Most common 1998 Dodge Ram 1500 problems
Share of the 520 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
Dodge Ram 1500 complaints by model year
Best Ram 1500 years: 1997, 2005, 1998. Years to avoid: 2001. Compare all years →
What 1998 Dodge Ram 1500 owners say
Body & structure all 102 →
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 incredibly dangerous, and I might scrap it because it's problems 120K mile truck I can't even get 700$ for after the $ I've invested to keep it safe. I think the brakes need to be recalled with these trucks. Owners like me just let them sit because they rosy so easy their not worth fixing anymore, I regularly maintenence my vehicles,these are expensive to keep safe, thank you. Scott kimball.120K 98 Ram
I was driving on a busy downtown street when I turned a corner at approximately 10 MPH. As I turned I felt an awful jar. I was pulling a 12' empty trailer. I looked in my rear view mirror to see my trailer lift up about 3-4 ft. It stayed on the ball hitch but bounced terribly. I also saw a tire rolling across the road fortunately not hitting any other car. I pulled over and checked around my truck. I accounted for all 4 tires on my truck and the two on my trailer. I thought I must had run over one laying in the street. Then I noticed my spare was missing and saw the metal piece where cable goes through laying in the road. The cable broke off which dropped the spare into the road which my trailer ran over. Had I been going faster or on a busier highway there probably would had been more damage. Only damage I incurred was my trailer mesh floor broke weld and now it is bent frame. …
Transmission & drivetrain all 85 →
I was driving down the road at about a bout 50 MPH down the road and started hearing a noise when letting off the throttle and slowed down a lil gave it some gas then let off again next thing I hear is the drive shaft hitting the road and the tires sliding across the road and causing me to slide across the road locally there was no traffic coming towards me I was able to control the slide of the rear tires to a stop on the side of the road. I got out and was looking what happen the pion nut came off the pion gear locking up the rear differential I think this is a safety issue because it could have ended up someone getting hurt and or killing someone in a crash. The truck is very well taking care of and has 108K miles low for its age and there was a recall on this before but on the 05 Dodge Ram truck's that was made in 04 is what someone told me
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 and that there was a safety recall on this part--cannot get a direct answer from a local dealer here --what's the score on this.
Brakes all 64 →
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 incredibly dangerous, and I might scrap it because it's problems 120K mile truck I can't even get 700$ for after the $ I've invested to keep it safe. I think the brakes need to be recalled with these trucks. Owners like me just let them sit because they rosy so easy their not worth fixing anymore, I regularly maintenence my vehicles,these are expensive to keep safe, thank you. Scott kimball.120K 98 Ram
Tl* the contact owns a 1998 Dodge Ram 1500. While driving approximately 25 MPH, the ABS indicator illuminated. The vehicle was taken to autonation Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram and Fiat at 200 automall dr roseville, ca 95661. And the contact was informed that there was no recall. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The vehicle was diagnosed repaired. The failure mileage was 32,000.
1998 Dodge Ram 1500 engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3.9L 6-cyl | 4-speed automatic | RWD | 14 / 18 / 16 |
| 3.9L 6-cyl | 5-speed manual | RWD | 14 / 20 / 16 |
| 5.2L 8-cyl | 4-speed automatic | RWD | 12 / 17 / 14 |
| 5.2L 8-cyl | 5-speed manual | RWD | 12 / 17 / 14 |
| 5.2L 8-cyl | 5-speed manual | 4WD/AWD | 12 / 16 / 14 |
| 5.9L 8-cyl | 4-speed automatic | RWD | 11 / 16 / 13 |
| 5.2L 8-cyl | 4-speed automatic | 4WD/AWD | 11 / 15 / 13 |
| 5.9L 8-cyl | 4-speed automatic | 4WD/AWD | 11 / 15 / 12 |
EPA ratings. Class: Full-size pickup.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 1998 Dodge Ram 1500 a good car?
Based on 520 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 1998 Ram 1500 rates average: 23% fewer complaints than a typical year of the Ram 1500 at the same age. It is one of the best Ram 1500 years by this measure. Complaint counts don't account for sales volume or individual maintenance, so have any used car inspected before buying.
What is the most common problem with the 1998 Dodge Ram 1500?
The body & structure — 102 complaints, 20% of all complaints for this model year, most often about body. Next are the transmission & drivetrain (85) and brakes (64).
How many recalls does the 1998 Dodge Ram 1500 have?
NHTSA lists no recalls for the 1998 Dodge Ram 1500. You can still confirm with your VIN using our VIN recall check.
What are the best and worst years of the Dodge Ram 1500?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 1997, 2005 and 1998. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 2001. See the full Dodge Ram 1500 years comparison.
At what mileage do 1998 Dodge Ram 1500 problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 95,000 miles; 13% of problems with a recorded mileage started before 50,000 miles.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.