RoadVitals

1998 Dodge Ram Pickup Owner Complaints

Reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers, shown in full

Data refreshed

Complaints on fileComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
18
Latest Mar 31, 2012
Crash or fire reportedComplaints whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. These are the reporter's own answers on the NHTSA form, not verified findings.
2
Filed in the last 12 monthsReports filed with NHTSA in the trailing 365 days. Recent volume reflects attention and vehicle age as much as anything else.
0
Reports on file since Oct 18, 1998

What this page shows

Our database holds 18 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 1998 Dodge Ram Pickup. Each one is a report filed by an owner or driver and published by NHTSA without most of them being verified. A complaint is not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. Narratives are shown exactly as filed.

Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.

Complaints, most recent first

Showing 1–18 of 18

Body & structure
Filed Mar 31, 2012

THE DASH HAS STARTED CRACKING IN TWO PLACES. *JS

NHTSA ID
10453676
Incident
Mar 31, 2012
Mileage
138,839 mi
Body & structure
Filed Aug 26, 2011

1998 DODGE RAM PICKUP 1500 THE DASH HAS CRACKED SO BAD IT IS UNSAFE. IT HAS SHARP EDGED FRAGMENTS. *TT

NHTSA ID
10421653
Incident
Jun 15, 2004
Mileage
120,000 mi
Transmission
Filed Sep 7, 2009

I WAS IN A HOSPITAL PARKING AREA IN TUCSON AZ., ROLLING IN 2ND GEAR, AFTER ATTEMPTING TO DEPRESS THE CLUTCH IT FAILED WITHOUT ANY WARNING LEAVING THE 7200 LB. TRUCK SILL UNDER POWER. LUCKY FOR ME AND NOTHING ELSE I WAS ABLE TO STOP IN A NEAR BY FIELD. THIS IS THE FIRST EVENT FOR ME BUT I HAVE TALKED TO ANOTHER DODGE OWNER AND THE SAME PROBLEM (HE ALMOST BACKED THOUGH A WALL ) THE FAILURE WAS REPAIRED WITH A NEW HYDRAULIC ASSY. PART. THIS HAPPENED WITH 135K MI. ON THE ODO. THE OTHER OWNER SAID HIS BROKE AT APPROX. 75K MI. *TR

NHTSA ID
10283097
Incident
Aug 31, 2009
Mileage
135,000 mi
Fuel system
Filed Sep 14, 2008
Fire reported

I WAS DRIVING ON THE ROAD AFTER DRIVING UP AND DOWN THE STEEP HILL,WHEN I HEARD POP, AND LOOK AT MY REAR VIEW MIRROR AND MY TRUCK WAS ON FIRE MOSTLY AROUND THE LEFT HAND REAR TIRE AND AROUND RIGHT BEHIND THE DRIVER'S SIDE. I DROVE TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND GOT, THAN I CALL THE POLICE AND FIRE DEPT. FOR ASSISTANT/HELP. *TR

NHTSA ID
10242096
Incident
Sep 8, 2008
Mileage
160,000 mi
Body & structure
Filed Jun 5, 2008

DASH BOARD ON 98 TRUCK. *TR

NHTSA ID
10229999
Incident
May 14, 2008
Airbags
Filed Aug 31, 2007

AIR BAG LIGHT COMES ON SEVERAL TIMES DURING OPERATION MEANING THE AIR BAG WILL NOT WORK PROPERLY. *TR

NHTSA ID
10201312
Incident
Aug 30, 2007
Mileage
125,000 mi
Airbags
Filed Dec 7, 2005

DT: THE CONTACT STATED THE DRIVER'S SIDE AIR BAG DEPLOYED. HE DID NOT HIT ANYTHING PRIOR TO THIS INCIDENT. CHRYSLER SENT AN INVESTIGATOR ON 11-29-05 AND TOOK PICTURES INSIDE AND OUT OF THE TRUCK. THEN, STATED THE TRUCK DID NOT APPEAR TO HAVE BEEN INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT; THUS, THE TRUCK WAS NOT DAMAGED. CHRYSLER SENT THE CONTACT A LETTER ON 12-5-05 STATING THAT THE AIR BAG LIGHT ILLUMINATED FOR A SUBSTANTIAL PERIOD OF TIME. THEREFORE, THEY WERE NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR THE REPAIRS. THE CONTACT STATED THE AIR BAG LIGHT WAS NOT ON PRIOR TO THIS INCIDENT, AND THAT HE WAS AWARE THAT IF THE AIR BAG LIGHT ILLUMINATED IT WAS AN INDICATOR THAT THE AIR BAG WAS NOT FUNCTIONING PROPERLY. THEREFORE, IT SHOULD NOT HAVE DEPLOYED PREMATURELY. WHEN HE HAD THE CAR SERVICED AT A LOCAL DEALERSHIP THEY DID NOT MENTION THE AIR BAG LIGHT ILLUMINATING. *AK UPDATED 02/07/06. *JB

NHTSA ID
10144662
Incident
Nov 21, 2005
Mileage
51,200 mi
Transmission
Filed Mar 28, 2005

THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHCILE WA TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO DETERMINED THAT THE GOVERNOR PRESSURE SENSOR AND THE GOVERNOR PRESSURE SOLENOID FAILED. THE TRANSMISSION ALSO SLIPPED MOMENTARILY. *AK THESE PARTS WERE REPLACED TWICE. *BF

NHTSA ID
10059234
Incident
Jan 27, 2005
Mileage
11,000 mi
Seat belts
Filed Aug 10, 2004

BOTH FRONTAL SEAT BELTS STUCK IN THEIR HOLSTER AND WOULDN'T RELEASE. THE SEAT BELT SHOWED NO SIGN OR ABUSE OR WEAR WHEN THIS OCCURRED. DEALERSHIP REPLACED BOTH SHOULDER BELTS TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM. *AK

NHTSA ID
10087575
Incident
Aug 3, 2004
Mileage
50,000 mi
EngineTransmission
Filed Dec 2, 2003

WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED CONSUMER NOTICED THAT VEHICLE USED A LARGE AMOUNT OF COOLANT. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS IN AN INDEPENDENT SHOP FOR A NEW CLUTCH MECHANIC DISCOVERED THAT THE CYLINDER HEADS HAD SEVERAL CRACKS. THE CYLINDER HEADS WERE SCHEDULED TO BE REPLACED. *AK

NHTSA ID
10049872
Incident
Nov 22, 2000
Mileage
40,000 mi
Driver assistanceInterior & seatsExterior lighting
Filed Oct 15, 2003

I HAVE HAD TROUBLE WITH THE HEADLIGHT SWITCH IT HAS BURNED OUT TWICE AND I HAVE HAD TO HAVE IT REPLACED TWICE MY SPEEDOMETER DOESN'T WORK UNTIL IT SAYS THAT I AM GOING 25 MILES PER HOUR THE BRAKE LIGHT ON THE DASH IS NOW ON ALL THE TIME I HAVE ALSO NOTICED THAT MY DOOR LOCKS ARE POWER AND AS LONG AS YOU LOCK AND UNLOCK THEM FROM THE PASSENGER SIDE THEY WORK FINE BUT THE DRIVER SIDE DOESN'T WORK ALL THE TIME I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW IF ANY OF THESE COULD BE SOME KIND OF DEFECT THAT HAVE OR WILL BE RECALLED *LA

NHTSA ID
10042971
Incident
Sep 28, 2003
Steering
Filed Sep 11, 2003

TIE ROD FELL OUT WHILE DRIVING.*AK

NHTSA ID
10039729
Incident
Sep 8, 2003
Brakes
Filed Jul 30, 2003

FRONT BRAKES WEAR OUT, WHILE REAR BRAKES ARE STILL NEW.SEVERAL REPLACEMENTS WITH IN SIX MONTHS MOSTLY HIGHWAY MILES

NHTSA ID
10030458
Incident
Jul 29, 2003
Mileage
126,481 mi
Body & structureBrakesOther / unspecified
Filed Jun 17, 2002

CONSUMER STATES THAT THE SCREW ATTACHING THE HEAT SHIELD TO THE EXHAUST IS RUBBING AGAINST FUEL LINE. *YH

NHTSA ID
566094
Airbags
Filed May 15, 2002
1 injury reported

ATTORNEY IS WRITING ON BEHALF OF MR. RICKER WHO STATES THAT WHILE DRIVING, MR. RICKER MOVED TO THE RIGHT ALLOWING A LARGE TRUCK MORE CLEARANCE. AT THIS POINT, THE FRONT RIGHT TIRE OF THE VEHICLE CAUGHT A LARGE AMOUNT OF SNOW PULLING THE VEHICLE TO THE RIGHT AND INTO AN UTILITY POLE. THERE WAS DAMAGE TO THE CENTER FRONT OF VEHICLE AND UNKNOWN DAMAGE TO THE UNDERCARRIAGE, BUT THE AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY. MR. RICKER COMPLAINED OF NECK AND BACK PAINS. *TT

NHTSA ID
565770
Incident
Jan 7, 2002
Exterior lighting
Filed Feb 1, 1999

FOG LIGHT / REAR TURN SIGNAL FAILED. *YC

NHTSA ID
608594
AirbagsBrakes
Filed Jan 11, 1999
Crash reported

CONSUMER EXPERIENCED PROBLEMS WITH DRIVER'S AND PASSENGER'S SIDE AIRBAGS ALONG WITH REAR ANTI-LOCK BRAKES. UPON APPLYING BRAKES WHILE GOING 50 MPH, REAR ANTI-LOCK BRAKES WENT OUT, CAUSING CONSUMER TO REAREND ANOTHER VEHICLE. DRIVER'S AND PASSENGER'S SIDE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED BUT SAID THEY COULD NOT DO ANYTHING TO HELP. CONSUMER HAS SINCE RID HIMSELF OF THE VEHICLE, AND BOUGHT A DIFFERENT ONE. *AK *ML

NHTSA ID
833277
Incident
Dec 11, 1998
Electrical
Filed Oct 18, 1998

HORN PAD ON STEERING WHEEL IS VERY HARD TO PUSH.

NHTSA ID
781335
Incident
Mar 1, 1998

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.

Data sources

Data on this page last refreshed .