IllustrationPOWER STEER/BRAKE FLUID MASTER CYLINDER LEAKED INTO CAB OF TRUCK SATURATING THE CARPETS BEFORE IT COULD BE DISCOVERED. SAFETY FEAR OF CARPET SOAKED WITH POWER STEERING FLUID. *TR
1997 Dodge RAM 3500
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 1997 Dodge RAM 3500 do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 124.5.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all RAM 3500 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
20–25K
425–50K
450–75K
775–100K
13100–150K
11150K+
41 reports with mileage · 84 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.
- Power Train. Review the 26 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Exterior Lighting. Review the 25 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Service Brakes, Hydraulic. Review the 17 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
4 crash reports12 fire reports5 injury reports
Service Brakes, Hydraulic complaints
17 reportsABS AND BRAKE LIGHT STAYS ON. BRAKES ARE NOT LIKE THEY USE TO BE. *NM
DT: BRAKE LINES RUSTED. THIS HAPPENED WITHOUT WARNING. THE CALLER HAD TO REPLACE THE BRAKE LINES. HE WAS COMING TO A STOP SIGN AND WHEN HITTING THE BRAKE PEDAL IT WENT TO THE FLOOR. THE REAR BRAKES LOST ALL THE FLUID. HE PUMPED THE BRAKE AND GOT VEHICLE TO STOP. THE CALLER SAID THAT WHEN THEY WERE TRYING TO FIND WHERE A HO…
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DT: BRAKE LINES RUSTED. THIS HAPPENED WITHOUT WARNING. THE CALLER HAD TO REPLACE THE BRAKE LINES. HE WAS COMING TO A STOP SIGN AND WHEN HITTING THE BRAKE PEDAL IT WENT TO THE FLOOR. THE REAR BRAKES LOST ALL THE FLUID. HE PUMPED THE BRAKE AND GOT VEHICLE TO STOP. THE CALLER SAID THAT WHEN THEY WERE TRYING TO FIND WHERE A HOLE WAS THE FLUID SPRAYED OUT AND VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE. DEALER AND MANUFACTURER HAVE NOT BEEN CONTACTED YET.*AK
ANTI-LOCK BRAKE FAILURE - THE BRAKE FAILURE WAS ACCOMPANIED BY THE BRAKE AND ANTI-LOCK BRAKE LIGHT INDICATORS ON THE DASH TO INTERMITTANTLY APPEAR AND DISAPPEAR. THE BRAKE PEDAL INTERMITTANTLY RANGES FROM SOFT TO HARD. A PERIODIC VIBRATION IN THE PEDAL IS NOTED WITH NEARLY A TOTAL LOSS IN BRAKE PRESSURE.*AK
WHILE DRIVING, THE ANTI-LOCK BRAKE LIGHT HAD COME ON INTERMITTENTLY. THE CONSUMER NOTIFIED THE DEALERSHIP ON TWO SEPARATE OCCASIONS . *AK *SCC *JB
CONSUMER WAS EXPERIENCING BRAKE PROBLEMS. DEALER HAS ALREADY REPLACED TWO SETS OF ROTORS.*AK
WHEN THE PEDAL IS APPLIED IT GOES HALF WAY TO THE FLOOR BEFORE IT CATCHES, AND THERE IS A LATE RESPONSE FROM THE BRAKES, CAUSING EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE. THIS HAS RESULTED IN A REAR END COLLISION. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. *AK
CONSUMER COMPLAINS OF VEHICLE SHUDDERING VIOLENTLY AS THE CLUTCH AND FLY WHEEL BECOME INOPERABLE, VEHICLE PULLS TO THE RIGHT, DEALER ROTATED TIRES AND VEHICLE STILL SHAKES VIOLENTLY, DEALER REPLACED DAMPENING SHOCK, PITMAN ARM, TIE ROD, AND STEERING BOX. POSSIBLE STEERING OR SUSPENSION PROBLEM, DEALER COULDN'T REMEDY PROBLEM. …
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CONSUMER COMPLAINS OF VEHICLE SHUDDERING VIOLENTLY AS THE CLUTCH AND FLY WHEEL BECOME INOPERABLE, VEHICLE PULLS TO THE RIGHT, DEALER ROTATED TIRES AND VEHICLE STILL SHAKES VIOLENTLY, DEALER REPLACED DAMPENING SHOCK, PITMAN ARM, TIE ROD, AND STEERING BOX. POSSIBLE STEERING OR SUSPENSION PROBLEM, DEALER COULDN'T REMEDY PROBLEM. *JADA
WHENEVER THE BRAKES ARE APPLIED FOR A SUDDEN STOP, THE VEHCILE VEERS SEVERELY TO THE LEFT OR RIGHT, ALMOST CHANGING LANES. DEALER SAYS IT'S NORMAL. *AK
WHILE DRIVING IN "EMPTY LOADS" THE REAR ABS BRAKING SYSTEM MALFUNCTIONED, CAUSING THE REAR BRAKES TO "CATCH AND GO," RESULTING IN EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE AND ALMOST AN ACCIDENT. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK
Official recalls
199V024000 · Exterior Lighting:headlights:switch
Feb 5, 1999
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: MODEL 3500 LIGHT DUTY TRUCKS ONLY. OPERATION OF THE HEADLAMPS OVER AN EXTENDED PERIOD OF TIME CAN RESULT IN HEADLAMP SWITCH FAILURE, CAUSING THE HEADLAMPS OR PARK LAMPS TO GO OUT.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: IF THE LIGHTS FAIL, A VISIBILITY PROBLEM COULD OCCUR, INCREASING THE RISK OF A VEHICLE CRASH.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE HEADLAMP SWITCH INCLUDING A RELAY IN THE PARK LAMP WIRING CIRCUIT.
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.