IllustrationDASH BOARD CRACKED ON DRIVERS SIDE AND MIDDLE FROM WHERE IT MEETS WINDSHIELD TO THE FACE OF DASH. *TR
1997 Dodge RAM Pickup
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Limited comparison data
There is not enough comparable history to draw a useful model-year comparison.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all RAM Pickup years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
All reported categories
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When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
Limited mileage data: 7 of 17 reports include usable mileage. There isn’t enough coverage to show a useful chart.
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 5 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Steering. Review the 2 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Suspension. Review the 2 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
0 crash reports1 fire reports0 injury reports
Structure complaints
5 reportsWE 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
THE BODY OF THE VEHICLE RUSTED. *NLM *TS *JB
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 T…
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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.
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
0No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.