IllustrationTHERE WAS NOTHING LEADING UP TO THE FAILURE, ALL OF A SUDDEN MY DASHBOARD JUST STARTED CRACKING ALL OVER THE PLACE. *TR
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.
Counts are not adjusted for sales, age, mileage exposure or reporting. A lower count does not establish that a car is problem-free.
About this comparison →361Owner complaints
Model-year median: 520
0Recall campaignsView recall details →
1InvestigationsView investigation details →
Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗ Model-level counts do not show whether a particular VIN is affected or repaired.
Inspection summary
1997 Dodge RAM 1500
NHTSA snapshot: September 18, 2026. 361 owner complaints · 0 recall campaigns · 1 investigations.
Counts are not failure probabilities and are not adjusted for sales, age, mileage exposure or reporting. One report may name several categories. Comparison method and limitations.
Top reported categories (up to 5)
- Structure: 70 reports
- Power Train: 56 reports
- Service Brakes, Hydraulic: 43 reports
- Fuel System, Gasoline: 26 reports
- Unknown Or Other: 26 reports
Full reported-category list and vehicle report
Recall links
No recall campaigns in this snapshot.
Check a VIN with NHTSA. Model-level history does not establish whether a particular VIN is affected or repaired.
Print the top reported categories, recall links, snapshot date and comparison limits.
How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all RAM 1500 years →Counts vary with age, sales, mileage exposure 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
Unknown Or Other complaints
26 reportsDASH BOARD CRACKING AND FALLING OFF
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 DODGE 1500. APPROXIMATELY THREE YEARS AGO, THE DASHBOARD BEGAN CRACKING IN SMALL SQUARES. HE HAD TO GLUE THE PIECES BACK ON THE VEHICLE. THE DEALER ADVISED HIM TO CALL THE DODGE MANUFACTURER FOR AN APPROVAL NUMBER, BUT THEY REFUSED. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 189,000 AND THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOW…
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TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 DODGE 1500. APPROXIMATELY THREE YEARS AGO, THE DASHBOARD BEGAN CRACKING IN SMALL SQUARES. HE HAD TO GLUE THE PIECES BACK ON THE VEHICLE. THE DEALER ADVISED HIM TO CALL THE DODGE MANUFACTURER FOR AN APPROVAL NUMBER, BUT THEY REFUSED. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 189,000 AND THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 DODGE RAM 1500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DASHBOARD BEGAN TO CRACK FIVE YEARS AGO. THE CRACK HAS WORSENED OVER TIME AND HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED. HE THOUGHT IT WAS AN ISOLATED INCIDENT UNTIL HE RESEARCHED THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE HAS NO PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAGS. THE CONTACT FILED A COMPLAINT WITH TH…
Read full complaint
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 DODGE RAM 1500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DASHBOARD BEGAN TO CRACK FIVE YEARS AGO. THE CRACK HAS WORSENED OVER TIME AND HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED. HE THOUGHT IT WAS AN ISOLATED INCIDENT UNTIL HE RESEARCHED THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE HAS NO PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAGS. THE CONTACT FILED A COMPLAINT WITH THE MANUFACTURER A COUPLE OF MONTHS AGO. THE FAILURE OCCURRED WITHOUT WARNING. THE PURCHASE DATE WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT CAN PROVIDE PHOTOS IF NEEDED. THE CURRENT MILEAGE IS 86,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 50,000.
FRAGMENTED, BROKEN, AND CRACKED DASHBOARD ON 1997 DODGE RAM 1500, AN ACKNOWLEDGED DEFECTIVE SAFETY PRODUCT, PROVIDING LIFE THREATENING CONSEQUENCES, IN THE EVENT OF CRASH OR ACCIDENT. REPORTED TO DODGE- CHY-JEEP DENIED RECALL STATUS AND DECLINED TO REPAIR OR REPLACE BECAUSE VEHICLE WAS "OUT OF WARRANTY". DENIED APPEAL PROCESS-…
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FRAGMENTED, BROKEN, AND CRACKED DASHBOARD ON 1997 DODGE RAM 1500, AN ACKNOWLEDGED DEFECTIVE SAFETY PRODUCT, PROVIDING LIFE THREATENING CONSEQUENCES, IN THE EVENT OF CRASH OR ACCIDENT. REPORTED TO DODGE- CHY-JEEP DENIED RECALL STATUS AND DECLINED TO REPAIR OR REPLACE BECAUSE VEHICLE WAS "OUT OF WARRANTY". DENIED APPEAL PROCESS-STATED DECISION WAS FINAL!
DASHBOARD COMING APART AND CAVING IN ON 1997 DODGE RAM 1500 PU. *JB
MY DASHBOARD ON MY 1997 DODGE RAM X-CAB HAS SEVERELY CRACKED. IT HAPPENED RIGHT AFTER I WENT OUT OF WARRANTY, AS I AM THE ORIGINAL OWNER. THE DEALERSHIP WOULDN'T DO ANYTHING FOR ME. I UNDERSTAND THIS HAS HAPPENED TO MANY PEOPLE AND SHOULD BE A RECALL SOON? *JB
I OWN A 1997 DODGE TRUCK.T HE DASH HAS CRACKS IN IT. I HAVE ONLY HAD THE TRUCK ABOUT 1 YEAR AND THE CRACKS HAVE GROWN SOME. *JB
SEVERELY CRACKED DASH THAT COULD PUNCTURE AIR BAG UPON DEPLOYMENT. *JB
1997 DODGE RAM 1500 5.2L V8 SINGLE CAB(LARAMIE) DASH IS CRACKED RIGHT DOWN THE CENTER, CRUISE CONTROL IS NOT WORKING ANYMORE AND AIR CONDITIONING GOES IN AND OUT WITH ACCELERATION. *JB
Recall campaigns
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 ↗
Defect 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.
An investigation is not a finding of a defect, and closure does not prove a vehicle is problem-free.