IllustrationCONSUMER'S VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A COLLISION. UPON IMPACT, AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. VEHICLE WAS BACKING OUT OF THE DRIVEWAY.*AK
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.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all RAM 1500 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
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
What owners actually said
361 reportsINTERMITTENTLY, AND AN ON-GOING PROBLEM WHEN APPLYING BRAKES. THE PEDAL WOULD GO TO THE FLOOR AND CAUSES PULSATION AND EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN AT THE DEALERSHIP ON DIFFERENT OCCASION REPLACED THE MASTER CYLINDER. THE EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE RECURRED. *LA
WHILE DRIVING ON A CURVE TO THE LEFT AT HIGHWAY SPEED STEERING WHEEL LOCKED UP. I TRIED TO TURN STEERING WHEEL AND IT WOULD NOT MOVE,HENCE I DROVE OFF HIGHWAY AND TRUCK ROLLED END FOR END. SEATED BELT WAS USED AND AIR BAG WAS DEPLOYED. I SUSTAINED INTERNAL INJURIES AND WAS HOSPITALIZED.*AK
WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED AND WHEN THE AIR CONDITIONER IS ON A TERRIBLE SMELL PERMEATED THE VEHICLE. THIS SMELL OCCURRED SEVERAL TIMES. DEALER WAS NOT ABLE TO FIND WHAT WAS CAUSING THE ODOR.*AK
WHILE SITTING AT A GAS STATION ON A SLIGHT INCLINE VEHICLE ROLLED BACKWARDS ABOUT THIRTY FEET AND COLLIDED WITH A FUEL PUMP. THE FUEL PUMP WAS DEMOLISHED, AND FUEL FLOODED THE IMMEDIATE AREA. VEHICLE SUFFERED SCRATCHES, A BENT BUMPER AND SEVERAL DENTS.*AK
WHILE MAKING A SHARP TURN USING THE FIFTH WHEEL IT CAUSED THE TRAILER TO COLLIDE WITH THE SIDE OF THE VEHICLE. THE TRAILER DENTED THE SIDE OF THE VEHICLE, BREAKING A GLASS WINDOW. *AK
CONSUMER COMPLAINED ABOUT A TRANSMISSION PROBLEM. TRANSMISSION DID NOT SHIFT FROM SECOND TO THIRD GEAR INTERMITTENTLY.*AK
RIGHT FRONT WHEEL CAME OFF TRUCK WHILE GOING DOWN FREEWAY. THERE WAS A SLIGHT VIBRATION IN THE FRONT END ABOUT 10 SECONDS BEFORE THE WHEEL CAME OFF. THE LUG BOLTS WERE ALL SHEARED. THERE IS NO APPARENT WEAR ON THE WHEEL OR RIM. WE WENT OFF THE ROAD AND LUCKILY I WAS ABLE TO KEEP THE VEHICLE FROM ROLLING. HAD THIS BEEN ANOTH…
Read full complaint
RIGHT FRONT WHEEL CAME OFF TRUCK WHILE GOING DOWN FREEWAY. THERE WAS A SLIGHT VIBRATION IN THE FRONT END ABOUT 10 SECONDS BEFORE THE WHEEL CAME OFF. THE LUG BOLTS WERE ALL SHEARED. THERE IS NO APPARENT WEAR ON THE WHEEL OR RIM. WE WENT OFF THE ROAD AND LUCKILY I WAS ABLE TO KEEP THE VEHICLE FROM ROLLING. HAD THIS BEEN ANOTHER MILE DOWN THE ROAD, WE WOULD HAVE MET A ROCK WALL AND SUFFERED SERIOUS INJURY TO PASSENGERS. *AK
RIGHT REAR AXLE ASSEMBLY SHEARED CAUSING ENGINE TO STALL/LOSS OF STEERING/CONTROL OF THE WEHICLE. TRUCK BED WAS EMPTY AND TRAVELING AT APPROX. 60MPH; UPON OCCURENCE VEHICLE ROLLED 3 TIMES ON BUSY HIGHWAY; BOTH DRIVER AND PASSENGER INJURED
WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED THE VEHICLE VIBRATES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION. THE DEALER INFORMED THE DRIVER THAT THE BRAKES NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE DRIVER NOTICED THAT THE GAS LINE AND BRAKE LINES WERE RUSTY. *MR
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.