10.0

really awful
Crashes / Fires:
0 / 4
Injuries / Deaths:
0 / 0
Average Mileage:
21,156 miles

About These NHTSA Complaints:

This data is from the NHTSA — the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints are spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem.

So how do you find out what problems are occurring? For this NHTSA complaint data, the only way is to read through the comments below. Any duplicates or errors? It's not us.

1997 Dodge Ram 1500 electrical problems

electrical problem

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1997 Dodge Ram 1500 Owner Comments

problem #9

Oct 202007

Ram 1500 8-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • 57,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

Dashboard cracked/split into pieces causing wires to be cut. Loss of headlamps, taillamps, and brake lights. Unknown if any damage has been done to the airbag system. How do I check that?

- Homestead, FL, USA

problem #8

Apr 282007

Ram 1500 8-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • miles
Severe cracking of the dashboard. Other vehicles from manufacturer have even lost electrical functions while driving down the road due to the dashboard dropping. I am concerned, and Dodge said tough luck your vehicle was out of warranty.

- Ocala, FL, USA

problem #7

Jan 252007

Ram 1500 8-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • miles
Cracking of dashboard and short in headlights.

- Sanford, FL, USA

problem #6

Feb 282003

Ram 1500 6-cyl Diesel

  • Manual transmission
  • 133,400 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

The vehicle had an electrical shortage under the dashboard, which resulted in a fire. The consumer has requested information about other vehicles (same make/model) who has experienced the same problem. Scc

- Hansen, ID, USA

problem #5

Feb 172001

Ram 1500 4WD

  • miles
No summary listed for above vehicle.

- Tonawanda, NY, USA

problem #4

Oct 141997

Ram 1500 4WD

  • miles
Headights on low beam headlights became inoperative upon tilting steering wheel downward. Raising tilt wheel, the headlights became operative. Position of steering wheel did not effect highbeams, only the lowbeams. Upon removal of the steering wheel column cowl, it became apparent that the lowbeam wire to the dimming switch had become chaffed by the movement of the tilt assembly, melting the wire insulation, and creating a high resistance connection to the steering column, strong enough for the wire to part but not allowing the amount of current flow needed to blow the fuse to the lighting circuit overcurrent device. Because the vehicle is 12,000 miles past warranty ( 36 months/36,000 miles) the selling dealer refused to treat the problem as factory defect and stated over the telephone that the problem was mine and that I would most likely be responsible for the repair. It is my position that wiring harnesses in such a limited amount of time should never short-out or become so dangerously defective, creating a possible fire hazard, headlight failure, and worst case air bag deployment while driving. Thank you for your time...marshall searles

- Winchendon, MA, USA

problem #3

Sep 181998

Ram 1500

  • miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

Possible electrical failure failure in the wiring harness underdash causing vehicle fire. Mjs

- Denton, TX, USA

problem #2

Mar 071999

Ram 1500 4WD

  • miles
Vehicle sitting in driveway after being used all day. Owner was alerted to problem when the horn on the vehicle started blowing. Owner went outside of home to see why the horn blowing and found the vehicle on fire. Called fire department. Fire of vehicle fully involved when the fire department arrived and extinguished the fire.

- West Chester, OH, USA

problem #1

Jan 151998

Ram 1500 Diesel

  • miles
No summary listed for this vehicle.

- Quitman, TX, USA

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