1998 Dodge Ram 1500 complaints

REAR END LOCKUP GEARS WORN TO LOCKUP. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 DODGE RAM 1500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THERE WAS A 10-INCH CRACK ON THE DRIVER SIDE DASHBOARD, AND A 3-INCH CRACK ON THE PASSENGER SIDE DASHBOARD. AS OF FEBRUARY 25, 2008, THE DEALER HAD NOT INSPECTED THE VEHICLE. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THERE WERE NO RECALLS ASSOCIATED WITH THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 94,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 96,000.

MY 1998 DODGE RAM 1500 PICKUP HAS A CHRONIC CASE OF CRACKED DASH. THIS HAS BEEN HEAVILY NOTED FROM 1998 MODELS THROUGH THE 2004 MODELS. THIS IS EXTREMELY HAZARDOUS TO PASSENGER SAFETY BECAUSE IF THE PASSENGER AIRBAG SHOULD DEPLOY THE PASSENGER OF DRIVER COULD BE IMPALED BY SHARP SHARDS OF PLASTIC FROM THE FRACTURED DASH. THESE DASHES NEED TO BE RECALLED DUE TO THIS EXTREME SAFETY HAZARD. *TR

19980 DODGE RAM 1500 DASH CRACKING, AND FALLING APART CREATING LARGE SHARP PLASTIC PIECES. *TR

1998 DODGE RAM HOOD FLEW OPEN WHILE DRIVING. CONSUMER STATES THAT HE WAS DRIVING 65 MPH. HE ALSO STATES THAT THE GRILL, HOOD HINGES, AND INSULATION ARE DESTROYED. HE STATED THERE IS A RECALL FOR THIS PROBLEM. *KB

HORN DOES NOT WORK UNLESS YOU HIT IT IN THE RIGHT SPOT AND YOU HAVE TO HIT IT VERY VERY HARD TO THE POINT WHERE IT HURTS YOUR HAND,THEN SOME TIMES IT STILL DON'T WORK. IT IS A SAFETY HAZARD AND SHOULD BE RECALLED. *TR

1) NOTHING CAUSED FAILURE. NO CAR ACCIDENTS OR CRASHES. JUST STARTED SHOWING UP OVER TIME. 2) TWO SEPARATE CRACKS IN DASHBOARD. ONE ON THE PASSENGER SIDE BY VENT THAT LEADS ALL THE WAY TOWARDS THE GLOVE BOX WHILE THE OTHER CRACK IS ABOVE MY GAUGE CONSOLE. 3) THE ONLY REPAIR POSSIBLE IS A WHOLE NEW DASHBOARD WHICH HAS NOT BEEN DONE AS OF YET. *TR

ON 1 DEC 2001 I LEFT WATERTOWN, NY TO DRIVE TO SYRACUSE, NY VIA I-81 SOUTH. JUST AFTER THE CENTRAL SQUARE ENTRANCE RAMP MY HOOD BLEW OPEN AT 65MPH. THIS NEARLY CAUSED ME TO CRASH BUT I MANAGED TO FINALLY GET THE TRUCK PULLED OVER WITHOUT A CRASH. I AM A HANDICAPPED MEMBER OF THE US ARMY SO I CALLED MY WIFE TO HELP ME GET THE HOOD DOWN AND STRAP IT DOWN WITH A RATCHET STRAP AND BUNGIE CORDS. THE HOOD, GRILL, HINGES AND HOOD LINER ARE ALL DAMAGED BEYOND REPAIR. UPON RETURNING HOME I SEARCHED THE INTERNET AND FOUND A "SAFETY RECALL" #973 FOR THE SECONDARY HOOD LATCH FAILURE. I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE USED IN 2006 AND NEVER RECEIVED A WARNING. TODAY I WENT TO DEALMAKER DODGES SERVICE DEPT AND IT WAS VERIFIED THAT THE REPAIR SERVICE HAD NEVER BEEN COMPLETED. AFTER SPEAKING WITH THE SERVICE TECHNICIAN MARK (315)-779-5725 I WAS INFORMED THAT THE DISTRICT MANAGER MR. DAVID LITTLEJOHN DISAPPROVED THE REPAIR OF THE DAMAGE, HOWEVER WOULD AUTHORIZE THE RECALL TO BE PERFORMED. I WAS TOLD THAT CHRYSLER DODGE WAS NOT LIABLE FOR INHERIT DAMAGED CAUSED BY THE HOOD OUT OF NOWHERE POPPING OPEN. I CONTACTED THE CHRYSLER CUSTOMER RELATIONS (800) 992-1997 AND WAS TOLD THE SAME THING. I ASKED FOR THE PROOF IN WRITING AND WAS REFUSED THE DOCUMENT STATING THAT THEY WERE NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR INHERED DAMAGED CAUSED BY A DEFECTIVE PART THAT CAN CAUSE SEVERE INJURY OR DEATH TO MANY PEOPLE IF THEY DO NOT KNOW HOW TO HANDLE SUCH PROBLEMS. MY CHRYLER CORPORATION REFERENCE NUMBER IS 16995780. *TR

