10.0

really awful
Crashes / Fires:
1 / 0
Injuries / Deaths:
0 / 1
Average Mileage:
0 miles

About These NHTSA Complaints:

The NHTSA is the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints can be spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem. See the Back button — blue bar at the very top of the page — to explore more.

Get notified about new defects, investigations, recalls & lawsuits for the 1998 Dodge Ram Van 3500:

Unsubscribe any time. We don't sell/share your email.

problem #34

Feb 062002

(reported on)

Ram Van 3500 4WD Diesel

  • Automatic transmission
  • miles
Horn buttone (the area you press in the center of the steering wheel) will no press in to honk, due to design problem, due to air bag. There is not way to honk the horn

- White House, TN, USA

problem #33

Jan 182002

(reported on)

Ram Van 3500 4WD Diesel

  • miles
Horn is almost impossible to honk, dealer says it is because of airbag housing and there is not room for horn contacts to work, so no matter where you push or how hard you hit the steering wheel, it will not allow the horn to honk!

- White House, TN, USA

problem #32

Nov 161998

Ram Van 3500 4WD Diesel

  • miles
Horn does not sound when depressed; backup lights lens cover is tinted.

- Lorida, FL, USA

problem #31

Apr 252000

(reported on)

Ram Van 3500

  • Automatic transmission
  • miles
Horn is very hard to locate on steering column, and it is very hard to depress to get it to blow. This vehicle has narrowly missed being involved in 2 or 3 accidents because the driver could not use the horn.

- Arlington, TN, USA

problem #30

Aug 111999

Ram Van 3500

  • miles
Horn is located on top of steering wheel where the airbags come out. Consumer cannot place entire hand on the horn to make it work. Only a single point he can press with his finger on the steering column. That is the only way he can hear the horn.

- Fairmont, MN, USA

problem #29

Jan 272000

(reported on)

Ram Van 3500

  • miles
The horn is very difficult to apply. Owner has to add excessive pressure to get horn to function. Dlr says it's normal.

- Harrison, MI, USA

problem #28

Dec 121998

Ram Van 3500

  • Automatic transmission
  • miles
The design of horn button hardens in cold weather causing difficulties locating horn in a emergency. Occasionally the horn fails to work properly. The cruise control would gradually decrease without brakes being applied. Taken vehicle to dealer to check.

- Milwaukee, WI, USA

problem #27

Aug 271999

(reported on)

Ram Van 3500

  • Automatic transmission
  • miles
Horn has two small buttons on both side of airbag cover which are too small to locate and hard to press, not allowing driver to communicate with other drivers. Manufacturer states there is no plan to revise horn.

- Tippecanoe, OH, USA

problem #26

Aug 221999

(reported on)

Ram Van 3500 4WD

  • miles
Horn difficult to operate; trans shifts out of drive into neutral when driving over bumps and engine is under load

- Sherwood, AR, USA

problem #25

Jan 011999

Ram Van 3500

  • miles
Many of my friends have the same problem with 1998 Dodge trucks, Chrysler says it is "normal" and will not fix. Horn button was re-designed for 1999 and does not have the problem.

- Temecula, CA, USA

problem #24

May 201999

(reported on)

Ram Van 3500 4WD Diesel

  • miles
Horn difficult to activate, requires extreme force in very specific location.

- Kuna, ID, USA

problem #23

Apr 071999

(reported on)

Ram Van 3500

  • Automatic transmission
  • miles
Horn sensor was difficult to locate in an emergency. It caused a collision in which someone was killed.

- Irvine, CA, USA

problem #22

May 051998

Ram Van 3500

  • miles
The passenger's or driver's side seat belt does not retract. Also, you almost have to punch the horn pad to get it to work. The dealership was not able to correct the problem with the seat belt or the horn. Owner has 2 other trucks with the same problems. Please list VIN #S for other 2 trucks.

- Whitewater, WI, USA

problem #21

May 011998

Ram Van 3500

  • miles
I think that a horn that requires so much effort that it is useless is a safety problem. Although the dealer and the company district representitive say that the all of the 1998 horns are like that. Something can be done. Chrysler says in their specs that the horn should operate at 2 lbs of pressure not, the 10 lbs or more that they really take. I would like to know why, if there is no problem (they claim) did they fix it for 1999. Same steering wheel and pad but it now works.

- Miami, FL, USA

problem #20

Apr 201998

Ram Van 3500

  • miles
The horn is very difficult to operate through the airbag. Many times it has failed to sound at all.

- Lewisville, TX, USA

problem #19

Feb 101999

Ram Van 3500 4WD Diesel

  • miles
Horn can not be sounded in a quick emergency situation due to airbag configuration. Can only be sounded if thumb is precisely pressed exactly on two spots indicated while looking at those spots ie: Can not have eyes on road..

- Meriden, CT, USA

problem #18

Jan 121999

Ram Van 3500

  • miles
Horn button difficult to press. Must be centered. Will not work in emergency situations.

- Redondo Beach, CA, USA

problem #17

Jun 291998

(reported on)

Ram Van 3500 4WD Diesel

  • Automatic transmission
  • miles
Due to the location of the horn assembly, when attempting to depress the horn pad it is very difficult to locate the horn. Consumer states that due to the airbag location, it is difficult to locate and to honk.

- Wilson, WY, USA

problem #16

Feb 161999

(reported on)

Ram Van 3500 4WD Diesel

  • miles
The horn buttons are very difficult to locate/press. The resulting delay to activate the horn in an emergency situation, could be potentially hazardous to driver/occupants or pedestrians.

- Albion, WA, USA

problem #15

Feb 141999

(reported on)

Ram Van 3500 4WD Diesel

  • miles
The button seems very hard to push especially if cold. Too much plastic??

- Walden, NY, USA

Read the next 14 complaints »