1998 Dodge 1500 Seat belts Problems

The seatbelt timer module is failing, resulting in the seatbelts staying locked even when fully retracted. This means sometimes I as the driver as well as my front seat passenger cannot buckle up and drive the vehicle safely. I have not reproduced or confirmed this issue with a dealership or independent service center. The component has not been inspected by the manufacturer, police, or insurance agency. A red seatbelt warning light will appear when the seatbelts lock up and goes away when it unlocks.

NHTSA ID

11579005

Incident

Mar 22, 2024

The drivers side and passanger side seat belts are locked in the seats. There is no fix, you cant drive truck because you can not use the seat belts, they are made into the seats. No one sells part for it. The seat belts will not extend. The seat belts just stopped working, no warning.

NHTSA ID

11573494

Incident

Jan 21, 2024

1998 DODGE RAM 1500. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO SEAT BELT ISSUES. *SMD CONSUMER SENT ADDITIONAL CORRESPONDENCE. *SMD THE CONSUMER STATED THREE YEARS AGO, THE SEAT BELT ON BOTH SIDES WOULD NOT PULL DOWN OUT OF THE SEAT. THE DEALER INFORMED THE CONSUMER THE SEAT BELTS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AT A COST OF $1000. THE CONSUMER STATED HE WENT TO A JUNK YARD AND PURCHASED A SEAT BELT MODULE FOR $35. 00. *JB UPDATED 08/24/15*JB

NHTSA ID

10679184

Incident

Mar 2, 2015

SEAT BELT CONTROL MODULE WILL NOT RELEASE RETRACTED BELTS TO ALLOW DRIVER OR PASSENGER TO WEAR SEAT BELTS. THIS MAKES THE VEHICLE UNSAFE AND ILLEGAL TO PROPERLY OPERATE. MODULE IS NO LONGER MANUFACTURED OR CARRIED BY ANY NATIONAL PARTS WAREHOUSE. DODGE ADVISED FOR ME TO CALL A DEDICATED SUPPLIER OF PARTS FOR OLDER VEHICLES AND WAS TOLD THESE WERE NOT AVAILABLE ANYWHERE ON A DATABASE ANY LONGER. THERE ARE SEVERAL BLOGS WITH OWNERS STATING SAME ISSUES WITH THEIR TRUCKS AND DODGE HAS NOT RECALLED THIS SAFETY ITEM OR ACCOMMODATED ANYONE WITH THESE PROBLEMS AS OF DATE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10668110

Incident

Dec 10, 2014

Mileage

78,000 mi

TRUCK WAS PARK BOTH TIMES..ONE TIME OVER NIGHT..THEN SECOND TIME PARKED AT WORK FOR 8 HOURS..WENT TO GET INTO TRUCK, NOTHING HAPPEN , NO SEAT BELT WAS WORKING.. WHY THERE NO RECALL ON SOMETHING LIKE SEAT BELT A BIG SAFETY ISSUE?? THERE WAS NOTHING I DID WRONG. *TR

NHTSA ID

10562224

Incident

Sep 19, 2013

Mileage

140,000 mi

DRIVERS SIDE SEAT BELT RETRACTOR HAS BROKEN THREE TIMES SINCE 2003 (APPROXIMATE DATE), LEAVING THE SEAT BELT PAID-OUT (UNABLE TO RETRACT) AND USELESS. I REPLACED IT LAST MONTH FOR $185 PLUS TAX. PARTS SALESMAN WASN'T CONFIDENT THAT IT WOULD BE AVAILABLE FOR PURCHASE (AS SOME SEAT BELTS ARE DISCONTINUED). SAFETY ITEMS SHOULD HAVE NO EXPIRATION! *TR

NHTSA ID

10533237

Incident

Aug 1, 2003

Mileage

70,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 DODGE RAM 1500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE PARKED, THE NEITHER FRONT SEAT BELT WOULD EXTEND FROM THEIR RETRACTORS. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR A DIAGNOSTIC TEST. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 35,000.