THE FRONT DASH OF MY 1998 DODGE RAM 1500 QUAD CAB BEGAN CRACKING IN MULTIPLE PLACES WITHIN THREE YEARS OF THE PURCHASE OF THE VEHICLE. THE CRACKS HAVE BECOME SO EXTENSIVE THAT A LARGE HOLE RECENTLY OPENED UP IN THE TOP DASH ABOVE THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER AND STEERING COLUMN. INTERNAL COMPONENTS UNDER THE DASH ARE NOW EXPOSED TO SUNLIGHT. THE DASH IS ESSENTIALLY SLOWLY DISINTEGRATING OVER TIME. *TR

AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION SLIPS AT CRUISING SPEED. MY TRUCK, MY NEPHEWS TRUCK AND FOUR OTHERS I AM AWARE OF IN LITTLE ROCK ARKANSAS ARE ALL HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM. WHEN ENGINE IS NOT PULLING OR ACCELERATING THE TRANSMISSION SLIPS CAUSING THE RPM TO RISE AROUND 4 HUNDRED TO 800 RPM. MY NEPHEW STATED THAT THERE WAS A RECALL ON THIS PROBLEM SOME TIME BACK. I ONLY PURCHASED THIS TRUCK A YEAR AGO AND WAS UNAWARE OF THIS PROBLEM. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 DODGE RAM 1500. THE TOP OF THE DASHBOARD IS BEGINNING TO CRUMBLE INTO PIECES. THE CONTACT SPOKE WITH DODGE AND THEY STATED THAT THERE WAS A RECALL FOR CERTAIN YEARS OF THIS VEHICLE FOR THE SAME COMPONENT. THE DEALER ALSO STATED THAT CERTAIN DEALERS HAVE AN ALLOWANCE THAT ENABLES THEM TO PERFORM THE REPAIR AND WRITE IT OFF. THE RECALL NUMBER WAS UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 15,000.

DASH ON 1998 DODGE RAM 1500 TRUCK CRACKS FOR NO APPARENT REASON. THIS COULD LEAD TO AIR BAG FAILURE, SINCE THE DASH TOTALLY COLLAPSED. ONCE STARTED, THIS DASH JUST BREAKS APART. THE ONLY FIX IS TO REPLACE, WHICH AT THE DEALER IS AROUND $800. *JB

1998 DODGE RAM 1500 2WD. I HAVE ONE LARGE CRACK IN THE CENTER OF THE DASH AND ANOTHER SMALL ONE ON THE DRIVERS SIDE. IF I GET ONE THE PASSENGER SIDE AT THE AIR BAG WELL. *JB

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 DODGE RAM 1500. WHILE DRIVING 75 MPH, THE INSTRUMENT PANEL AND EXTERIOR LIGHTS FLICKERED ON AND OFF AND THEN DIMMED COMPLETELY. AS OF SEPTEMBER 19, 2007, THE DEALER HAD NOT INSPECTED THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND STATED THAT THE FUSE BOX MELTED, WHICH BE BELIEVED WAS THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 140,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 145,000.

LOWER STEERING COLUMN SEPARATED FROM THE UPPER STEERING COLUMN. UPON INSPECTION BOLT ON THE UNIVERSAL JOINT OF THE LOWER STEERING COLUMN, BOLT WAS NEVER SEATED PROPERLY FROM THE FACTORY. IT WAS CROSS THREADED IN THE ALUMINUM U JOINT. THE BOLT WAS NEVER SEATED ALL THE WAY, THERE IS BLACK PAINT ON THE BOLT WERE THIS IS EVIDENT. *JB

SMALL CRACKS IN DASH, WHICH LEAD TO LARGE CRACKING. THE DASHBOARD HAS ALMOST COMPLETELY CAVED IN THE MIDDLE. THE DASHBOARD IS NO LONGER ONE PIECE. VERY DISAPPOINTED, AND IT MAY EVENTUALLY LEAD TO SAFETY RELATED ISSUES. *TR

