Total Complaints
2 filings
DODGE PICKUP · model year
1997 DODGE PICKUP
2 NHTSA complaints. A VIN lookup is required to determine whether a specific vehicle has an unrepaired recall.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1997DODGEPICKUP carries 2 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 0 crashes, 1 fire, 0 injuries, and 0 fatalities. No NCAP 5-star crash-test rating is available for this model year in the federal database.
The most frequently selected component label in reports for the 1997 PICKUP is power train with 1 filings, followed by exterior lighting (1). Complaint categories reflect owner reports and intake categorization; they do not establish a defect pattern or cause.
NHTSA currently has 20 investigation files overlapping the 1997 PICKUP, and 1 remain open. Owners comparing this cohort against neighboring years should read the complaint-by-year trend as report volume, not a causal diagnosis. Use the related-complaint feed and the official recall lookup when researching a specific vehicle.
2
Complaints
0
Crashes
1
Fires
0
Injuries
0
Deaths
Crashes Reported
0 reports
Source
NHTSA ODI
Federal complaints database
Complaints vs. fleet median (215)
At or below the fleet median complaint volume.
Complaints by Component
| Component | Count |
|---|---|
| POWER TRAIN | 1 |
| EXTERIOR LIGHTING | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20081229FireEXTERIOR LIGHTING
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 DODGE PICKUP. WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH THERE WAS AN ELECTRICAL BURNING SMELL AND THE HEADLIGHTS SHUT OFF. THE CONTACT OPENED THE HOOD AND ATTEMPTED TO MAKE THE REPAIR; HOWEVER, THE HEADLIGHTS FLICKERED AND REMAINED ON. NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 06E026000 COMPONENT: EXTERIOR LIGHTING IS RELATED TO THE FAILURE. THE DEALER WAS NOTIFIED AND CONFIRMED THAT THE VIN DID NOT QUALIFY FOR THE RECALL. THE VEHICLE IS BEING REPAIRED AT THE OWNERS EXPENSE. THE FAIULRE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE UNKNOWN.
20081006POWER TRAIN
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 DODGE PICKUP. WHILE DRIVING UPHILL AT APPROXIMATELY 35-40 MPH, A LOCK-UP CLUTCH FAILURE OCCURRED. THE FAILURE OCCURRED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER AND THEY STATED THAT THE FAILURE WAS RELATED TO THE POWER TRAIN. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. RECENTLY, THE FAILURE RECURRED ON A SEPARATE OCCASION. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED FOR THE SECOND MALFUNCTION. THE CONTACT WAS CONCERNED OF THE SAFETY RISK INVOLVED. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 38,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 48,892.
Mileage: 38,000
Compare 1997DODGEPICKUP to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations 1 Open
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 1997 DODGE PICKUP have?▼
The 1997 DODGE PICKUP has 2 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 1 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1997 DODGE PICKUP?▼
The most-complained component for the 1997 DODGE PICKUP is POWER TRAIN with 1 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include EXTERIOR LIGHTING.
Is the 1997 DODGE PICKUP safe to buy?▼
Review the complaint history, crash and fire reports, safety ratings, and recall status on this page to make an informed decision. No NHTSA crash test rating is available for this model year. Compare with other model years using the links above.
Where does this data come from?▼
All complaint, recall, and safety rating data is sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Complaints are filed by vehicle owners through NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation.
Vehicle Safety Guides
Data vintage: August 2026. Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) complaints database, NHTSA recall campaign API, NHTSA NCAP crash-test ratings, and NHTSA FARS for fatality cross-reference.
Every figure on PlainCars is rendered directly from NHTSA complaint and safety data, no number is typed in by an editor. This year-specific record is rendered from NHTSA ODI, recall, and NCAP rows for the 1997 DODGE PICKUP; no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of August 2026.
Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.