Problems owners report
Complaints filed with NHTSA about the 1997 Dodge Ram, by the system named in each complaint. One complaint can name several.
- Service brakes, hydraulic78
- Power train71
- Air bags38
- Steering36
- Visibility30
- Engine and engine cooling30
- Suspension24
- Vehicle speed control23
- Electrical system22
- Fuel system, gasoline22
NHTSA ODI complaints (public domain) · updated 23 Oct 2026 · 33 injuries and 7 deaths reported
Compared with other years
NHTSA ODI complaints by model year
Fatal crashes in the US
From 2020 to 2023, 89 1997 Ram vehicles were involved in crashes on US public roads in which someone died; 51 people died inside them, and 23 of the vehicles rolled over. This is a count, not a crash rate: it grows with the number of cars on the road.
NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), crash years 2020–2023 (public domain)
New York safety inspections
At its first New York inspection the 1997 Dodge Ram failed the safety check 1.23% of the time — 23% less often than the average 1997 passenger car (1.60%). Median odometer at inspection: 168,597 miles.
NY DMV Vehicle Inspections (vezn-fmmk), initial inspections since Aug 2021 · how we count
In New Zealand
4 1997 cars are on the New Zealand register; 100% arrived as used imports, 0% were sold new in New Zealand.
NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi, Motor Vehicle Register (March 2026) · CC BY 4.0
Recalls in Canada
7 Transport Canada recalls for the 1997 Dodge Ram.
| 2001055 8 Mar 2001 | Structure On certain pickup trucks located in Ontario, Quebec and the Maritime provinces, corrosion of the hood secondary latch return spring may cause the hood secondary… |
| 1999132 28 Jun 1999 | Structure On certain 4 x 4 pickups equipped with an 8.0 litre V10 engine, Under certain heavy duty applications, such as driving up a steep grade in four wheel drive with… |
| 1999027 23 Feb 1999 | Electrical On certain Ram 3500 vehicles, the headlamp switches used in this truck series operate under a high current load which results in switch internal temperatures ab… |
| 1998038 4 Mar 1998 | Emissions Certain Ram 3500 vehicles do not comply with CMVSS 1101 - emission device. The Vehicle emission warranty statement in the engine warranty manuals does not incl… |
| 1997167 3 Oct 1997 | Emissions Certain vehicles may not comply with CMVSS 1103 - exhaust emissions. Improper calibration of the Powertrain Control Module may cause an increase in the levels … |
| 1997139 14 Aug 1997 | Structure On certain vehicles, the exhaust pipe may be in contact or close proximity to the outer dash panel silencer pad. It is possible that the pipe can generate suffi… |
| 1997096 7 May 1997 | Powertrain On certain vehicles, the transmission fluid temperature could exceed the melting point of the connector which retains the fluid line to the transmission. Should… |
Transport Canada Vehicle Recalls Database · Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada
Recalls
ON CERTAIN PICKUP TRUCKS EQUIPPED WITH DIESEL ENGINES ONLY, THE THROTTLE LINKAGE JOINTS CAN CORRODE AND CAUSE THE THROTTLE TO BIND OR STICK.
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PICKUP TRUCKS. SOUND DEADENER MATERIAL INSIDE THE STEERING WHEEL COULD BECOME DETACHED FROM THE COVER AND HOUSING. NOTE: THE RAM PICKUP TRUCKS WERE BUILT AT THE WARREN ASSEMBLY PLANT ("S" IN THE 11TH VIN POSITION) FROM MAY 16, 2000 THROUGH OCTOBER 23, 2000; ST. LOUIS NORTH ASSEMBLY PLANT ("J" IN THE 11TH VIN POSITION) FROM MAY 19, 2000 THROUGH OCTOBER 23, 2000; LAGO ALBERTO ASSEMBLY PLANT ("M" IN THE 11TH VIN POSITION) FROM MAY 23, 2000 THROUGH OCTOBER 23, 2000; AND SALTILLO ASSEMBLY PLANT ("G" IN THE 11TH VIN POSITION) FROM MAY 23, 2000 THROUGH OCTOBER 23, 2000. IMPORTANT: VEHICLES THAT HAVE ALREADY HAD THE PROPER CLOCKSPRING INSTALLED, ACCORDING TO WARRANTY RECORDS, HAVE BEEN EXCLUDED FROM THIS RECALL. IN ADDITION, 1997-2000 MODEL YEAR VEHICLES THAT HAVE HAD A SUSPECT REPLACEMENT CLOCKSPRING INSTALLED, ACCORDING TO WARRANTY RECORDS, HAVE BEEN ADDED TO THIS RECALL.
