Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (struts, shocks, control arms, ball joints, springs).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 1997 Dodge Ram 2500 owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
On all Dodge Ram trucks, specifically 2500 models, have a death wobble that occurs all the time. What happens is, when you hit a bump or a crack in the road, the truck starts wobbling out of control. It has to do with the front suspension and there's no way to fix it. It's horrible because it usually occurs when you're on highways at high speeds and it can cause a serious accident. More details include severe truck shaking and loss of control of the vehicle. To see this happen on camera, please go to http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z6h5eh261gw. Millions of people are having this problem!! It has even been reported with Jeep wranglers. Please sent out a recall for all Dodge Ram trucks and Jeep wranglers!!!
Tl* the contact owns a 1997 Dodge Ram 2500. The contact stated that when driving at any speed and traveling over a road bump or pothole, the vehicle would shake uncontrollably. The contact replaced the front end tracking bar several times however the failure was not corrected. The contact also stated that he had to shut the engine off in order to regain control of the vehicle. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The approximate failure mileage was 3,500 and the current mileage was 119,600. Updated 1/14/14
Tl* the contact owns a 1997 Dodge Ram 2500. The contact stated that the entire dashboard was cracked, to the point that pieces detach when going over a bump. The contact also stated that the front-end suspension was fractured, making it impossible for the vehicle to drive in a straight line. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failures. The failure mileage was not available. Updated 03/09/16
The entire vehicle vibrated, which almost resulted in loss of control of the vehicle. The dealership replaced several components, the brakes, u joints, and bearings, however the problem persisted.
Vehicle makes a hard left turn when braking. Dealer advised it to be front end alignment, ( which they don't do) or brakes or tire problem. Brakes were replaced, front end aligned, tires were replaced without any impact on condition. Further research and time and $ spent finds Chrysler has a TSB #05-03-97 that tells you to put a spacer between the hub and wheel of varying sizes untill you find one that changes the front end geometry till it nolonger pulls. This is after you have filed brake componets. If this does not cure the problem , then you are to replace the entire hub assy which then May cause you to have to go through the trial and error shim business again. This vehicle is dangerous to drive and warranty including chryslers maximum wrap warranty will not cover this fix accourding to auffenburg and a dealer in olathe ks I stopped at last week. …
2500 while changing gears with a 5-speed manual tran. You could hear a poping sound comming from the dana 80 rear axle. I took the truck to the dealership. And the problem was the (2) spider gears in the rear axle were made to large and where loose and making a poping sounds when engaged. Also I have a proplem with the independent front suspension. The truck will not stay in alignment in front and it wears out the outside of the tires down to the steel belts. I have replaced the front tires 3 times and had the trucks 4 wheel alignment done 2 times and it still is eating my tires up within a few weeks after I put new tires on the front . The dealership told me this was a very big problem with the 2500 and 3500 4 x 4 club-cab trucks with the cummins diesel motor.
On four occasions after encountering rough pavement or railroad tracks the front end of the veh has started to shake violently, necessitating coming to a complete stop to regain control. Had steering damper and traction bar replaced at 36768 miles. Again at approximately 45100 miles had same violent shaking of front end when crossing railroad tracks. Feels as if truck is flying apart and out of control until able to come to complete stop. Selling dealer has recommended replacing steering stabilizer. Will
Starting at around 21000 miles truck began pulling hard to either right or left under panic stopping conditions. Quite a bit of effort required to maintain a straight direction. Dealer has worked on numerous times without being able to correct. In addition pedal has gone "soft" on three occasions during this period.
The rear anti-sway bar, left linkage rod is rubbing against the parking brake cable assembly and also against the wiring harness for the rear anti-lock brake sensors. These components are being cut in half by the anti-sway bar connecting link.the parts are in too close proximity to each other.
Vehicle has weak rear springs that affect driveability/ride, defective from factory. Dealer, aka Chrysler have attitude /policy tat fix via TSB # 02-03-97 rev.a is fix is for information only at customer expense. As stated at bottom of TSB.
Suspension complaints in other Ram 2500 years
Frequently asked questions
How common are suspension problems on the 1997 Dodge Ram 2500?
NHTSA has 20 complaints about the suspension of the 1997 Dodge Ram 2500, 9% of the model year's 213 complaints. The component named most often is front (4 mentions).
Is there a recall for 1997 Dodge Ram 2500 suspension problems?
No. NHTSA lists no suspension recall for the 1997 Dodge Ram 2500. 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 2500 suspension problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 70,000 miles, and 17% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 2 crashes, 0 fires and 0 injuries to suspension 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.