IllustrationTRANSMISSION FAILS TO GO INTO GEAR. YH
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 reports"SENSOR" FAILED, CAUSING CHECK ENGINE LIGHT TO ILLUMINATE. *YC
BATTERY FAILED. MJS
MOPAR RADIO CASSETTE FAILED. NLM
WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED AND APPLYING THE BRAKES, THE BRAKES ARE SOFT AND GO STRAIGHT TO THE FLOORBOARD. WHEN SLOWING DOWN THE PEDAL WILL SLOWLY GO TO THE FLOOR. CONSUMER HAS BEEN HAVING PROBLEMS WITH BRAKES FOR A WHILE, AND CAN'T DETEMINE WHAT THE PROBLEM IS. *AK
WHILE BACKING OUT OF DRIVEWAY THE STEERING COLUMN BEGAN TO MAKE A POPPING SOUND AND THE WHOLE THING JUST FELL IN CONSUMER'S LAP. DEALER WAS CONTACTED. *AK
CONSUMER EXPERIENCING ONGOING PROBLEM WITH FRONT TIRES NOT BEING ALIGNED. PROPERLY. CONSUMER HAD REPLACED FRONT TIRES WITHIN FIRT 26,000 MILES OF WEAR. DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED AT THIS TIME. *AK
CONSUMER HAD BEEN DRIVING VEHICLE FOR ABOUT 45 MINUTES WHEN HE STARTED TO SMELL A STRONG SMELL OF FUEL. THEN HE PARKED VEHICLE, BUT WITH ENGINE STILL RUNNING VEHICLE STARTED GETTING ON FIRE AND EXPLODED. ALSO, CONSUMER HAD TAKEN VEHICLE TO DEALER FOR REPAIRS OF INTAKE MANIFOLD ON OCTOBER 16, 1998. DEALER HAD TOLD CONSUMER THAT…
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CONSUMER HAD BEEN DRIVING VEHICLE FOR ABOUT 45 MINUTES WHEN HE STARTED TO SMELL A STRONG SMELL OF FUEL. THEN HE PARKED VEHICLE, BUT WITH ENGINE STILL RUNNING VEHICLE STARTED GETTING ON FIRE AND EXPLODED. ALSO, CONSUMER HAD TAKEN VEHICLE TO DEALER FOR REPAIRS OF INTAKE MANIFOLD ON OCTOBER 16, 1998. DEALER HAD TOLD CONSUMER THAT THEY WILL INVESTIGATE. *AK
I KNOW OF TWO OTHER PEOPLE WHO'S REAR ENDS HAVE FAILED BUT LUCKILY FOR THEM THAT THEY STILL HAD A LITTLE WARRANTY LET ON THEIR TRUCKS.
AT TEN THOUSAND MILES THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO SURGE, IDLING FROM 700RPMS UP TO 1200 RPMS. VEHICLE IS ACCELERATING WITHOUT WARNING. PROBLEM WILL OCCUR WHEN STOPPED AT A STOP SIGN OR SITTING IN PARK. CONSUMER PULLED INTO DRIVEWAY, PARKED AND THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO SURGE UP TO 1200, NEARLY WENT INTO THE WALL OF GARAGE. CONSUMER WILL P…
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AT TEN THOUSAND MILES THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO SURGE, IDLING FROM 700RPMS UP TO 1200 RPMS. VEHICLE IS ACCELERATING WITHOUT WARNING. PROBLEM WILL OCCUR WHEN STOPPED AT A STOP SIGN OR SITTING IN PARK. CONSUMER PULLED INTO DRIVEWAY, PARKED AND THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO SURGE UP TO 1200, NEARLY WENT INTO THE WALL OF GARAGE. CONSUMER WILL PROVIDE VIN.# AT A LATER DATE. *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.