DODGE RAM CLUB CAB · model year

1998 DODGE RAM CLUB CAB

14 NHTSA complaints, 2 crash reports for this specific cohort.

NHTSA overall rating

Not crash-tested

New Car Assessment Program

The 1998DODGERAM CLUB CAB carries 14 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 2 crashes, 0 fires, 4 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 RAM CLUB CAB is air bags:frontal with 2 filings, followed by steering (2) and engine and engine cooling (2). 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 RAM CLUB CAB, 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.

14
Complaints
2
Crashes
0
Fires
4
Injuries
0
Deaths

Total Complaints

14 filings

Crashes Reported

2 reports

Source

NHTSA ODI

Federal complaints database

Complaints vs. fleet median (215)

At or below the fleet median complaint volume.

Complaints by Component

ComponentCount
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL2
STEERING2
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING2
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION1
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL1
STEERING:COLUMN1
FUEL SYSTEM, OTHER:STORAGE:FUEL GAUGE SYSTEM1
STRUCTURE1
TIRES1
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC1
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM1

Recent Complaints

20110821SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC

I HAVE HAD PROBLEMS WITH MY PICK-UP SINCE DAY-1.MY ROTORS WERE WARPED FROM THE BEGINNING(THIS BEING A BRAND NEW VEHICLE). THERE WAS A RATTLING NOISE FROM MY ENGINE; I THOUGHT WERE THE VALVES. SIX YEARS LATER I FOUND OUT THAT IT WAS THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER. IT OVER HEATED MY ENGINE,TRANSMISSION, AND RADIATOR. I WAS PAST MY WARRANTY PERIOD SO IT COST ME OVER 3,000 DOLLARS BECAUSE OF A DEFECTIVE CATALYTIC CONVERTER. THE YEAR BEFORE AND AFTER MY MODEL WERE ON RECALL,QUIT PUZZLING OR DENIAL FOR PROFIT. I AM NOW ON MY FOURTH RADIATOR WITH ONLY 116,000 MILES. MY TRANSMISSION HAD TO HAVE MAJOR WORK DONE ON IT FROM THE HEAT CAUSED FROM THE CAD PLUGGING UP. THIS CAUSED DAMAGE TO MY RADIATOR,WATER PUMP,VALVES,PISTON RINGS,AND SEALS. I HAVE SPENT THOUSANDS OF OUT OF POCKET DOLLARS BECAUSE OF THEIR DEFECTIVE CATALYTIC CONVERTER. I LOVE MY TRUCK BUT I AM PISSED THAT A SIMPLE PART RUINED SO MUCH OF MY TRUCK,ESPECIALLY SINCE THEY RECALLED THE SAME PART IN THE YEAR PRIOR TO MINE AND THE YEAR FOLLOWING.

Mileage: 12

20110821ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM

I HAVE HAD PROBLEMS WITH MY PICK-UP SINCE DAY-1.MY ROTORS WERE WARPED FROM THE BEGINNING(THIS BEING A BRAND NEW VEHICLE). THERE WAS A RATTLING NOISE FROM MY ENGINE; I THOUGHT WERE THE VALVES. SIX YEARS LATER I FOUND OUT THAT IT WAS THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER. IT OVER HEATED MY ENGINE,TRANSMISSION, AND RADIATOR. I WAS PAST MY WARRANTY PERIOD SO IT COST ME OVER 3,000 DOLLARS BECAUSE OF A DEFECTIVE CATALYTIC CONVERTER. THE YEAR BEFORE AND AFTER MY MODEL WERE ON RECALL,QUIT PUZZLING OR DENIAL FOR PROFIT. I AM NOW ON MY FOURTH RADIATOR WITH ONLY 116,000 MILES. MY TRANSMISSION HAD TO HAVE MAJOR WORK DONE ON IT FROM THE HEAT CAUSED FROM THE CAD PLUGGING UP. THIS CAUSED DAMAGE TO MY RADIATOR,WATER PUMP,VALVES,PISTON RINGS,AND SEALS. I HAVE SPENT THOUSANDS OF OUT OF POCKET DOLLARS BECAUSE OF THEIR DEFECTIVE CATALYTIC CONVERTER. I LOVE MY TRUCK BUT I AM PISSED THAT A SIMPLE PART RUINED SO MUCH OF MY TRUCK,ESPECIALLY SINCE THEY RECALLED THE SAME PART IN THE YEAR PRIOR TO MINE AND THE YEAR FOLLOWING.

