1998 DODGE RAM 1500

645 complaints filed with NHTSA.

645
Complaints
89
Crashes
18
Fires
71
Injuries
19
Deaths

Complaints by Component

ComponentCount
STRUCTURE83
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION34
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL33
AIR BAGS29
UNKNOWN OR OTHER24
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP22
TIRES18
SEAT BELTS17
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:HORN15
SUSPENSION14
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE14
POWER TRAIN:AXLE ASSEMBLY13
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM13
STRUCTURE:BODY13
POWER TRAIN12

Recent Complaints

20190103UNKNOWN OR OTHER

YOU SHOULDN'T BE ABLE TO PULL THE GEAR SHIFTER FROM PARK TO REVERSE WITHOUT YOUR FOOT BEING ON THE BREAK. PLUS THE EMERGENCY BREAK DOES NOT WORK AS WELL.

Mileage: 155,000

20180404CrashAIR BAGS

TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 1998 DODGE RAM 1500. WHILE DRIVING 70 MPH, THE CONTACT FELL ASLEEP AND CRASHED INTO THE MEDIAN. THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED PRIOR TO THE CRASH. THE CONTACT WAS TAKEN TO THE HOSPITAL BY A FRIEND, BUT THERE WERE NO INJURIES SUSTAINED. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN IMPOUND LOT AND DEEMED DESTROYED. THE DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED AND THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN AND FAILURE MIL

20150924CrashAIR BAGS

MY SON WAS DRIVING HOME FROM HIGH SCHOOL BAND PRACTICE WHEN HE LOST CONTROL AND HIT A TREE HEAD ON FIRE DEPARTMENT HAD TO BRAKE WINDOW TO GET HIM AND THE BOY WITH HIM OUT OF THE TRUCK. NEITHER AIR BAG WENT OFF.I CALLED THE 800 NUMBER AND REPORTED IT. WAS TOLD TRUCK TO OLD

Mileage: 1,740,000

20150808FireFUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM

DROVE MY 1998 DODGE RAM 1500 TO EMPTY MY TRASH, STARTED BACK HOME AND HAD DRIVEN LESS THAN 1/4 MILE WHEN THE TRUCK HESITATED LIKE IT WAS GOING TO STALL OUT AND THERE WAS SOME SMOKE BEGINNING TO COME UP THROUGH DASH AREA ON DRIVERS SIDE. THINKING I MIGHT HAVE A BUSTED RADIATOR HOSE I IMMEDIATELY PULLED OVER IN THE YARD OF PERSON DOING REPAIR WORK ON AN OLD BUILDING. WHEN I OPENED MY TRUCK DOOR ON DRIVERS SIDE FLAMES SHOT BETWEEN THE INSIDE OF THE DOOR AND SEAT. I JUMPED OUT OF THE TRUCK BUT WAS

Mileage: 141,000

20150808FireELECTRICAL SYSTEM

DROVE MY 1998 DODGE RAM 1500 TO EMPTY MY TRASH, STARTED BACK HOME AND HAD DRIVEN LESS THAN 1/4 MILE WHEN THE TRUCK HESITATED LIKE IT WAS GOING TO STALL OUT AND THERE WAS SOME SMOKE BEGINNING TO COME UP THROUGH DASH AREA ON DRIVERS SIDE. THINKING I MIGHT HAVE A BUSTED RADIATOR HOSE I IMMEDIATELY PULLED OVER IN THE YARD OF PERSON DOING REPAIR WORK ON AN OLD BUILDING. WHEN I OPENED MY TRUCK DOOR ON DRIVERS SIDE FLAMES SHOT BETWEEN THE INSIDE OF THE DOOR AND SEAT. I JUMPED OUT OF THE TRUCK BUT WAS

Mileage: 141,000

20150614CrashSERVICE BRAKES

TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN, THESE RUBBER BRAKE LINES ALMOST KILLED ME BARRELING THRU A DOWNHILL RED LIGHT. FIXED BAD PART,THEN HIT GUARD RAIL,DAMAGED FRONT GRILLE,BUMPER AND FENDER WHEN THE OTHER LINE POPPED WHILE DRIVING. I WAS TOLD THIS IS A NOTORIOUS PROBLEM WITH DODGE TRUCKS. I'M NOT AS ANGRY ABOUT THE FILLER NECK WHICH ROTTED AND FILED TANK W RUST CHUNKS,REPLACED FUEL PUMP. BUT I THINK MORE PPL NEED TO B AWARE OF THIS BRAKE PROBLEM WITH THESE TRUCKS, AS FAR AS I'M CONCERNED, THIS IS IN

