Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (automatic and manual transmissions, CVT, axles, driveshaft, 4WD/AWD).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2017 Ram 3500 owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
The grid heater in my engine overheated causing a bolt to lose integrity and snap off being sucked into the # 6 cylinder causing catastrophic damage to the motor while I was towing a trailer up hill. Losing all power on a hill with a trailer seems like a pretty dangerous situation to me. It's a known issue dating back too 2014 and still hasn't been fixed my 2017 suffered from the issue and now I'm 2021-2023 models there catching fire and being recalled but my 2017 is not. There's only 48,000 miles on my truck it's not old at all and should be in the same recall as the newer models.
ABS module and HCU failure. Constant service ABS, traction control, and service brake system warning lights. I lost control of truck on snow covered road when warnings came on causing me to go into the ditch. Knowing that FCA refuses to address the safety concerns, I have not brought the truck to the dealership.
Column shifter became disconnected in Drive position. Unable to shift into neutral or park. Stuck in Drive position. Unable to turn engine off. Found steering column gear shift bracket broke. See attached picture.
While pulling my trailer on the interstate with cruise control set, I was going up a hill when all of a sudden my engine RPMs skyrocketed and my truck simultaneously lost propulsion. The cruise control system then disabled itself. My truck had slowed down enough that I turned my hazard lights on, and then selected a lower gear due to the decreased speed. While attempting to accelerate back to a normal speed, my trucks RPMs again skyrocketed and my truck simultaneously lost propulsion. I was now fairly certain that my clutch was slipping. I was able to limp the truck back to my shop. I then contacted my dealership asking if this would be covered by the manufacture powertrain warranty, they informed that it was not. I then asked for them to order me a new flywheel, clutch kit, and all other incidental parts. …
While test driving a 2017 RAM 3500 6.7L Cummins diesel at Cherry Hill Dodge Chrysler Jeep Ram in Cherry Hill, New Jersey, both the check engine light and the regen warning light came on simultaneously. I returned to the dealership, looked up the regen warning, then retrieved my BlueDriver OBD2 scanner from my own vehicle. I scanned the truck on-site and ran live data. The scan confirmed the diesel particulate filter (DPF) was 100% full, and the regeneration system was not functioning. Permanent fault code P242F was stored, and the exhaust backpressure reading was over 25 PSI at idle - indicating a severely blocked system. These faults were not disclosed by the dealership, and no inspection or documentation from a diesel technician was available. …
Truck in park, stationary but running, jumped out of gear due to faulty shifter and rolled down an embankment. Extensive damage to truck. Consumer stated there are no addtional problems. 'parts of this document have been redacted to protect personally identifiable information pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 U.S.c. 552(b)(6).'
Very slow to respond throttle pedal, its to a point of not safe to pullout in traffic or merge onto a highway. There is 2-4 seconds of idle while pedal is to the floor, then the engine will start to increase RPM at a slow rate of speed. Also the transmission will seem to be in neutral at times when turning into an elevated parking lot or driveway. Apply more throttle and clunks back into gear then will continue to move forward. At times coming to a stop, the transmission will stay in a higher gear or the lockup converter is staying locked up. Trying to stop with typical brake pedal pressure will not stop the truck when this is happening. You really need to apply pedal pressure until it completely stops rolling then it seems to reset or go back to normal. Ram dealers claim its characteristics of the truck and they say that Ram star says its normal. …
Occasionally when you step on the clutch to stop the vehicle or change gears, the clutch pedal just goes straight to floor and does not disengage the clutch. Sometimes you have to shut the engine off to stop the vehicle, and sometimes when stopped at a stop sign or red light, the vehicle will not go back into a gear. Also while driving, sometimes you cannot change gears. After the first sign of trouble I checked all of the fluid levels and found that the hydraulic reservoir for the clutch control assembly was low on fluid. I've had to refill this reservoir several times now, which helps the issue of changing gears however the fluid still seems to be leaking out from somewhere, and I'm concerned that it is leaking somewhere internally in the transmission/clutch area.
There is a chassis vibration issue where the entire truck shakes at speeds over 60 MPH. The seats shake and the whole truck shakes as if a tire is really out of balance. There is no shake in the steering wheel however, and new tires, and recently balanced tires, have no effect on the issue. It seems to start in the rear of the vehicle. Many people on the forums report the same problem and no one has found a fix for it that I know of. Dealers just throw new tires and wheels at the problem with no resolution. Check forums like cumminsforum.com and turbo diesel register for the hundreds of threads on the issue. Also appears 2500 and 3500s are both effected and have different rear suspension setups.
Driving on I-95 in georgia, all 8 of the lug studs on the drivers side dual rear wheels sheared off, causing the outer wheel to shoot past the truck in traffic, while attempting to stop the vehicle. Vehicle was moving at a rate of 60 MPH when the onset of severe vibration caused me to look for a safe place to pull over, and slow down. Thank god the other rear wheel remained on the hub, though completely unsecured. The truck has just 4,500 miles on it.
Related recalls
Power train › Automatic transmission
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…
Remedy: 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.
Power train › Automatic transmission › Lever and linkage › Column shift
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.
Remedy: 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.
NHTSA investigations
Post Recall Remedy Brake Transmission Shift Interlock (BTSI) Failure
The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) has received 14 Vehicle Owner Questionnaire (VOQ) reports and 6 EWR Death & Injury (D&I) reports describing post recall remedy failures of the brake transmission shift interlock (BTSI) system in certain Model Year (MY) 2013-2018 RAM pickup trucks.The subject vehicle models include 1500, 2500, 3500, 4500, and 5500 trucks equipped with a column mounted shift lever.The failures…
Transmission complaints in other 3500 years
Frequently asked questions
How common are transmission problems on the 2017 Ram 3500?
NHTSA has 27 complaints about the transmission & drivetrain of the 2017 Ram 3500, 9% of the model year's 315 complaints. The component named most often is automatic transmission › gear position indication (prndl) (1 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2017 Ram 3500 transmission problems?
Yes — NHTSA recall 18V-100 (automatic transmission, Feb 8, 2018); NHTSA recall 17V-821 (column shift, Dec 20, 2017). Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.
At what mileage do 2017 Ram 3500 transmission problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 15,000 miles, and 69% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 1 crash, 0 fires and 0 injuries to transmission & drivetrain 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.