Comments: 1-15, 16-30, 31-45, 46-60, 61-75, 76-90, 91-102
I just sold my 1998 dodge 4x4 club cab. Very very happy day. Got my 14,000 and put it down on a 2005 F-250 4x4 crew cab power-stroke diesel. The only thing I could say so far is wow! Finally a truck, a real truck just go test drive one and you will see what I mean. Good luck to all you dodge owners and I sincerely mean it.
I have a 1998 2WD 1500 SLT with 150k miles on it, which I bought used with 40k miles. I replaced the fuel pump (which is common by today standards after 100k miles), and rebuilt the rear differential (which I assumed was due to heavy towing without proper break-in). I haven't had any tranny problems, but I have NEVER changed the transmission oil. This is my third dodge, drove each of them till around 200k miles, and I don't touch the transmission fluids. I'd be curious as to how many people with transmission problems change the transmission oil?
Bought my 1998 Ram 1500 4x4 new. Only had 1 repeat (one) problem which was - you guessed it - the transmission failed last fall. Had it towed to the Dodge dealership here (in XXXXXXXXX, Alberta, Canada). Charged me $721 to pull it apart and tell me it was toast. He quoted me $8000 for a factory new one. That sound you just heard was me passing out and hitting my head on the floor!. But wait, he said he "was trying to work with me" so he could get me a rebuilt one for $3800 and only $1600 for installation so I had better jump on this "deal" at only $5600...second sound of me hitting the floor!!! So he said "in the spirit of cooperation" he had checked around the city and that there were just "no repeat no" other way to get a transmission. So I hung up, pounded back a couple of Canadian Clubs and Coke, and grabbed the Yellow Pages. My next phone call to the??? Transmission shop went like this:
Me: Do you have a transmission for my truck?
Them: Yep, how many do you need?
Me: How much?
Them: $1800 installed ($1400 if I installed it)
Me: How long to get it done?
Them: They would tow it here (across the city) for $50 and install the new (to me) transmission by the day after tomorrow.
Me: What about the cost of "troubleshooting" the transmission to find the cause?
Them: No charge.
Me: Would you give me the name of a good hit man to whack the clown at the dealership?
Them: They get lots of requests for a guy like that.
Me: Do it (replace tranny that is)
Epilogue: My transmission failed because of a blockage in the factory installed auxiliary transmission cooler. So we bypassed it altogether with an aftermarket cooler. Transmission even has a 1 year 20k km warranty. For less than $2000 INSTALLED. So do yourself a favour. NEVER, but NEVER take your Dodge to the dealership with transmission issues. They will take your phone call as an invitation to abuse you (another, more vulgar term comes to mind) severely. Anytime a dealer "service representative" says "hey, I'm trying to work with you here"...like William F. Macy taking to Margie in the movie Fargo... run like h?ll out the door...
I'm not sure if all transmission shops are like this, but I'm sure glad I found a reputable one. Take care!!
I own a 1998 dodge ram 1500 Laramie SLT. Love it. No problems till now. ABS & brake light come on and stay on. Haven't noticed any lack of braking. Probably could use a brake job, but could anything else cause this. Oh yeah, truck has 109,000 miles. e-mail me at gene_b49@yahoo.com Thanks.
I also own a 1998 dodge ram 1500 Laramie SLT just like the one above with about the same mileage I have 102k miles on mine and it is having the exact same problem I just got in my truck the other day and both the brake light and the ABS light came on and wouldn't go off and it's still doing it, and my braking seems fine too. I'm thinking it maybe something electrical though because my speedometer stopped working under like 20 mph at the exact same time.
I own a 97 dodge 1500 5.9 4x4 the truck has been in my family since it rolled 100,000 it now has 148,000 with hard driving intense 4 wheeling and poor upkeep. I just replaced the front you joints and the right hub bearing a giant smack right in the wallet, but the truck has been badly neglected
it was also total lost with a smack in the rear at 60 mph while at a dead stand still we purchased it back from the insurance company did nothing to it, but drive it. Its the best truck I have ever owned hope you all have better luck with yours.
I own the same truck, and have the same problem with the ABS light (from brand new) it would go on, then off, took it to the dealership 3 times and they could not find the problem. I have watched this light for about 110,000 miles now. Probably a sensor or something. I have tried to avoid dodge service since my 1991 Dakota, which I bought new and got screwed really good by their service dept. I told them that I thought the best thing I could do was cut a hole in the hood to change oil then run a welded bead around the rest of the hood to keep their hands off of it.
I have a 1998 Dodge Ram 1500 - has about 91,000 miles. Just recently, if I let it sit for more than 24 hours, it's totally dead. I had the battery, starter, and alternator checked and all are working well. When I try to start it, I turn the key and there's no sound at all. If I jump the battery, it will run fine for a while and not die while I'm driving it, but the next morning - dead again. Is there a known problem with the electrical? something that would be draining the battery slowly like an accessory light that's not shutting off?
