1997 Dodge 1500 Transmission Problems

REPLACED THE TRANSMISSION IN A 1997 DODGE RAM 1500 AND IT IS STILL SCREWING UP. TRUCK ONLY HAD 12000 MILES ON IT. *TR

NHTSA ID

10412247

Incident

Jan 15, 2011

Mileage

120,000 mi

LINES STARTING LEADING AN BURNED TRANSMISSION OUT DON'T PULL AT ALL ANYMORE 97 DODGE RAM 1500 SPORT. *TR

NHTSA ID

10364240

Incident

Jun 19, 2010

TRANSMISSION FAILURE IN 1997 DODGE RAM 1500. TRANSMISSION FAILED AND WOULD NOT SHIFT INTO HIGHER GEARS. WOULD NEVER GO FASTER THAN 40 MILES AND HOUR. *TR

NHTSA ID

10234932

Incident

Sep 1, 2007

Mileage

118,000 mi

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 DODGE RAM 1500. WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH, THE TRANSMISSION FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INSPECTION STATION AND THE TRANSMISSION WAS REPAIRED. THE MECHANIC STATED THAT THE REPAIR WAS PREVIOUSLY PERFORMED BY THE DEALER ON AUGUST 19, 1997 UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 97V084000 (POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:COOLING UNIT AND LINES). THE DEALER FAILED TO USE A STAINLESS STEEL RETAINER FOR THE REPAIR AS STATED IN THE RECALL NOTICE. INSTEAD, THE ORIGINAL PLASTIC PART WAS STILL ON THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 72000. UPDATED 05/06/08 *BF THE CONSUMER STATED THE DEALER DID NOT MAKE THE REPAIR AND THE TRANSMISSION EVENTUALLY FAILED.

NHTSA ID

10223001

Incident

Aug 19, 1997

Mileage

72,002 mi

TRANSMISSION WILL SHIFT THROUGH ALL GEARS APPROACHING 30MPH... IT WILL THEN NEED TO BE ALMOST FLOORED TO GET THE TRUCK TO DOWN SHIFT SO I CAN BEGIN TO MOVE AT A QUICKER RATE OF SPEED. OVERDRIVE SLIPS EVERYTIME YOU PRESS THE PEDAL AND SOMETIMES WON'T GO INTO OVERDRIVE. FROM WHAT I UNDERSTAND THE TORQUE CONVERTER HAS FAULTY CLUTCHES CAUSING THEM TO BREAK DOWN. THE DEBRIS CLOG UP THE CHECK VALVE OUT OF THE COOLER BLOCKING FLOW OF FLUID TO THE TRANSMISSION... THEREFORE CAUSING SEVERE DAMAGE AS EARLY AS 20MILES WITHIN CHECK VALVE CLOGGING. DODGE NEEDS TO UNDERSTAND THIS PROBLEM BECAUSE I'M GOING TO LOOSE A TRANS SOON AND THOUSANDS OF OTHER PEOPLE ALREADY HAVE. DODGE REPLACES THE TRANSMISSION LEAVING THE CLOGGED CHECK VALVE THIS CAUSES THE SECOND TRANSMISSION TO GO ETC. I BELIEVE YOU GET THIS GIST OF IT. SOMEONE NEEDS TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT THIS WHY IS OUR GOVERNMENT BLIND TO THE CHEAP, DANGEROUS AND FAULTY ASSEMBLY OF THIS VEHICLE. SOMEONE PLEASE FORCE A RECALL ON THESE POWERTRAINS!!! THE DODGE OWNING CITIZENS ARE TIRED OF BEING TAKEN ADVANTAGE OF DAY AFTER DAY. *TR

NHTSA ID

10218148

Incident

Feb 15, 2008

Mileage

68,000 mi

MY FIANCE IS THE OWNER OF A 1997 DODGE 1500 4X4 PICKUP. THE PROBLEM IS THAT WE HAVE HAD THE TRANSMISSION REPAIRED/CHANGE 4 TIMES SINCE WE HAVE TAKEN POSSESSION OF THE VEHICLE IN 2002. I CHECK THE DEFECTS FOR THAT VEHICLE ON YOUR "DEFECT INFORMATION" & SURE ENOUGH THERE IT IS. WE HAVE HAD NOTHING BUT TROUBLE WITH THIS TRUCK SINCE WE PURCHASED IT. THE HOOD LATCH IS ALWAYS LOOSE & FINALLY CAUSE THE HOOD TO FLY UP WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD WITH ME & MY 2 CHILDREN. THE TAIL GATE HAS FALLEN OFF IN THE MIDDLE OF TRAFFIC. THE DRIVERS DOOR HAS BEEN REPLACE BECAUSE THE IT SAGS. AND FINALLY, THE BUMPER HAS JUST ABOUT COMPLETELY RUSTED AWAY SINCE WE'VE OWNED IT. I FEEL WE GOT THE BIGGEST LEMON. I EMAILED DODGE DIRECTLY WITH THIS SAME ISSUE & RECEIVED NO RESPONSE. HOPEFULLY, YOUR AGENCY CAN HELP. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. ANGELA SAYRE. *NM