ON CERTAIN PICKUP TRUCKS ORIGINALLY SOLD IN OR CURRENTLY REGISTERED IN THE FOLLOWING "SALT BELT" STATES: MAINE, NEW HAMPSHIRE, VERMONT, MASSACHUSETTS, RHODE ISLAND, CONNECTICUT, NEW YORK, NEW JERSEY, PENNSYLVANIA, DELAWARE, MARYLAND, THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, WEST VIRGINIA, OHIO, INDIANA, MICHIGAN, ILLINOIS, WISCONSIN, MINNESOTA, IOWA, AND MISSOURI. CORROSION OF THE RETURN SPRING ON THE HOOD SECONDARY LATCH COULD CAUSE THE MECHANISM TO BIND IN THE "RELEASE POSITION."
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PICKUP TRUCKS EQUIPPED WITH MANUAL TRANSMISSION, V10 ENGINES AND FOUR-WHEEL-DRIVE TRANSFER CASES. UNDER SUSTAINED MAXIMUM RATED VEHICLE LOAD, WHILE DRIVING UP A STEEP GRADE IN FOUR-WHEEL-DRIVE LOW RANGE IN HOT AMBIENT CONDITIONS, THE LOCAL EXHAUST TEMPERATURE PROXIMATE TO THE HYDRAULIC CLUTCH LINE CAN GENERATE LINE TEMPERATURES THAT EXCEED THE TEMPERATURE LIMIT OF THE CLUTCH LINE MATERIAL. IF THIS CONDITION OCCURS AND THE CLUTCH IS DEPRESSED, THE LINE COULD RUPTURE.
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: VAN AND WAGON MODEL PASSENGER VEHICLES. IF WATER/ROAD SALT GETS ON THE INTERIOR FLOOR OF THE VEHICLE IN THE PROXIMITY OF THE AIR BAG ELECTRONIC CONTROL MODULE (AECM), THE AECM CAN CORRODE. THE RESULTING CORROSION CAN CAUSE THE DRIVER SIDE AIR BAG TO DEPLOY INADVERTENTLY.
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: LIGHT DUTY TRUCKS EQUIPPED WITH DIESEL ENGINES. THE EXHAUST PIPE CONTACTS OR IS IN CLOSE PROXIMITY TO THE OUTER DASH PANEL SILENCER PAD.
UNDER CERTAIN HIGH LOAD OPERATING CONDITIONS, THE TRANSMISSION FLUID TEMPERATURE CAN EXCEED THE MELTING POINT OF THE MATERIAL USED IN THE CONNECTOR TO RETAIN THE FLUID LINE TO THE TRANSMISSION.
