2017 Ram 1500

Problems, recalls and owner-reported issues

Steering is the leading concern among 880 owner complaints filed for this model year. This is the 6th highest complaint count among 17 1500 model years with reports.

Complaints by model year
  1. 880

Of the 2017 reports, 80 involved a crash and 16 involved a fire. 77 people were injured and 1 person died.

Primary concernSteering227 reports · 26% of complaints
Owner complaints880Filed with NHTSA
Recall relationship13 safety recallsNHTSA campaign records

What owners report most often

  1. Steering227
  2. Engine156
  3. Electrical system109
  4. Service brakes100
  5. Power train98
  6. Fuel/propulsion system89
  7. Other or unspecified67
  8. Air bags53

Recalls and investigations

  1. Air bags, side/window, curtain, inflatorJan 16, 2025

    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.

    An inflator rupture may result in sharp metal fragments striking occupants, resulting in injury.

    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.

    Campaign 25V010000 on NHTSA.gov

  2. Engine and engine coolingJun 8, 2023

    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.

    An engine stall can increase the risk of a crash.

    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.

    Campaign 23V411000 on NHTSA.gov

  3. Fuel system, diesel, delivery, fuel pumpJun 9, 2022

    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.

    Fuel starvation may result in an unexpected loss of drive power, increasing the risk of a crash.

    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.

    Campaign 22V406000 on NHTSA.gov

  4. Air bags, side/window, curtain, inflatorAug 12, 2021

    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.

    A separated inflator end cap or inflator rupture can allow compressed gas to escape, resulting in the end cap or other components being propelled into the vehicle, increasing the risk of injury or crash.

    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.

    Campaign 21V632000 on NHTSA.gov

  5. Engine and engine cooling, engine, dieselAug 13, 2020

    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.

    An engine stall can increase the risk of a crash.

    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.

    Campaign 20V475000 on NHTSA.gov

  6. Engine and engine cooling, exhaust system, emission control, gas recirculation valve (egr valve)Oct 24, 2019

    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.

    Combustion in the intake manifold can increase the risk of a fire.

    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.

    Campaign 19V757000 on NHTSA.gov

  7. Latches/locks/linkages, tailgate, latchMay 9, 2019

    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.

    If the tailgate opens while the vehicle is being driven, cargo may fall out the vehicle and create a road hazard, increasing the risk of crash.

    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.

    Campaign 19V347000 on NHTSA.gov

  8. Structure, body, tailgateJul 27, 2018

    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.

    If the tailgate latch releases and the tailgate opens while driving, cargo may fall out, creating a road hazard and increasing the risk of a crash.

    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.

    Campaign 18V486000 on NHTSA.gov

  9. Electrical system, wiringMay 17, 2018

    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.

    If the vehicle maintains its speed or accelerates despite attempts to deactivate the cruise control, there would be an increased risk of a crash.

    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.

    Campaign 18V332000 on NHTSA.gov

  10. Power train, automatic transmissionFeb 8, 2018

    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.

    Being able to shift the transmission without pushing the brake pedal and/or without a key in the ignition can increase the risk of an unintended vehicle rollaway that may result in personal injury or a crash.

    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.

    Campaign 18V100000 on NHTSA.gov

  11. Power train, automatic transmission, lever and linkage, column shiftDec 20, 2017

    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.

    Being able to shift the transmission without pushing the brake pedal and/or without a key in the ignition can increase the risk of an unintended vehicle rollaway that may result in personal injury or a crash.

    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.

    Campaign 17V821000 on NHTSA.gov

  12. Fuel system, gasoline, storage, tank assemblyJul 7, 2017

    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."

    In the event of a rollover crash, leaking fuel in the presence of an ignition source can increase the risk of a fire.

    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.

    Campaign 17V434000 on NHTSA.gov

  13. Power train, driveline, differential unitMar 23, 2017

    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.

    A broken or locked up differential may result in a loss of motive power and possibly a loss of vehicle control. Either scenario increases the risk of a crash.

    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.

    Campaign 17V198000 on NHTSA.gov

Representative owner complaints: steering

227 reports, newest first. Show all

  1. Steering, Sep 26, 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

  2. Steering, Suspension, Sep 23, 2026

    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

  3. Steering, Sep 23, 2026

    Vehicle experienced a sudden loss and binding of electric power steering (EPS) assist, creating an unreasonable safety hazard requiring excessive manual effort to control. The dashboard power steering warning lamp is now actively illuminated. While this 2017 Ram 1500 is currently excluded from automated VIN recall lists (S19/VB9), physical inspection confirms it contains the identical contaminated circuit board architecture and part design under federal investigation in NHTSA probe RQ 23-003 (covering 2013–2024 Ram power steering failures). Manufacturer is incorrectly denying coverage based strictly on a narrow VIN rollout while identical hardware fails in the field. While no vehicle crash occurred, the sudden loss of power assist and steering binding requires severe physical force to control, directly aggravating driver physical strain and chronic back pain. Component is available for inspection.

