Total Complaints
21 filings
DODGE RAM PICKUP · model year
21 NHTSA complaints for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1997DODGERAM PICKUP carries 21 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.
Component-level analysis is where model-year complaints become actionable: the top complaint category for the 1997 RAM PICKUP is structure with 3 filings, followed by vehicle speed control (2) and steering (2). Concentration in one or two component groups is the classic signature of a systemic defect; a flat distribution usually reflects normal aging, warranty complaints, or isolated build-plant variability.
NHTSA currently has 1 investigation file overlapping the 1997 RAM PICKUP. Owners comparing this cohort against neighboring years should pair the counters above with the complaint-by-year trend on the parent model page — a spike in a single year often tracks to a platform refresh, a new transmission supplier, or an updated ECU calibration. Use the related-complaint feed below to read raw owner narratives before deciding whether any pattern here affects your specific use case.
Total Complaints
21 filings
Crashes Reported
0 reports
Source
NHTSA ODI
Federal complaints database
At or below the fleet median complaint volume.
| Component | Count |
|---|---|
| STRUCTURE | 3 |
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL | 2 |
| STEERING | 2 |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS | 1 |
| STRUCTURE:BODY:DOOR | 1 |
| SUSPENSION:FRONT:SPRINGS:COIL SPRINGS | 1 |
| LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:HOOD:LATCH | 1 |
| WHEELS:LUGS/NUTS/BOLTS/STUDS | 1 |
| POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION | 1 |
| SUSPENSION | 1 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE | 1 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:EMISSION CONTROL:CATALYTIC CONVERTOR | 1 |
| STRUCTURE:BODY | 1 |
| EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS:SWITCH | 1 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | 1 |
DASH BOARD CRACKED ON DRIVERS SIDE AND MIDDLE FROM WHERE IT MEETS WINDSHIELD TO THE FACE OF DASH. *TR
Mileage: 1,400,000
WHILE DRIVING ON US HIGHWAY 231 IN ALABAMA A GOOD YEAR TIRE (LT245/75R16E) TREADS SEPARATED AND CAUSED OVER $4,600.00 DOLLARS DAMAGE TO THE LEFT SIDE OF MY DODGE RAM TRUCK. THE TIRES HAVE BEEN A PROBLEM SINCE NEW AND WERE OEM EQUIPMENT . THEY WOULDN'T STAY IN BALANCE VERY LONG AFTER BEING BALANCED. GOOD YEAR TIRE AND RUBBER CO. HAS OFFERED ME $L89.00 FOR A NEW TIRE AND $200.00 FOR THE DEDUCTIBLE INSURANCE I PAID GEICO. I TOLD GOOD YEAR THAT I WANTED ALL FOUR TIRES REPLACED BECAUSE OF THE HISTORY OF THE TIRES. ALSO, THAT IF ONE TIRE COULD HAVE TREAD SEPARATION ANY ONE OF THE OTHER THREE TIRES COULD DO THE SAME THING AND THE NEXT TIME MORE THAN THE TRUCK BODY WOULD GET DAMAGED-HUMANE BODY'S MIGHT GET DAMAGED. FURTHER MORE, $L89.50 THEY HAVE OFFERED ME FOR A NEW TIRE WILL NOT BUY A TIRE FOR MY TRUCK THAT IS SAFE TO DRIVE ON A HIGHWAY. I HAVE BEEN QUOTED A PRICE OF $273.00 FOR THE RIGHT TIRE[S] FOR MY TRUCK. I HAVE BEEN SINCE JUNE 21, 2008, TRYING TO RESOLVE THIS MATTER WITH GOOD
