- The problem
- Dope, inc. Is recalling 42,540 combination corner and bumper lamp assemblies of various part numbers sold for use as aftermarket equipment for various passenger vehicles. These headlamps fail to conform to the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 108, "Lamps, reflective devices, and associated equipment." These lamps do not contain the required amber side reflectors.
- The risk
- Decreased lighting visibility may result in a vehicle crash.
- The fix
- Dope, inc. Will notify owners and offer a full refund for the noncompliant combination lamps. The safety recall began on july 28, 2009. Owners may contact dope, inc. At 1-626-272-1798.
Vehicle safety record
1997 Dodge Ram Problems, complaints & recalls
No owner complaints about the 1997 Dodge Ram have been filed with NHTSA. It is covered by 11 recalls, the latest in May 2009 for the headlights.
NHTSA data checked
DMore problems than a typical Ram year, for its age
- Complaints
- 0
- Recalls
- 11
- Crashes
- 0
- Fires
- 0
- Injuries
- 0
- Deaths
- 0
1997 Dodge Ram recalls 11
Recall repairs are free. Your dealer fixes them whether or not you bought the car there - check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see if yours is done. What to do
- The problem
- Sabersport is recalling 16,270 combination corner and bumper lamp assemblies of various part numbers sold for use as aftermarket equipment for various passenger vehicles. These headlamps fail to conform to the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 108, "Lamps, reflective devices, and associated equipment." These lamps do not contain the required amber side reflectors.
- The risk
- Decreased lighting visibility may result in a vehicle crash.
- The fix
- Sabersport will notify owners and offer a full refund for the noncompliant combination lamps. The safety recall began on may 11, 2009. Owners may contact sabersport at 1-909-598-7589.
- The problem
- K2 motor is recalling 1,921 aftermarket headlamps of various models sold for use on the above listed vehicles. These headlamps are missing the amber side reflex reflector which fails to conform with the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 108, "Lamps, reflective devices, and associated equipment."
- The risk
- Without the amber side reflex reflectors, the lighting visibility may be affected, possibly resulting in a vehicle crash.
- The fix
- K2 motor will notify owners and offer a full refund. The recall began on decemeber 17, 2008. Owners may contact k2 motor at 1-909-839-2992.
- The problem
- Certain aai motorsports combination lamps sold as replacement lamps for use on the above list passenger vehicles. Combination lamps not equipped with amber side reflectors fail to conform with the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 108, "Lamps, reflective devices, and associated equipment."
- The risk
- Lack of amber side reflectors in the lamps will decrease lighting visibility to other drivers and may possibly result in a vehicle crash
- The fix
- Aai motorsports will notify owners and replace the lamps free of charge. The recall began on august 1, 2006. Owners may contact aai motorsports at 909-923-9188.
- The problem
- On certain pickup trucks equipped with diesel engines only, the throttle linkage joints can corrode and cause the throttle to bind or stick.
- The risk
- This could potentially result in a loss of throttle control, increasing the risk of a crash.
- The fix
- Dealers will replace the rod ends and ball studs. Owner notification began july 29, 2002. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact daimlerchrysler at 1-800-853-1403.
- The problem
- Vehicle description: pickup trucks. Sound deadener material inside the steering wheel could become detached from the cover and housing. Note: the ram pickup trucks were built at the warren assembly plant ("s" in the 11th vin position) from may 16, 2000 through october 23, 2000; st. Louis north assembly plant ("j" in the 11th vin position) from may 19, 2000 through october 23, 2000; lago alberto assembly plant ("m" in the 11th vin position) from may 23, 2000 through october 23, 2000; and saltillo assembly plant ("g" in the 11th vin position) from may 23, 2000 through october 23, 2000. Important: vehicles that have already had the proper clockspring installed, according to warranty records, have been excluded from this recall. In addition, 1997-2000 model year vehicles that have had a suspect replacement clockspring installed, according to warranty records, have been added to this recall.
- The risk
- When this occurs, the material could interfere with the clockspring ribbon and cause an open circuit. The driver air bag system will become disabled, and the air bag warning lamp will illuminate on the instrument panel.
- The fix
- Dealers will replace the clockspring assembly. Owner notification began june 18, 2001. Also some 1997-200 model year vehicles that, according to warranty records, have had a suspect replacement clockspring installed, will also be included in this campaign. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact daimlerchrysler at 1-800-853-1403.
- The problem
- On certain pickup trucks originally sold in or currently registered in the following "salt belt" states: maine, new hampshire, vermont, massachusetts, rhode island, connecticut, new york, new jersey, pennsylvania, delaware, maryland, the district of columbia, west virginia, ohio, indiana, michigan, illinois, wisconsin, minnesota, iowa, and missouri. Corrosion of the return spring on the hood secondary latch could cause the mechanism to bind in the "release position."
- The risk
- If the primary latch is not engaged, the hood could open unexpectedly.
