Total Complaints
10 filings
DODGE RAM 50 · model year
1988 DODGE RAM 50
10 NHTSA complaints, 1 crash report for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1988DODGERAM 50 carries 10 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, 1 injury, 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 1988 RAM 50 is seat belts:front:buckle assembly with 5 filings, followed by seat belts:front:anchorage (1) and seat belts:front:webbing (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 1988 RAM 50, 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.
10
Complaints
1
Crashes
0
Fires
1
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 |
|---|---|
| SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY | 5 |
| SEAT BELTS:FRONT:ANCHORAGE | 1 |
| SEAT BELTS:FRONT:WEBBING | 1 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE | 1 |
| TIRES | 1 |
| FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY:MOUNTING | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20020912FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY:MOUNTING
REAR GAS TANK BRACKET FAILED (RUSTED TRHOUGH) ALLOWING TANK TO SWING DOWN AND SKID ALONG PAVEMENT. ACCIDENT AVOIDED DUE TO LOW SPEED AND RAPID STOP. *TT
20001017TIRES
TREAD COMPLETELY SHEARED OFF ON HIGHWAY( DOT NUMBER: )
19980518ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
ENGINE MAKING NOISE.
19970904CrashSEAT BELTS:FRONT:WEBBING
CONSUMER WAS IN A 4 CAR PILE-UP CRASH, HER VEHICLE WAS THE FOURTH CAR. WAS DRIVING APPROX. 20-32 MPH. WEARING SEAT BELT WHEN THE THE CRASH OCCURRED. THE SHOULDER STRAP OF DRIVER SIDE COLLAPSED, ALLOWING CONSUMER'S 110LBS UPPER BODY TO HIT THE STEERING AREA AND WHEEL; THIGHS BRUISED ON ARM REST . *AK
19970828SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY
RECALL 95V-103003, WAITING ON PARTS. *AK
19961126SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY
ALL THE SEAT BELT BUCKLES IN THE VEHICLE DO NOT WORK RECEIVED RECALL # 95V183000 THERE ARE NO PARTS . PLEASE DESCRIBE . *AK
19951010SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY
#95V103003 THE DRIVER SIDE SEAT BELT BUCKLE WILL NOT UNLATCH . TT CONSUMER STATES THE PLASTIC LOOKS LIKE IT HAS BROKEN AND LODGED IN MECHANISM CAUSING TO NOT TO UNLATCH. *SLC
19951010SEAT BELTS:FRONT:ANCHORAGE
#95V103003 THE DRIVER SIDE SEAT BELT BUCKLE WILL NOT UNLATCH . TT CONSUMER STATES THE PLASTIC LOOKS LIKE IT HAS BROKEN AND LODGED IN MECHANISM CAUSING TO NOT TO UNLATCH. *SLC
19950228SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY
BOTH FRONT SEAT BELTS WOULDN'T LOCK LIKE SOMETHING THAT IS JAMMED INSIDE. TT
19950222SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY
MODEL #524 SEATBELT BUCKLE JAMS AND IS DIFFICULT TO RELEASE.
Compare 1988DODGERAM 50 to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations 1 Open
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 1988 DODGE RAM 50 have?▼
The 1988 DODGE RAM 50 has 10 NHTSA complaints, 1 crashes, 0 fires, 1 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1988 DODGE RAM 50?▼
The most-complained component for the 1988 DODGE RAM 50 is SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY with 5 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include SEAT BELTS:FRONT:ANCHORAGE and SEAT BELTS:FRONT:WEBBING.
Is the 1988 DODGE RAM 50 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.