Problems owners report
Complaints filed with NHTSA about the 1998 Dodge Ram Van, by the system named in each complaint. One complaint can name several.
- Electrical system7
- Service brakes, hydraulic5
- Suspension4
- Steering3
- Tires2
- Structure2
- Power train2
- Air bags2
- Fuel system, gasoline1
- Exterior lighting1
NHTSA ODI complaints (public domain) · updated 23 Oct 2026 · 8 injuries and 0 deaths reported
Compared with other years
NHTSA ODI complaints by model year
Fatal crashes in the US
From 2020 to 2023, 6 1998 Ram Van vehicles were involved in crashes on US public roads in which someone died; 3 people died inside them. This is a count, not a crash rate: it grows with the number of cars on the road.
NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), crash years 2020–2023 (public domain)
New York safety inspections
At its first New York inspection the 1998 Dodge Ram Van failed the safety check 0.33% of the time — 81% less often than the average 1998 passenger car (1.71%). Median odometer at inspection: 122,446 miles.
NY DMV Vehicle Inspections (vezn-fmmk), initial inspections since Aug 2021 · how we count
Recalls in Canada
4 Transport Canada recalls for the 1998 Dodge Ram Van.
| 2004129 8 Apr 2004 | Brakes On certain vehicles, aftermarket batteries may leak electrolyte onto the ABS control module connector and compromise the sealing integrity of the connector. Th… |
| 2002107 6 Jul 2002 | Engine Certain Ram trucks equipped with a diesel engine. The potential is for the throttle control linkage joints to corrode and cause the throttle to bind or stick, … |
| 1999008 14 Jan 1999 | Seats And Restraints On certain vehicles, impacts directly on the cover of the airbag electronic control module (AECM) located under the driver's seat could cause the airbag to depl… |
| 1998100 20 May 1998 | Seats And Restraints On certain vehicles, the driver's side front power seat may not have adequate structural strength. The seat attaching welds were not made to specification, and … |
Transport Canada Vehicle Recalls Database · Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada
Recalls
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES BUILT WITH POWER SEAT OPTION. THE DRIVER'S SIDE FRONT SEAT ATTACHING RISER WELDS WERE NOT CORRECT.
Whether a recall was fixed on a particular car is known only to the manufacturer: check the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
NHTSA recalls · summaries in NHTSA's own words
Service bulletins
What Dodge told its dealers about the 1998 Dodge Ram Van: known faults, fixes and updates.
| Bulletin | Summary |
|---|---|
| 635721 | SUBJECT REGARDING REVISION IN DIAGNOSTIC PROCEDURES AND LABOR OPERATION TIMES FOR RE TRANSMISSIONS. *TT |
| 634272 | FLASH PROGRAMMING FAILURE RECOVERY. *SLC |
| 634117 | SUBJECT REGARDING FLASH: MALFUNCTION INDICATOR LAMP ILLUMINATION FOR INJECTOR CIRCUIT FAULT. *SLC |
| 634077 | SUBJECT REGARDING OUTSIDE REARVIEW MIRROR GLASS REPLACEMENT. *SLC |
| 633497 | SUBJECT REGARDING THE OUTSIDE REARVIEW MIRROR GLASS REPLACEMENT. *SLC |
| 629144 | ONWERS OF CERTAIN VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH 9.25 AXLE MAY COMPLAIN THAT VEHICLE SPEED IS INACCURATE. *TT |
| 628294 | THIS BULLETIN PROVIDES A DIAGNOSTIC PROCEDURE FOR STEERING SENSITIVITY. *TT |
| 625650 | SUBJECT REGARDING OUTSIDE REARVIEW MIRROR GLASS REPLACEMENT. *TT |
| 625597 | SUBJECT REGARDING STEERING WANDER DIAGNOSIS. *TT |
| 625595 | SUBJECT REGARDING STEERING WANDER DIAGNOSIS. *TT |
| 621898 | AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION FLUID USAGE ATF+4. *TT *MJ |
| 620071 | SUBJECT REGARDING ADDITIONAL DIAGNOSTIC FOR DIAGNOSTIC TROUBLE CODES CAUSED BY AN EVAPORATIVE SYSTEM LEAK. *TT |
| 620066 | SUBJECT REGARDING GENERIC SCAN TOOL (GST), PUBLICATION NO. 81-170-00008 PROVIDED WITH THIS TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN TO PROVIDE REFERENCE INFORMATION WHEN USING GENERIC SCAN TOOL ON OBDII VEHICLES. *TT |
| 620059 | SUBJECT REGARDING AIRBAG / CLOCK SPRING SERVICE FOR VARIOUS MODELS INCLUDING 2002 MODEL YEAR JEEP LIBERTY. *TT |
| 618049 | SUBJECT REGARDING WIRE SPLICE REPAIRS. *SB |
| 616731 | ADVANCE SERVICE INFORMATION REGARDING REVISED ALIGNMENT SPECIFICATIONS. *TT |
| 616727 | SUBJECT REGARDING OUTSIDE MIRROR GLASS REPLACEMENT. *TT |
| 616722 | SOME VEHICLES MAY EXHIBIT A LIGHT TO MODERATE SPARK KNOCK CONDITION DURING ACCELERATION (UNDER LOAD). *TT |
| 615688 | SUBJECT REGARDING CHILD SEAT TETHER ANCHORS. *TT |
| 614665 | SUBJECT REGARDING OUTSIDE MIRROR GLASS REPLACEMENT. *TT |
| 614655 | SUBJECT REGARDING STEERING WANDER DIAGNOSIS. *TT |
| 614651 | ON SOME VEHICLES THE ENGINE CRANKS BUT DOES NOT START OR STARTS AND STALLS. *TT |
| 614650 | ;SUBJECT REGARDING RTV USE ON CORPORATE AXLE. *TT |
| 614166 | SUBJECT REGARDING 1998 MODEL YEAR ENGINE SPARK KNOCK. *TT |
| 614165 | SOME VEHICLE ENGINES MAY EXHIBIT A LIGHT-TO-MODERATE SPARK KNOCK CONDITION DURING ACCELERATION (UNDER LOAD). *TT |
NHTSA manufacturer communications (public domain)
NHTSA investigations
SAFETY BELT CINCHING LATCH PLATE
NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation