1997 Dodge Ram 2500 problems
Owners have filed 275 complaints with NHTSA about the 1997 Dodge Ram 2500. Brakes is the most reported problem area, at 17% of complaints. After that come tires (10%) and suspension (9%).
At a glance
- Complaints
- 275 filed with NHTSA
- Most reported
- Brakes 17% of complaints
- Crashes and fires
- 11 and 18
- Injuries and deaths
- 6 and 0
- Typical mileage
- 91,000 miles 70 complaints with mileage
Source: NHTSA owner complaints
Where the complaints are
Share of this model year's complaints by the part of the car involved. One complaint can name more than one part, so the shares can add up to more than 100%.
When problems show up
View the numbers
| Mileage | Complaints |
|---|---|
| 0k to 20k miles | 6 |
| 20k to 40k miles | 6 |
| 40k to 60k miles | 2 |
| 60k to 80k miles | 17 |
| 80k to 100k miles | 8 |
| 100k to 120k miles | 9 |
| 120k to 140k miles | 4 |
| 140k to 160k miles | 4 |
| 160k to 180k miles | 5 |
| 180k to 200k miles | 4 |
| 200k+ miles | 5 |
What the data shows
Among the 70 complaints that report mileage, the typical (median) problem appeared at about 91,000 miles.
Safety-related details: 11 complaints mention a crash; 18 complaints mention a fire; 6 injuries reported.
Looking only at complaints filed within five years of the model year (so older and newer years are comparable), the 1997 ranks 14th most-complained-about out of 21 model years of the Dodge Ram 2500 with enough data (162 complaints in that window).
What owners wrote
A few complaints as filed, shortened and with personal details removed. The first ones are among the most serious reports for this model year; the rest are typical.
Consumer was involved in a in head on collision traveling at very high speed in which the driver's side air bag did not deploy, resulting in injuries to the driver's side occupant. Also vehicle totaled. Please provide any further details.
There is a safety standard requiring head restraints to prevent or reduce whiplash injuries yet there is apparently no standard that requires the seat back holding such head restraint to remain standing upright during an accident where such head restraint would be needed. I was rear ended on an expressway. The other vehicle was traveling significantly faster than I was. The impact was severe enough that the interior shelving in my van buckled due to the shock to its load.
Engine: experienced a fire under the hood. A mechanic stated that the fire took place because of the cheap material that is used for the firewall.
While driving left front tire lost its shape. Consumer stopped and changed the tire. Later, the tire was taken to the dealer and it was replaced. Currently,the right and left rear tires were showing the same defect. Three of the four tires had broken belts. The tires had 18000 miles on them and the tread was at 55-60%.
Throttle on 1997 dodge ram 2500 diesel sticks at wide open throttle and won,t come back. This has happened three times. The first time the dealer freed up the linkage. The second time they replaced the linkage. The third time they freed up the new likage.