1998 DODGE RAM 1500 Engine And Engine Cooling Problems

I OWN A 1998 DODGE RAM 1500 4X4 PICKUP I WAS DRIVING A FRIEND AND HER DAUGHTER TO THE DENTIST I PASSED A LOGGING TRUCK WHEN I GOT BACK IN MY LANE AS I WAS SLOWING DOWN THE TRUCK SHUDDERED AND LOST POWER I PULLED OFF THE ROAD THE ONLY PLACE I COULD PULL OFF I HIT IT THE WAS ALMOST OFF THE NUT HOLDING THE TIRE ROTOR ON THE SHAFT SNAPPED OFF THE TOW HOME WAS OVER 500 DOLLARS AFTER GETTING TRUCK I BROKE OUT MY SHOP MANUALS OUT THE BRG PACK WAS BURNED I REPLACED FROM FRONT DIFFERENTIAL OUT TO TIRES WITH OEM PARTS TO THE TUNE OF 1100 DOLLARS WITHIN A MTH THE LEFT FRONT TIRE CAME OFF AS I WAS TURNING INTO MY DRIVE WAY AGAIN REPLACED FROM FRONT DIFFERENTIAL OUT TO TIRE THIS TIME COST ABOUT 850 6 MTHS LATTER COMING HOME I FEEL FRONT VIBRATION HANG ON TO WHEEL MY DRIVERS SIDE FRONT TIRE ROTOR CALIPER FLY OFF I SLIDE BETTER PART OF 75 FEET GRINDING OFF LOWER BALL JOINT AFTER BEING TOWED HOME LOOKING AT TIRE RIM CALIPER ROTOR I DECIDE TO REPLACE THE ENTIRE FRONT END COST OF 650 DOLLARS FROM A WRECKING YARD BELIEVE THE PROBLEM FRONT TO LIGHT FOR WEIGHT ALSO THE VISCOSITY OF GREESE IN BRG PACK TO LIGHT BREAKING DOWN CAUSING BRG TO GET HOT AND SEIZE UP CAUSING TIRE RIM CALIPER H ROTOR TO FLY OFF HAVE SAVED ALL OLD PARTS. *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

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.

Mileage: 79,000

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE SERVICE DEALER BECAUSE THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE DEALER DETERMINED THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER WAS BAD AND NEED TO BE REPLACED, BUT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. ADDITIONALLY, THE DEALER INFORMED THE CONTACT OF A WARRANTY EXTENSION ON THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER IN THE 1500 SERIES WITH A LARGER ENGINE. DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE LATCH THAT HOLDS THE CHILD IN THE CHILD SAFETY SEAT COMES UNLATCHED VERY EASILY. THE STRAPS BECOME VERY LOOSE WHEN THIS HAPPENS. THE MANUFACTURER HAS NOT BEEN ALERTED. UPDATED 3/22/2006 - THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE PROBLEM. A RECALL HAD BEEN INITIATED FOR THIS PROBLEM BUT THE CONSUMER SEAT WAS NOT INCLUDED. THE CONSUMER SENT THE CONSUMER A REPAIR KIT FOR THE DESIGNER 22'S WHICH FIXED THE PROBLEM WITH IS SEAT (22-390-VIN, OG2B, 1/28/2004). *NM

Mileage: 98,000

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

Mileage: 120,000

THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED IN THE DRIVEWAY OVERNIGHT. WHEN THE CONSUMER WOKE IN THE MORNING THE VEHICLE HAD BURNED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TOTALED. PLEASE PROVIDE MILEAGE INFORMATION. *JB