Mileage: 120,000

20150614CrashSTRUCTURE:BODY

TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN, THESE RUBBER BRAKE LINES ALMOST KILLED ME BARRELING THRU A DOWNHILL RED LIGHT. FIXED BAD PART,THEN HIT GUARD RAIL,DAMAGED FRONT GRILLE,BUMPER AND FENDER WHEN THE OTHER LINE POPPED WHILE DRIVING. I WAS TOLD THIS IS A NOTORIOUS PROBLEM WITH DODGE TRUCKS. I'M NOT AS ANGRY ABOUT THE FILLER NECK WHICH ROTTED AND FILED TANK W RUST CHUNKS,REPLACED FUEL PUMP. BUT I THINK MORE PPL NEED TO B AWARE OF THIS BRAKE PROBLEM WITH THESE TRUCKS, AS FAR AS I'M CONCERNED, THIS IS IN

Mileage: 120,000

20141025FireFUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM

THE FUEL RAIL CONNECTOR HOSE {OR CROSSOVER HOSE} FAILED AND GAS LEAKED OUT ON TOP OF THE ENGINE CATCHING FIRE. *T

Mileage: 150,000

20140903CrashTIRES

I WAS DRIVING ALONG ON HIGHWAY 70 AND HAD THE TIRE SEPARATE AND EXPLODE. I THEN WENT IN AND HAS THE TIRE REPLACED. THIS THEN AGAIN HAPPEN A SECOND TIME WITHIN 500 MILE BUT I WAS ABLE TO STOP BEFORE THE EXPLOSION. YOU CAN SEE THOUGH THE TREAD WHERE THE STEEL BELTS ARE SHOWING AND STICKING OUT THOUGH THE TREAD. SAME MAKE MODEL AND LIFE OF TIRE. ~4 YEARS OLD AND ~40000 MILES. THE TIRE IS 5 YEAR 60000 MILE TIRE. MY WEAR IS ONLY HALF LIFE. I REPLACED THE FIRST TIRE UNDER THERE PRORATING BUT THE SE

Mileage: 330,000

20140721AIR BAGS

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 DODGE RAM 1500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 10 MPH, THE DRIVER SIDE AIR BAG ERRONEOUSLY DEPLOYED. THE CONTACT INDICATED THAT DURING THE INCIDENT THE VEHICLE HAD NOT MADE CONTACT WITH ANYTHING TO CAUSE THE AIR BAG TO DEPLOY. THE DRIVER SUFFERED AN INJURY TO THE LEFT. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE BUT NO REMEDY WAS OFFERED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 165,000. UPDATED 8/28/14*CN T

Mileage: 165,000

20140721STEERING:COLUMN

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 DODGE RAM 1500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 10 MPH, THE DRIVER SIDE AIR BAG ERRONEOUSLY DEPLOYED. THE CONTACT INDICATED THAT DURING THE INCIDENT THE VEHICLE HAD NOT MADE CONTACT WITH ANYTHING TO CAUSE THE AIR BAG TO DEPLOY. THE DRIVER SUFFERED AN INJURY TO THE LEFT. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE BUT NO REMEDY WAS OFFERED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 165,000. UPDATED 8/28/14*CN T

Mileage: 165,000

20140331FireFUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 DODGE RAM 1500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 70 MPH, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY STALLED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE FUEL PUMP HAD CAUGHT ON FIRE, BURNING AND MELTING THE FUEL TANK. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 120,000.

Mileage: 120,000

20140317CrashPOWER TRAIN

I WAS DRIVING DOWN A 45MPH ROAD AND THE TRUCK WAS NOT SHIFTING SO I PULLED TO THE SIDE SHUT IT OFF TURNED IT BACK ON THE CHECKED ALL THE GEARS AND EVERYTHING SEEMED FINE THEN I TRIED DRIVING AGAIN AND IT STALLED WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD AND WILL NOT START AND THE ENGINE MAKES A WEIRD RUMBLE NOISE. *TR

Mileage: 211,077

20121215CrashSERVICE BRAKES

DRIVING TRUCK TO AN INTERSECTION WENT SLOW DOWN BRAKE PEDAL WENT TO FLOOR AND I PROCEEDED INTO INTERSECTION AND WAS HIT ON DRIVER SIDE OF TRUCK AND CAME TO REST AGAINST LARGE STEEL FENCE POST. *TR

Mileage: 117,370

20111214CrashAIR BAGS

I WENT OFF THE ROAD GOING ABOUT 65 MPH AND HIT A TREE, HEAD ON. THE AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. I WAS NOT SERIOUSLY INJURED. I HAVE SEARCHED THE INTERNET AND HAVE FOUND THAT THIS IS NOT THE FIRST INCIDENT INVOLVING MY TYPE OF VEHICLE (DODGE RAM). *TR

Mileage: 75,000

20110401STRUCTURE

SEVERELY CRACKING DASH, PRODUCING SHARP EDGES AND LARGE SHARDS POTENTIALLY CAUSING INJURY TO DRIVER AND PASSENGERS. *TR

Mileage: 198,000

20101003STRUCTURE

MY SON AND I PURCHASED A1998 DODGE RAM 1500 CLUB CAB PICK UP TRUCK AND THE DASH STARTED COMING APART (CRACKING/COLLAPSING IN CHUNKS) AND IN ONE INSTANCE AFTER DRIVING DOWN THE BUMPY DIRT ROADS HERE IN SC (WHICH IS LIKE DRIVING DOWN A SET OF RAILROAD TRACKS AT TIMES EVEN AT LOW SPEEDS). PART OF THE DASH FLEW UP A CAUGHT ME IN THE EYE AND FACE. I WEAR GLASS', SO I DIDN'T SUFFER SERIOUS INJURY, BUT COULD HAVE EASY ENOUGH. I HAVE SINCE USED A COVER, BUT SO MUCH OF THE DASH HAS NOW FALLEN APART THAT'

Mileage: 111,000

20100205STRUCTURE

1998 DODGE RAM 4X4 SLE PICK-UP TRUCK WITH CRACKED DASH. SHARP EDGES ON DASH HAS CAUSED AN INJURY TO MY HAND WHILING CLEANING THE WINDOW. DAMAGE WAS NOT CAUSED BY ANY PERSON OR PERSONS IN YOUR AROUND THE VEHICLE. THE CRACKED DASH IS A COMMON PROBLEM IN 2ND GENERATE DODGE PICKS (1994-2001). *TR

Mileage: 155,240

20090721FireFUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE

1998 DODGE 1500 FUEL LINE BREAK ITS THE CROSSOVER LINE BETWEEN THE FUEL RAILS ON THE 5.2 LTR ENGINE A SMALL RUBBER LINE. BECAUSE I DROVE MY TRUCK 3 MILES TO A CAR WASH TO WASH LAWNMOWER ON TRAILER DIDN'T WASH TRUCK DIDN'T SMELL GAS STARTED TRUCK TO GET GAS AT STATION DROVE IT 1 BLOCK TO STATION TURNED TRUCK OFF AND AT THAT MOMENT I HERD A WHOOMPING NOISE AND THEN WHITE SMOKE AND FLAMES CAME OUT FROM UNDER THE HOOD ON THE PASSENGER SIDE BETWEEN THE WINDSHIELD AND THE HOOD BIG FLAMES THEN BLACK

Mileage: 260,000

20081216CrashPOWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

TRUCK PARKED ON DRIVEWAY IN PARK--DID NOT HOLD AND ROLLED BACKWARDS INTO TREE ON THE LAWN CAUSING DAMAGE TO THE REAR BUMPER-LUCKILY IT DID STRIKE THE TREE OTHER WISE IT WOULD HAVE BEEN ON THE STREET. I HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM OF SHIFTING INTO DRIVE--AND REVERSE THE ENGAGEMENT POINTS ARE NO WHERE THEY ARE SHOWN TO BE ON THE SHIFTER. THERE IS ALSO A HESITATION WHEN ENGAGED(SOMETIMES) AND WILL ENGAGE ROUGHLY WITH A JERK. I VE BEEN TOLD THAT THERE WAS A DEFECTIVE CONNECTOR INSIDE THE STEERING COLUMN A

Mileage: 110,000