  4. Steering, Sep 23, 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.

  5. Steering, Sep 21, 2026

    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.

  6. Steering, Sep 2, 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.

  7. Steering, Aug 12, 2026

    Loss of electric power steering. Hard to steer the truck.

  8. Steering, Jun 29, 2026

    Intermittent failure of electronic power steering similar to other recalled items.

  9. Steering, Jun 22, 2026

    The contact owns a 2017 Ram 1500. The contact stated that while driving approximately 45-50 MPH, the electric power steering became inoperable, but the contact was able to avoid a crash. The check power steering warning light was illuminated after the failure. The local dealer was contacted and the dealer confirmed that a previous recall repair was performed on the vehicle. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.

  10. Steering, Jun 22, 2026

    The contact owns a 2017 Ram 1500. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the steering wheel seized. The message "Service Power Steering" was displayed. The contact called a tire retailer and was informed to disconnect the battery to reset the vehicle. The contact disconnected the battery, which corrected the failure temporarily, but the failure persisted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 19E077000 (Steering); however, the VIN was not included in the recall. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 200,000.

  11. Steering, Jun 7, 2026

    EPS steering rack stopped working. It began as an intermittent problem, with the power steering getting stiff on occasion, it quickly progressed to a regular problem. Makes the truck difficult to steer while driving slowly, especially in parking lots which makes it hard to safely maneuver. It started a few months ago, and got worse in the past 3-4 weeks. The truck has 145k miles, almost all highway commuting. I have not gotten it fixed yet, I will likely pull the rack myself as it’s out of warranty. Thankfully I know how to work on cars, but it’s still going to be a $1500 repair. Knowing that there’s NTSA investigation going on for this and a class action lawsuit, I wanted to make sure I reported my problem to help with understanding the scale of this flaw.

  12. Steering, Jun 5, 2026

    "While driving up an incline, the Electric Power Steering (EPS) system suddenly failed completely, causing the steering wheel to go violently stiff and dangerous to turn. The power steering warning light illuminated on the dashboard. After pulling over, turning the vehicle off, and restarting it, the system performed a soft reset and function temporarily returned. This matches the exact failure profile of active NHTSA investigation RQ23003 for Ram steering module circuit board failures."

  13. Steering, May 26, 2026

    After buying as is, a few months later started having steering issues. After trying to self diagnose I finally took it to a ram dealership in Lexington, Ky. They determined it was the EPS Steering Rack. I found a used one for 1,000 that I’m going to replace it with because the dealership quoted me 4,500 and I just simply cannot afford it. Praying this used one resolves my problem. I really wish there was a recall for this because I feel like a sitting duck and just have to try to fix it.

  14. Steering, May 20, 2026

    on 5/19/26 I had just traveled about 100 miles when suddenly I lost steering. As soon as I lost steering a red steering wheel with an ! appeared on the dash. I managed to get slowed down and pulled over but it was very hard to turn the steering wheel. I shut off the vehicle let it sit for about 20 min and started it again. The steering worked for about 3 min then went out again as I was driving it to a chevy dealership nearby. They reported that when they got back into the truck later that afternoon steering was working again. after OBD diagnostic they found C2129 C212A and C2128 for voltage out of range. On freeze frame they found voltage at 24V and 7.5 V when code set. Garage test drove it and found no issue. I had one more issue with this on the way back home. I looked up recalls and saw that this was a recall for other models of 2017 Ram. Please advise if there have been other reports of my model RAM. This was a very scary event for a female driving down a highway to suddenly lose steering.

  15. Steering, May 6, 2026

    Sudden loss of power steering. Turning off of the main road into my neighborhood I completely lost power steering. The power steering warning light was in the dash at that point. I managed to get the truck home. Checked fuses and all way good. After restarting my truck everything was working as expected. The warning light was gone. Every other model of ram this year has been recalled except this one. This is unacceptable.

  16. Steering, Apr 27, 2026

    The contact owns a 2017 Ram 1500. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle lost power steering functionality. The contact stated that extra effort was needed to maintain control of the vehicle. No warning light was illuminated. The dealer was contacted, but the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact associated the failure with NHTSA Campaign Number: 19E077000 (Steering); however, the VIN was not included. The manufacturer was notified of the issue. The approximate failure mileage was 180,000.

  17. Steering, Apr 21, 2026

    Steering has become hard and pulsates at times. Feels unsafe when turning at intersections. Steering issue is unpredictable and dangerous. (many other RAM 1500 drivers seem to have this issue per RAM forums). Fix is to replace entire rack and pinion system which is not acceptable. This is something that should last life of the vehicle. ~$4,000 fix is very hard to swallow.