Mileage: 12

20110804TIRES

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 DODGE RAM CLUB CAB WITH COOPER FUTURA DAKOTA H/T TIRES, LINE SIZE 33X/12.5/R15. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 70 MPH, THE CONTACT HEARD A NOISE COMING FROM THE REAR PASSENGER SIDE TIRE. THE CONTACT MERGED ONTO THE SHOULDER OF THE ROAD AND STOPPED THE VEHICLE. AFTER INSPECTING THE REAR PASSENGER SIDE TIRE, THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE TREAD OF THE TIRE HAD SEPARATED BUT THE TIRE WAS NOT FLAT. THE CONTACT REPLACED THE TIRE WITH THE SPARE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND INFORMED THE CONTACT TO MAIL THE TIRE IN FOR FURTHER INSPECTION. THE DOT NUMBER WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE OF THE VEHICLE AT THE TIME OF FAILURE WAS 93,250. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE OF THE TIRE WAS 4,800.

Mileage: 93,250

20090406STRUCTURE

MY 98 DODGE RAM PICK DASH IS COMPLETELY FALLING APART I'VE SEEN MANY OTHER DODGE TRUCKS WITH THE SAME PROBLEM THE WIRING IS EXPOSED IN THE DASH AND APPEARS TO BE A SAFETY HAZARD IF YOU WHERE TO BE INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT. *TR

Mileage: 54,000

20060630ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

ENGINE WOULD NOT THROTTLE DOWN ALMOST CAUSED ACCIDENT. HAS HAPPENED ON THREE DIFFERENT DAYS BEGINNING 06/17/2006. CURRENTLY DRIVING OTHER VEHICLE UNTIL PROBLEM IS RESOLVED. *JB

Mileage: 181,000

20030901STEERING

STEERING WANDERS. *AK

20021215CrashAIR BAGS:FRONTAL

WHILE PASSING A VAN ON 4 LANE HIGHWAY WAS HIT BY ANOTHER VAN THAT RAN STOP SIGN AND PUSHED FRONT END OF 1998 DODGE CLUB CAB P/U INTO THE FRONT SEAT AREA. MY VEHICLE WAS TOTALLED RESULTING IN INJURIES TO MYSELF AND STEP SON. NEITHER AIR BAG DEPLOYED. INFORMED CHRYSLER OF ACCIDENT AND THE RESULTS(INJURIES) AND THEY MORE OR LESS LAUGHED AT ME BECAUSE THE INSURANCE COMPANY HAD ALREADY SOLD MY VEHICLE FOR SCRAP. WITHOUT THE VEHICLE THEY SAID THEY COULD DO NOTHING FOR ME. I'M NOT THE ONLY ONE WHO HAS HAD PROBLEMS WITH AIR BAGS ON THIS CHRYSLER PRODUCT. I INFORMED CHRYSLER THAT I HAD PICTURES OF THE TRUCK BUT THAT WASN'T SUFFICIENT FOR THEM. THEY ARE SORRY PEOPLE IF THS IS THE WAY THEY TREAT CUSTOMERS AND DO BUSINESS.

20011010STEERING

DURANGO RADIAL A/T 285/75R16

20011010ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

DURANGO RADIAL A/T 285/75R16

20000508CrashAIR BAGS:FRONTAL

NO DEPLOYMENT OF AIRBAG DURING COLLISION CAUSED CONSUMER TO HIT HEAD ON STEERING WHEEL UPON IMPACT RESULTING IN A MILD CONCUSION. NLM

20000322FUEL SYSTEM, OTHER:STORAGE:FUEL GAUGE SYSTEM

FUEL SENDING UNIT FAILED. YH

19990930VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

SPEED CONTROL SERVO FAILED. YH

19990930STEERING:COLUMN

TILT COLUMN JOINT GETS LOOSE. YH

19990830POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

VEHICLE JUMPS OUT OF DRIVE GEAR INTO NEUTRAL DURING NORMAL DRIVING CONDITIONS, DUE TO DESIGN OF VEHICLE'S V-10 WHICH IS SO HEAVY CAUSING THE FRAME TO FLEX AND THE TRANSMISSION IS DESIGNED WITH NO "DETENT" TO KEEP THE VEHICLE IN DRIVE (DESIGN FLAW). MJS

Compare 1998DODGERAM CLUB CAB to Similar Vehicles

NHTSA Investigations 1 Open

View all investigations

Frequently Asked Questions

How many complaints does the 1998 DODGE RAM CLUB CAB have?
The 1998 DODGE RAM CLUB CAB has 14 NHTSA complaints, 2 crashes, 0 fires, 4 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1998 DODGE RAM CLUB CAB?
The most-complained component for the 1998 DODGE RAM CLUB CAB is AIR BAGS:FRONTAL with 2 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include STEERING and ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING.
Is the 1998 DODGE RAM CLUB CAB 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.