE. THE 4…
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1998-2001 B-VAN (DODGE FULL SIZE) BS CONTROL MODULE IS PROTECTED WITH A 40 AMP FUSE. A 10 GA. WIRE COMES OUT OF THE CONTROL MODULE THEN THE WIRE "Y"'S OUT TO TWO 14 GA. WIRES. IT APPEARS AS THOUGH THE ABS PUMP OR RELAY STICKS ON THESE VEHICLES. THEN ONE OF THE 14 GA. WIRES OVER HEATS AND STARTS THE WIRING HARNESS ON FIRE. THE 40 AMP FUSE DOES NOT BLOW. THE FIRE CONTINUES UNTIL THE ENTIRE VAN IS FULLY ENGULED IN FLAMES.*AK
THE ELECTRICAL WIRES BECAME VERY HOT AND MELTED, AND SHORTED OUT THE HEAD LIGHT SWITCH AND DISABLED THE PARKING LIGHTS. *JB *TS
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
1PE02049 · Tire Valve
Opened Jun 3, 2002 · Closed Oct 1, 2002
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Tires
No summary supplied.