Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (wheels, lug nuts, original-equipment tires, TPMS).
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).
While driving a Dodge Ram 2500, without any load and at a speed of 35 MPH on a straight smooth road the rear right tire burst for no apparent reason. A local Firestone dealer believes that the tire was punctured and at a low pressure. I do not believe that as a visual inspection prior to the trip which resulted in the blowout did not indicate a low pressure.
Dean mud terrain radial sxt lt265/75r16 manufactured January 2006. Tire's with 22,000 miles. Tread separated from casing causing a bubble, tire replaced. Second tire had a blowout three weeks later after tire inspection.
Bought a set of b.f. Goodrich all terrain t/a ko lt235/85r16 lre dot bforuh21 on nov.21, 2011. My truck is a 1997 Dodge 2500 4x4 5.9l diesel. Had 217,260 miles on it. On Wednesday, apr. 4, 2012 at about 10:30 p.m. My husband was driving us home. The rear passenger tire tread came completely off in one piece and all that was left on the rim was the perfect sidewalls. I see b.f. Goodrich has recalled this same tire before for the same problem.
While driving at 30 MPH heard a loud bang the rear end of the pickup rose 4-6". Upon looking in the rear view mirror the spare tire had fallen from its storage location under the bed of the truck. Upon inspection the bracket that holds the tire assembly had corroded and one ear (half) of the bracket buckled and allowed the tire to fall.
While driving left front tire lost its shape. Consumer stopped and changed the tire. Later, the tire was taken to the dealer and it was replaced. Currently,the right and left rear tires were showing the same defect. Three of the four tires had broken belts. The tires had 18000 miles on them and the tread was at 55-60%.
The spare tire on my 97 Dodge pickup truck fell off the truck from its storage holder causing damage to the horse trailer I was towing, resulting in a flat tire on the trailer. Fortunately no other vehicles were involved. The cause was the spare tire holder rusting to the point where it just let the tire loose.
I drive 70,000 miles a year...I have had a set of 4 michlin tires that have shown obvios signs of tread seperation ...very similar to what is shown on tv with the Firestone recall problem.......I have been a over the road driver and do know what I feel is unsafe in tires...I took these off my truck with over 1/2 of tread still on them,as ifeared that they were to come apart...I contacted the dealer(sams club) for adjustment...the store manager was called in to the problem and he called some paperpusher at michlin and described the problem....they said it was not their problem as the tires did not fail,that it appeared according to description that it was surface checking,but it is completely around tread in and out side on alll 4 tires...these were rotated and balanced regularly on service contract with selling dealer..so they had all maint required.....I did replace them as I said I …
We were traveling on interstate 44 in missouri and all of a sudden we heard a loud banging/thumping and were losing control of the back of our truck. We thought we had a blowout so we pulled over onto the shoulder. Initially, the tire looked fined until we looked at the back of the tire and the damage to the side of the truck. It looked like a tread separation. We replaced that tire with the spare tire and traveled to the next available town to buy a new tire. We were afraid to travel any further without a spare tire not knowing what caused the initial problem and to make sure we were prepared if something happened to another one of the tires. We still have the tire that we believe had a tread separation.
The left rear tire failed catastropically. Tread violently separated from the tire doing considerable damage to the vehicle. Loss of control of vehicle occurred, but no crash resulted. The failed tire remained fully inflated after the vehicle was brought to rest. The failed tire slowly lost pressure after the incident and was at a low pressure when it was brought to a Goodyear dealer 40 hours after the failure occured. All of the tires were well maintained, properly inflated, and were not overloaded. All of the tires have been replaced due to safety concerns for myself and others. The local Goodyear dealer has the all of the tires and will be able to provide identification numbers.( dot number: )
While driving approximately 45mph, the consumer heard a flapping noise coming from rear. Stopped vehicle on shoulder/ checked & noticed nothing wrong. Drove further & then 1/3 of the tread flew off left rear tire. Replaced it with spare. Tire was not flat, but bald. Bought a new tire. Traveling 60mph when the tread peeled completely off right rear tire. Stopped vehicle & changed it with spare. Goodyear wranlger rts lt245/75r16 with 47,000 miles on 1st tire & 49,000 miles on 2nd tire. Tires on 1997, Dodge, d2500. There was damage to the vehicle due to the faulty tires.
Wheel & Tire complaints in other Ram 2500 years
Frequently asked questions
How common are wheel & tire problems on the 1997 Dodge Ram 2500?
NHTSA has 26 complaints about the wheels & tires of the 1997 Dodge Ram 2500, 12% of the model year's 213 complaints. The component named most often is tread/belt (14 mentions).
Is there a recall for 1997 Dodge Ram 2500 wheel & tire problems?
No. NHTSA lists no wheels & tires 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 wheel & tire problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 113,000 miles, and 14% before 25,000 miles.
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.