NHTSA ID

10465768

Incident

Jul 15, 2012

Mileage

35,000 mi

THE PASSENGER AND DRIVER SEAT BELTS ARE LOCKED IN THE RETRACTED POSITION. THERE WASN'T ANY EVENT THAT LED TO THE FAILURE, THEY BOTH JUST QUIT WORKING. I RESEARCHED THE ISSUE ON THE INTERNET AND APPARENTLY IT IS SOMETHING THAT HAPPENS QUITE OFTEN LEAVING BOTH THE DRIVER AND OCCUPANT WITHOUT SAFETY RESTRAINTS. THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS AND A SAFETY RECALL NEEDS TO BE ISSUED TO BOTH NOTIFY AND TO PROTECT THE PUBLIC. *TR

NHTSA ID

10395670

Incident

Apr 12, 2011

Mileage

123,000 mi

1998 DODGE RAM 1500 SEAT BELTS REMAIN IN RETRACTABLE POSITION AND CANNOT BE USED ON BOTH PASSENGER AND DRIVER SIDES. MILEAGE 80500 THIS IS A SAFETY HAZARD BECAUSE NO MATTER HOW HARD YOU PULL ON THE SEAT BELTS THEY WILL NOT COME LOOSE FROM THE RETRACTABLE POSITION. *TR

NHTSA ID

10362474

Incident

Oct 25, 2010

Mileage

80,500 mi

NO ACCIDENT AS OF YET. NO REASONABLE CAUSE OF CONDITION FOUND AT PRESENT TIME. SAFETY BELTS LOCKED IN FULLY RETRACTED STATE, AND ARE UNABLE TO EXTEND FOR FASTENING. NO ACCIDENT HAS HAPPENED AT CURRENT TIME TO OWNERS KNOWLEDGE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10314818

Incident

Feb 10, 2010

Mileage

205,000 mi

1998 DODGE RAM 1500 4WD - DRIVER AND FRONT PASSENGER SEATBELTS DO NOT WORK. THIS VEHICLE HAS NEVER BEEN WRECKED, THEY JUST QUIT WORKING ONE DAY. WE CALLED THE LOCAL DEALERSHIP AND THEY SAID WE COULD REPLACE EACH SEATBELT FOR $198.00. *TR

NHTSA ID

10278585

Incident

Jul 10, 2008

Mileage

115,000 mi

THE DRIVER SEAT BELT BECAME UNBUCKLED VARIOUS TIMES. I HAVE REPLACE THE BUCKLE SIDE OF IT ON MY OWN. ALSO THE REAR END IS MAKING NOISE RIGHT AFTER WARRANTY EXPIRED, NOW I'M SUPPOSED TO REPLACE IT ONMY OWN. *TR

NHTSA ID

10261919

Incident

Aug 12, 2005

Mileage

39,898 mi

1998 DODGE RAM 1500. SEATBELT/RESTRAINT HARNESS FAILURE/AUTOMATIC DISENGAGEMENT WHEN BELTS ARE USED TO SECURE CHILD SAFETY SEATS. *TR

NHTSA ID

10188519

Incident

Jan 1, 2007

DUE TO THE SEAT BELTS ASSEMBLY COMING APART OUR BABY SEAT BECAME LOOSE CAUSING SEAT WITH INFANT TO LUNG FORWARD UPON BRAKING. TRIED SEVERAL TIMES TO GET ASSISTANCE THROUGH THE CHRYSLER 1-800 # FOR COMPLAINTS AND ISSUES. AS A MATTER OF FACT, I WAS TREATED WITH A COMPLETE LACK OF CONCERN FOR SUCH A CRITICAL. ATTEMPTED TO TAKE CARE OF IT THROUGH A LOCAL DEALERSHIP WHO UPON CALLING THE 1-800# FOR CHRYSLER SERVICE TO SEE THAT IT WOULD BE COVERED BEING A SEAT BELT FAILURE, WERE REFUSED. AT THIS POINT, I JUNK YARD WHOLE SEAT BELTS AND REPLACE THEM EVERY TIME THEY FALL APART WHICH IS VERY OFTEN. I HAVE REPLACED ALL OR PART OF (4) BELT ASSEMBLIES IN THE AREA OF (9) TIMES SINCE THE DATE NOTED. *NM

