U.S. public vehicle records

1998 Dodge RAM 1500 problems and owner complaints

Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.

Key facts

428 owner complaints analyzed

0 distinct recall campaigns

95,000 mi median reported failure mileage

Scope: 1998 model year. Data snapshot: 2026-09-12 (September 12, 2026). 225 complaints include usable failure mileage.

Owner-reported patterns

Most common problems

Structure is the most frequently named component, appearing in 83 of 428 complaints (19.4%). A complaint can name multiple components.

Recurring terms in complaint narratives
Topic	Matching reports	Share of complaints
Braking behavior	53	12.4%
Transmission and shifting	38	8.9%
Steering behavior	26	6.1%
Electrical and battery issues	15	3.5%
Fuel system concerns	8	1.9%
Engine operation	7	1.6%

Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.

Component breakdown

Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.

Structure

Power Train:Automatic Transmission

Air Bags

Unknown Or Other

Air Bags:Frontal

Seat Belts

Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip

Electrical System

Component breakdown data
Category	Count
Structure	83
Power Train:Automatic Transmission	30
Air Bags	27
Unknown Or Other	22
Air Bags:Frontal	19
Seat Belts	16
Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip	15
Electrical System	13

Structure: 83; Power Train:Automatic Transmission: 30; Air Bags: 27; Unknown Or Other: 22; Air Bags:Frontal: 19; Seat Belts: 16; Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip: 15; Electrical System: 13

Reported problems by failure mileage

Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.

Under 25,000

25,000 to 49,999

50,000 to 74,999

75,000 to 99,999

100,000 to 149,999

150,000 and above

Under 25,000: 9; 25,000 to 49,999: 21; 50,000 to 74,999: 40; 75,000 to 99,999: 53; 100,000 to 149,999: 61; 150,000 and above: 41

100,000 to 149,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (61). 203 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.

Complaints over time

Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.

2000

2001

2002

2003

2004

2005

2006

2007

2008

2009

2010

2011

2012

2013

2014

2015

2016

2017

2018

2019

2020

2021

2024

2000: 31; 2001: 48; 2002: 29; 2003: 56; 2004: 33; 2005: 17; 2006: 18; 2007: 42; 2008: 27; 2009: 19; 2010: 21; 2011: 21; 2012: 7; 2013: 12; 2014: 15; 2015: 10; 2016: 3; 2017: 6; 2018: 5; 2019: 2; 2020: 3; 2021: 1; 2024: 2

Pattern summary

Structure leads the component reports. Braking behavior appears in 53 complaint narratives. Transmission and shifting appears in 38 complaint narratives. Steering behavior appears in 26 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.

Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.

Complaint evidence

Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.

Owner report 10010863 · 2003-03-21 (March 21, 2003)

FROM THE DAY I SAW THAT 96 DODGE TRUCK ROLLING DOWN THE STREET I FELL IN LOVE. I SAVED EVERY WAY POSSIBLE TO PURCHASE THE BIG BAD 1500 4X4 5.9(98)WITH EVERY OPTION AVAIL. HAD EVERYTHING AND FROM WEEK 1 HAD PROBLEMS. FRONT WINDSHIELD CRACKED WHILE DRIVING "DUE TO FRAME STRESS" IT ABOUT 2 WEEKS INTO IT. BRAKE FAILURE CAUSE SERIOUS ASSAULT ON GUARD RAIL, AND DODGE SAID I MUST HAVE BEEN DRIVING TO FAST (@ 30 MPH). THEY REFUSED ANY WARRANTY BECAUSE "NOTHING CAN TOUCH THE WHEEL" AND SINCE THE INCIDENT OCCURRED AFTER 93 DAYS LEMON LAWS DID NOT APPLY …

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10010863 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10016643 · 2003-04-28 (April 28, 2003)

AFTER SHIFTING DOWN WHILE GOING UP A HILL THE VEHICLE CONTINUED TO ACCELERATE. COULD NOT STOP COMPLETELY WITH BRAKES. HAD TO TURN ENGINE OFF, BUT BY THEN BRAKES WOULD HARDLY WORK DO TO HEAT FROM TRYING TO SLOW DOWN. THROTTLE PLATE WAS STUCK. THEN HAD IT STICK IN PASSING GEAR WHILE IN CRUISE, BUT THIS TIME IT RELEASED WHEN BRAKE WAS APPLIED. DEALER SAID IT WAS JUST PROBABLY CARBON IN THE BREAKING LOOSE. *NLM

Owner-reported narrative. 67,210 miles reported. Look up ODI 10016643 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10002714 · 2003-01-15 (January 15, 2003)

AT 71,000 MILES TRANSMISSION FAILED FOR THE SECOND TIME. FIRST TIME WAS AT 34,000. $3200 TO REPACE WITH REBUILT UNIT. ALSO, THE REAR DIFFERENTIAL NEEDS REBUILDING FOR ANOTHER $1600.

