Total Complaints
21 filings
DODGE PICKUP · model year
1998 DODGE PICKUP
21 NHTSA complaints, 1 crash report for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1998DODGEPICKUP carries 21 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 1 crash, 0 fires, 2 injuries, and 0 fatalities. No NCAP 5-star crash-test rating is available for this model year in the federal database.
Component-level analysis is where model-year complaints become actionable: the top complaint category for the 1998 PICKUP is tires:tread/belt with 2 filings, followed by air bags:frontal (2) and engine and engine cooling:engine:gasoline (1). Concentration in one or two component groups is the classic signature of a systemic defect; a flat distribution usually reflects normal aging, warranty complaints, or isolated build-plant variability.
NHTSA currently has 20 investigation files overlapping the 1998 PICKUP, and 1 remain open. Owners comparing this cohort against neighboring years should pair the counters above with the complaint-by-year trend on the parent model page — a spike in a single year often tracks to a platform refresh, a new transmission supplier, or an updated ECU calibration. Use the related-complaint feed below to read raw owner narratives before deciding whether any pattern here affects your specific use case.
21
Complaints
1
Crashes
0
Fires
2
Injuries
0
Deaths
Crashes Reported
1 reports
Source
NHTSA ODI
Federal complaints database
Complaints vs. fleet median (215)
At or below the fleet median complaint volume.
Complaints by Component
| Component | Count |
|---|---|
| TIRES:TREAD/BELT | 2 |
| AIR BAGS:FRONTAL | 2 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE | 1 |
| STEERING:HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST:POWER STEERING FLUID | 1 |
| SUSPENSION:FRONT | 1 |
| PARKING BRAKE | 1 |
| SEAT BELTS:FRONT:RETRACTOR | 1 |
| FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM | 1 |
| EQUIPMENT:APPLIANCE:AIR CONDITIONER | 1 |
| SERVICE BRAKES, AIR:DISC:PADS | 1 |
| STRUCTURE:FRAME AND MEMBERS | 1 |
| UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 1 |
| AIR BAGS | 1 |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP:ABS WARNING LIGHT | 1 |
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20060921SUSPENSION:FRONT:CONTROL ARM:UPPER BALL JOINT
1. EXCESSIVE WEAR ON INSIDE ON DRIVER'S SIDE TIRE. 2. COULD NOT ALIGN FRONT END DO TO EXCESSIVE PLAY IN UPPER AND LOWER BALL JOINTS ON BOTH SIDE OF TRUCK. 3. CONTACTED DODGE REGIONAL OFFICE AND WAS TOLD THAT MY VEHICLE WAS NOT ONE THEY WERE DOING ANYTHING ABOUT. EVEN THOUGH THIS IS A KNOW FAILURE ITEM AND ARE DOING SOMETHING ABOUT OTHER MODELS AND YEARS AROUND MY VEHICLE. REPLACED 4 BALL JOINTS AT MY EXPENSE. SAVED PARTS AND RECEIPTS FOR POSSIBLE FUTURE ACTION. *NM
Mileage: 92,000
20060921SUSPENSION:FRONT:CONTROL ARM:LOWER BALL JOINT
1. EXCESSIVE WEAR ON INSIDE ON DRIVER'S SIDE TIRE. 2. COULD NOT ALIGN FRONT END DO TO EXCESSIVE PLAY IN UPPER AND LOWER BALL JOINTS ON BOTH SIDE OF TRUCK. 3. CONTACTED DODGE REGIONAL OFFICE AND WAS TOLD THAT MY VEHICLE WAS NOT ONE THEY WERE DOING ANYTHING ABOUT. EVEN THOUGH THIS IS A KNOW FAILURE ITEM AND ARE DOING SOMETHING ABOUT OTHER MODELS AND YEARS AROUND MY VEHICLE. REPLACED 4 BALL JOINTS AT MY EXPENSE. SAVED PARTS AND RECEIPTS FOR POSSIBLE FUTURE ACTION. *NM
Mileage: 92,000
20050926FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY:FILLER PIPE AND CAP