I HAVE HAD MY VAN SINCE 98 GOT IT NEW THE DEALERSHIP HAD MY VAN MORE THEN I HAVE, THEY FIXED ONLY A FEW PROBLEMS I HAVE HAD OTHER PROBLEMS THEY COULDN'T FIND. THE SIDE PASSENGER DOORS WOULDN'T UNLOCK, WHEN COMING TO A STOP SECONDS AFTER STOPPING I WOULD FEEL A HICK COMING FROM THE BACK END, ON VACATION AFTER RESTING AT A WAYSIDE WHILE ENTERING HIGHWAY THE YOU HEARD A CLICK FROM THE ENGINE THEN YOU LOSS ALL POWER IT WOULDN'T GO ANY FASTER THEN 30-35 MPH, TOOK VAN IN AFTER THIS ONE GUY AT SHOP SEEN MY HANDICAP DAUGHTER AND WENT IN BACK TO GET A PAPER HE THEN GAVE ME, PAPER WAS FROM DODGE TELLING OF THIS PROBLEM AND NOT TO SHOW TO ANY CUSTOMERS,HE GAVE THIS PAPER TO ME,AND TO THIS DAY I STILL HAVE SAME PROBLEMS,ALL PLASTIC LINING INSIDE OF VAN HAS CRACKED ABOUT 6 MONTHS AFTER GETTING VAN, GO THROUGH BRAKES LIKE CRAZY, AND VAN ALWAYS PULLS TO RIGHT . THERE ARE SO MANY PROBLEMS WITH THIS VAN I CAN'T LIST THEM ALL,TRIED TO RETURN VAN AFTER 7 MONTHS THEY WOULDN'T TAKE IT BACK. *JB

Mileage: 10

DODGE TRUCK ENGINE SEIZED UP AFTER HAVING A COMPLETE OIL MAINTENANCE.*MR EIGHT DAYS PRIOR TO THE ENGINE SEIZING THE DEALER REPLACED THE OIL PAN, BELTS, OIL AND OIL PUMP. *NM

I WAS DRIVING MY 1998 DODGE RAM 4X4 EXTENDED CAB 1500SLT 318 MOTOR ON THE FREEWAY DOING 70-75 MPH WHEN I LOST ALL POWER. I HAD NO POWER STEERING OR POWER BRAKES AND WAS STUCK IN THE FAST LANE ON THE INTERSTATE. I WAS FINALLY ABLE TO GET TO THE SHOULDER BY CUTTING OFF ANOTHER VEHICLE. I HAD MY TRUCK TOWED TO LITHIA DODGE OF ROSEBURG AND THEY SAID THE INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET WAS LEAKING . THEY ALSO SAID THIS WAS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THIS MODEL. IT CAUSED OIL TO BLOW DOWN MY EXHAUST AND PLUG MY CATALYTIC CONVERTER WHICH CHOKED OFF MY MOTOR AND CAUSED THE ENGINE TO DIE. THEY WOULD NOT WARRANTY THIS BECAUSE THE TRUCK HAS 46000 MILES ON IT. I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY THIS WASN'T RECALLED AS I WAS LUCKY I DIDN'T GET IN A WRECK. I KNOW TWO OTHER PEOPLE THIS SAME PROBLEM HAS HAPPENED TO. *LA

Mileage: 46,700

HORN IS HARD TO BLOW. REAR END MAKES WHINING NOISE AND IT STARTED USING 5 QUARTS OF OIL BETWEEN OIL CHANGES. I ONLY HAVE 36000 MILES ON IT. THEY REPLACED MANIFOLD INTAKE GASKET AT MY EXPENSE. THE FUEL GAUGE DOES NOT WORK RIGHT. LUCKILY I DIDN'T RUIN THE ENGINE THAT I KNOW OF. I UNDERSTAND THERE HAVE BEEN A LOT OF PROBLEMS WITH INTAKE GASKETS. HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE TO GET A RECALL ON DEFECTIVE PARTS? *JB

INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET LEAKS WHICH CAUSES A MIXTURE OF OIL AND GAS. AS A RESULT VEHICLE LOSES POWER AND CONSUMES EXCESSIVE OIL. THERE IS A TSB 1001522 ON THIS ISSUE. *AK

