Illustration1ST TAKEN TO DEALER FOR IMPROPER TIRE WEAR @ 30704 MILES / DEALER CLAIMED TIRE ROTATION PROBLEM / CALIPERS WERE FAULTY INSTEAD / ROTORS FAILED AT 38728. *AK
1997 Dodge RAM 1500
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 1997 Dodge RAM 1500 do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 520.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all RAM 1500 years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
All reported categories
Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
80–25K
1325–50K
2750–75K
2475–100K
44100–150K
28150K+
144 reports with mileage · 217 unknown
NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.
What to inspect
Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.
- Structure. Review the 70 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Power Train. Review the 56 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Service Brakes, Hydraulic. Review the 43 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
31 crash reports14 fire reports24 injury reports
What owners actually said
361 reportsWHEN MAKING A LEFT TURN ON A ROAD OR A PARKING LOT, AND THERE IS WATER IN THE ROAD,THE WATER WILL SPLASH ON THE POWER STEERING BELT. AT THIS TIME I LOSE ALL STEERING CONTROL AND I KEEP GOING IN THE DIRECTION THAT THE WHEEL IS IN. THIS HAS HAPPENED AT LEAST THREE TIMES. AFTER ABOUT ONE TO TWO SECONDS THE STEERING RETURNS. SO FAR …
Read full complaint
WHEN MAKING A LEFT TURN ON A ROAD OR A PARKING LOT, AND THERE IS WATER IN THE ROAD,THE WATER WILL SPLASH ON THE POWER STEERING BELT. AT THIS TIME I LOSE ALL STEERING CONTROL AND I KEEP GOING IN THE DIRECTION THAT THE WHEEL IS IN. THIS HAS HAPPENED AT LEAST THREE TIMES. AFTER ABOUT ONE TO TWO SECONDS THE STEERING RETURNS. SO FAR THERE HAVE NOT BEEN ANY ACCIDENTS. I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW IF THERE HAVE BEEN ANY OTHER COMPLAINTS LIKE THIS AND WHAT I CAN DO TO PREVENT THIS FROM HAPPINING AGAIN. *AK
WHILE DRIVING AND STEPPING ON THE BRAKES THE DRIVER'S SEAT WILL MOVE FORWARD. THE SAME THING COULD HAPPEN WHEN ACCELERATING, BUT BACKWARD. *AK
CLUNK IN FRONT SUSPENSION.TRIED FIXING 14 TIMES.ALSO FOUND CRACK IN WELD AT CONTROL ARM BRACKET AND FRAME.
THE BRAKING SYSTEM DOES NOT STOP THE TRUCK AS IT SHOULD. WHEN YOU MAKE AN EMERGENCY STOP THE PEDAL FEELS AS IF THE MASTER CYLINDER PISTON BOTTOMS OUT, METAL AGAINST METAL. I CHECKED TO SEE IF THERE WAS A BRAKE PEDAL STOP AND THERE WERE NONE. WHEN I HAD TO MAKE MY FIRST EMERGENCY STOP I HAD PLENTY OF DISTANCE TO STOP. MY SPEED WA…
Read full complaint
THE BRAKING SYSTEM DOES NOT STOP THE TRUCK AS IT SHOULD. WHEN YOU MAKE AN EMERGENCY STOP THE PEDAL FEELS AS IF THE MASTER CYLINDER PISTON BOTTOMS OUT, METAL AGAINST METAL. I CHECKED TO SEE IF THERE WAS A BRAKE PEDAL STOP AND THERE WERE NONE. WHEN I HAD TO MAKE MY FIRST EMERGENCY STOP I HAD PLENTY OF DISTANCE TO STOP. MY SPEED WAS 35MPH WITH ABOUT 50FEET OF CLEARANCE. I HAD TO SWERVE AND RUN THRU A YARD CAUSING $200.00 DAMAGE. I TOOK THE TRUCK OVER TO THE DEALER AND WAS TOLD NOTHING WAS WRONG. I WENT HOME AND DID A PLANNED EMERGENCY STOP IN FRONT OF MY HOUSE. AT 30MPH, IT TOOK 30 -35 FEET TO STOP. MY BROTHER HAS A 1992 DODGE TRUCK OF THE SAME WEIGHT AND HE CAN STOP IN 12- 15 FEET AT THE SAME SPEED. BEFORE THE WARRANTY RAN OUT I TOOK THE TRUCK BACK TO THE DEALER AND HAD THE SERVICE MGR TO TEST DRIVE THE TRUCK AND HE FELT THER WAS A DEFINITE PROBLEM. HE ORDERED A MORE AGGRESSIVE SET OF PADS AND CHRYSLER CANCELLED THE ORDER AND SENT A KIT WITH INSTRUCTIONS TO INSTALL THE KIT INSTEAD OF THE PADS. TO ME. THAT TELLS ME THEY KNOW OF A PROBLEM, BUT DO NOT WANT