Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (engine, cooling system, oil leaks, timing chain, exhaust).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 1998 Dodge Ram owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
My husband ordered this truck in late 1997. We purchased it new and have had numerous problems with the vehicle. The biggest problem we have faced is the transmission. Mid-April 1998 the first problems occured with slippage, the transmission cooling lines were replaced, one month later the torque converter went and repairs were made. Now at 51,000 miles and very little driving for the last 2 yrs (since my husband has been sick with cancer) it has blown again. The front seals are leaking profusely. The rear window was leaking so badly at one point the entire ceiling inside was soaded. The ABS computer went wacky on us early on also. The seatbelt has been twisted since we purchased the vehicle and we have not successfully fixed it. The extended warranty we purchased has gone out of business. I will not likely buy another Dodge ever again. Mercedes takes the cake.
Consumer was having problems with the intake manifold. The intake manifold ruptured which caused the oil to be sucked out of the oil pan, after the repair was made on the gasket, the bearing on the crankshaft failed, prior to the failure the consumer noticed the oil pressure gauge did not register correctly.
While driving at any speed consumer noticed that vehicle used a large amount of coolant. While the vehicle was in an independent shop for a new clutch mechanic discovered that the cylinder heads had several cracks. The cylinder heads were scheduled to be replaced.
Oil changes were done every 3000-5000 miles. The third and fourth piston rods were worn down and then broke. ******dims 11 ivoq entry posted after 12/12/02 cut-over to artemis*****7757169
My name is john simonelli and I purchased a Dodge Ram truck. I had many problems with it like brakes,air, fuel problems, raidiator, and worse of all stalling on left turns. I reported to bell Dodge of my truck stalling on left turns. They looked at it once and said the truck was OK. After that I took the truck down to the dealer each time reporting of incident. All they did was document the problem and send me away. They would not even make an attempt to solve the problem despite the danger the truck was to me and others. To prove my case I had to push them to hook up a co-pilot for readings. The computer would show the vehicle died for some unknown reason. However the co-pilot would not tell them how to fix problem so their for the problem did not excist. Then I had to drive around with a cam-corder to record problem. …
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. …
1. The passenger side mirror glass on this vehicle, Ram 2500 series, has cracked due to the extreme cold conditions in my location. Presents an even more and distorted view of the roadway. The product is inferior glass. 2. Excessive pinging in the 5.9l engine. The manual states that you can use an 87 octane rated fuel in this engine. If you do even without a "load" in the vehicle the engine will constantly "ping." using a higher octane rating the pinging noise is still noticeable. Also this engine from the start uses approximately 1/2 - 3/4 of a quart of oil between oil changes. Very bad for a new product. 3. The same door on the 2500 series (quad cab) Ram truck is used on the type of truck that I own, the extended or club cab. …
I have an ongoing problem with preignition (spark knock) in my 1998 Dodge Ram 1500 with the 318 cid/5.2l motor. .at 24,896 miles, my dealer re-programmed the PCM and re-routed the spark wires. The spark knock continued. At 35,067 miles, the dealer adjusted the timing; I didn't think this could be done. The spark knock continued. At 43,281 miles, the dealer replaced the intake plenium gasket. The spark knock continued. At 45,093, the dealer replaced both engine heads. The spark knock continued. At 57,452 miles, I installed a colder thermostat and this helped somewhat, but the spark knock returned. And, today at 74,834 miles I installed a set of truck spark plugs to see if that will help. The bottom line is that this truck has an inherint defective design in the engine which is being prematurely worn out due to spark knock. …
I have a Dodge Ram 1500 wagon 1998, and I have been experiencing alot of problems with the transmission and keeps stalling whenever I turn the wheel to the right side. This is very weird and the mechanics do not understand this complaint. The ABS light has been coming on for a while and no one knows why either, but I do not see any recalls on this problem either. Can you help me resolve this matter. I have replaced the door locks on each door at least twice in this van and it has cost alot of money, I think by now this should have been recalled on this vehicle as well. Please help me with this vehicle, I love riding it but it has been having alot of the same riding and maitenance problems and no one knows why or understands why it keeps coming back after fixing them multiple times. Thank you, the dealerships do not help either.
Engine knocks at start-up for about 2-3 seconds. Oil pressure gauge is not as high as when first bought. Has been to the dealer twice for this problem, but they say they cannot duplicate it. Service manager has verified the knocking, but Chrysler doesn't want to persue it. Seems that Chrysler was really quick to take my money when it was bought, but now that it has a problem they don't want to know anything about it. Situation has been sent to Chrysler's 3rd party arbitration company to have a hearing to decide what they will be forced to do to correct the problem. Chrysler has been very disappointing in there "customer service" or lack of it, to the customer...
Related recalls
Engine and engine cooling › Engine › Diesel
Vehicle description: light duty pickup trucks equipped with 5.9l - 24 valve diesel engine. The low pressure diesel fuel supply tube located in the engine compartment between the filter and the high pressure pump can fracture.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the low pressure diesel fuel supply tube.
Engine and engine cooling › Engine › Diesel
Vehicle description: light duty pickup trucks equipped with 5.9l - 24 valve diesel engine. An intermittent high engine idle condition can occur due to a malfunction of the vehicle speed sensor.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the engine controller software to correct erroneous speed sensor signals.
Engine complaints in other Ram years
Frequently asked questions
How common are engine problems on the 1998 Dodge Ram?
NHTSA has 43 complaints about the engine & cooling of the 1998 Dodge Ram, 8% of the model year's 517 complaints. The component named most often is engine › gasoline (20 mentions).
Is there a recall for 1998 Dodge Ram engine problems?
Yes — NHTSA recall 98V-207 (diesel, Sep 8, 1998); NHTSA recall 98V-209 (diesel, Sep 8, 1998). Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.
At what mileage do 1998 Dodge Ram engine problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 45,000 miles, and 13% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 0 crashes, 2 fires and 0 injuries to engine & cooling problems on this model year. If you notice symptoms, have the car checked before driving further.
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.