Mileage: 50,000

OIL PRESSURE GAUGE DROPPED TO ZERO AND LIFTERS ON ENGINE WERE TAPPING, SO I HAD TO PARK MY VEHICLE BEFORE I LOST MY ENGINE. VEHICLE IS A 98 DODGE RAM 1500 V6 WITH 70K MILES. WAS CAUSED BY A CLOGGED OIL PUMP INTAKE SCREEN. ALMOST LOST ENGINE BECAUSE SCREEN IS OF DEFECTIVE DESIGN. SCREEN IS COVERED BY A CAP THAT PREVENTS ALL OF THE SOLIDS FROM DROPPING BACK INTO THE PAN. THE OIL PAN ITSELF HAS A HALF INCH RISE INSIDE TO RECEIVE THE OIL DRAIN PLUG. THIS HALF INCH RISE PREVENTS HEAVY SOLIDS FROM BEING DRAINED DURING ROUTINE OIL CHANGES. THE OIL PUMP INTAKE IS LOCATED DIRECTLY ABOVE THESE SOLIDS, TRAPPED IN THE BOTTOM OF THE PAN, AND SUCKS THEM DIRECTLY INTO THE SCREEN. THEREFORE, OVER TIME THE CONDITION WILL REOCCUR. POST RESEARCH I FOUND NUMEROUS PERSONS WITH IDENTICAL DESCRIPTIONS TO MINE WHO HAD LOST THEIR ENGINES ON VARIES YEARS AND MODELS OF DODGE TRUCKS. ALTHOUGH HEARSAY, THESE INDIVIDUALS WERE TOLD BY DEALERSHIPS THAT THEY HAD SLUDGE IN THE BOTTOM OF THEIR PANS, STATING THE REASON FOR FAILURE WAS DO TO NOT ROUTINELY CHANGING OIL. I CAN DOCUMENT MY ROUTINE OIL CHANGES, AND I STILL HAD SOLIDS IN THE BOTTOM OF THE PAN ON MY VEHICLE THAT CANNOT BE REMOVED BY ROUTINE OIL CHANGES. I BELIEVE THIS TO BE A BREACH OF THE IMPLIED WARRANTY OF MERCHANTABILITY, AND THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL TO REMEDY THE PROBLEM. I HAVE DOCUMENTED THE PROBLEM ON VIDEO AS WELL. *JB

Mileage: 79,365

THE ENGINE CONSUMED SIX QUARTS OF OIL IN THE LAST 3000 MILES. THE DEALER WAS NOTIFIED AND INDICATED THAT THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD DO SINCE THE VEHICLE WAS NO LONGER UNDER WARRANTY. *NLM

THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED OVER NIGHT WITH ENGINE TURN OFF. THE NEXT MORNING VEHICLE HAD CAUGHT ON FIRE. THE VEHICLE WAS A TOTAL LOSS. CAUSE IS UNKNOWN. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.

WHILE SITTING IN VEHICLE CONSUMER PLACE HANDS UNDER THE DRIVERS SEAT AND BOTH DRIVERS AND PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAGS DEPLOYED. CAUSE IS UNKNOWN. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION. TS

THE HEAD GASKET HAS CRACKED AND CAUSING OIL TO BURN PREMATURELY.THE DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED.*JB

GEAR SELECTOR SHAFT BROKE INSIDE STEERING COLUMN HOUSING, 3 DEALERS COULD NOT FIX THE PROBLEM BECAUSE THE ENTIRE STEERING COLUMN HAS TO BE REPLACED. *TT . ZLSO, STEERING COLUMN/TRACK BAR FOR FRONT AXLE, AND CATALYTIC CONVERTER MALFUNCTIONED. *AK

CONSUMER STATES THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER IS RATTLING *TT

WHILE ON A BUSY HIGHWAY CONSUMER HEARD A RATTLING NOISE COMING FROM ENGINE. CONSUMER THOUGHT NOISE WAS COMING FROM FUEL THAT WAS PUT IN EARLIER, CHANGED FUEL, BUT THE RATTLING NOISE WAS STILL PRESENT. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER, AND THEY STATED INTAKE MANIFOLD WAS LEAKING. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK

THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT APPEAR ON THE DASBOARD WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING. THE DEALERSHIP IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. *NLM SPEED SENSOR WAS ON RECALL BUT THE RECALL DID NOT COVER THE CONSUMER'S VEHICLE. *YH

#4 CYLINDER HEAD CRACKED, BUT HEAD GASKET WORN ON OTHER HEAD AS WELL SO WE CHOSE TO REPLACE BOTH HEADS. WE REPORTED TO CHRYSLER AND THEY AGREED TO PAY HALF THE COST TO REPLACE THE TWO HEADS INCLUDING LABOR. *AK