Mileage: 29,000
WE OWN A 1997 DODGE RAM. THE DASHBOARD IN THE VEHICLE HAS BROKEN APART IN MANY LOCATIONS INCLUDING THE VIN NUMBER PLATE, WHICH IS NO LONGER VISIBLE. ON MANY OCCASIONS THE DASHBOARD LIGHTS HAVE GONE OUT. *TR
AIR CONDITIONING VENT ALWAYS SWITCHES TO THE DEFROSTER AND BACK TO THE AC VENT. WHILE DRIVING IN THE SNOW AND ICE THE HEATER WAS ON, THE DEFROSTER VENT AUTOMATICALLY SWITCHES TO THE VENT ON THE FLOOR AND THE AC VENT CAUSING THE WINDSHIELD TO ICE UP CAUSING NO VISIBILITY THROUGH THE WINDOW. DID RUN OFF THE ROAD. IT'S BEEN DOING THIS EVER SINCE THAT DAY. NOTHING HAS BEEN DONE BECAUSE OF THE EXPENSE THAT THE GARAGE ATTENDANT SAID. HAVE DEALT WITH THIS FOR ALONG TIME. TRUCK IS IN VERY GOOD CONDITION. SHARP!! THE REASON I AM REPORTING THIS TIME IS THAT I NEARLY ESCAPED FROM HITTING A TREE THIS LAST ICE STORM. DON'T WANT TO BE A STATISTIC. *NM
Mileage: 110,000
DODGE RAM 3/4 TON 4X4, 1997 . . ALL VEHICLES I HAVE DRIVE. 5 OR 6, ALL HAVE STEERING WHEEL PLAN AND FRONT END WANDER. IN OTHER WORDS YOU TURN THE STEERING WHEEL AND TURN IT SOME MORE BEFORE THE VEHICLE ACTUAL TURNS. ITS LIKE THOSE OLD MOVIES YOU SEE WHERE PEOPLE ARE MOVING THE STEERING WHEEL BACK AND FORTH ALL THE TIME. WELL THAT IS WHAT THESE DODGES DO . . THEY SHOULD ALL BE RECALLED AND FIXED . . ITS A BIG SAFETY ISSUE. *NM
1997 DODGE RAM 2500 CAUGHT ON FIRE. *MR THE FIRE OCCURRED UNDER THE SHIFTER AND OUTSIDE UNDER THE HOOD. THE PROBLEM WAS DUE TO THE DASH SILENCER PAD. ON ANOTHER OCCASION AFTER REPAIRS, WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION THE A/C, CRUISE CONTROL AND TACHOMETER HAD BECOME INOPERATIVE, THE ALTERNATOR WOULD NOT CHARGE, THE HEADLIGHTS WOULD DIM AND THE BATTERY WOULD BE DISCHARGED. THE CONSUMER WAS INFORMED THAT THE COMPUTER HAD SHORTED OUT DUE TO THE FIRE. THE CONSUMER REQUESTED REIMBURSEMENT FOR THE REPAIR COSTS. *SC
NAR 05/28/2003 *MR THE HEADLIGHT SWITCH MELTED AND BECAME NONO-FUNCTIONAL. *CB
Mileage: 61,534
THE BODY OF THE VEHICLE RUSTED. *NLM *TS *JB
Mileage: 53,663
!)AT 36,246 MILES, BOLTS HOLDING TIE RODS TO STEERING BOX BROKE WHILE I WAS TRAVELING ON INTERSTATE. HAD TO FIGHT DODGE TO COVER UNDER WARRANTY. ORIGINALLY HAD VEHICLE IN FOR 'WANDERING STEERING' BEFORE WARRANTY EXPIRED. THEY REPLACED STEERING BOX, TIE RODS, BALL JOINTS, IDLER ARM AND OTHER RELATED COMPONETS. 2)18,276 MILES LATER, SAME DEALERSHIP STATES NEEDS NEW TIE RODS, IDLER ARM, PITMAN ARM, AND BALL JOINTS ON LEFT FRONT. FEEL THESE PARTS SHOULD BE REPLACED FREE AS THEY REPLACED THEMSELVES ONLY 18,000 MILES AGO. HAVE PROVIDED PROPER MAINTENANCE. IN THE MEANTIME, GETTING THESE AREAS GREASED AND EXAMINED AS DIRECTED IN OWNERS MANUAL BY CERTIFIED MECHANICS. 3)SAME DEALERSHIP THIS WEEK REPLACED HEADER AND MANIFOLD GASKETS STATING THEY WERE BURNED UP DUE TO OUR USING PLATINUM TIP SPARK PLUGS WHICH SUPPOSEDLY CAUSED GASKETS TO BURN UP AND ALLOW OIL TO LEAK INTO CYLINDER. ($459)THEY ALSO HAD TO REPLACE THE CATALYTIC COVERTER (UNDER WARRANTY). THROUGH RESEARCH ON INTERNET, HAVE FOUND THA