GAS LEAKING FROM AREA OF GAS TANK AT FILLING STATION WHEN FILLING TANK. *JB
Mileage: 100,000
20041102AIR BAGS
WHEN DRIVING, INTERMITTENTLY THE ABS/AIRBAG WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED . THE SPEEDOMETER WOULD DROP TO ZERO THEN GO TO THE ORIGINAL SPEED. *JB THE ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED AND AT THE SAME TIME THE GAUGES FELL TO ZERO INCLUDING THE VOLTAGE, ENGINE TEMPERATURE, OIL PRESSURE, FUEL, RPM'S AND THE MPH. WITH A SLIGHT TAP ON THE STEERING WHEEL ALL THE GAUGES HAD COME BACK AND THE WARNING LIGHTS WOULD GO OUT. *SC
Mileage: 121,000
20041102SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP:ABS WARNING LIGHT
WHEN DRIVING, INTERMITTENTLY THE ABS/AIRBAG WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED . THE SPEEDOMETER WOULD DROP TO ZERO THEN GO TO THE ORIGINAL SPEED. *JB THE ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED AND AT THE SAME TIME THE GAUGES FELL TO ZERO INCLUDING THE VOLTAGE, ENGINE TEMPERATURE, OIL PRESSURE, FUEL, RPM'S AND THE MPH. WITH A SLIGHT TAP ON THE STEERING WHEEL ALL THE GAUGES HAD COME BACK AND THE WARNING LIGHTS WOULD GO OUT. *SC
Mileage: 121,000
20041102VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
WHEN DRIVING, INTERMITTENTLY THE ABS/AIRBAG WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED . THE SPEEDOMETER WOULD DROP TO ZERO THEN GO TO THE ORIGINAL SPEED. *JB THE ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED AND AT THE SAME TIME THE GAUGES FELL TO ZERO INCLUDING THE VOLTAGE, ENGINE TEMPERATURE, OIL PRESSURE, FUEL, RPM'S AND THE MPH. WITH A SLIGHT TAP ON THE STEERING WHEEL ALL THE GAUGES HAD COME BACK AND THE WARNING LIGHTS WOULD GO OUT. *SC
Mileage: 121,000
20041102ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
WHEN DRIVING, INTERMITTENTLY THE ABS/AIRBAG WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED . THE SPEEDOMETER WOULD DROP TO ZERO THEN GO TO THE ORIGINAL SPEED. *JB THE ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED AND AT THE SAME TIME THE GAUGES FELL TO ZERO INCLUDING THE VOLTAGE, ENGINE TEMPERATURE, OIL PRESSURE, FUEL, RPM'S AND THE MPH. WITH A SLIGHT TAP ON THE STEERING WHEEL ALL THE GAUGES HAD COME BACK AND THE WARNING LIGHTS WOULD GO OUT. *SC
Mileage: 121,000
20040423AIR BAGS:FRONTAL
THE DRIVER SIDE AIRBAG DEPLOYED INADVERTENTLY. THIS CAUSED THE DRIVER TO SUSTAIN MINOR INJURIES. THE CONSUMER WAS TAKEN TO THE HOSPITAL. *AK THE VEHICLE WAS IN THE PARK POSITION, THE STEERING WHEEL WAS TILTED UP AND THE AIR BAG DEPLOYED. *SC *JB
20030521UNKNOWN OR OTHER
THE VEHICLES LIFT PUMP FAILED WITHOUT WARNING. *NLM
Mileage: 113,000
20030513STRUCTURE:FRAME AND MEMBERS
THE TRUCKS BED TORE LOOSE WHERE IT WAS BOLTED TO THE VEHICLES FRAME. VEHICLE WAS A 1998 DODGE DIESEL HEAVY DUTY PICK-UP. *NLM *TS *JB
Mileage: 33,200
20030129CrashAIR BAGS:FRONTAL
A DEER RAN IN FRONT OF THE VEHICLE AND CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO VEER INTO AN EMBANKMENT. THE DUAL AIRBAGS DIDN'T DEPLOY. PLEASE FILL IN ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. DEALER IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. PH
Mileage: 30,000
20030107SERVICE BRAKES, AIR:DISC:PADS
CONSUMER HAS STATED THAT 3 BRAKE PADS ON HIS VEHICLE HAVE FAILED. TS *DT
20021021EQUIPMENT:APPLIANCE:AIR CONDITIONER
THE AIR CONDITIONER FAILED INTERMITTENTLY AND THE ANTIFREEZE WAS LEAKING FROM THE VEHICLE. THE DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. *TS *NLM
