1988 Dodge Ram problems & reliability
22 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 1988 Dodge Ram. Last verified Aug 7, 2026. Complaints are unverified reports submitted by owners to the federal Office of Defects Investigation.
Each complaint is counted once (by NHTSA case number), even when it names several vehicles.
1 complaint report injuries (1 injured).
Most reported problems
| Component | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 4 | 18% |
| Power Train | 3 | 14% |
| Seat Belts | 3 | 14% |
| Tires | 3 | 14% |
| Steering | 2 | 9% |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 2 | 9% |
| Equipment | 1 | 5% |
| Exterior Lighting | 1 | 5% |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 1 | 5% |
| Seats | 1 | 5% |
Component groups as classified by NHTSA. A complaint can name more than one component, so shares may sum to more than 100%.
Complaints by incident year
What owners report
“When the vehicle is in parking gear it makes horrible and bumping noise. Dealership is aware of problem.*ak”
Power Train · filed Sep 18, 2001
“Vehicle was parked and running, and without prior warning, vehicle slipped into another gear and rolled back, hitting another vehicle.*ak”
Power Train · filed Aug 8, 2001
“Due to failure of turn switch, I was ticketed for no brake lights and turn signals, and forced to have $366.48 in repairs for a faulty switch that should have been recalled at initial release of vehicle in 1988.*ak”
Exterior Lighting · filed Dec 13, 2000
Verbatim excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA. Reports are not independently verified.
Technical service bulletins
2 manufacturer communications (TSBs, service campaigns, warranty extensions) are on file with NHTSA for the 1988 Dodge Ram.
68069384A$, R8069384A$, 68086182A$, R8027067A$, RL002012A$ - Gasket, Cylinder Head Cover Before replacing injectors for Diagnostic Trouble Codes P0201, P0202, P0203, P0204, P0205, and/or P0206, please make sure that the…
9002688 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Feb 13, 2013
Steering column coupler service. *tw
190393 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Apr 1, 1993
TSBs are repair guidance manufacturers send to dealers — they are not recalls and repairs are not automatically free. Full documents are available on NHTSA’s site.
Safety recalls
No NHTSA recall campaigns name the 1988 Dodge Ram in our current data. Recalls may apply only to certain VIN ranges — always confirm with a VIN check.
Check whether your specific vehicle is affected
Recall campaigns often cover only certain VIN ranges. Enter your VIN on the official NHTSA site to confirm whether your vehicle is included and whether the repair is still open.
Check VIN on NHTSA →Buying a used 1988 Dodge Ram?
- · Decode the seller’s VIN with our free VIN decoder to confirm the exact year, engine and trim.
- · Check for unrepaired recalls by VIN on NHTSA’s official lookup — recall repairs are free.