1998 Dodge RAM 3500

Typical pattern

7.2% of complaints about the 1998 Dodge RAM 3500 came in the first year, which is unremarkable for a 1998 vehicle — around the middle of the 180 model-years on record. The median complaint arrives at 5.8 yr in service. The most-reported system is power train (18 complaints), typically at 4.7 yr or about 117,620 miles.

Complaints: 111
Median age at failure: 5.8 yr
Median mileage: 101,000 n=57
Crash / fire / tow: 27% of reports
Safety recalls: 1

Safety recalls — NHTSA campaigns

08E027000 2008-03-28

Steering:linkages:tie rod assembly

AFFINIA IS RECALLING 5,700 AFTERMARKET CHASSIS TIE ROD ASSEMBLIES MANUFACTURED FROM MARCH 28, 2006 THROUGH MARCH 17, 2008, SOLD FOR USE ON MY 1998 AND 1999 DODGE RAM 2500 AND 3500 HEAVY DUTY TRUCKS. THE DUST SEAL SUPPLIED WITH THE CHASSIS TIE RODS WERE MANUFACTURED TO THE WRONG SPECIFICATION. AS A CONSEQUENCE, THE DUST SEAL MAY PREVENT THE BALL STUD OF THE CHASSIS TIE ROD FROM PROPERLY SEATING INTO THE TAPER OF THE VEHICLE STEERING KNUCKLE DURING AFTERMARKET INSTALLATION.

IF THIS CONDITION REMAINS UNDETECTED, THE BOLT CAN EVENTUALLY UNSEAT COMPLETELY, CAUSING THE AFFECTED WHEEL TO DISENGAGE FROM THE STEERING MECHANISM, POSSIBLY RESULTING IN A CRASH.

In owners’ own words

Power train mileage not reported 2.0 yr in service

TRANSMISSION WAS HARD TO SHIFT. DEALER CLAIMED TRANSMISSION WAS BAD. HAD TO REPLACED, COST WAS SPLIT BETWEEN DEALER AND MYSELF. *AK

Power train mileage not reported 3.3 yr in service

ONGOING PROBLEM WITH REPLACING FRONT WHEEL BEARING FROM 51,000 MILES TO PRESENT, FOUR SETS OF WHEEL BEARING WERE REPLACED. ON LAST OCCASION, FRONT AXLE BROKE DUE TO WHEEL BEARING FAILURE. DEALER NOTIFIED. ALL REPAIRS WERE DONE UNDER WARRANTY. BUT UNABLE TO LOCATED THE CAUSE. *AK THE RIGHT FRONT BRAKES GRAB ON REGULAR BRAKING DUE TO WORN PADS AND ROTORS. THE CRUISE CONTROL MALFUNCTIONS. *YH

Power train mileage not reported 3.3 yr in service

ONGOING PROBLEM WITH REPLACING FRONT WHEEL BEARING FROM 51,000 MILES TO PRESENT, FOUR SETS OF WHEEL BEARING WERE REPLACED. ON LAST OCCASION, FRONT AXLE BROKE DUE TO WHEEL BEARING FAILURE. DEALER NOTIFIED. ALL REPAIRS WERE DONE UNDER WARRANTY. BUT UNABLE TO LOCATED THE CAUSE. *AK THE RIGHT FRONT BRAKES GRAB ON REGULAR BRAKING DUE TO WORN PADS AND ROTORS. THE CRUISE CONTROL MALFUNCTIONS. *YH

Exterior lighting mileage not reported 2.8 yr in service

THIN STREAM OF WHITE SMOKE EMITTING FROM DASHBOARD. HEADLIGHT SWITCH SHORTED OUT CAUSING WIRES TO BURN BEHIND DASH. VERY CLOSE TO AN ELECTRICAL FIRE. HAVE HEARD OTHER DODGE PICKUP OWNERS HAVING SAME DIFFICULTY (AT LEAST 3 THAT I KNOW). PLEASE INVESTIGATE THIS PROBLEM!*AK

Other RAM 3500 model years

How to read this

This is what owners reported, not a reliability rating. People file with NHTSA about alarming failures, not routine ones, and complaint volume tracks how many cars were sold.
Failure ages come from the incident date on each complaint, populated on about 83% of records. Mileage is shown where reported — NHTSA’s 2021 system change cut mileage capture to roughly 15%, so it thins out sharply after MY2020.
Every rank compares this vehicle only against others of the same model year. A 2025 car has not had time to accumulate five-year failures, so comparing early-failure share across years is meaningless.
Fourteen make-months distorted by media storms and mass recalls — Toyota in February 2010 ran 11× normal volume across 33 models — are excluded.
Recalls are manufacturer actions and authoritative; complaints are not. A recall listed here may already have been performed on any individual car. Check a specific VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

1998 Dodge RAM 3500

When each system is reported — middle 50% of complaints

Safety recalls — NHTSA campaigns

In owners’ own words

Other RAM 3500 model years

How to read this