20020905FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM
THE VEHICLE FUEL INJECTION PUMP FAIL AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. WHEN THE INJECTION PUMP FAILED THE VEHICLE STEERING CONTROLS BECAME EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO HANDLE ON CURVE. THE VEHICLE HYDRAULIC BRAKE BOOSTER LOSS PRESSURE REQUIRED EXTREME EFFORT TO STOP THE VEHICLE. THE BOSCH DIESEL INJECTION PUMP MODEL VP-44 NEED A SAFE LIMP MODE DESIGN TO KEEP THE ENGINE RUNNING. THE THROTTLE CONTROL SYSTEM MUST HAVE HIGH IDLE SPEED TO GET OFF THE HIGHWAY TO SAFETY AREA. THE SAFE LIMP
20020531SEAT BELTS:FRONT:RETRACTOR
FRONT PASSENGER SEATBELT RETRACTOR IS STUCK. CONSUMER IS NOT ABLE TO USE SEATBELTS. *AK CONSUMER STATES THAT THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER SEATBELTS ARE INOPERABLE DUE TO THE RETRACTOR FAILURE. *SLC
20001219PARKING BRAKE
THESE TYPES OF TRUCKS THAT TOW RECREATIONAL VEHICLES NEED AN AFTERMARKET EXHAUST PIPE INSTALLED TO MAKE TOWING SAFE, HOWEVER THIS COULD DAMAGE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSIONS AND VOID THE DRIVE TRAIN WARRANTY. *SLC
20000918TIRES:TREAD/BELT
HAVE HAD TREAD SEPARATION ON TWO TIRES WITHIN THE LAST TWO WEEKS. *AK( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: LT235/85R1 )
20000914TIRES:TREAD/BELT
HAVE HAD TREAD SEPARATION ON TWO TIRES WITHIN THE LAST TWO WEEKS. *AK( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: LT235/85R1 )
20000616STEERING:HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST:POWER STEERING FLUID
THERE WAS A POWER STEERING LEAK, TOOK VEHICLE TO THE DEALER, AND THEY COULDN'T REMEDY THE PROBLEM. ALSO, WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE WANDERED TO THE LEFT. POWER STEERING LEAK HAS SINCE BEEN REPAIRED, BUT VEHICLE STILL DRIFTS OFF CENTER. *AK *ML
20000616SUSPENSION:FRONT
THERE WAS A POWER STEERING LEAK, TOOK VEHICLE TO THE DEALER, AND THEY COULDN'T REMEDY THE PROBLEM. ALSO, WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE WANDERED TO THE LEFT. POWER STEERING LEAK HAS SINCE BEEN REPAIRED, BUT VEHICLE STILL DRIFTS OFF CENTER. *AK *ML
Compare 1998DODGEPICKUP to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations 1 Open
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 1998 DODGE PICKUP have?▼
The 1998 DODGE PICKUP has 21 NHTSA complaints, 1 crashes, 0 fires, 2 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1998 DODGE PICKUP?▼
The most-complained component for the 1998 DODGE PICKUP is TIRES:TREAD/BELT with 2 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include AIR BAGS:FRONTAL and ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE.
Is the 1998 DODGE PICKUP safe to buy?▼
Review the complaint history, crash and fire reports, safety ratings, and recall status on this page to make an informed decision. No NHTSA crash test rating is available for this model year. Compare with other model years using the links above.
Where does this data come from?▼
All complaint, recall, and safety rating data is sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Complaints are filed by vehicle owners through NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation.
Vehicle Safety Guides
Data as of 2025. Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) complaints database, NHTSA recall campaign API, NHTSA NCAP crash-test ratings, and NHTSA FARS for fatality cross-reference.
Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.