Mileage: 36,346
!)AT 36,246 MILES, BOLTS HOLDING TIE RODS TO STEERING BOX BROKE WHILE I WAS TRAVELING ON INTERSTATE. HAD TO FIGHT DODGE TO COVER UNDER WARRANTY. ORIGINALLY HAD VEHICLE IN FOR 'WANDERING STEERING' BEFORE WARRANTY EXPIRED. THEY REPLACED STEERING BOX, TIE RODS, BALL JOINTS, IDLER ARM AND OTHER RELATED COMPONETS. 2)18,276 MILES LATER, SAME DEALERSHIP STATES NEEDS NEW TIE RODS, IDLER ARM, PITMAN ARM, AND BALL JOINTS ON LEFT FRONT. FEEL THESE PARTS SHOULD BE REPLACED FREE AS THEY REPLACED THEMSELVES ONLY 18,000 MILES AGO. HAVE PROVIDED PROPER MAINTENANCE. IN THE MEANTIME, GETTING THESE AREAS GREASED AND EXAMINED AS DIRECTED IN OWNERS MANUAL BY CERTIFIED MECHANICS. 3)SAME DEALERSHIP THIS WEEK REPLACED HEADER AND MANIFOLD GASKETS STATING THEY WERE BURNED UP DUE TO OUR USING PLATINUM TIP SPARK PLUGS WHICH SUPPOSEDLY CAUSED GASKETS TO BURN UP AND ALLOW OIL TO LEAK INTO CYLINDER. ($459)THEY ALSO HAD TO REPLACE THE CATALYTIC COVERTER (UNDER WARRANTY). THROUGH RESEARCH ON INTERNET, HAVE FOUND THA
Mileage: 36,346
!)AT 36,246 MILES, BOLTS HOLDING TIE RODS TO STEERING BOX BROKE WHILE I WAS TRAVELING ON INTERSTATE. HAD TO FIGHT DODGE TO COVER UNDER WARRANTY. ORIGINALLY HAD VEHICLE IN FOR 'WANDERING STEERING' BEFORE WARRANTY EXPIRED. THEY REPLACED STEERING BOX, TIE RODS, BALL JOINTS, IDLER ARM AND OTHER RELATED COMPONETS. 2)18,276 MILES LATER, SAME DEALERSHIP STATES NEEDS NEW TIE RODS, IDLER ARM, PITMAN ARM, AND BALL JOINTS ON LEFT FRONT. FEEL THESE PARTS SHOULD BE REPLACED FREE AS THEY REPLACED THEMSELVES ONLY 18,000 MILES AGO. HAVE PROVIDED PROPER MAINTENANCE. IN THE MEANTIME, GETTING THESE AREAS GREASED AND EXAMINED AS DIRECTED IN OWNERS MANUAL BY CERTIFIED MECHANICS. 3)SAME DEALERSHIP THIS WEEK REPLACED HEADER AND MANIFOLD GASKETS STATING THEY WERE BURNED UP DUE TO OUR USING PLATINUM TIP SPARK PLUGS WHICH SUPPOSEDLY CAUSED GASKETS TO BURN UP AND ALLOW OIL TO LEAK INTO CYLINDER. ($459)THEY ALSO HAD TO REPLACE THE CATALYTIC COVERTER (UNDER WARRANTY). THROUGH RESEARCH ON INTERNET, HAVE FOUND THA
Mileage: 36,346
!)AT 36,246 MILES, BOLTS HOLDING TIE RODS TO STEERING BOX BROKE WHILE I WAS TRAVELING ON INTERSTATE. HAD TO FIGHT DODGE TO COVER UNDER WARRANTY. ORIGINALLY HAD VEHICLE IN FOR 'WANDERING STEERING' BEFORE WARRANTY EXPIRED. THEY REPLACED STEERING BOX, TIE RODS, BALL JOINTS, IDLER ARM AND OTHER RELATED COMPONETS. 