Whether a recall was fixed on a particular car is known only to the manufacturer: check the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
NHTSA recalls · summaries in NHTSA's own words
Service bulletins
What Dodge told its dealers about the 1997 Dodge Ram: known faults, fixes and updates.
| Bulletin | Summary |
|---|---|
| 634272 | FLASH PROGRAMMING FAILURE RECOVERY. *SLC |
| 628237 | CUSTOMER MAY COMPLAIN OF HIGH OIL CONSUMPTION, GREY OIL SMOKE COMING OUT OF THE EXHAUST OR BREATHER TUBE, OR MECHANICAL KNOCKING. *TT |
| 621898 | AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION FLUID USAGE ATF+4. *TT *MJ |
| 620066 | SUBJECT REGARDING GENERIC SCAN TOOL (GST), PUBLICATION NO. 81-170-00008 PROVIDED WITH THIS TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN TO PROVIDE REFERENCE INFORMATION WHEN USING GENERIC SCAN TOOL ON OBDII VEHICLES. *TT |
| 618392 | SOME CUSTOMERS MAY EXPERIENCE A SITUATION IN WHICH THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE SITS TOO HIGH TO ATTACH THEIR FIFTH WHEEL OR GOOSE NECK TRAILER TO THE TRAILER HITCH TURNABLE. *JB |
| 618049 | SUBJECT REGARDING WIRE SPLICE REPAIRS. *SB |
| 615688 | SUBJECT REGARDING CHILD SEAT TETHER ANCHORS. *TT |
| 612607 | SUBJECT PERTAINING TO AIR FILTER SERVICE. *TT |
| 612606 | CONCERNS WITH A BUZZ NOISE COMING FROM THE FRONT DOOR SPEAKER(S). *TT |
| 612160 | SUBJECT ON THE CHILD SEAT TETHER ANCHORS. *MJS |
| 610616 | SOME CUSTOMERS MAY COMMENT ON A SQUEAKING / CLICKING NOISE FROM REAR LEAF SPRINGS. *TT |
| 610005 | EXPERIENCING SPARK KNOCK AND ENGINE OIL CONSUMPTION DUE TO INTAKE MANIFOLD PAN GASKET OIL LEAK. *TT |
| 609995 | THIS BULLETIN PROVIDES A REVISED WIRE SPLICE PROCEDURE AND RELATED PARTS. *TT |
| 609988 | SUBJECT REGARDING MISDIAGNOSED LEAK DETECTION PUMP SYSTEMS WITH DIAGNOSTIC TROUBLE CODES P1494, P0442 P0455, OR P0456. *TT |
| 6089735 | THIS BULLETIN MENTIONS THAT THE FRONT WHEEL BEARING GREASE IS EVIDENT ON THE BEARING SEAL AREA. *TT |
| 6089142 | CONCERNS WITH VEHICLE BUCKING. *NLM |
| 6089112 | THIS BULLETIN INVOLVES OIL CANNING NOISE COMING FROM BOX AREA. *NLM |
| 6089062 | CONCERN WITH WATER LEAKING THROUGH REAR WINDOW. *NLM |
| 6089058 | EXHIBITING WINDNOISE (WHISTLE) AROUND GRILLE AREA. *NLM |
| 6089056 | THIS BULLETIN INVOLVES DRIVER'S SIDE WIPER BLADE CONTRACTS A -PILLAR. *NLM |
| 6089032 | THIS BULLETIN INVOLVES TRANSFER CASE SHIFTER BUZZ OR RATTLE. *NLM |
| 6089030 | THIS BULLETIN INVOLVES REVERSE BUZZ (46RE) *NLM |
| 6088991 | THIS BULLETIN INVOLVES OVERDRIVE UNAVAILABLE IN EXTREME COLD TEMPERATURES, BYPASS KIT INSTALLATION, INHIBITOR PROGRAMMING. *NLM |
| 6088972 | THIS BULLETIN INVOLVES LOWER STEERING COLUMN NOISE AND/OR MINO LOWER STEERING COLUMN MOVEMENT. *NLM |
| 6088962 | CUSTOMER MAY COMPLAIN OF STEERING WANDER. *NLM |
NHTSA manufacturer communications (public domain)
NHTSA investigations
SEAT BACK FAILURE
HOOD LATCH
TRANSMISSION QUICK CONNECTORS
CLUTCH HYDRAULIC LINE
CLUTCH HYDRAULIC LINE FAILURE
NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation