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#BS-1998-DODRAM-50DB

1998 Dodge Ram 2500

Based on reports from 310 owners and 2 recalls for this exact model.

Complaints
310
Crashes
22
Fires
3
Recalls
2
TSBs
19
🟡

Preliminary Verdict

Think Twice

Based on 310 complaints, 22 crashes, 3 fires, and 2 recalls.

See full verdict with buy/skip conditions

Top reported problems

1

cracked dashboard

7 complaints • Severity 7.7/10

$X,XXX
2

free play in steering has a catch

1 complaints • Severity 10/10

$X,XXX
3

locks up while driving

1 complaints • Severity 10/10

$X,XXX

Preview: What's in your full report

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Mechanic Inspection Checklist

!Check the Service Brakes, Hydraulic:antilock/traction Control/electronic Limited SlipHIGH

17 owners reported service brakes, hydraulic:antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip issues — failures commonly reported around 100K miles.

!Inspect the StructureMED
Look for symptoms of wear and premature failure
+ 6 more items in full checklistUnlock

Failure Timeline by Mileage

9
0–30K
13
30–60K
18
60–90K
15
90–120K
12
120–150K
31
150K+

Peak failure range: 150K+ miles (31 reports) • Median: 100K miles

Full report: which components fail at each mileageUnlock

30,000-Mile Cost Projection

Best Case

$X,XXX

Most Likely

$X,XXX

Worst Case

$X,XXX

Top cost driver: Service Brakes, Hydraulic:antilock/traction Control/electronic Limited Slip (17 reports).

Includes fuel costs, common repairs, and recall riskUnlock

Also in your report

Owner Intelligence

AI-synthesized themes from real complaints

Buyer Lot Checklist

Questions, test drive checks, walk-away triggers

Negotiation Talking Points

Data-backed dollar deductions

Buy / Skip Verdict

Final recommendation with conditions

10 sections total in the full reportUnlock all

Where the complaints fall

Service Brakes, Hydraulic:antilock/traction Control/electronic Limited Slip17 (5%)
Structure14 (5%)
Air Bags:frontal13 (4%)
Speed Control13 (4%)
Wheels & Tires13 (4%)
Electrical System:horn11 (4%)
Brakes11 (4%)
Fuel System11 (4%)

1998 Dodge Ram 2500: Known Issues & Problem Areas

Service Brakes, Hydraulic:antilock/traction Control/electronic Limited Slip Issues

Service Brakes, Hydraulic:antilock/traction Control/electronic Limited Slip complaints account for 5% of all reports filed for the 1998 Dodge Ram 2500, with 17 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. The median mileage at time of complaint is 99,895 miles, suggesting issues tend to surface around the 100K-mile mark.

Structure Issues

Structure complaints account for 5% of all reports filed for the 1998 Dodge Ram 2500, with 14 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. Owners should pay attention to structure-related symptoms during test drives and pre-purchase inspections.

Air Bags:frontal Issues

Air Bags:frontal complaints account for 4% of all reports filed for the 1998 Dodge Ram 2500, with 13 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. Owners should pay attention to air bags:frontal-related symptoms during test drives and pre-purchase inspections.

Speed Control Issues

Speed Control complaints account for 4% of all reports filed for the 1998 Dodge Ram 2500, with 13 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. Owners should pay attention to speed control-related symptoms during test drives and pre-purchase inspections.

Data sourced from NHTSA owner complaints and community reports. The full report analyzes severity, repair costs, and failure patterns for each category.

Complaint trend by year

37
00
31
01
21
02
22
03
21
04
9
05
13
06
14
07
5
08
5
09
1
10
6
11
7
12
2
13
9
14
2
15
9
16
3
17
2
18
5
19
4
20
1
22

Complaints filed with NHTSA by year for the 1998 Dodge Ram 2500. Recent trend: decreasing.

Don't negotiate blind — know what this car costs to own

Repair costs • Negotiation scripts • Mechanic checklist • Buy/skip verdict

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Recall History (2 recalls)

06E024000Apr 2006

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

CERTAIN REPLACEMENT K&N FUEL PERFORMANCE KITS, P/NOS. 57-1509, 57-1511, 57-1511-1, 57-1517, 57-1517-1, 57-1527, AND 57-1530. ALSO, A SMALL PERCENTAGE OF THESE KITS WERE SOLD UNDER THE MOPAR PERFORMANCE PARTS BRAND NAME (P/NOS. P5007069 AND P5007070). ALL KITS WERE MANUFACTURED FROM APRIL 20, 1999, THROUGH SEPTEMBER 23, 2004. THESE ASSEMBLIES WERE MANUFACTURED AS REPLACEMENT EQUIPMENT FOR CERTAIN DODGE PICKUP TRUCKS AND SUVS. A SMALL PIECE OF MATERIAL FROM THE TUBE WALL COULD BE SUCKED INTO THE ENGINE THROTTLE BODY, WHICH COULD CAUSE THE THROTTLE TO BECOME JAMMED IN THE OPEN POSITION.

08E027000

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.

Recall severity analysis & seller scripts

The full report rates each recall's severity and gives you scripts for asking the seller about recall completion.

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The worst model year for the Dodge Ram 2500 is the 2004 — worth knowing if you're cross-shopping years. The biggest problem area is accessories - interior.

About this data

NHTSA Complaints

Federal database of owner-filed safety complaints. 310 records for this vehicle.

NHTSA Recalls

Manufacturer-issued safety recalls. 2 recalls found for this vehicle.

Repair Cost Data

Real-world repair costs from owner reports and independent databases.

Other Dodge Ram 2500 Model Years

201220112009200820072006200520042003200220012000199919981997199619951994199319921991
View all Dodge Ram 2500 years →

1998 Dodge Ram 2500: Frequently Asked Questions

What is the most common problem with the 1998 Dodge Ram 2500?
The most commonly reported issue with the 1998 Dodge Ram 2500 is related to the service brakes, hydraulic:antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip, with 17 complaints filed with NHTSA.
Is the 1998 Dodge Ram 2500 reliable?
The 1998 Dodge Ram 2500 has 310 complaints, 22 crash reports, and 3 fire reports filed with NHTSA. The full report analyzes whether these numbers indicate real risk or are proportional to the vehicle’s popularity.
How much does it cost to fix 1998 Dodge Ram 2500 problems?
Repair costs vary by issue. The full BumperScan report includes detailed repair cost estimates (low/median/high) for every major issue, plus a 30,000-mile total cost of ownership projection.
Does the 1998 Dodge Ram 2500 have any recalls?
Yes, the 1998 Dodge Ram 2500 has 2 recalls on record. The full report includes recall severity analysis and scripts for asking the seller about recall completion.
What mileage do Dodge Ram 2500 problems start?
Based on 98 complaints with mileage data, the median mileage at time of complaint is 99,895 miles. The highest concentration of reported issues occurs in the 150K+ mile range. The full report breaks down exactly which components fail at each mileage bracket.
What’s in the full report?
10 sections of AI analysis: severity-ranked issues, component scores (0-100), 30K-mile cost projection, failure timeline by mileage, recall details with seller scripts, owner sentiment analysis, mechanic checklist, buyer lot checklist, negotiation ammo with dollar figures, and a buy/skip verdict.
How is this different from free NHTSA data?
NHTSA gives you raw complaint text. BumperScan cross-references 2.1M+ complaints with community repair cost data, EPA fuel data, and recall records — then uses AI to synthesize it into actionable advice with dollar figures.
How is this different from Carfax?
Carfax is VIN-specific history ($45/report). BumperScan is model-level reliability intelligence — what problems this car is known for, what they cost, and whether you should buy it. Complementary, not competing.
What if the report isn’t useful?
100% money-back guarantee. If the report doesn’t help you make a more informed decision, we’ll refund you — no questions asked.
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10 sections of AI analysis based on 310 owner reports. Know before you buy.

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