Most common 1998 Dodge Ram 3500 problems
Share of the 105 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
Dodge Ram 3500 complaints by model year
Best Ram 3500 years: 2002, 2000, 1999. Years to avoid: 2012, 2011, 2006, 2007, 2008. Compare all years →
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal safety investigators have looked into a possible defect involving the 1998 Dodge Ram 3500:
TIRE VALVE
What 1998 Dodge Ram 3500 owners say
Brakes all 20 →
On three different occasions the retaining nut for fifth-gear has failed. Dealer offered repair kit... Contained new main shaft for tranny. Cost was $3600.00, Chrysler refuses to acknowledge defect in manufacturing of thread tapering. There is also no power brakes. ABS seems to not be working, relies on pressure from oil to brake. If pressed continuously, will go all the way to the floor. Wiring harness burned up after dealer work, frank shoupe of georgetown kentucky refused to repair their mistake. Said it was my fault, then refused to keep speaking with me. Stated replacement was $2015.00, and would take a week;received one from junkyard in montana, took three days, and $300.00.
Tl* the contact owns a 1998 Dodge Ram 3500. While driving 5 MPH, the vehicle pulled to the right independently. While making a left turn, the front passenger side wheel detached. The anti-brake and brake system warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that the wheel bearing failed due to the tie rods and the wheel hub needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired, but the tie rods were not replaced. The VIN was not included in NHTSA campaign number: 08e027000 (steering). The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 173,000.
Transmission & drivetrain
On three different occasions the retaining nut for fifth-gear has failed. Dealer offered repair kit... Contained new main shaft for tranny. Cost was $3600.00, Chrysler refuses to acknowledge defect in manufacturing of thread tapering. There is also no power brakes. ABS seems to not be working, relies on pressure from oil to brake. If pressed continuously, will go all the way to the floor. Wiring harness burned up after dealer work, frank shoupe of georgetown kentucky refused to repair their mistake. Said it was my fault, then refused to keep speaking with me. Stated replacement was $2015.00, and would take a week;received one from junkyard in montana, took three days, and $300.00.
Diesel engine, manual transmission, 3500. The nut that holds the 5th gear on in the transmission comes off while the vehicle is moving at a high rate of speed. Resulting in no 5th gear. It is known that the nut sometimes jams the rest of the transmission, resulting in no transmission at all when moving at a high rate of speed. It has happened to me twice and it is about $600+ to fix each time. I live in california, my business friend in south caroline has had it happened twice also, and he knows of another person in texas that had the same problem. I do not know of too many people that have the same vehicle, so it seems strange that the one person I do business with on the other side of the country has the same problem and that he knows of someone else in another part of the country with the same problem. The pick up spends 1 or 2 days in the shop, they replace the nut, and that's it. …
Lights
Tl contact owns a 1998 Dodge Ram 3500. The contact began to notice a burning plastic smell from the headlight area when the headlights were turned on for an extended period of time. The failure occurred five times. The vehicle was taken to an authorized dealership but no repairs were performed; the failure was repaired by the contact. The current mileage was approximately 220,000. The failure mileage was approximately 50,000.
Tl* the contact owns a 1998 Dodge Ram 3500. The contact stated that the headlights and running lights failed to activate. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who diagnosed that the wiring melted to the connector and the internal switch was melted. The vehicle was repaired but the failure persisted. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 120,000.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 1998 Dodge Ram 3500 a good car?
Based on 105 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 1998 Ram 3500 rates average: 25% fewer complaints than a typical year of the Ram 3500 at the same age. 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 3500?
The brakes — 20 complaints, 19% of all complaints for this model year, most often about antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip. Next are the transmission & drivetrain (19) and lights (15).
How many recalls does the 1998 Dodge Ram 3500 have?
NHTSA lists no recalls for the 1998 Dodge Ram 3500. You can still confirm with your VIN using our VIN recall check.
What are the best and worst years of the Dodge Ram 3500?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2002, 2000 and 1999. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 2012, 2011, 2006, 2007 and 2008. See the full Dodge Ram 3500 years comparison.
At what mileage do 1998 Dodge Ram 3500 problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 92,000 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.