Owner-reported complaints naming the engine system, filed with NHTSA
Data refreshed
Reports naming the engine itself — including stalling, misfires, oil consumption, cooling and internal engine components. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 1998 Dodge Ram 2500 submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 14 reports on file name it.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed
I WAS PULLING A CAR FROM INDIO CA TO PHX. AZ WHEN IT STARTED TICKING AND SMOKEING AND LOST POWER I PULLEDOVER CHECKED THE OIL AND IT WAS 2 QUARTS LOW IT HAD NEVER USED OIL BEFORE THIS IT NEVER GOT HOT THOUGH I SLOWED WAY DOWN AND BARELY MADE IT HOME.
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 70MPH, A SMOKE SMELL WAS NOTICED IN THE CAB OF THE VEHICLE ALTHOUGH NO FLAMES WERE VISIBLE. THE CONTACT PULLED THE VEHICLE OVER AND REMOVED THE MOTOR TO THE ELECTRIC SEAT WHICH MELTED. THERE IS A NHTSA RECALLS, # 04V185000, 98V207000, REGARDING THE ABS MODULE AND THE FUEL SUPPLY TUBE. THE VEHICLE HAS THE SAME PROBLEMS AS INDICATED IN THE RECALL; HOWEVER IT IS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL DUE TO THE VIN. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR REPAIRS.
THE ENGINE CAUGHT FIRE ON A 1998 DODGE RAM 2500 TRUCK. THERE WAS NO WARNING BEFORE IT HAPPENED. THIS HAPPENED ONE BLOCK FROM OUR HOME. THE TRUCK JUST DIED AND A LOT OF SMOKE WAS RELEASED FROM THE FRONT END OF THE CAR. A FEW MOMENTS LATER FIRE ERUPTED AND THERE IS EXTENSIVE DAMAGE TO THE TRUCK. *NM
THE CONSUMER PURCHASED THE VEHICLE ALREADY INSPECTED BY THE DEALER. A FEW DAYS LATER THE CONSUMER TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A LOCAL MEINEKE BECAUSE OF A SQUEAKING NOISE. THE VEHICLE WAS CHECKED AND THE CONSUMER WAS TOLD THAT THE VEHICLE SHOULD HAVE NEVER PASSED INSPECTION DUE TO NUMEROUS PROBLEMS FOUND WITH THE VEHICLE. *TS THE MEINEKE TECH STATED THAT EH VEHICLE SHOULD NOT HAVE PASSED INSPECT DUE TO NUMEROUS VIOLATIONS. THE VEHICLE NEEDS 2 WHEEL BEARINGS, TRACK BAR, STEERING SHOCK, 2 HUB ASSEMBLIES, BRAKE LINES, OXYGEN SENSOR AND A NEW LICENSE PLATE BULB. THE CONSUMER CONTACTED THE DEALER TO GET HIS MONEY BACK BUT THEY REFUSED. *NM
DODGE DIESEL LIFT PUMP FAILURE. *JB
I DROVE THE TRUCK AS NORMAL AND THE BLOCK DEVELOPED A CRACK IN THE RIGHT SIDE THE FAILURE IS THE WATER JACKET OF THE BLOCK THAT KEEPS THE COOLING FLUID INSIDE THE ENGINE. THIS MEANS I AM NOT ABLE TO DRIVE THE TRUCK WITHOUT FILLING THE COOLING FLUID EVERY 300 MILES. THIS IS A 53 BLOCK MANY PEOPLE HAVE HAD PROBLEMS WITH THESE!!!!! I CONTACTED DODGE AND THE SAY THERE IS NOTHING THEY CAN DO. I WILL NEED A NEW BLOCK/ENGINE...$6500 FOR A NEW ONE..$3500 FOR USED. *JB
MY 1998 DODGE RAM 2500 TRUCK'S ENGINE, WITH JUST OVER 56,000 MILES ON IT, EXPLODED INTERNALLY. MY MECHANIC, COLONIAL AUTO REPAIR OF DANBURY CT. STATED THE BOLTS ON THE INTAKE MANIFOLD LOOSENED AND ALLOWED AIR AND FOREIGN SUBSTANCES TO LEAK PAST A GASKET INTO THE CYLINDARS. THE RESULT WAS MY ENGINE PISTON LITERALLY EXPLODED IN THE CYLINDAR, WHICH RESULTED IN MY HAVING TO PURCHASE A NEW ENGINE. *AK
1998 DODGE TRUCK ATE THE INJECTOR PUMP WHEN THE FUEL PUMP FAILED. THIS CAN CAUSE SUDDEN LOSS OF POWER, BRAKES AND STEERING IF IT HAPPENS AT HIGH SPEEDS OR WHEN CARRYING LARGE LOADS AS I DO WHEN ON THE JOB. *LA
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
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
EXHAUST--BOLTS, NUTS.
LOOSE FIREWALL TO HOOD GASKET. YH
CONSUMER STATES THAT THE PROBLEM WITH THIS VEHICLE IS THAT WHEN TRAVELING AT A 17 DEGREE DECLINE THE ENGINE STARTED TO LEAK OIL OUT OF THE BREATHER TUBE BECAUSE OF THE TILT. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. *AK
FRACTURE IN THE EGR TUBE CAUSED VEHICLE FIRE.
Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.
Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own
Data on this page last refreshed .