IT TO GET OUT CAUSINF A RECALL ON ALL 1997 TRUCKS. THE DEALER STATED THERE WERE NO RECALLS OR BULLENTINS ON BRAKE PROBLEMS. I ASKED THEM IS IT GOING TO TAKE A FATALITY DUE TO FAULTY BRAKES BEFORE THEY FIX THE PROBLEM. AFTER THE INSTALLATION OF THE KIT THE BRAKES WORK A LITTLE BETTER BUT FAR FROM BEING SAFE AS TO PULLING A 4 WHEELER AND TRAILER OR A BOAT AND TRAILER. LAST WEEK I HAD TO EXECUTE ANOTHER EMERGENCY STOP. 50 MPH WITH APPROXIMATELY 150 FEET OF DISTANCE. I ENDED UP IN THE MIDDLE OF THE INTERSECTION.MY POLICE CRUISER AT 30 MPH CAN STOP IN 10 -14 FEET . EVEN MY BROTHER'S TRUCK WITH A 1000 LBS OF WEIGHT IN THE BED STOPS IN A SHORTER DISTANCE THAN MY TRUCK. ARE THERE ANY OTHER VICTIMS OF BRAKE PROBLEMS BESIDES MYSELF?*AK
THE AUTOMOBILE SHOP THAT REPAIRED MY TRUCK SAID THAT WHEN THE DEALER REPLACED MY REAR MAIN SEAL THE JOB WAS DONE IMPROPERLY. THAT WAS MOST LIKELY THE REASON THE ENGINE FAILED. THE ALSO NOTICED THAT WHEN THE NEW PARTS CAME IN THE NEW OIL PICK UP TUBE SCREAN WAS A LOT LARGER THAN THE OLD ONE. *AK
STRONG GAS SMELL; CALLED ONE DEALER WHO WAS BOOKED SOLID, (BYRD DODGE, SALTLICK, KY.) HE SAID "FUEL LEAKS ON THE 97 DODGE RAM 5.2 ARE NOT COMMON"; FUEL RAIL ORDERED FROM DETROIT BECAUSE NOT STOCKED BY ANY LOCAL DEALERS; MANN DODGE SAID NOT TO DRIVE--FUEL DRIPPING ONTO MANIFOLD; FR PART SUPERSEDED AND REQUIRED ADAPTER; OWNER-CUST…
Read full complaint
STRONG GAS SMELL; CALLED ONE DEALER WHO WAS BOOKED SOLID, (BYRD DODGE, SALTLICK, KY.) HE SAID "FUEL LEAKS ON THE 97 DODGE RAM 5.2 ARE NOT COMMON"; FUEL RAIL ORDERED FROM DETROIT BECAUSE NOT STOCKED BY ANY LOCAL DEALERS; MANN DODGE SAID NOT TO DRIVE--FUEL DRIPPING ONTO MANIFOLD; FR PART SUPERSEDED AND REQUIRED ADAPTER; OWNER-CUSTOMER SUSPECTS THE PART WAS FLAWED AT MANUFACTURER. *AK
THE OIL TRANSMISSION LINES CAUSING ALL THE FLUID TO LEAK OVER THE EXHAUST SYSTEM. THE DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. *AK
DRIVER HIT ANOTHER VEHICLE HEAD-ON AT 30 TO 35MPH, AND DRIVER SIDE AIRBAG DID NOT DEPLOY. DEALER HAS NOT SEEN VEHICLE. *AK
INTERMITANT SURGING IN ENGINE RESULTING IN DRIVELINE CLUNK OR HARSHNESS IN TRANSMISSION.
Official recalls
0No recalls in this snapshot.
Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗
NHTSA investigations
1DP03006 · Seat Back Failure
Opened Sep 23, 2003 · Closed Apr 8, 2004
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Seats; Seats:front Assembly:recliner
ODI HAS IDENTIFIED 30 INCIDENTS WHERE IT IS ALLEGED THE SEAT BACK COLLAPSED IN A REAR IMPACT CRASH.THESE INCIDENTS ARE ALLEGED TO HAVE CONTRIBUTED TO 23 INJURIES AND TWO DEATHS.THE DATA PRESENTED TO ODI SHOW THAT THE SEAT BACK STRENGTH OF THE FRONT SEATS COMPLY WITH FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 207. SEATING SYSTEM.ACCORDING TO DAIMLERCHRYLSER THE FRONT SEATS WERE DESIGNED TO COLLAPSE REARWARD IN REAR IMPACT CRASHES AS PART OF THE ENERGY ABSORPTIONCAPABILITIES OF THE SEATING SYSTEM TO REDUCE THE CHANCE OF SERIOUS INJURY TO THE OCCUPANT.RATES OF OCCURANCE WERE COMPARED TO PEER VEHICLES, AND IT WAS SHOWN THAT THE PERFORMACE OF THE SUBJECT VEHICLE WAS COMPARABLE TO THOSE VEHICLES.IN VIEW OF THE FORGOING, IT IS UNLIKELY THAT NHTSA WOULD ISSUE AN ORDER FOR THE NOTIFICATION REMEDY OF A SAFETY DEFECT IN THE SUBJECT VEHICLES AS DEFINED BY THE PETITIONER AT THE CONCLUSION OF THE INVESTIGATION REQUESTED IN THE PETITION.THERFORE, IN VIEW OF THE NEED TO ALLOCATE AND PRIORITIZE THE NHTSA'S LIMITED RESOURCES TO BEST ACCOMPLISH THE AGENCY'S MISSION, THE PETITION IS DENIED.FOR FURTHER DETAILS, REFER TO ODI'S RESPONSE TO THE PETITION PUBLISHED IN THE FEDERAL REGISTER VOL.69, NO. 60 , DATED MARCH 29, 2004.
