IllustrationON THREE OCCASIONS REAR AXLE SEAL HAD LEAKED OIL ONTO THE BRAKES, CAUSING BRAKES TO MALFUNCTION. A TECHNICIAN FOUND THIS OUT ON A ROUTINE INSPECTION.*AK
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
What owners actually said
213 reportsMIRROR "FOLDAWAY" DETENT FAILED AND MIRROR FOLDED BACK AND WOULDN'T STAY IN PROPER POSITION. THIS OCCURRED WHILE TOWING A TRAVEL TRAILER. THIS HAS OCCURED WITH THREE DIFFERENT MIRRORS. THE PROBLEM EXISITS WITH ALL 1996 AND 1997 RAM PICKUPS, WITH POWER MIRRORS.*AK
WHILE TURNING INTO THE DRIVEWAY HEARD A LOUD CLUNKING NOISE AND NOTICED BROKEN BOLTS WHICH HOLDS THE STEERING BOX ON THE FRAME. CONTACTED DEALER.*AK
VEHICLE SWAYS AND PULLS TO THE LEFT AND RIGHT WHEN APPLYING BRAKES. CHRYSLER REP SAID THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM, BUT SO FAR NO SOLUTION. *AK *ML
THE FRONT FUEL TANK STRAP BROKE, CAUSING THE FRONT END OF THE FUEL TANK TO DROP DOWN TO THE ROAD SURFACE. FRICTION AGAINST THE ROAD SURFACE CAUSED A HOLE TO FORM IN THE TANK, ALLOWING FUEL TO LEAK OUT. LOOKING AT THE FUEL TANK STRAP, IT APPEARS THAT THERE HAD BEEN A CRACK ACROSS APPROX. 50% OF THE WIDTH FOR SOME TIME DUE TO TH…
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THE FRONT FUEL TANK STRAP BROKE, CAUSING THE FRONT END OF THE FUEL TANK TO DROP DOWN TO THE ROAD SURFACE. FRICTION AGAINST THE ROAD SURFACE CAUSED A HOLE TO FORM IN THE TANK, ALLOWING FUEL TO LEAK OUT. LOOKING AT THE FUEL TANK STRAP, IT APPEARS THAT THERE HAD BEEN A CRACK ACROSS APPROX. 50% OF THE WIDTH FOR SOME TIME DUE TO THE FORMATION OF RUST SEEN IN THE CROSS SECTION. *AK
STARTING AT AROUND 21000 MILES TRUCK BEGAN PULLING HARD TO EITHER RIGHT OR LEFT UNDER PANIC STOPPING CONDITIONS. QUITE A BIT OF EFFORT REQUIRED TO MAINTAIN A STRAIGHT DIRECTION. DEALER HAS WORKED ON NUMEROUS TIMES WITHOUT BEING ABLE TO CORRECT. IN ADDITION PEDAL HAS GONE "SOFT" ON THREE OCCASIONS DURING THIS PERIOD. *AK
TRANSMISSION FAILED TO SHIFT CORRECTLY UNDER NORMAL DRIVING CIRCUMSTANCES. VEHICLE WAS STILL UNDER WARRANTY SO WE TOOK IT TO WESTER DODGE IN SEASIDE, CA FOR REPAIR. SERVICE DEPT CHANGED THE VALVE BODY, WASN'T AT SEALS HAD INTERNALLY FAILED. REPLACED THE WHOLE TRANSMISSION. TWO YEARS LATER SAME PROBLEM ARISES AT THIS TIME VE…
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TRANSMISSION FAILED TO SHIFT CORRECTLY UNDER NORMAL DRIVING CIRCUMSTANCES. VEHICLE WAS STILL UNDER WARRANTY SO WE TOOK IT TO WESTER DODGE IN SEASIDE, CA FOR REPAIR. SERVICE DEPT CHANGED THE VALVE BODY, WASN'T AT SEALS HAD INTERNALLY FAILED. REPLACED THE WHOLE TRANSMISSION. TWO YEARS LATER SAME PROBLEM ARISES AT THIS TIME VEHICLE WARRANTY IS UP. DODGE DEALER REFUSES TO REPAIR AND WARRANT PROBLEM. TOOK TRUCK TO CERTIFIED TRANSMISSION IN GILROY, CA . THEY FOUND THAT THE SEALS WERE BAD IN TRANSMISSION AND BROKEN BELL HOUSING AND OVERDRIVE HOUSING BOLT HOLES WERE STRIPPED. *AK
THE BRAKES SHOES ARE PREMATURLEY WEARING WHICH IS CAUSING THE BRAKES PADS TO WEAR, ALSO CALIPER PISTONS WHICH AR EMAD EOF FIBER STICK SIDEWAYS, CAUSING PADS AND SHOES TO WEAR OUT PREMATURELY. *AK
VEHICLE HAS WEAK REAR SPRINGS THAT AFFECT DRIVEABILITY/RIDE, DEFECTIVE FROM FACTORY. DEALER, AKA CHRYSLER HAVE ATTITUDE /POLICY TAT FIX VIA TSB # 02-03-97 REV.A IS FIX IS FOR INFORMATION ONLY AT CUSTOMER EXPENSE. AS STATED AT BOTTOM OF TSB. *AK
ANTI-SKID BRAKE CONTROL FAILED TO WORK. DEALER INFORMS THIS IS NOT A WARRANTY REPAIRABLE ITEM, NOR IS IT COVERED UNDER CHRYSLER 100,OOO MILE MAXIMUM WRAP WARRANTY. NON WEAR SAFETY COMPONENTS SUCH AS AIR BAGS, ANTI SKID BRAKES, SHOULD BE COVERED THE LENGTH OF THE SERVICE CONTRACT PERIOD. THIS IS A SAFETY DEFECT. *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.