2)18,276 MILES LATER, SAME DEALERSHIP STATES NEEDS NEW TIE RODS, IDLER ARM, PITMAN ARM, AND BALL JOINTS ON LEFT FRONT. FEEL THESE PARTS SHOULD BE REPLACED FREE AS THEY REPLACED THEMSELVES ONLY 18,000 MILES AGO. HAVE PROVIDED PROPER MAINTENANCE. IN THE MEANTIME, GETTING THESE AREAS GREASED AND EXAMINED AS DIRECTED IN OWNERS MANUAL BY CERTIFIED MECHANICS. 3)SAME DEALERSHIP THIS WEEK REPLACED HEADER AND MANIFOLD GASKETS STATING THEY WERE BURNED UP DUE TO OUR USING PLATINUM TIP SPARK PLUGS WHICH SUPPOSEDLY CAUSED GASKETS TO BURN UP AND ALLOW OIL TO LEAK INTO CYLINDER. ($459)THEY ALSO HAD TO REPLACE THE CATALYTIC COVERTER (UNDER WARRANTY). THROUGH RESEARCH ON INTERNET, HAVE FOUND THA
Mileage: 36,346
CONSUMER STATES AFTER THEY HAD THE RECALL 02 V 161 000 FOR THE THROTTLE LEAKAGE DONE ,THE STEERING WHEEL IS INOPERATIVE. THERE'S FUEL LEAKAGE, AND THE ODOMETER READ A DECREASE IN THE MILEAGE. PH
Mileage: 25,502
WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED UP HILL AND NO WITH WARNING TRANSMISSION WILL DECELERATE EVEN WHEN FOOT IS ON ACCELERATOR, AND IT WILL BE HARD FOR THE CONSUMER TO CONTROL VEHICLE. DEALER NOTIFIED. TS.....*AK
WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED UP HILL AND NO WITH WARNING TRANSMISSION WILL DECELERATE EVEN WHEN FOOT IS ON ACCELERATOR, AND IT WILL BE HARD FOR THE CONSUMER TO CONTROL VEHICLE. DEALER NOTIFIED. TS.....*AK
AFTER A ROUTINE TIRE ROTATION REPAIR, THE DEALER FAILED TO PROPERLY RETIGHTEN THE LUG NUTS RESULTING IN A NEAR CATASTROPHIC ACCIDENT, AS A RESULT OF THIS THE CONSUMER IS HESITANT TO ACCEPT SERVICE AT ANY DAIMLER CHRYSLER ORGANIZATION. NLM
CONSUMER RECEIVED RECALL 01V040000 NOTIFICATION FOR THE SECONDARY HOOD LATCH REPLACEMENT, HOWEVER RECALL WORK HAS NOT BEEN PERFORMED DUE TO SCHEDULING PROBLEMS WITH DEALERSHIP. *TT
COIL SPRING HAS BROKEN AWAY FROM FRAME.*AK
DRIVER SIDE DOOR SHEET METAL CRACKED WHERE LATCH MECHANISM IS ATTACHED. *JB
EVERY TIME IT RAINS, I HAVE STANDING WATER IN THE CAB OF THE TRUCK ON THE PASSENGER SIDE. I HAVE HAD THIS PROBLEM "REPAIRED" 4 TIMES, AND IT HADS OCCURED AGAIN. IT IS ONLY A MATTER OF TIME TILL THE ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS OF THE TRUCK FAIL DUE TO EXPOSURE TO WATER. I AM EXTREMELY FRUSTRATED WITH THE DODGE TRUCK, AND ACCORDING TO THE DEALER , THIS IS NOT AN ISOLATED PROBLEM, AS THEY HAVE HAD MANY TRUCKS WITH THE SAME TROUBLE IN THEIR AREA, NOT TO MENTION COUNTRY WIDE. THEY HAVE DONE EVERYTHING FROM CHANGING OUT THE REAR WINDOW (3 TIMES), TO REPLACING THE SEAL AND HOUSING SURROUNDING THE BRAKE LIGHT ABOVE THE REAR WINDOW. ALL OF THESE 'ATTEMPTS' HAVE FAILED TO FIX THE PROBLEM. WE NEED HELP IN GETTING THIS POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS PROBLEM REMEDIED PROMPTLY , BEFORE MORE DAMAGE PRESENTS ITSELF IN TOTAL SHUTDOWN OF THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM (OR WORSE) WHILE DRIVING. PLEASE CONTACT US FOR MORE INFO IF NEEDED. THANK YOU.
Data as of 2025. 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.
Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.