ENGINE PISTON SEALS WERE NEVER SEATED PROPERLY WHICH ALLOWED ENGINE TO OPERATE ERRATICALLY. WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 70 MPH, ENGINE LOCKED UP, AND CONSUMER HAD VEHICLE TOWED. A PRIVATE MECHANIC REPLACED ENGINE. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION/ATTACHMENTS.*AK

WHILE DRIVING ENGINE CHECK LIGHT CAME ON, AND ENGINE GOT LOUD AND LOCKED UP 50 MILES LATER. DEALER HAS VEHICLE CURRENTLY. *AK

ON TWO SEPARATE OCCASSIONS, EVAP COMPONENTS, (VAPOR CANNISTERS) ATTACHED TO THE FRAME UNDERNEATH THE PASSENGER SEATING ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE VEHICLE HAVE BEEN DAMAGED DUE TO ROAD HAZARD AND ARE NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANTY. THEIR LOCATION MAKES THEM SUSCEPTIBLE TO DAMAGE AND THEY ARE EXPENSIVE TO REPLACE AND ARE NOT REPAIRABLE.

ENGINE WAS BURNING A QUART OF OIL WITHIN 700-900 MILES , DEALER CLAIMED THIS WAS A NORMAL CHARACTERISTIC. DEALER DID REPLACED INTAKE MANIFOLD TWICE WHICH STOPPED PROBLEM FOR A WHILE, BUT DEFECT HAS REOCCURRED. *AK *SLC

ENIGINE DEVELOPED A VERY SERIOUS KNOCKING AND BANGING, AND RECENTLY LOSS OF OIL PRESSURE AND LOW OVER 3 QUARTS OF OIL IN ABOUT 800 MILES AFTER OIL CHANGE. THE KNOCKING AND BANGING GOT SO BAD THAT I COULDN'T MAINTAIN HIGHWAY SPEEDS CAUSING A TRAFFIC HAZARD. IF ATTEMPTING TO PULL OUT AND PASS THE KNOCK MAY PREVENT ACCELLERATION CAUSING A HEAD ON COLLISION. CONTINUED KNOCK WILL RESULT IN ENGINE FAILURE AND DAMAGE. *AK

ENGINE STARTS TO PING AFTER 40 MPH. DODGE DEALERSHIP CLAIMS THAT DODGE IS WAITING TO PASS A NEW EPA LAW TO FIX PINGING PROBLEM THAT OCCURRED IN THOUSANDS OF 1998 DODGE RAMS. DODGE IS UNWILLING TO FIX MY TRUCK. I FEEL I HAVE THE RIGHT TO AT LEAST A NEW ENGINE. *AK

VEHICLE DIES AT IDLE AND WHILE DRIVING. *ET

ENGINE OIL LEAKAGE. MJS

CYLINDER HEAD CRACKED REQUIRED REPLACEMENT. MJS

HEATER VENTILLATION PROBLEMS DUE TO FAILURE OF THE CHECK VALVE/LEAKAGE. MJS

ENGINE START PROBLEMS WITH KNOCKING NOISE AND LEAKAGE.

FUEL PUMP AND MAP SENSOR FAILED ON THREE OCCASIONS. MJS

CATALYTIC CONVERTER SYSTEM FAILED TWICE. *YC

HAD SMELLED SOMETHING BURNING WHEN THE ENGINE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT & ABS LIGHT CAME ON. THEN THE ENGINE STALLED OUT. *AK

VEHICLE CONSUMES LARGE VOLUMES OF OIL IN SHORT PERIODS. ALSO, THE VEHICLE VIBRATES IN THE STEERING COLUMN AREA, CAUSE UNKNOWN. *AK VEHICLE VIBRATES ALLOVER AT SPEEDS BETWEEN 35-65 MPH NOW. VIBRATION STARTED 45-55 MPH WHEN NEW. *YH

BAD FUMES FROM BOTH INSIDE AND OUTSIDE VEHICLE DUE TO CATALITIC CONVERTER BURNING UP. REAR END IS MAKING A HUMMING NOISE.

PERSISTANT ENGINE SPARK CAUSE THE POWER TRAIN CONTROL MODULE TO FAIL.