Owner reports filed with NHTSA about this vehicle, newest first and reproduced as filed. They are unverified accounts: one proves nothing, and a pattern across many is the thing worth reading. Back to the full 1997 record →
HEADLAMP SWITCH BURNED OUT, CAUSING CONNECTOR TO BURN, WHICH COULD RESULT IN A FIRE HAZARD. THE DEALER WAS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. THERE WAS A RECALL REGARDING HEADLAMP SWITCH, BUT CONSUMER'S VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL.THIS VEHICLE IS ALSO EQUIPPED WITH TRAILOR TOWING PACKAGE. RECALL 99V024000. *AK
BOTH PROBLEMS COULD HAVE LED TO CRASHES IF NOT CAUGHT AND MAJOR INJURIES AND OR FATALITIES. WE HAVE BEEN DEALING WITH THE PROBLEMS EVER SINCE THEY HAVE STARTED AND THE TRUCK HAS BEEN IN THE SHOP MORE THAN IT HAS BEEN OUT. WE KNOW THAT BREAKDOWNS DO EXSIST AND WILL HAPPEN BUT THIS MUCH AND THE SAME PARTS IS A LITTLE RIDICULOUS.
ONE END OF THE TRACK BAR,WHICH ALLOWS THE FRONT AXLE TO MOVE FROM SIDE TO SIDE,HAS WORN OUT CAUSING VEHICLE TO WANDER. ALSO A COUPLE OF TIE RODS ARE WEARING OUT. *AK
WHEN TRAVELING AT ANY SPEED VEHICLE STALLS AND CUTS OFF WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING, RESULTING IN LOSS OF ALL POWER. ALSO, NOTICED VEHICLE WILL NOT SHIFT INTO GEAR. CONSUMER HAS CONTACTED THE DEALER, DEALER HAS YET TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM. PARTS ALSO REPLACED. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK
DUE TO DEFECTIVE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION, VEHICLE DOES NOT SHIFT PROPERLY WHICH MAY CAUSE A REAR END COLLISION. BEEN TO DIFFERENT DEALERS, MANY TIMES, AND THEY REPLACED MANY PARTS 2-3 TIMES.. DEALER CANNOT DETERMINE THE PROBLEM. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *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. *JADA
TRANSMISSION IN OVERDRIVE. WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE GOES INTO NEUTRAL BECAUSE NUT ON SHAFT THAT HOLDS 5TH GEAR IN PLACE,UNSCREWED/ FELL OFF DUE TO VIBRATION. DEALER CONTACTED AND REPAIR WAS MADE APPROXIMATELY 10 TIMES. PROBLEM STILL EXISTS. PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK
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
DRIVER AND PASSENGER AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY IN A 50MPH HEAD ON COLLISION.
TRUCK JUST BLEW UP WITHOUT ANY WARNING, THE ENGINE JUST STARTED TO BURN. DEFECTIVE DTRANSMISSION STARTED FIRE. *AK
CONSUMER COMPLAINT CONCERNED BRAKE FAILURE. WHEN APPLYING BRAKES IN AN EMERGENCEY SITUATION, BRAKE SYSTEM MOMENTARILY FAILED. DEALER/MANUFACTURER NOTIFIED. ALSO THE CONSUMER STATED THAT MANUFACTURER INFORMED HIM THAT HE WOULD HAVE TO LIVE WITH THIS PROBLEM. *SLC
TIRES CONSTANTLY MALFUNCTION, TOOK TO DEALER THREE TIMES, AND THEY COULD NOT FIND CAUSE. *MJS
DRIVING AT APPROXIMATLY 60 MPH GOING UP A HILL,THROTTLE LINKAGE ROD HAD BROKEN, CAUSING ENGINE TO SHUT DOWN/TO IDLE. ALSO, VEHICLE LOST CONTROL, ALMOST CAUSING AN ACCIDENT. *AK
POWER STEERING PUMP FAILED.
WHEN BRAKING THE LEFT REAR BRAKES LOCK WITH LIGHT PEDAL PRESSURE CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO PULL TO THE LEFT.
WHILE APPLYING BRAKES (ABS), THE VEHICLE WOULD PULL TO THE LEFT OR THE RIGHT. HAVE TAKEN TO DEALER AT LEAST 3 TIMES & INFORMED THAT ROTORS NEEDED TURNING. *AK
FRONT END OF VEHICLE WILL NOT STAY ALIGNED PROPERLY, CAUSING TIRES TO WEAR.
BRAKE PADS FAILED.
WHILE APPLYING THE ABS BRKAES VEHICLE PULLS TO THE LEFT. ALSO THERE IS A CLUNKING SOUND WITHIN BRAKES WHEN APPLIED.PROBLEM OCCURS AT ANY SPEED WHILE BRAKING. DEALERS REPLACED MANY PARTS, BUT PROBLEM REMAINS. *AK
WHILE DRIVING CONSUMER SMELLED BRAKE FLUID BURNING, PULLED OVER AND OPENED HOOD AND THE TRUCK WAS ON FIRE. *AK
FRONT TIRES WORN QUICKLY DUE TO TORSION BAR BEING WORN SEVERELY WITHIN THREE MONTHS FROM PURCHASE. OWNER ALSO IDENTIFIED THAT THE TRUCK PULLS TO THE RIGHT AND HAD THE TRUCK CHECKED BY 4X4 SPECIALIST. THIS SPECIALIST IS AWARE OF OTHERS WITH SIMILAR CONDITION. PLEASE DESCRIBE DETAILS. *AK
STEERING JAMS DUE TO COTTER PIN SEPARATING FROM THE NUT. DILEMMA, PINS FELL OUT AND STEERING TEMPORARILY LOCKED UP. *AK
OWNER STATES THAT WHEN HEADLIGHTS ARE USED HE CANNOT SEE THE ROAD VERY WELL. ALSO, THAT THE DIMMER SWITCH MUST BE USED IN ORDER TO SEE. *AK
UNSPECIFIED.
NHTSA publishes every complaint as the owner wrote it and investigates only a fraction. Spelling, capitalisation and judgement are the filer’s own. What carries weight is repetition: the same component failing the same way across many filings, and whether the manufacturer eventually opened a recall for it.
Full record for the 1997 Dodge Ram 3500 → · Every Ram 3500 year → · How the figures are calculated →