NHTSA ID

10178943

Incident

Mar 3, 2001

Mileage

35,000 mi

SEAT BELT BEGAN TO REFUSE TO COME OUT OF IT'S ROLLED-UP, UNUSED POSITION, UNTIL IT COMPLETELY QUIT COMING OUT. BUZZER QUIT SOUNDING, BUT RED SEAT BELT ALERT THAT SEAT BELT IS NOT IN USE REMAINS ON. THIS IS THE DRIVER SIDE SEAT BELT. *JB

NHTSA ID

10138463

Incident

Jan 28, 2004

Mileage

174,000 mi

DT: CONTACT STATES THAT EARLY IN THE MORNING WHEN SHE GOT IN HER CAR AND WAS PUTTING THE SEAT BELT ON, THE SHOULDER PART TIGHTENED UP THE LAP BELT AND SHE NOTICED A BOLT HOLE. THERE WAS A METAL BAR AND THE BOLT HOLE HAD BROKEN. SHE CONTACTED CHRYSLER, AND THEY TOLD HER THAT THE TRUCK WAS A 1998 MODEL AND HAD A LOT OF MILEAGE ON IT. THEY COULDN'T FIX IT. *AK (THE BELT WAS IN PROPERLY BUT THE METAL STRAP HOLDING THE SEAT BELT TO THE FLOOR HAD SHEARED AT THE BOLT HOLE WHICH WAS COMING APART) *SC

NHTSA ID

10126269

Incident

Jun 22, 2005

DT: BOTH FRONT SEAT BELTS RETRACTOR/LOCK INTERCHANGES BUCKLE ASSEMBLY BROKE. THIS WAS DISCOVERED WHEN TRYING TO BUCKLE UP WITH THE SEAT BELTS, NO INCIDENT WHERE THIS COULD HAVE OCCURRED. CONSUMER FELT THIS WAS DEFECTIVE. SPOKE TO DEALER, WHO SAID THIS WAS OUT OF WARRANTY, BUT WAS TOLD SOME TIME AGO SAID SAFETY FEATURES WERE COVERED. HAS NOT CONTACTED MANUFACTURER AT THIS TIME. *AK

NHTSA ID

10131240

Incident

Jul 30, 2005

Mileage

198,000 mi

98 DODGE RAM 1500 PICK-UP. SEAT BELT FAILURE LEADING TO THE RELEASE OF INFANT CAR SEAT. CALLED CHRYSLER CUSTOMER SERVICE ON MORE THAN ONE OCCASION ONLY TO BE TREATED LIKE A CHILD AND TOLD THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD DO.*AK WHILE DRIVING MY PICK UP AND STOPPING AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT, MY SONS INFANT SEAT CAME LOOSE AND LUNGED FORWARD. HE WAS ABOUT1 YEAR OLD AT THE TIME AND AS A RESULT, HIT HIS HEAD ON THE BACK OF THE PASSENGER SEAT. THE SEAT BELTS ARE DESIGNED IN A MANNER THAT THERE IS A LITTLE PEICE OF PLASTIC THAT RETAINS THE BELT PORTION, IN TURN, THIS IS WHAT RETAINS THE INFANT SEAT. BOTH MY WIFE AND I TOOK CLASSES AT THE LOCAL DEALARSHIP SO AS TO BE ABLE TO DO THE INSTALLATION CORRECTLY LONG PRIOR TO THIS EVENT. I DID TAKE THE TRUCK IN TO TRY AND HAVE THE NOW FAULTY BELTS REPLACED ONLY TO BE TURNED AWAY. I NOW HAVE TO COMB THROUGH THE LOCAL JUNK YARDS FREQUENTLY TO FIND NEW BELTS WITH ALL THE CORRECT PIECES. I STILL HAVE THE TRUCK AND ONLY RECENTLY LEARNED OF YOUR SITE. HOW CAN FAULTY SEAT BELTS BE IGNORED. CURRENTLY, BOTH THE DRIVERS AND PASSENGERS BELTS DO NOT FUNCTION CORRECTLY. THE DATE BELOW AND THE FOLLOWING MILAGES ARE APPROX. GUESSES. I HAVE ALSO PUT (1) FOR NUMBERED OF PERSONS INJURED, BUT IT WAS NOTHING SEVERE LUCKILY.

