1997 Dodge Ram: recalls and complaints

No tracked figure of this page changed in a data update. What the log tracks

All updates to the register

• 02V16100014 Jun 2002Vehicle Speed Control
• 01V1530008 May 2001Air Bags
• 01V04000012 Feb 2001Latches/Locks/Linkages / Hood / Latch
• 99V1150006 May 1999Power Train / Clutch Assembly
• 99V0230005 Feb 1999Air Bags / Frontal
• 97V12600018 Aug 1997Unknown or Other
• 97V0840005 May 1997Power Train / Automatic Transmission / Cooling Unit and Lines

1. 02V161000Received 14 Jun 2002. 97,500 units.

   Vehicle Speed Control

   Defect, in the NHTSA record

   On certain pickup trucks equipped with diesel engines only, the throttle linkage joints can corrode and cause the throttle to bind or stick.

   Consequence, in the NHTSA record

   This could potentially result in a loss of throttle control, increasing the risk of a crash.

   Remedy, in the NHTSA record

   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.

   Report filed by DAIMLERCHRYSLER CORPORATION. Manufacturer campaign number B15. Owner notification date in the NHTSA record: 29 Jul 2002.

2. 01V153000Received 8 May 2001. 216,100 units.

   Air Bags

   Defect, in the NHTSA record

   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.

   Consequence, in the NHTSA record

   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.

   Remedy, in the NHTSA record

   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.

   Report filed by DAIMLERCHRYSLER CORPORATION. Manufacturer campaign number 982. Owner notification date in the NHTSA record: 18 Jun 2001.

3. 01V040000Received 12 Feb 2001. 701,000 units.

   Latches/Locks/Linkages / Hood / Latch

   Defect, in the NHTSA record

   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."

   Consequence, in the NHTSA record

   If the primary latch is not engaged, the hood could open unexpectedly.

   Remedy, in the NHTSA record

   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.

   Report filed by DAIMLERCHRYSLER CORPORATION. Manufacturer campaign number 973. Owner notification date in the NHTSA record: 17 Sep 2001.

4. 99V115000Received 6 May 1999. 8,883 units.

   Power Train / Clutch Assembly

   Defect, in the NHTSA record

   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.

   Consequence, in the NHTSA record

   The fluid could ignite on the hot exhaust possibly resulting in a vehicle fire.

   Remedy, in the NHTSA record

   Dealers will replace the hydraulic clutch assembly.

   Report filed by DAIMLERCHRYSLER CORPORATION. Manufacturer campaign number 828. Owner notification date in the NHTSA record: 27 Dec 1999.

5. 99V023000Received 5 Feb 1999. 250,845 units.

   Air Bags / Frontal

   Defect, in the NHTSA record

   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.

   Consequence, in the NHTSA record

   Deployment of the air bag without warning could cause a driver to lose vehicle control, increasing the risk of a crash and personal injury.

   Remedy, in the NHTSA record

   Dealers wil replace the aecm with an aecm that is sealed from moisture intrusion.

   Report filed by DAIMLERCHRYSLER CORPORATION. Manufacturer campaign number 815. Owner notification date in the NHTSA record: 8 Mar 1999.

6. 97V126000Received 18 Aug 1997. 6,400 units.

   Unknown or Other

   Defect, in the NHTSA record

   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.

   Consequence, in the NHTSA record

   If the exhaust pipe generates sufficient heat, the pad material can smolder and ignite adjacent materials resulting in a vehicle fire.

   Remedy, in the NHTSA record

   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.

   Report filed by CHRYSLER CORPORATION. Owner notification date in the NHTSA record: 25 Sep 1997.

7. 97V084000Received 5 May 1997. 960,000 units.

   Power Train / Automatic Transmission / Cooling Unit and Lines

   Defect, in the NHTSA record

   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.

   Consequence, in the NHTSA record

   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.

   Remedy, in the NHTSA record

   Dealers will replace the high temperature side of the transmission fluid cooler line connector fittings with connectors that incorporate a stainless steel retainer.

   Report filed by CHRYSLER CORPORATION. Owner notification date in the NHTSA record: 19 May 1997.

The campaign number opens the NHTSA record. Each quotation is the text of the NHTSA recall file.

Recall campaign: One recall in the NHTSA recall file, with one campaign number. A campaign can name many makes, models and model years.

Units: The number of vehicles or products that a recall can include. The manufacturer or the firm reports the number to the agency.

A complaint can name more than one component. Each component that a complaint names is one component mention. The figure per 1,000 component mentions shows how many of each 1,000 mentions name the component.

• 1997 Dodge Ram
• All 1997 vehicles

The table shows the 10 components with the most mentions, of 25.

Complaints that report a crash

42

Complaints that report a fire

18

Injuries in the complaints

33

Deaths in the complaints

4

Date of the newest complaint

6 Sep 2011

These figures are the entries of the persons who sent the complaints.

Complaint: A report about a possible safety problem that a person sends to NHTSA. This site shows the number of complaints and not their text.

Investigation: A study of a possible safety defect by the NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. An investigation with no closing date in the NHTSA file is open.

1. 19760
2. 19770
3. 19790
4. 19810
5. 19830
6. 19840
7. 19850
8. 19860
9. 19870
10. 19880
11. 19890
12. 19900
13. 19912
14. 19921
15. 19930
16. 199418
17. 199512
18. 199610
19. 19977
20. 199813
21. 19999
22. 20006
23. 20019
24. 20022
25. 20032
26. 20041
27. 20050
28. 20060
29. 20071
30. 20082
31. 20095
32. 20105
33. 20114

A year without a link has fewer than 2 campaigns and fewer than 25 complaints. It has no page.

• Dodge Ram: all model years
• Dodge: 118 model lines

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• NHTSA VIN lookupNHTSA shows the unrepaired recalls of one vehicle from its VIN or its license plate.
• NHTSA: report a safety problemThe NHTSA form for a complaint about a vehicle, a tire, a child seat or equipment.
• NHTSA page of the 1997 Dodge RamThe recalls, the complaints and the investigations that NHTSA shows for this model year.

How many units are in the recall campaigns for the 1997 Dodge Ram?

2,240,728 units in 7 campaigns. A campaign can name other models and model years, and its units include them.

How many recall campaigns does the Dodge Ram have for all model years?

NHTSA lists 63 recall campaigns for the Dodge Ram, model years 1976 to 2011. 7 of them name the 1997 model year.

Which component do the complaints about the 1997 Dodge Ram name most often?

Service Brakes, Hydraulic: 87 of 513 component mentions, or 169.6 per 1,000. For all 1997 vehicles the figure is 101.4 per 1,000.

Is an NHTSA investigation of the 1997 Dodge Ram open?

1 investigation has no closing date in the NHTSA file, of 5 that name this model year.