Owner-reported narrative. 71,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10002714 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10005623 · 2003-02-10 (February 10, 2003)

WHEN APPROACHING A HILL OR ATTEMPTING TO PASS AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS (75 TO 85MPH) EITHER WITH CRUISE ON OR OFF THE TRUCK WILL DOWN SHIFT FROM OVERDRIVE TO LOW GEAR.(SUDDENLY BRINGING YOU TO A HAULT!) IT WILL THEN CAUSE THE ENGINE TO OVERDRIVE. THEN THE TRUCK WILL STAY EITHER IN LOW GEAR OR 2ND GEAR UNTIL YOU SHUT THE KEY OFF AND RESTART OR BY PUTTING IT INTO NEUTRAL THEN BACK INTO DRIVE AND LETTING IT COAST FOR A BIT. THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS! I HAVE BEEN ALMOST SMASHED INTO SEVERAL TIMES! THIS TRANSMISSION HAS BEEN REBUILT AND THE PROBLEM HAS BEEN W…

Owner-reported narrative. 11 miles reported. Look up ODI 10005623 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10038332 · 2003-09-05 (September 5, 2003)

CONSUMER NOTICED WHILE SHIFTING VEHICLE OUT OF PARK INTO DRIVE GEARS POSITION WERE SWITCHED AROUND, MAKING IT IMPOSSIBLE FOR CONSUMER TO SHIFT TO CORRECT GEAR. VEHICLE WAS SERVICED, TECHNICIAN NOTICED STEERING COLUMN NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. *AK

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10038332 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10002981 · 2003-01-20 (January 20, 2003)

WHILE MY WIFE WAS SITTING WITH THE TRUCK ON, IN PARK, IT BURST IN TO FLAMES. THE ENTIRE FRONT AND CAB OF THE TRUCK WAS BURNED. IT WAS A TOTAL LOSS. ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS ARE SUSPECTED BY THE FIRE DEPT. VERY SCARY AND VERY DANGEROUS!!!

Owner-reported narrative. 95,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10002981 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10029421 · 2003-07-16 (July 16, 2003)

THE HORN TURNED ON BY ITSELF. THE BATTERY WAS DISCONNECTED AND THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER. THE DEALER STATED THAT HORN ASSEMBLY HAS TO BE REPLACED. *AK

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10029421 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10242851 · 2008-09-18 (September 18, 2008)

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 DODGE RAM. WHILE DRIVING 20 MPH, THE CONTACT HEARD A LOUD BANG THAT SOUNDED LIKE AN EXPLOSION. HE LOOKED IN THE REAR VIEW MIRROR AND NOTICED THAT THE ENTIRE REAR OF THE VEHICLE WAS IN FLAMES. THE FLAMES QUICKLY ENGULFED THE DRIVER'S SIDE OF THE VEHICLE. HE MANAGED TO MANEUVER THE VEHICLE TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND ATTEMPTED TO EXTINGUISH THE FLAMES. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS CALLED AND EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A LOCAL SERVICE STATION AND A LARGE HOLE WAS FOUND IN THE FUEL TANK. THE MECHANI…

Owner-reported narrative. 160,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10242851 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10470687 · 2012-08-14 (August 14, 2012)

MY REAR BRAKE LINE BY THE GAS TANK BLEW OUT TODAY. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 145,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10470687 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10152497 · 2006-03-12 (March 12, 2006)

(1) STARTED TO PULL AS IF IT WERE NOT GETTING FUEL (2) THE TRANS TEMP LIGHT CAME ON (3)THE OVERDRIVE LIGHT CAME ON (4) PERIODICALLY THERE WAS A GRINDING NOISE (5) TRUCK WOULD DELAY OR JERK WHEN PUT IN DRIVE (6)WILL NO LONGER GO IN DRIVE OR REVERSE (7) TRUCK HAS STALLED AND IS NO LONGER RUNNING. *JB

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10152497 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10555580 · 2013-12-04 (December 4, 2013)

1998 DODGE RAM 1500. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO STRAPS HOLDING GAS TANK THAT CAUSED FUEL PUMP DAMAGE. *SMD THE CONSUMER STATED THE VEHICLE STALLED. IT WAS DETERMINED THE FUEL PUMP NEEDED TO BE REPLACED, DUE TO RUST.

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10555580 at NHTSA ↗