1997 Dodge RAM 1500 Power Train Problems
Owners have filed 56 complaints with NHTSA about power train problems on the 1997 Dodge RAM 1500, 16% of all complaints for this model year. Half of the reports with a mileage happened before 70,001 miles. The words owners use most often: “transmission failed” (13% of reports).
- 56power train complaints
- 70,001median miles at failure
- 1mention a crash
- 2mention an injury
- 0related recalls
- $2,800typical repair cost reported by owners
- 43%of reports with a speed happened at 50+ mph
What owners describe
Phrases that appear unusually often in these complaints compared with complaints about other cars.
- Transmission failed: mentioned in 7 of 56 complaints (13%)
How much does it cost to fix?
Owners who wrote down what they paid or were quoted put the typical power train repair on the 1997 Dodge RAM 1500 at $2,800, and half of them between $1,450 and $2,850.
Based on 6 NHTSA complaints about this problem alone that state a repair bill or quote (2000–2005), converted to 2026 dollars with the U.S. consumer price index. These are owners' own figures, not a quote: they include dealer quotes, and owners who file complaints often faced larger repairs, so they can run higher than typical shop prices. Prices vary by shop, region and warranty coverage. How we calculate this.
At what mileage do power train problems happen?
Based on 16 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 56 complaints, 1 mention a crash, 1 a fire, 2 an injury.
Dodge RAM 1500 power train complaints by model year
| Model year | Power Train complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 RAM 1500 | 92 | 13% | 65,500 |
| 2011 RAM 1500 | 176 | 26% | 44,000 |
| 2010 RAM 1500 | 229 | 47% | 60,000 |
| 2009 RAM 1500 | 231 | 34% | 69,000 |
| 2008 RAM 1500 | 73 | 13% | 84,459 |
| 2007 RAM 1500 | 61 | 12% | 63,500 |
| 2006 RAM 1500 | 100 | 13% | 89,500 |
| 2005 RAM 1500 | 593 | 51% | 110,967 |
| 2004 RAM 1500 | 181 | 16% | 120,678 |
| 2003 RAM 1500 | 125 | 11% | 74,000 |
| 2002 RAM 1500 | 99 | 12% | 82,500 |
| 2001 RAM 1500 | 95 | 9% | 57,570 |
| 2000 RAM 1500 | 45 | 9% | 60,000 |
| 1999 RAM 1500 | 59 | 10% | 70,000 |
| 1998 RAM 1500 | 85 | 16% | 90,000 |
| 1997 RAM 1500 | 56 | 16% | 70,001 |
| 1996 RAM 1500 | 52 | 17% | 106,000 |
| 1995 RAM 1500 | 30 | 14% | 86,500 |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (0)
No safety recall lists power train for the 1997 Dodge RAM 1500. A pattern of complaints does not always lead to a recall.
What owners report
Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are 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…
Tl* the contact owns a 1997 dodge ram 1500. While driving approximately 35 mph, the contact heard an abnormal noise coming from the rear of the vehicle. The contact noticed that the shaft and gear inadvertently detached. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified. The…
Tl* the contact owns a 1997 dodge ram 1500. The contact stated that while trying to shift the vehicle out of park, it failed to shift. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed with an unspecified internal transmission failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not…
Frequently asked questions
Do all 1997 Dodge RAM 1500s have power train problems?
No. NHTSA has 56 owner complaints about power train for the 1997 Dodge RAM 1500 (16% of the 361 complaints for this model year). Complaint data shows that the problem is reported, not how many of all cars sold are affected.
Was there a recall on the 1997 Dodge RAM 1500 power train?
No recall currently lists power train for this vehicle.
At what mileage do power train problems start?
The median reported mileage is 70,001 miles: half of the reports with a mileage came before that.
How much does it cost to fix power train problems on the 1997 Dodge RAM 1500?
Owners report a typical cost of $2,800 (half paid between $1,450 and $2,850), from 6 complaints that state a repair bill or quote, in 2026 dollars.
What do owners say about power train problems on the 1997 Dodge RAM 1500?
The most frequent phrase is “transmission failed”, in 7 of 56 complaints.
Other 1997 Dodge RAM 1500 problems
- Structure problems (70)
See all 1997 Dodge RAM 1500 problems or power train problems across all RAM 1500 years.