Additional source detail variants (2)
Seats
ODI HAS IDENTIFIED 30 INCIDENTS WHERE IT IS ALLEGED THE SEAT BACK COLLAPSED IN A REAR IMPACT CRASH.THESE INCIDENTS ARE ALLEGED TO HAVE CONTRIBUTED TO 23 INJURIES AND TWO DEATHS.THE DATA PRESENTED TO ODI SHOW THAT THE SEAT BACK STRENGTH OF THE FRONT SEATS COMPLY WITH FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 207. SEATING SYSTEM.ACCORDING TO DAIMLERCHRYLSER THE FRONT SEATS WERE DESIGNED TO COLLAPSE REARWARD IN REAR IMPACT CRASHES AS PART OF THE ENERGY ABSORPTIONCAPABILITIES OF THE SEATING SYSTEM TO REDUCE THE CHANCE OF SERIOUS INJURY TO THE OCCUPANT.RATES OF OCCURANCE WERE COMPARED TO PEER VEHICLES, AND IT WAS SHOWN THAT THE PERFORMACE OF THE SUBJECT VEHICLE WAS COMPARABLE TO THOSE VEHICLES.IN VIEW OF THE FORGOING, IT IS UNLIKELY THAT NHTSA WOULD ISSUE AN ORDER FOR THE NOTIFICATION REMEDY OF A SAFETY DEFECT IN THE SUBJECT VEHICLES AS DEFINED BY THE PETITIONER AT THE CONCLUSION OF THE INVESTIGATION REQUESTED IN THE PETITION.THERFORE, IN VIEW OF THE NEED TO ALLOCATE AND PRIORITIZE THE NHTSA'S LIMITED RESOURCES TO BEST ACCOMPLISH THE AGENCY'S MISSION, THE PETITION IS DENIED.FOR FURTHER DETAILS, REFER TO ODI'S RESPONSE TO THE PETITION PUBLISHED IN THE FEDERAL REGISTER VOL.69, NO. 60 , DATED MARCH 29, 2004.
Seats:front Assembly:recliner
ODI HAS IDENTIFIED 30 INCIDENTS WHERE IT IS ALLEGED THE SEAT BACK COLLAPSED IN A REAR IMPACT CRASH.THESE INCIDENTS ARE ALLEGED TO HAVE CONTRIBUTED TO 23 INJURIES AND TWO DEATHS.THE DATA PRESENTED TO ODI SHOW THAT THE SEAT BACK STRENGTH OF THE FRONT SEATS COMPLY WITH FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 207. SEATING SYSTEM.ACCORDING TO DAIMLERCHRYLSER THE FRONT SEATS WERE DESIGNED TO COLLAPSE REARWARD IN REAR IMPACT CRASHES AS PART OF THE ENERGY ABSORPTIONCAPABILITIES OF THE SEATING SYSTEM TO REDUCE THE CHANCE OF SERIOUS INJURY TO THE OCCUPANT.RATES OF OCCURANCE WERE COMPARED TO PEER VEHICLES, AND IT WAS SHOWN THAT THE PERFORMACE OF THE SUBJECT VEHICLE WAS COMPARABLE TO THOSE VEHICLES.IN VIEW OF THE FORGOING, IT IS UNLIKELY THAT NHTSA WOULD ISSUE AN ORDER FOR THE NOTIFICATION REMEDY OF A SAFETY DEFECT IN THE SUBJECT VEHICLES AS DEFINED BY THE PETITIONER AT THE CONCLUSION OF THE INVESTIGATION REQUESTED IN THE PETITION.THERFORE, IN VIEW OF THE NEED TO ALLOCATE AND PRIORITIZE THE NHTSA'S LIMITED RESOURCES TO BEST ACCOMPLISH THE AGENCY'S MISSION, THE PETITION IS DENIED.FOR FURTHER DETAILS, REFER TO ODI'S RESPONSE TO THE PETITION PUBLISHED IN THE FEDERAL REGISTER VOL.69, NO. 60 , DATED MARCH 29, 2004.