  18. Steering, Apr 20, 2026

    While driving the Electric Power Steering Unit failed. would not steer. maneuvered vehicle to safe area; turned off vehicle; waiter about 5 minutes; vehicle started and steering reset to a usable steering. Drove home and parked. Next day started vehicle; steering would not work. This incident happened while driving. Hazardous to all around. In the past two months started vehicle and tried to steer with no results. Used a system diagnostic device to find codes--reported that EPS unit failure. Talked with dealership and Manufacturer, both stated that there was not a recall for the Vin in question. (Ref. NHTSA- Recall-----VB9-NHTSA-077). They both said the vin number was not in the recall. Vehicle has not been inspected by manufacturer, police, insurance representatives or any other agency; only by current owner and family members. No warning of this happening was seen with this system failure prior to it happening. A message appeared in the dash system after this happened stating "check power steering"; not prior to the failure. No accident happened, no injuries occurred, no reports to police or insurance were made for this system failure. Contacted local dealership and manufacture of this failure, both stated this would be an "Out-Of-Pocket expense". Because of financial hardship, nothing has been done with this vehicle to date. It would require towing and repair of failure.

  19. Steering, Apr 20, 2026

    Electronic Power Steering (EPS) failure resulting in loss of control of vehicle.

  20. Steering, Apr 17, 2026

    EPS rack and pinion failing at 140,000km. Steering gets tight when driving long distances and at higher speeds. Intermittent loss of power steering happening daily. This is super concerning safety wise as this happened when i was on the highway and could have been a serious accident. Not to mention I have to pay over $4000.00 to have this repaired.

  21. Steering, Apr 15, 2026

    Power Steerin EPS went out, causin loss of control of truck

  22. Steering, Apr 13, 2026

    The electric power steering system has now completely failed and the steering is fully locked/stiff at all times. The vehicle cannot be safely driven or operated. The issue began as intermittent loss of power steering assist and progressed to total failure without warning. Steering now requires extreme force and is effectively unusable. This creates a serious safety hazard, especially if it occurs while driving or turning. The vehicle is currently undrivable and unsafe. The vehicle has not yet been inspected but is available for inspection upon request.

  23. Steering, Power train, Apr 7, 2026

    The contact owns a 2017 Ram 1500. The contact stated that while driving at 45 MPH, the vehicle lost power steering functionality with the steering assist warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a dealer to be diagnosed. The dealer associated the failure with NHTSA Campaign Number: 17V198000 (POWER TRAIN); however, the VIN was not associated with the recall. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 177,000.

  24. Steering, Power train, Fuel/propulsion system, Mar 20, 2026

    1Rear end shifted to passenger side 3 in 2. The intermittent shaft made the steering wheel over turn over half a turn. 3 manifold bolts replaced but snapped again. Fuel pump went out. Tailgate has opened multiple times. 120 k seems unfit to drive wheel studs drivers rear broke off 1 by 1 till there were 2 left

  25. Steering, Suspension, Electrical system, Mar 19, 2026

    Electronic Power Steering just stopped all of a sudden while I was going up the mountain into North Carolina that almost caused an accident the only reason it didn’t is because of the pull off right after the curve I was going through when I lost all steering! With the truck already in the pull off I stopped to see if I had lost a serpentine belt unaware this Ram is equipped with the EPS System. I had no phone service luckily someone came by when they did because of the snow storm seeing vehicles was few and far between! After letting the truck sit for about 20mins with the positive cable unhooked I started the truck and had steering again. So the nice gentleman that stopped said he would follow me to the nearest cell service area so I could call someone, No warning light the first time at all the second time the only warning light was service ABS system which shouldn’t affect having power steering. So I repeated the steps as I did the first time and had steering again the service ABS System light was gone and we made it 11 Minutes up the mountain before it happened again only this time all kinds of service lights came on all at once, Service Electronic brake system,Service ANTILOCK BRAKE SYSTEM, SERVICE ELECTRONIC SHIFTER, SERVICE POWER STEERING SYSTEM, traction control was disabled which isn’t good in snowy weather conditions and i had no choice but to continue 3mins to the next town with no power steering no traction control and all these other warning lights because it wouldn’t fix it anymore temporarily by in hooking the positive battery cable and waiting 20 minutes which I attempted 3 times with no success once we reached the town I was able to call and have someone come pick me and my truck up and brought a scan tool I cleared the codes only for them to come right back as soon as I would crank the truck! Had it professionally scanned with same results! Very dangerous issue! Yes it can be inspected yes professionally inspected $2300part only not labor to!