1998 Dodge RAM 1500 Power Train:automatic Transmission Problems
NHTSA component category: POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION · data through 07/12/2026
Source: U.S. NHTSA complaint data. Complaints are unverified reports from vehicle owners — a complaint is not a confirmed defect.
How power train:automatic transmission ranks on this vehicle
Share of the 520 complaints citing each category; one complaint can cite several. Full breakdown on the 1998 Dodge RAM 1500 overview page.
What owners report
“TRANSMISSION FAILED IN OVERDRIVE WHICH CAUSED FAILURE TO THE REST OF THE TRANSMISSION WHICH REQUIRED THE TRANSMISSION TO BE REBUILT.”NHTSA complaint 745224 — filed 05/11/2001
“I REALLY ENJOY THIS DODGE RAM1500 ,BUT I FEEL THAT SINCE IT IS OUT OF WARRANTY IT WILL NOT HOLD UP TO MY EXPECTATIONS. NO…”NHTSA complaint 736873 — filed 11/26/2000
“I HAVE CONTACTED CHRYSLER TOO MANY TIMES ABOUT THESE PROBLEMS, ESPECIALLY THE BRAKES, WHICH I ADMIT IS AN INTERMETTENT PROBLEM. HOWEVER I HAVE DEMONSTRATED THE…”NHTSA complaint 731988 — filed 09/20/2000
Excerpts are shortened and scrubbed of personal details; they are individual, unverified reports.
Power Train:automatic Transmission complaints by year filed
Frequently asked questions
Does the 1998 Dodge RAM 1500 have power train:automatic transmission problems?
Power Train:automatic Transmission is the #2 most-reported problem area on the 1998 Dodge RAM 1500: 34 of 520 complaints on file (6.5%). Complaints are unverified owner reports, not confirmed defects.
How many complaints does the 1998 Dodge RAM 1500 have in total?
520 complaints were on file with NHTSA as of 07/12/2026. Across all categories, 66 involved a crash, 16 involved a fire, 56 reported injuries, and 8 reported deaths.
What does NHTSA's power train:automatic transmission category include?
NHTSA assigns each complaint to standard component categories; this page reports the POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION category exactly as NHTSA defines and records it.