- The fix
- Dealers will replace the secondary hood latch. Owner notification began september 17, 2001. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact daimlerchrysler at 1-800-853-1403.
- The problem
- Vehicle description: pickup trucks equipped with manual transmission, v10 engines and four-wheel-drive transfer cases. Under sustained maximum rated vehicle load, while driving up a steep grade in four-wheel-drive low range in hot ambient conditions, the local exhaust temperature proximate to the hydraulic clutch line can generate line temperatures that exceed the temperature limit of the clutch line material. If this condition occurs and the clutch is depressed, the line could rupture.
- The risk
- The fluid could ignite on the hot exhaust possibly resulting in a vehicle fire.
- The fix
- Dealers will replace the hydraulic clutch assembly.
- The problem
- Vehicle description: van and wagon model passenger vehicles. If water/road salt gets on the interior floor of the vehicle in the proximity of the air bag electronic control module (aecm), the aecm can corrode. The resulting corrosion can cause the driver side air bag to deploy inadvertently.
- The risk
- Deployment of the air bag without warning could cause a driver to lose vehicle control, increasing the risk of a crash and personal injury.
- The fix
- Dealers wil replace the aecm with an aecm that is sealed from moisture intrusion.
- The problem
- Vehicle description: light duty trucks equipped with diesel engines. The exhaust pipe contacts or is in close proximity to the outer dash panel silencer pad.
- The risk
- If the exhaust pipe generates sufficient heat, the pad material can smolder and ignite adjacent materials resulting in a vehicle fire.
- The fix
- Dealers will remove the dash silencer pad adjacent to the exhaust pipe and replace this pad with a thermal heat shield on the exhaust pipe.
- The problem
- Under certain high load operating conditions, the transmission fluid temperature can exceed the melting point of the material used in the connector to retain the fluid line to the transmission.
- The risk
- When these temperatures occur, the fluid line will not stay connected with the transmission and fluid can spray onto the exhaust manifold, resulting in smoke or fire.
- The fix
- Dealers will replace the high temperature side of the transmission fluid cooler line connector fittings with connectors that incorporate a stainless steel retainer.
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No complaints about the 1997 Dodge Ram yet
No owner has filed a complaint about this vehicle with NHTSA. If yours has a problem, share it here and report it to NHTSA.
Dodge Ram: every year compared
| Year | Complaints | Recalls | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2001 | 1,430 | 14 | F |
| 2000 | 659 | 11 | F |
| 1999 | 0 | 13 | F |
| 1998 | 0 | 17 | F |
| 1997 | 0 | 11 | D |
| 1996 | 0 | 14 | F |
| 1995 | 0 | 16 | F |
| 1994 | 0 | 22 | F |
| 1993 | 0 | 1 | A |
1997 Dodge Ram vs rivals
| Vehicle | Complaints | Recalls | Grade | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1997 Dodge Ram | 0 | 11 | D | |
| 1997 Ford F-150 | 0 | 26 | D | Compare |
| 1997 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 | 0 | 2 | A | Compare |
| 1997 GMC Sierra 1500 | 0 | 5 | C | Compare |
| 1997 Dodge Ram 1500 | 0 | 1 | A | Compare |
| 1997 Dodge Caravan | 720 | 15 | F | Compare |
| 1997 Dodge Grand Caravan | 589 | 6 | F | Compare |
| 1997 Dodge Dakota | 452 | 12 | F | Compare |
| 1997 Dodge Neon | 396 | 6 | D | Compare |
More sales usually means more complaints, so compare similar vehicles of the same year. The grade compares each vehicle with its own model's other years.
Questions about the 1997 Dodge Ram
Does the 1997 Dodge Ram have any recalls?
Yes - NHTSA lists 11 recalls for the 1997 Dodge Ram: headlights (May 2009); exterior lighting (April 2009); headlights (August 2008); exterior lighting (June 2006) and more. Recall repairs are free at any authorized dealer. Enter your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see whether yours has been fixed.
How many complaints has the 1997 Dodge Ram had?
None have been filed with NHTSA so far.
Is the 1997 Dodge Ram a reliable vehicle?
Its Safety Index is 29 out of 100 (grade D: more problems than a typical Dodge Ram year, for its age). The index weighs complaints, crashes, fires, injuries, deaths and recalls against how long the vehicle has been on the road, compared with the same model's other years. It is not a measure of every repair - read the complaints and owner experiences, and have any used vehicle inspected before you buy.
Which Dodge Ram years have the most complaints?
2001 (1,430), 2003 (1,359), 2004 (1,157). See every Dodge Ram year compared.
What should I do if my 1997 Dodge Ram has a problem?
If it is a safety problem, stop driving it if it is unsafe and contact your dealer. Report it to NHTSA at nhtsa.gov/report-a-safety-problem - enough reports start investigations and recalls - and share your experience here so other owners know what to look for.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) complaints and recalls, checked . Complaints are owners' own reports and are not verified. How we use the data