2017 Ram 1500: problems, recalls and reliability
13 recalls and 880 owner complaints on record; the weakest area is steering (24% of complaints).
Data updated weekly · 19 new complaints in the last 90 days · latest recall Jan 2025
All counts are reports filed with NHTSA in the United States - US market only, not worldwide totals.
Common problems
Computed from 880 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for this exact model year.
“Rack shudders back and forth Durring professional alignment. No one touching the steering wheel the computer in the rack seems to move the wheels and steering wheel on its own. When hitting any dip in the road the steering goes slack as if there is no resistance at all on the wheel and the tires go wherever they want.. Kindly advise”Owner report · Steering · Sep 2026
“The contact owns a 2017 Ram 1500. The contact stated that after reversing out of the driveway and shifting into drive(D, and depressing the accelerator pedal, the rear axle fractured. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed and determined that the differential pin retaining screw had backed out, causing the rear axle failure. The mechanic determined that the rear axle assembly needed to be replaced. The contact associated the failure with NHTSA Campaign Number: 17V198000 (Power Train). The manufacturer was notified of the failure by phone and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was 140,000.”Owner report · Power Train · Sep 2026
“My son was driving my truck when the power steering went out and felt like it was locked up. Luckily, he was not near a major road but became stuck on the side of the road. Now being told that this is common with this truck. Told that the entire steering rack now has to be replaced, $4,000.00. This is not right and could have seriously hurt my son or my family.”Owner report · Steering · Sep 2026
Show 7 more owner reports
“The power steering completely stopped working during normal driving conditions. It is not a blown fuse, as those have been checked. My safety and the safety of others on the road was impaired by the sudden loss of power steering. The warning of servicing power steering only came on AFTER the power steering was lost. There were no prior symptoms that would have let us know there was any kind of issue with the steering.”Owner report · Steering · Sep 2026
“The contact owns a 2017 Ram 1500 equipped with Kenda Tires, Tire Line: Kenda Klever A/T2 (KR628), Tire Size: LT265/70/R17, DOT Number: 02T6RAANA. The contact stated that while inspecting underneath the vehicle, there were cracks on all 4 tires on the inner tread all around the tires. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The tires were replacement equipment. The tires were installed at 74,000. The tire failure mileage was 20,600. The vehicle failure mileage was 94,653.”Owner report · Tires · Sep 2026
“Steering has become hard to steer and is available for inspection on request. It suddenly went out and surprised me on making a turn. I have not taken it in yet. No components inspection yet But does have a pending lawsuit for this truck between I believe 2013 to 2024 for this issue There was no warning when it became harder and is still harder to steer”Owner report · Steering · Sep 2026
“My truck all of sudden put up the ABS light, traction control light, emergency brake light and loss of cruise control. Had it test at an O'reilly and has a C-2200-49 ABS module failure internal module failure.”Owner report · Service Brakes · Sep 2026
“The contact owns a 2017 Ram 1500. The contact stated that while driving 70 MPH, the vehicle started riding very rough and felt very heavy, with the suspension warning light illuminated. The contact stated that the vehicle unexpectedly lowered due to the failure, and the contact had to activate the hazard lights. The vehicle was taken to a service center, where the contact was provided with several diagnostic trouble codes and informed that the vehicle had entered PLANT Mode. The contact stated that the vehicle was reset due to the failure. The failure reoccurred shortly after the vehicle was retrieved. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 98,000.”Owner report · Suspension · Sep 2026
“Fuel tank straps and frame braket for straps corroded and broke off .no incident at this time .not driving truck until it will be repaired .calling dealer 0n 9/7/2026 to see if it is a recall.”Owner report · Fuel/Propulsion System · Sep 2026
“Power steering loss EPS unit, steering rack and pinion needs replaced, entire rack and pinion, only driven 107,000 miles. Bought off dealership almost 3 years ago with only 83,956 had purchased extended warranty that has expired in March.”Owner report · Steering · Aug 2026
When filing, owners marked a crash in 80 of these complaints and injuries in 77 - self-reported to NHTSA, not verified accident statistics.
Recalls - 13 campaigns
Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain 2014-2019 Ram 1500 and 1500 Classic Pickup trucks equipped with 3.0L Eco Diesel engines. The Exhaust Gas Recirculation (EGR) cooler may crack and allow pre-heated vaporized coolant to enter the EGR system. This mixture may combust inside the intake manifold.
Remedy: Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will replace the EGR cooler, free of charge. Dealers will also inspect and, as necessary, replace the intake manifold. The recall began April 16, 2020. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is VB1.
Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain 2015-2017 Ram 1500, 2500 and 3500 pickup trucks equipped with an 8 foot bed and a power locking tailgate. Chrysler is also recalling all 2013-2014 and 2018 Ram 1500, 2500 and 3500 pickup trucks built before April 1, 2018 with a 6 or 8 foot bed and a power locking tailgate. On August 29, 2019 Chrysler expanded the recall to include an additional 693,128 model year 2013-2014 Ram 1500, 2500 and 3500 pickup trucks. The tailgate actuator limiter tab may fracture and cause the tailgate to unlatch and open while driving.
Remedy: Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will repair the tailgate latch, free of charge. The recall began May 23, 2019. Chrysler is expected to notify owners of the expanded population on October 18, 2019. Owners may contact FCA US customer service at 1-800-853-1403. FCA US's number for this recall is V44. Note: 2015-2017 MY Ram 1500 pickup trucks with truck beds other than 8 foot, are currently covered under NHTSA recall 18V-486 for this issue.
Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain 2014-2018 Dodge Journey, Charger and Durango, RAM 2500, 3500, 3500 Cab Chassis (more than 10,000lb), 4500 Cab Chassis and 5500 Cab Chassis, Jeep Cherokee and Grand Cherokee and Chrysler 300, 2014-2019 RAM 1500, 2015-2018 Dodge Challenger, 2015-2017 Chrysler 200, 2016-2018 RAM 3500 Cab Chassis (less than 10,000 lb), 2017-2018 Chrysler Pacifica and 2018 Jeep Wrangler vehicles. These vehicles are being recalled to address a defect that could prevent the cruise control system from disengaging. If, when using cruise control, there is a short circuit within the vehicle's wiring, the driver may not be able to shut off the cruise control either by depressing the brake pedal or manually turning the system off once it has been engaged, resulting in either the vehicle maintaining its current speed or possibly accelerating.
Remedy: Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the software, and perform a software flash on the engine or powertrain control module, free of charge. The recall began June 4, 2018. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Note: Owners are advised to stop using cruise control until the software update has been performed. In the event that cruise control cannot be disengaged while driving, owners should firmly and steadily apply the brakes and shift the transmission to neutral, placing the vehicle in park once it has stopped.
Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain 2016-2017 Ram 1500 trucks. The differential pin retaining screw may come loose while driving, potentially causing the differential to break or lock up.
Remedy: Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and replace the differential retaining pin, free of charge. The recall began April 24, 2017. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is T20.
Chrysler (FCA US, LLC) is recalling certain 2014-2019 Ram 1500 and 2014-2020 Jeep Grand Cherokee vehicles equipped with 3.0L Diesel engines. The crankshaft position sensor tone wheel may delaminate, causing the engine to lose its ability to synchronize the fuel injector pulses and cam shaft timing, possibly resulting in an engine stall.
Remedy: Dealers will update the powertrain control module software to maintain vehicle propulsion, free of charge. Interim notification letters, notifying owners of the safety risk, were mailed August 3, 2023. Some owner notification letters were mailed October 31, 2023. The remaining owner notification letters will be mailed at a future date, anticipated July 2024. Owners may contact FCA US, LLC customer service at 1-800-853-1403. FCA US, LLC's number for this recall is 66A. This recall is an expansion of recall 20V-475.
Chrysler (FCA US, LLC) is recalling certain 2014-2020 Jeep Grand Cherokee, and 2014-2019 Ram 1500 vehicles equipped with 3.0L diesel engines. A high pressure fuel pump (HPFP) failure may introduce internal debris into the fuel system, potentially resulting in fuel starvation.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the HPFP, and inspect and replace, if necessary, additional fuel system components, free of charge. Interim notification letters informing owners of the safety risk were mailed July 21, 2022. Owner notification letters for were mailed for Jeep Grand Cherokee owners starting January 11, 2024. Owner notification letters for Ram 1500 owners were mailed March 7, 2024. Owners may contact FCA US, LLC customer service at 1-800-853-1403. FCA US, LLS's number for this recall is Z46.
Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain 2015-2017 RAM 1500, 2500, and 3500 pickup trucks equipped with a power locking tailgate and either a 5 foot, 7 inch or 6 foot, 4 inch bed. The tailgate actuator limiter tab may fracture and cause the tailgate to unlatch and open while driving.
Remedy: Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will repair the vehicle, free of charge. The recall began September 17, 2018. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is U74.
Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain 2017 Ram 1500 trucks. The fuel tanks in the affected vehicles may have a broken fuel tank control valve which might leak fuel if the vehicle were to become inverted. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 301, "Fuel System Integrity."
Remedy: Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will replace the fuel tanks, free of charge. The recall began on August 10, 2017. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is T45.
Chrysler (FCA US, LLC) is recalling certain 2016-2019 Ram 3500, Ram 1500, 2016-2020 Ram 2500, and 2016 Ram 3500 Cab Chassis vehicles. The right and left side curtain air bag inflators may rupture due to a manufacturing defect.
Remedy: Dealers will replace one or both side curtain air bags, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed February 13, 2025. Owners may contact FCA customer service at 1-800-853-1403. FCA's numbers for this recall are 05C, 09C, and 10C.
Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain 2017-2018 RAM 1500, 2500, 3500, 3500 Cab Chassis, 4500 Cab Chassis, and 5500 Cab Chassis vehicles, all equipped with a column shifter. Pushing the brake pedal for prolonged periods when the vehicle is running and in PARK may cause the Brake Transmission Shift Interlock (BTSI) pin to stick in the open position. With the pin in the open position, the transmission can be shifted out of PARK into any gear without pushing the brake pedal or having the key in the ignition.
Remedy: Chrysler will notify owners and dealers will update the Body Control Module software. Dealers will also test the BTSI operation, replacing the solenoid as necessary. The recall began February 26, 2018. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is U11.
Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain 2016-2017 Ram 3500 Cab Chassis with a Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR) of less than 10,000 lbs, 2011-2017 Ram 3500, 4500 and 5500 Cab Chassis vehicles, 2009-2017 Ram 1500 and 2010-2017 Ram 2500 and 3500 pickup trucks, all equipped with a column shifter. Pushing the brake pedal for prolonged periods when the vehicle is running and in PARK may cause the Brake Transmission Shift Interlock (BTSI) pin to stick in the open position. With the pin in the open position, the transmission can be shifted out of PARK into any gear without pushing the brake pedal or having the key in the ignition.
Remedy: Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will update the vehicle software, inspect the BTSI, and, as necessary, replace it, free of charge. The recall began February 26, 2018. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is T79.
Chrysler (FCA US, LLC) is recalling certain 2015-2020 Ram 1500 Classic, 2015-2016 Ram 3500, and Ram 2500 vehicles, and 2016 Ram 3500 Cab Chassis with a gross vehicle weight rating less than 10,000 lbs. The side air bag inflatable curtain (SABIC) inflator end cap may detach from the inflator, or the inflator sidewall may rupture.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect and replace as necessary, the SABIC assemblies, free of charge. Interim owner notification letters were mailed on October 4, 2021. Owner notification letters were mailed on May 26, 2022. Owners may contact FCA US, LLC customer service at 1-800-853-1403. FCA US, LLC's number for this recall is Y55.
Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain 2014-2018 Ram 1500 and 2014-2016 Jeep Grand Cherokee vehicles equipped with 3.0L diesel engines. The crankshaft position sensor tone wheel may delaminate causing the engine to lose its ability to synchronize the fuel injector pulses and cam shaft timing, possibly resulting in an engine stall.
Remedy: FCA US will notify owners, and dealers will update the powertrain control module software to maintain vehicle propulsion by reading the camshaft position signal in the event that the crankshaft position signal is lost, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on May 13, 2021. Owners may contact FCA US customer service at 1-800-853-2002. FCA US's number for this recall is W58.
Trouble codes owners mention
OBD-II codes that appear in NHTSA complaints about this car.
Specifications
Factory options offered for the 2017 model year, decoded from the NHTSA vPIC database. Individual vehicles have one of each.
How other years compare
Counts are not adjusted for time on the road here - see all 1500 years ranked fairly for the age-adjusted comparison.
Check your exact 1500 by VIN
Recalls and equipment differ between individual vehicles. Decode your VIN to see what applies to yours.
Open VIN decoderFrequently asked questions
Is the 2017 Ram 1500 reliable?
NHTSA has 880 owner complaints and 13 recall campaigns on record for the 2017 Ram 1500. The most complained-about area is steering (24% of complaints).
At what mileage do 2017 Ram 1500 problems usually appear?
Half of the complaints that mention mileage were filed at 39,000 miles or less.
Does the 2017 Ram 1500 have open recalls?
13 recall campaigns have been issued, the latest concerning engine and engine cooling. Check your specific vehicle by VIN - recall repairs are free at franchised dealers.
Source: NHTSA recall campaigns and owner complaints (public domain). Counts reflect reports on file and are not a defect rate.