Your ABS and Park brake light are due to a poor sensor rearend sensor, it is a very common problem with dodges from those years, My suggestion if you have anymore problems is to Sign Up With www.dodgetalk.com they have every little problem you could possibly thing of because basically its all dodge owners, I have never had a problem where someone hasn't figured it out for me there.. Sign up... you won't regret it.
I owned mostly Fords since I could drive. I just had to have a newer Dodge though. I couldn't afford my '98 Ram 1500 until April of '03. I got rid of my '78 Ford 4x4 (it leaked oil and I had to work on it once in a while) for my "newer, trouble free, under 50,000 mile Dodge". I've had it 2 1/2 years, and it's been in the garage almost the whole time. The list follows: bad fuel pump for prolonged crank hard start, vacuum leak (cracked canister) resulted in front axle slipping in and out of 4WD (which I think trashed gears in front diff, not sure yet) when locked in and losing heater/AC controls under acceleration, plugged catalytic converter (expensive), front axle seals, joints, and upper & lower ball joints, water pump, driver side glass falls out of track, rear speakers don't work, front speakers work when they feel like it, and it leaks oil now too from the rear diff and several places from tranny. I'm sure there are some things I am forgetting. All this for almost the payment of a new one, but with no warranty! Seems like a lot of trouble and a WHOLE LOT of money for 80,000 miles. I am holding my breath for the sure to come burned up tranny even though I haul nothing and carry almost nothing. I miss my Ford...
My good friend has a 96 Dodge Ram 1500 Extended Cab, and I can't think of a single thing that he's replaced on it, minus the oil and possibly the fuel pump. 140,000 miles now, not a dang problem. I also have a Dodge, and it has 101K. BUT, my Dodge ain't too happy right now. Tranny problems, oil pressure problems, oil leaks, Turbo problems, vacuum leaks (fixed), oil regulators, etc. I still like it though. Gotta admit that Dodge can style a vehicle right.
Own a 1998 Ram 1500 quad cab 360CI SLT. Good truck for 2 years when it started falling apart. I was driving over a mountain pass when I Started seeing coolant on my windshield. Thought I caught a rock in the rediator, but no both rear freeze plugs blew. $996.00. Got it back and could hear water running under the dash. Took it back, Tech said there was air in the coolant system. Did a pressure check and said all was well. $75.00 for pressure check. Started overheating, took it back, Tech said bad thermostat. $60.00 Guess what? Still overheating. Need to tear the heads off because the tech said 360 CI Dodge is known to suck the intake gasket into # cylinder. I said no tear down and towed it home. Took it to another Mech. and he said, bad # fuel injector. Replaced it with the water pump that was bad. $420.00. Drove it one day and it overheated again. Took it back, Cannot find a problem. Tech said the fuel cinc SP? was off. Reset it and ran it for an hour and no overheating? $95.00. Drove it one more day, overheated. Took it back, Tech did compression leak test. 30lb in #3 and 45lb in #5. Bad intake valve. Pulled heads off and both heads had several crack in each. New heads $2450.00. Shop has had my truck for three weeks. I always owned Chevy's and got 300k out of the 350CI gas motors. I am just sick of hand my hard earned $ out to auto shops. After the fix I am going to sell it and buy a Chevy, more payments, higher insurance, and hopefully no more high $ repairs.
Randy.
Thinking about buying a 1998 Dodge Quad Cab with a 5.9. Scared to death reading quotes. Please help and advise. Who else has had problems with their trans?
Had my 98 1500 4x4 Sport Pickup one year now. Bought used from the dealer 89k. One Owner and dealer maintained. Had following problems.
1- Transmission Torque converter replaced (Dealer Warranty)
2- AC Compressor replaced by dealer warranty.
3- Thermostat replaced by dealer warranty.
4- Steering linkages replace by dealer for 1,200 dollars.
Just goes to prove they will get you sooner or later. Can't wait for those 3 foreign manufactures to start selling those comparable trucks... (Nissan Toyota... Hello any question the US's BIG THREE are in Deep Trouble...)
I have owned a 96 Dodge Ram 1500 manual trans. for eight years and I must say that it has been the best truck ever. Bought it new and sold it to my brother, and the only thing that went wrong, but was covered by warranty was the fuel pump and the left ball joint. Other than that it has always been and still is a damn good truck. It has 90 something thousand miles on it, and I have always taken good care of my trucks, used only the best 10-30 synthetic oil in it.
I loved that truck so much that I sold it only buy me an 04 with a hemi. I think every truck manufacture has it's problems import or domestic and some times it's the operators fault.