NHTSA ID

10105865

Incident

Jul 11, 2002

Mileage

98,000 mi

SEAT BELT FAILURE IN 1998 DODGE RAM--ONLY 13000 MILES, NEVER IN AN ACCIDENT. I GOT IN VEHICLE ONE DAY, AND SEAT BELT WAS LOCKED IN RETRACTED POSITION--CAN NOT FREE. CURIOUSLY ENOUGH, PASSENGER SEATBELT WOULD ALSO NOT UNREEL FOR ANYONE ELSE TO USE. SIMULTANEOUS FAILURE OF BOTH SEATBELTS? I HAVE NEVER OWNED A VEHICLE WHERE EVEN ON HAS DONE MORE THAT BE A LITTLE SLOW ON THE UPTAKE, BUT FOR BOTH TO FAIL OVERNIGHT LEADS ME TO BELIEVE THERE MAY BE A DESIGN FLAW.*AK

NHTSA ID

10100565

Incident

Nov 22, 2004

Mileage

12,922 mi

CONSUMER DROVE OFF THE ROAD WHEN BECOMING ILL THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY AND THE SEAT BELTS DID NOT RESTRAIN PASSENGER AND DRIVER IN THE SEATS, BOTH OCCUPANTS HIT THE WINDSHIELD.*AK

NHTSA ID

10090156

Incident

Jun 19, 2001

WHILE DRIVING AT NORMAL SPEED VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A FRONTAL COLLISION, AND NEITHER OF THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. ALSO, SEAT BELTS FAILED TO HOLD DRIVER AND CONSUMER. NO AIR BAG LIGHT WARNING LIGHT APPEARED PRIOR TO THE CRASH. *AK

NHTSA ID

10040430

Incident

Sep 23, 2003

BOTH SEAT BELTS WILL NOT UNLOCK. THIS PROBLEM STARTED ABOUT FIVE MONTHS AGO. DEALER CANNOT DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM. *AK

NHTSA ID

10024149

THE VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A FRONTAL COLLISION WHILE TRAVELING 55 MPH. THE DRIVER'S SHOULDER RESTRAINT DID NOT HOLD AND CAUSED CONSUMER TO MOVE FORWARD AND HIT THE FRONT WINDSHIELD. *NLM. ALSO, FRONT AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. *AK THE DRIVER OF THE OTHER VEHICLE WAS KILLED IN THE CRASH. THE CONSUMERS TRUCK T-BONED THE OTHER VEHICLE ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE.

NHTSA ID

10015519

Incident

Apr 6, 2003

Mileage

84,000 mi

REAR SEAT BELT WILL NOT STAY LOCKED. IT WOULD BE HARD TO KEEP CHILD SEAT LOCKED IN PROPERLY. DEALER NOTIFIED. *AK CONSUMER STATED THAT THE REAR RIGHT SIDE SEAT BELT CAME APART INTO PIECES ALLOWING STRAP TO NOT RETAIN BABY SEAT. *YH

NHTSA ID

8015711

Incident

Jul 26, 2002

SEAT BELT RETRACTOR IS DEFECTIVE. PASSENGER FRONT BELT WILL NOT RETRACT. DRIVER'S FRONT BELT EXTRACTS INTERMITTENTLY. RETRACTORS ARE MOTORIZED. CONSUMER STATES MOTOR MAKES STRANGE GRINDING NOISE.*AK

NHTSA ID

8015182

Incident

Jun 1, 2002