IllustrationWhile driving truck down road air bag exploded for no apparent reason , no large bumps or impacts to vehicle..Cab filled with dust and smoke Luckily was able to stop although my hearing is greatly impaired now..
1997 Dodge RAM 2500
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 1997 Dodge RAM 2500 do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 275.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all RAM 2500 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
90–25K
225–50K
1150–75K
1075–100K
13100–150K
15150K+
60 reports with mileage · 153 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.
- Service Brakes, Hydraulic. Review the 36 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Power Train. Review the 32 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Tires. Review the 26 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
9 crash reports14 fire reports6 injury reports
Air Bags complaints
9 reportsDODGE PICKUP 1997 TILT WHEEL, WIRES IN STEERING COLUMN BROKE, DISABLED AIR BAG, ELECTRIC WINDOWS AND OTHER STUFF. 4X4 STEERING IS LOOSE LOTS OF STEERING WHEEL PLAY TO KEEP VEHICLE STRAIT ON ROAD, LIKE THAT SINCE NEW. *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 DODGE RAM 2500. WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH, THE AIR BAG SUDDENLY DEPLOYED WITHOUT AN IMPACT OR CRASH. THE CONTACT MAINTAINED CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE, ALTHOUGH HIS HAND WAS INJURED. HE STEERED THE VEHICLE TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD, TIED THE AIR BAG TO THE STEERING WHEEL, AND DROVE TO HIS RESIDENCE. HE THEN D…
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TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 DODGE RAM 2500. WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH, THE AIR BAG SUDDENLY DEPLOYED WITHOUT AN IMPACT OR CRASH. THE CONTACT MAINTAINED CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE, ALTHOUGH HIS HAND WAS INJURED. HE STEERED THE VEHICLE TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD, TIED THE AIR BAG TO THE STEERING WHEEL, AND DROVE TO HIS RESIDENCE. HE THEN DROVE TO THE DEALER AND WAS ADVISED TO CALL THE MANUFACTURER. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THEY COULD NOT ASSIST BECAUSE THE PREVIOUS OWNER IGNORED THE RECALL NOTICE. THE NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER WAS UNKNOWN. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 175,000.
RECALL 01 V 153 000/CLOCKSPRING MATERIAL, AIR BAG SENSOR LIGHT REMAINS ON WHILE DRIVING. DEALER NOTIFIED. *AK *SLC
I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW THE MINIMUM COLLISION SPEED AT WHICH THE AIRBAG DEPLOYS FOR MY VEHICLE.
CONSUMER WAS SITTING FURTHER THAN 12 INCHES FROM THE DRIVER'S AIRBAG WHEN IT DEPLOYED, CAUSING SEVERE BURNS, BURNING THROUGH LAYERS OF SKIN ON HIS LEFT ARM AND WRIST. *AK
CONSUMER HIT A RAILING ON AN ICY ROAD, AND THE AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY. *AK
CONSUMER WAS INVOLVED IN A IN HEAD ON COLLISION TRAVELING AT VERY HIGH SPEED IN WHICH THE DRIVER'S SIDE AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY, RESULTING IN INJURIES TO THE DRIVER'S SIDE OCCUPANT. ALSO VEHICLE TOTALED. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK
TRUCK REAR ENDED ANOTHER VEHICLE, AND THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. ALSO, THE PASSENGER'S SEAT LOCK DID NOT HOLD. *AK
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.