IllustrationBRAKES OVERHEAT AND PULL HARD CONTINUALLY.
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 reportsWHENEVER THE BRAKES ARE APPLIED, THEY WOULD KEEP SHATTERING. HAD TAKEN VEHICLE TO DEALER. MECHANIC CHECKED & REPLACED BRAKES. THIS WAS DONE 7 DIFFERENT TIMES. ALSO, THE DRUMS WERE WARPED & WORN. *AK
TIRE BLEW WHILE VEHICLE WAS TRAVELING AT 75 MPH. TWO MORE TIRES WERE FOUND TO BE DEFECTIVE.
VEHICLE WANDERED WHILE DRIVING. WHILE WIFE WAS DRIVING ON WET ROAD 5 MPH, TRUCK BEGAN TO HYDROPLANE, IT RAN OFF A ROAD AND WAS INVOLVED IN A COLLISION.
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
TIRE MALFUNCTIONED, CAUSING THE TREAD TO PEEL AWAY FROM THE STEEL BELTS AT HIGHWAY SPEED SMASHING THE TRUCK FENDERS, SHREDDING THE WHEEL WELLS AND MUD FLAPS, AND TWISTING THE RUNNING BOARDS.
TRANSMISSION SLIPS. DEALER CONTACTED, PUT ON COMPUTER AND STATED THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG. DRIVING DOWN A HILL REPRESENTS A BIG PROBLEM WHEN PULLING A TRAILER. IT WILL NOT HOLD BACK. CONSUMER HAS TO RELY ON BRAKES IN ORDER TO COME OFF OF A HILL. DEALER CANNOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. *AK TORQUE CONVERTER UNLOCKS AT ANY SPEED WH…
Read full complaint
TRANSMISSION SLIPS. DEALER CONTACTED, PUT ON COMPUTER AND STATED THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG. DRIVING DOWN A HILL REPRESENTS A BIG PROBLEM WHEN PULLING A TRAILER. IT WILL NOT HOLD BACK. CONSUMER HAS TO RELY ON BRAKES IN ORDER TO COME OFF OF A HILL. DEALER CANNOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. *AK TORQUE CONVERTER UNLOCKS AT ANY SPEED WHEN DECELERATING, VEHICLE WILL NOT HOLD BACK EVEN WHEN IN FIRST GEAR, WHEN TOWING A TRAILER AND TRAVELING DOWNHILL, THE BRAKES HAVE TO BE USED, DEALER STATES THIS IS THE WAY THEY ARE BUILT. *SLC
VEHICLE SHAKES VIOLENTLY WHEN BRAKES ARE APPLIED. QCAW
ENGINE EXHAUST MANIFOLD FAILURE.
RIGHT FRONT BRAKES DO NOT RESPOND IN A SAFE MANER, CAUSING A HARD PULL TO THE RIGHT WHEN BRAKES ARE HOT. OWNER BELIEVES THAT THE CALIPERS ARE BAD.
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.