1997 Ram 2500 Problems, Recalls & Reliability
275 owner complaints sit in the federal file for the 1997 Ram 2500, alongside 1 recall campaign and 1 defect investigation. It scores 10/100 on the trouble index — one of this model's quieter years. Brakes & stability leads the reports.
One of the quieter years. Relative to its siblings, the 1997 Ram 2500 has drawn well-below-average complaint volume with at least four years on the road.
Better year
Where 1997 sits among all 2500 years
What owners report
“Front and rear brake malfunction. Vehicle pulls severely to the left or right when brakes are applied. Vehicle also vibrates to the point of excessive effort by the driver to contol.”— owner report to NHTSA, 1997 2500
“The engine would not stop running. Wiring to fuel solenoid started burning. Engine started to shutdown and the starter engaged. This appears to be common because a cummins dealership mentioned that it happens often on dodge trucks and so did another dodge dealership once the vehicle gets around or…”— owner report to NHTSA, 1997 2500
“Tire blew while vehicle was traveling at 75 mph. Two more tires were found to be defective.”— owner report to NHTSA, 1997 2500
Mileage when trouble shows up
Among the 66 reports that include an odometer reading, problems most often appear around 97,655 miles. Half of those reports fall between 70,000 and 142,000 miles — a useful range to weigh against the mileage of the exact car you're looking at.
Recalls (1)
CERTAIN REPLACEMENT K&N FUEL PERFORMANCE KITS, P/NOS. 57-1509, 57-1511, 57-1511-1, 57-1517, 57-1517-1, 57-1527, AND 57-1530. ALSO, A SMALL PERCENTAGE OF THESE KITS WERE SOLD UNDER THE MOPAR PERFORMANCE PARTS BRAND NAME (P/NOS. P5007069 AND P5007070). ALL…
Fix: K&N WILL PROVIDE OWNERS WITH A FREE REPAIR KIT ALONG WITH REPAIR INSTRUCTIONS. THE RECALL BEGAN ON APRIL 20, 2006.
Federal defect investigations
Technical service bulletins
15 manufacturer communications — service bulletins, the biggest share on body & structure and transmission & drivetrain — are on file for the 1997 Ram 2500. A TSB is factory repair guidance, not a recall — the repair is not automatically free.
Complaint history for this model year
When owners filed their reports — a long tail means problems kept surfacing for years.
Questions buyers ask
Is the 1997 Ram 2500 reliable?
The 1997 Ram 2500 drew 275 complaints in federal safety records — one of this model's quieter years. Its trouble index is 10/100, scored against the model's worst year (2018).
What are the most common 1997 Ram 2500 problems?
The top reported problems for the 1997 Ram 2500 are brakes & stability (47 complaints), transmission & drivetrain (36), and electrical (30).
At what mileage do 1997 Ram 2500 problems show up?
Owners most often report 1997 Ram 2500 problems around 97,655 miles. Half of all reports that include an odometer reading fall between 70,000 and 142,000 miles.
Does the 1997 Ram 2500 have recalls?
1 recall campaign applies to the 1997 Ram 2500. Recall repairs are free at any franchised dealer.
Every number on this page is a count of records in the federal complaint, recall, and investigation files published by NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation. Check any specific vehicle's open recalls by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.