Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (doors, hood, frame, rust, paint and trim).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 1997 Dodge Ram 1500 owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
When driving out of a hospital parking structure, when coming to the exit on the lowest level you must make a sharp right turn into the exit booth lane. When turning right, it was as if a "tooth" inside the steering gear broke off causing a collision with the rail while exiting the parking structure. Now the steering has an excessive amount of play and while in the center of the (steering play) it is as it binds or sticks at times where the "tooth" used to be on the steering gear. It has become quite dangerous to drive, especially at high speeds or on the interstate as the vehicle tends to wander now and follow the cracks in the road. I have owned Dodge Ram pickups for the last 20 years since I bought my first brand new Ram pickup and let me tell you, they have all had issues with loose steering boxes, even the new one. …
Dash board is all cracked and broken apart. With every bump in the road the dash shakes bad and worsens from the lack of no support holding it in place. With the A/C, heat, or defroster blowing out the vents plastic also blows out. Trying to clean out my eye when driving is tough. Just waiting for the day I hit a bump and the dash falls to my feet. Body would be the paint on roof and hood, discoloring and peeling off
I bought a 1997 Dodge Ram slt 1500. It is used and has 135,000 miles on it. However, I like the truck and I don't want to sell it because it is not safe for my family and I to be in. It has cracks all in the dashboard...and they are getting worse every day. I can actually see wires and the internal part of my dash components. It squeaks and I can also see steel mounting post that look really dangerous for a sudden stop or even I miner fender bender. It is actually caving in....and completely deteriorating. Nothing has been done to correct this problem by Dodge as far as I know. I have researched this and there is no recall that I can find...and I do not feel that the original..or even a second owner should have to pay for this...nor do chryslers job...and make the vehicle safe for driving. …
I have a 97 Dodge Ram that started cracking around 2004 and has steadily gotten worse and worse. As a result I have a terrible looking interior and I believe my electrical problems are a testament of the dashboards exposing my electrical wiring to the sun. The only way to halfway fix it I've found is to mount formica squares(not cheap mind you) over the wholes with mounting squares, though it looks terrible. My electrical problems are but are not limited to: power door locks that only unlock the driver side door and power windows that only work half the time and a cupholder that has fallen out on more than one occasion and caused me to rig back into place. …
My report is not necessarily concerning a specific incident. Approximately the date and time specified above I noticed my dash cracking, since that time the entire dash of my truck has cracked and broken. I have had the cupholders break and spill on me and now my dash backlight has stopped functioning. It is only a matter of time until it completely falls apart. I have applied adhesive to a dash cover to prevent further degradation of the plastic. From what I see on my truck and my father-in-laws 2003 Dodge Ram it is a fundamental flaw in the material the dash components are made from. I fear it unsafe to drive since I don't know when catastrophic failure will occur. Numerous other Dodge trucks that belong to friends and coworkers have the same problems. Any attention you can give to this issue will be appreciated.
Alright so as I bought my truck and have asked around many places and all have the same type of rust and most of it is where the idler arm bracket meets the frame at the front frame rail on the passenger side only and also the frame has been well taking care of you can look down the rest of the whole frame and its barely touched by rot and what happens is it tends to rust out and then breaks and can cause a accident many people consider patching if its not too bad and many have junked it due to it being not replace able Dodge has been contacted many times also and refuse to do anything about it something needs done about these cheaply made frames I've owned vehicles 9 years older and the frames where no where near rotted.
1997 Dodge Ram 1500 - tan interior - 2 cracks opened up from the front to the rear of the dashboard about 1/8" wide. This happened overnight, with no adverse weather conditions and no changes in habits. Nothing was placed on the dashboard. I am concerned that the location of the cracks will interfere with or damage the air bag if it is deployed, not to mention the shrapnel that would be created because the crack is so close to the airbag area on the passengers side. There is no reason for this on a 12 year old vehicle.
Tl* the contact owns a 1997 Dodge Ram 1500. While driving 70 MPH, the hood latch separated from the vehicle and flew over the vehicle, fracturing the front windshield. The dealer and manufacturer concluded that the contact was no longer qualified for repairs under a silent recall, due to the circumstances surrounding the incident and denied any further assistance. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure and current mileage was 180,000.
I own a 1997 Dodge 1500 pickup truck and the dashboard is literally falling in pieces. This truck has been treated with a lot of care and has been detailed frequently to keep its appearance like new. It surprised me to see a small crack and I immediately sealed the crack to avoid it getting larger. I was amazed that larger cracks started appearing in various areas of the dashboard and soon it started to fall in pieces.
Tl* the contact owns a 1997 Dodge Ram 1500. The contact stated while driving with the windows opened, the top of the dashboard suddenly flew up and into the contact's face, obstructing his view of the roadway. The contact was able to locate similar complaints via internet for the exact failure in his year, make and model. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure and current mileages were approximately 100,000.
Body complaints in other Ram 1500 years
Frequently asked questions
How common are body problems on the 1997 Dodge Ram 1500?
NHTSA has 70 complaints about the body & structure of the 1997 Dodge Ram 1500, 19% of the model year's 361 complaints. The component named most often is body (6 mentions).
Is there a recall for 1997 Dodge Ram 1500 body problems?
No. NHTSA lists no body & structure recall for the 1997 Dodge Ram 1500. If the problem is widespread, a repair may still be covered by an extended warranty or a manufacturer service bulletin — ask a dealer.
At what mileage do 1997 Dodge Ram 1500 body problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 100,000 miles, and 8% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 1 crash, 0 fires and 1 injury to body & structure problems on this model year. If you notice symptoms, have the car checked before driving further.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.