1997 Dodge RAM 1500 Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other RAM 1500 years
- Fewer complaints than other years 16th of 19 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- None on file
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 361 complaints with NHTSA about the 1997 Dodge RAM 1500. That ranks 16th out of 19 RAM 1500 model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is structure (70 complaints, 19%), typically at around 100,000 miles. Complaints mention 31 crashes, 14 fires, 37 injuries. There are no safety recalls on file for this model year. NHTSA has opened 1 defect investigation involving it.
- 361owner complaints
- 0safety recalls
- 1NHTSA investigations
- 31complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 1997 Dodge RAM 1500 problems
Complaints grouped by the part of the car owners reported, with the median mileage when the problem happened.
| Problem area | Complaints | Share | Median miles | Owners mention most | Typical repair cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Structure problems | 70 | 19% | 100,000 | “dash cracking” (11%) | — |
| Power Train problems | 56 | 16% | 70,001 | “transmission failed” (13%) | $2,800 |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 43 | 12% | 80,150 | — | — |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 26 | 7% | 95,000 | — | — |
| Unknown or Other | 26 | 7% | 100,000 | — | — |
| Air Bags | 24 | 7% | 97,945 | — | — |
| Electrical System | 23 | 6% | 103,000 | — | — |
| Steering | 23 | 6% | 95,100 | — | — |
| Suspension | 21 | 6% | 123,500 | — | — |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 20 | 6% | 31,000 | — | — |
| Exterior Lighting | 17 | 5% | 122,500 | — | — |
| Tires | 16 | 4% | 91,000 | — | — |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 14 | 4% | 98,500 | — | — |
| Visibility | 14 | 4% | 20,000 | — | — |
| Equipment | 12 | 3% | 38,225 | — | — |
| Latches/locks/linkages | 10 | 3% | 112,497 | — | — |
| Wheels | 9 | 2% | 99,000 | — | — |
| Seats | 6 | 2% | 80,100 | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Air | 5 | 1% | 40 | — | — |
| Service Brakes | 4 | 1% | 137,500 | — | — |
| Engine | 3 | 1% | 225,000 | — | — |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 2 | 1% | 181,000 | — | — |
| Seat Belts | 2 | 1% | 85,000 | — | — |
| Trailer Hitches | 2 | 1% | 114,000 | — | — |
| Fuel System, Other | 1 | 0% | 57,000 | — | — |
| Parking Brake | 1 | 0% | — | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
1997 Dodge RAM 1500 recalls (0)
No safety recalls are on file for the 1997 Dodge RAM 1500.
To see whether a specific car still has an open recall, enter its VIN on NHTSA's official recall lookup. You can also decode a VIN here.
NHTSA defect investigations
- Seat back failure (DP03006) — opened Sep 23, 2003, closed Apr 8, 2004.
Recent owner reports
Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.
Noticed a high pitched whine coming from the rear of the vehicle about 30-40 seconds before the rear axle assembly locked up. Traveling on a secondary to a city street slowing to 30 mph. Axle assembly locked up at 45 mph causing a skid that was controlled. Axle housing split, drive shaft detached…
My 97 ram has about 95% of the dash missing. I have saved pieces of it and parts if the instrument panel is broken off. I can be driving down the road,, hit a bump, and dash pieces will fall on the floor. Dodge needs to fix this.
Tl* the contact owns a 1997 dodge ram 1500. While the vehicle was parked with the engine running, the cabin spontaneously filled with smoke and caught fire without warning. The air bags did not deploy. There were no injuries and a police report was not filed. The local dealer and manufacturer were…
The dash is completely busted and i think that it needs to be replaced and the reason why is if i get into a wreck who am i going to blame whenever it short of my plastic dash comes to hit somebody in the face the neck or any other part of their body
While driving down the road the clip attaching the accelerator cable to the throttle body snapped causing a total loss of steering and effectivness of the brake. I had a 2 month old and my 3 year old in the truck as well.
Other Dodge RAM 1500 years
← 1996 RAM 1500 · 1998 RAM 1500 →
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2014 RAM 1500 | 1 | 0 |
| 2012 RAM 1500 | 698 | 6 |
| 2011 RAM 1500 | 689 | 4 |
| 2010 RAM 1500 | 486 | 4 |
| 2009 RAM 1500 | 670 | 2 |
| 2008 RAM 1500 | 554 | 5 |
| 2007 RAM 1500 | 517 | 4 |
| 2006 RAM 1500 | 792 | 9 |
| 2005 RAM 1500 | 1,170 | 4 |
| 2004 RAM 1500 | 1,099 | 5 |
| 2003 RAM 1500 | 1,171 | 1 |
| 2002 RAM 1500 | 815 | 3 |
| 2001 RAM 1500 | 1,112 | 2 |
| 2000 RAM 1500 | 513 | 2 |
| 1999 RAM 1500 | 610 | 0 |
| 1998 RAM 1500 | 520 | 0 |
| 1997 | 361 | 0 |
| 1996 RAM 1500 | 298 | 0 |
| 1995 RAM 1500 | 213 | 0 |
See all Dodge RAM 1500 problems by year, every Dodge model, or the Dodge VIN decoder.
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Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 1997 Dodge RAM 1500?
Owners most often report structure, power train, service brakes, hydraulic problems. The top one, structure, accounts for 70 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 1997 Dodge RAM 1500?
No safety recalls are on file for this model year.
Was the 1997 Dodge RAM 1500 a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other RAM 1500 model years, the 1997 has fewer complaints than most years. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.