1998 DODGE PICKUP DASH BOARD CRACKING. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 DODGE RAM 1500. WHILE DRIVING 70 MPH THE SERVICE AND ABS WARNING ILLUMINATED AND HE HEARD A HUMMING SOUND COMING FROM THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE VEHICLE. THE MECHANIC STATED THAT THERE WAS AN ELECTRICAL SHORT, WHICH CAUSED THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 85,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 132,000. RETURN USPS, MADE 2ND ATTEMPT 08/07/07 FAILED. *BF

1998 DODGE RAM 1500. IS THERE A RECALL? RADIATOR IS OVERHEATING. CALL AFTER NOON. THE CONTACT IS EXPERIENCING THE OVER HEATING AND THE TOP OF THE RADIATOR IS HOT; HOWEVER, ITS COLD ON THE BOTTOM OF THE RADIATOR. I HAVE ADVISED HIM OF THE ONE RECALL THAT EXIST FOR THE ENGINE. THE CURRENT MILEAGE IS 79,000. THE VEHICLE WAS DIAGNOSED AND THE MECHANIC STATED THAT THE RADIATOR MUST BE REPLACED; HOWEVER, THE VEHICLE CAN BE DRIVEN SHORT DISTANCES. WHILE DRIVING 65MPH. 210 TO 220 DEGREES AND THE VEHICLE OVERHEATS AND SMOKE WAS PRESENT UNDER THE HOOD. THE VEHICLE DOES NOT SHUT OFF. IF IT COOLS OFF. 69,000 WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED. THE REAR END WHILE DRIVING 45MPH AND HITTING A BUMP IN THE ROAD. THE BACK END OF THE TRUCK MOVED AROUND FOR A COUPLE OF MONTHS. THE FAILURE HAS NOT BEEN DIAGNOSED.

SEVERE FAILURE OF DASHBOARD. NOTICED SMALL CRACKS WHEN PURCHASED USED IN 2005. DASHBOARD HAS SINCE CRACKED EXTREMELY BADLY. HAVE SPOKEN WITH OTHER DODGE RAM OWNERS WHO, FOR THE MAJORITY, HAVE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM. SPOKE WITH DEALER. NO COVERAGE. $1000 PLUS TO FIX. FOUND COMPLAINTS, BUT NO INVESTIGATION. *AK

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 DODGE RAM 1500. THE CONTACT REPLACED THE DASHBOARD ONCE BEFORE DUE TO A CRACK. IT HAS CRACKED AGAIN IN JUNE OF 2006 AND MUST BE REPLACED FOR THE SECOND TIME. THE VIN, PURCHASE DATE, AND ENGINE SIZE WERE UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT MILEAGE IS 154,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 60,000.

IN THE 1998 DODGE RAM 1500 PICKUP, I HAVE EXPERICENCED 3-4 LARGE CRACKS IN THE DASHBOARD, SOME RUNNING THE WHOLE LENGTH FROM THE FRONT EDGE TO THE WINDSHIELD. *AK

I HAVE A 1998 DODGE RAM 1500, IT HAS A SEVERLY CRACKED DASHBOARD THAT WILL SOON BE A GAPING HOLE THAT WILL CAUSE SEVERE DAMAGE TO MY VEHICLE.AND MINE IS NOT THE ONLY ONE ! I HAVE CONTACTED DODGE AND THEY MORE OR LESS GAVE ME A RUN AROUND. MY LOCAL NEWS STATION INFORMED ME TO SEND THIS COMPLAINT TO SEE IF MAYBE YOU CAN HELP REMEDY THIS SITUATION. THE CRACKS STARTED APPEARING 1 YEAR AFTER I PURCHASED THIS VEHICLE AND HAVE PROGRESSED! I UNDERSTAND THAT DODGE KNOWS THAT THE MATERIEL USED IS DEFECTED. I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THEM PLACE A RECALL TO FIX THIS PROBLEM.

1998 DODGE RAM 1500....DASHBOARD IS CRACKED AND SPREADING ACROSS ENTIRE LENGTH. *TR

DASHBOARD CRACKED ON 98 DODGE 1500 TRUCK. MAYBE DEFECTIVE PLASTIC THAT CAN'T HOLD UP LIKE OTHER DASHBOARDS I'VE HAD IN OTHER TRUCKS. COULD LEAD TO SUN MELTING WIRES AND SHORT OUT HEADLIGHTS AND TAILLIGHTS. THIS HAS ALREADY BEEN PROVEN BY ALOT OF OTHERS WITH SAME VEHICLE. I THINK THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL ON THIS DEFECT. FOR SAFETY REASONS AND ALSO THERE NAME. *TR

1998 DODGE RAM 1500 P/U DASHBOARD CRACKING AND POSSIBLE IT WILL COLLAPSE. *AK

I OWN A 1998 & 2002 DODGE TRUCK. BOTH VEHICLES HAVE CRACKED DASHBOARDS. THIS COULD BE A PROBLEM IN THE FUTURE SHOULD THE DASHBOARD COLLAPSE. THIS WAS A PROBLEM WITH MANY OF THESE TRUCKS AND FELT IT SHOULD BE CORRECTED BY THE MANUFACTURER. PLEASE ADVISE. *AK

DASHBOARD CRACKING AND BREAKING. THE DASHBOARD IN THE 1998 DODGE 1500 CRACKED IN MANY PLACES. MANY OF THESE VEHICLESI WERE AFFECTED FROM THE SAME PROBLEM. *AK

THE DASHBOARD OF OUR DODGE RAM 1500 IS COMPLETELY CRACKED IN AT LEAST 3 PLACES AND IS IN DANGER OF CAVING IN.*AK

CRACKED DASHBOARD. *AKI

1998 DODGE RAM 1500 DASH BOARDFALLING APART. LARGE HOLES SHOWING WIRING. *AK

THE DASHBOARD STARTED WITH ONE CRACK AND OVER THE PAST FEW MONTHS HAS CRACKED INTO A LARGE TRIANGLE SHAPE WITH A FEW SMALLER CRACKS.*AK

DASHBOARD CRACKING INTO PIECES.*AK

THE 1988 DODGE RAM DASHBOARD WAS CRACKING. ALREADY, HAD 2 CRACKS ON DASHBOARD. IT HAS NOT BROKE APART YET , BUT IT WAS JUST A MATTER OF TIME. *AK

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 DODGE RAM 1500. THE CONTACT NOTICED A HAIRLINE CRACK ON THE VEHICLE'S DASHBOARD. THE CONTACT APPLIED SUPERGLUE TO THE DASHBOARD, BUT THE CRACK IS SPREADING. THE CONTACT HAS PICTURES. THE ENGINE SIZE IS NOT AVAILABLE. THE CURRENT MILEAGE IS 98,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 97,000.

DASH BOARD HAS NUMEROUS LARGE CRACKS AND PIECES ARE LOOSE ON EACH END. THERE IS ALSO A LARGE CRACK IN THE CENTER FROM THE WINDSHIELD TO THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. *TR

I STARTED GETTING CRACKS IN MY 1998 DODGE RAM'S DASHBOARD. THEN ONE DAY I WAS DRIVING DOWN A DIRT ROAD AND PIECES STARTED TO FLY UP OUT OF THE DASHBOARD. NOTHING HAS BEEN DONE ABOUT IT YET. *JB

THE DASHBOARD ON MY 1998 DODGE RAM HAS CAVED IN. *TR

MULTIPLE LARGE CRACKS IN DASH. *TR

DASHBOARD OF MY 1998 DODGE RAM PICKUP UNEXPECTEDLY STARTED CRACKING AND IT IS MY UNDERSTANDING, THIS IS CAUSING ELECTRICAL FAILURES WHICH COULD CAUSE AN ACCIDENT. *TR

1998 DODGE RAM 1500. SEATBELT/RESTRAINT HARNESS FAILURE/AUTOMATIC DISENGAGEMENT WHEN BELTS ARE USED TO SECURE CHILD SAFETY SEATS. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 DODGE RAM 1500. WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED, THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHTS REMAIN ILLUMINATED. THE MECHANIC STATED THAT THE CLOCK SPRING ASSEMBLY NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THERE IS A RECALL # 01V153000 (AIR BAGS), HOWEVER THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THE VEHICLE IS EXCLUDED FROM THE RECALL. THE CONTACT FEELS HIS VEHICLE SHOULD BE INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 87,000.

THE DASH CRACKED FROM THE CENTER WHERE IT MEETS THE WIND SCREEN ALL THE WAY ACROSS THE DASH GOING OUT OF SIGHT WHERE THE DASH ROLLS INTO THE AIRBAG COMPARTMENT. A FEW WEEKS LATER THE WIND SCREEN CRACKED FROM THE SAME ORGIN WHEN IT GOT WET. *JB

I OWN A 1998 DODGE RAM 1500 SPORT 4X4 QUAD CAB TRUCK AND THE DASHBOARD IS CRACKED TERRIBLY. NOW I'VE SPOKEN TO A LOT OF RAM OWNERS AND HAVE VISITED MANY DODGE DEALERSHIPS AND THEY SAY THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THESE TRUCKS. AS YOU ARE AWARE THE DASH ALSO HOUSES IMPORTANT COMPONENTS OF THE AIRBAG SAFETY SYSTEM. SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE DONE ABOUT THIS PROBLEM. THE COST TO REPLACE THIS DASH IS VERY HIGH. *JB

1998 DODGE RAM 1500 4 WD SHORT BED STANDARD CAB HOOD LATCH FAILED. WHILE DRIVING (AFTER A COUPLE MILES) THE HOOD BEGAN TO SHAKE UP AND DOWN. I PULLED OVER AND SLAMMED THE HOOD CLOSED. COMPLETED MY TRIP (30 MILES ROUND TRIP). 2 WEEKS LATER I WAS DRIVING TO WORK. AFTER 1/2 MILE THE HOOD BEGAN TO SHAKE UP AND DOWN. I BEGAN TO SLOW BUT IT WAS TOO LATE (40 MPH), THE HOOD FLEW OPEN AND SLAMMED AGAINST THE WINDSHIELD. SINCE I WAS ONLY 1 MILE FROM MY HOUSE I STOOD ON TOP OF THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT AND PULLED THE HOOD BACK DOWN WITH MY 200 POUND FRAME AND INCHED BACK TO HOME WHERE IT SITS. THIS IS DEFINITELY A FAILURE OF THE SECONDARY LATCH. THERE WAS MINOR YARD DAMAGE WHEN I DROVE OFF THE ROAD. DAMAGE TO THE HOOD (CREASED) AND THE HINGES, AND FRONT FENDERS. *NM

DUE TO THE SEAT BELTS ASSEMBLY COMING APART OUR BABY SEAT BECAME LOOSE CAUSING SEAT WITH INFANT TO LUNG FORWARD UPON BRAKING. TRIED SEVERAL TIMES TO GET ASSISTANCE THROUGH THE CHRYSLER 1-800 # FOR COMPLAINTS AND ISSUES. AS A MATTER OF FACT, I WAS TREATED WITH A COMPLETE LACK OF CONCERN FOR SUCH A CRITICAL. ATTEMPTED TO TAKE CARE OF IT THROUGH A LOCAL DEALERSHIP WHO UPON CALLING THE 1-800# FOR CHRYSLER SERVICE TO SEE THAT IT WOULD BE COVERED BEING A SEAT BELT FAILURE, WERE REFUSED. AT THIS POINT, I JUNK YARD WHOLE SEAT BELTS AND REPLACE THEM EVERY TIME THEY FALL APART WHICH IS VERY OFTEN. I HAVE REPLACED ALL OR PART OF (4) BELT ASSEMBLIES IN THE AREA OF (9) TIMES SINCE THE DATE NOTED. *NM

98 DODGE RAM 1500 2WD WINDSHIELD CRACKED FROM THE DASH TO THE TOP DURING WHEN I SPRAYED WATER ON IT IN THE SHADE. IT WAS NOT HOT, WARM BUT NOT HOT. NEXT DAY THE DASH CRACKED FROM THE SAME SPOT ALL THE WAY TO THE GLOVE COMPARTMENT. I KNOW OF 3 OTHER DODGE 1500'S THAT HAVE THE SAME CRACK IN THE WINDSHIELD AND DASH. I SUSPECT AND ENGINEERING FAILURE...A STRESS POINT. ONLY I DRIVE THIS TRUCK. NOTHING HAS HIT THE WINDSCREEN THERE. NO CHIPS OR SCRATCHES IN THE AREA OF THE BREAK. *NM

1998 DODGE RAM 1500 PICKUP BLOWING OUT A BRAKE LINE ALL BRAKES LOST. *JB

THE DRIVER SEAT SUPPORT HAS FAILED. I HAVE CHECKED OUT 6 DIFFERENT TRUCK OF THE SAME YEAR AND THEY HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM. *JB

TRUCK IS PAINTED BLACK AND IS PEELING ON THE HOOD AND ROOF OF TRUCK. IT IS ACTUALLY TURNING WHITE IN COLOR AND IS VERY ROUGH. I WAS GOING TO HAVE THE TRUCK REPAINTED; HOWEVER, SEVERAL OTHER DODGE RAM OWNERS HAVE STATED THAT THEY HAVE HAD THE SAME PROBLEMS, AND THAT I SHOULD CONTACT DODGE. *JB