NHTSA ID

10176049

Incident

May 1, 2002

SEATS WILL NOT RECLINE NOR FLIP FORWARD. THIS HAS CAUSED A BACK SEAT PASSENGER TO FALL GETTING OUT OF THE 1997 DODGE RAM BECOMING INJURED. VEHICLE MISSES, STUTTERS AND ENGINE PULSES AT 50 MPH. HAS BEEN DOING THIS SINCE FIRST ONWER. TRANSMISSION REBUILT AND STILL DOES IT. DEALER CAN NOT FIND PROBLEM AFTER SPENDING $900.00 ON A TUNE-EP AND DIAGNOSTICS. CHECK ENGINE LIGHT STAYS ON. DOING SINCE FIRST OWNER. DEALER CHECKS, CHARGED HUNDREDS OF DOLLARS AND WITHIN 8 HOURS OF USE LIGHT COMES BACK ON AND STAYS LIGHT. OCCASIONALLY IT WILL BLINK THEN REMAIN ON. TAKEN TO DEALER AGAIN AND THEY STATED THIS VEHICLE IS SENSITIVE EVEN A GAS CAP NOT TIGHT WILL TRIGGER THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT. THIS LIGHT REMAINS ON, WHAT IS WRONG WITH MY ENGINE - NOTHING! *NM

NHTSA ID

10161737

Incident

Jul 1, 2006

Mileage

11,200 mi

I OWN A 1997 DODGE RAM 1500 W/93,000 ON IT THE PROBLEMS BEGAN THE RADIATOR $250 JUST FOR THE PART WENT BAD THEN TRANSMISSION WENT OUT DODGE IS INFAMOUS FOR THE TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS I HAD TO PAY $1900 TO GET IT FIXED AFTER THAT WAS DONE THE FUEL RAIL & O RING STARTED TO LEAK ANOTHER WELL KNOW DEFECT ON CHRYSLER VEHICLES MY TRUCK WAS VISIBLY LOSING GAS & OBVIOUSLY DANGEROUS THERE IS NO WAY TO REPAIR THE DEFECTIVE CAP YOU HAVE TO BUY THE WHOLE FUEL RAIL FROM THE DEALER FOR $300 JUST FOR THE PART. I THINK THAT IS NOT ONLY RIDICULOUS BUT DANGEROUS & AN OBVIOUS PROBLEM WITH OTHER CHYRSLER VEHICLES & YET NOTHING HAS BEEN DONE. *JB

NHTSA ID

10143795

Incident

Nov 3, 2005

Mileage

93,800 mi

TRANSMISSION FAILURE AT 62000. DEALERSHIP IN HAMMOND, LA WOULD NOT WORK WITH ME TO REPLACE. HAD IT REPLACED AT AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP AT THE COST $2300.00 . *AK

NHTSA ID

10112592

Incident

Apr 15, 2000

Mileage

62,000 mi

CONSUMER COMPLAINED ABOUT A TRANSMISSION PROBLEM. TRANSMISSION DID NOT SHIFT FROM SECOND TO THIRD GEAR INTERMITTENTLY.*AK

NHTSA ID

10074005

Mileage

120,000 mi

EARLY TRANSMISSION FAILIER. 1997 DODGE RAM 1500 SLT. MILEAGE: 62823. AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION DEALERSHIP REQUESTED TRANSMISSION REPLACEMENT. TORQUE CONVERTER LOCK UP AND METAL IN FLUID PAN WAS DIAGNOSIS.

NHTSA ID

10051027

Incident

Dec 5, 2003

Mileage

62,823 mi

TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS HEADLIGHT SWITCH PROBLEMS FRONT HUB ASSEMBLY OXYGEN SENSORS PAINT CHIPPING AND FADING BURNS OIL WORST THAN ADVERTISED FUEL MILEAGE EXCESSIVE TIRE WEAR PREMATURELY EXCESSIVE BRAKE WEAR PREMATURELY

NHTSA ID

10036777

Incident

Aug 28, 2003

TRANSMISSION HAS BEEN REBUILT THREE TIMES SINCE BUYING NEW. HAS 85000 MILES ON IT. DODGE WILL NOT RESPOND TO EMAILS

NHTSA ID

10005611

Incident

Feb 3, 2003

AUTO. TRANSMISSION GOING OUT AT 51,000 MILES

NHTSA ID

10005360

Incident

Feb 3, 2003

Mileage

35 mi

TRANSMISSION FAILED TWO WEEKS AFTER ROUTINE SERVICE (FLUID CHANGE, NEW FILTER, BAND ADJUSTMENT). HAD NO PREVIOUS DRIVEABILITY PROBLEMS BEFORE SERVICE. FLUID LEVEL AND CONDITION CHECKED MONTHLY SINCE TRUCK WAS PURCHASED (NEW) IN MARCH, 1997. MR

NHTSA ID

768066

Incident

Sep 23, 2002

THIS IS THE SECOND COMPLETE TRANSMISSION FAILURE ON THIS VEHICLE. THE FIRST FAILURE WAS AT 66174 MILES. SO THE FACTORY REPLACEMENT LASTED ONLY 1335 MILES. THIS TRUCK IS USED PRIMARILY FOR TRANSPORTATION AND DRIVEN PRIMARILY ON THE HIGHWAY. IT HAS RARELY BEEN USED FOR OTHER THAN VERY LIGHT DUTY USE AND EVEN THEN THE MANUFACTURES RECOMMENDED LIMITS HAVE NEVER BEEN EXCEEDED. THE FIRST INCIDENCE OF TRANSMISSION FAILURE WAS REPORTED DUE TO THE INABILITY OF THE DEALER TO DIAGNOSE THE PROBLEM AFTER FOUR REPAIR TRIPS AND UNTIL CATASTROPHIC FAILURE OF THE TRANSMISSION. THE REPLACEMENT TRANSMISSION ALSO COMPLETELY FAILED AND HAD TO BE REPLACED WITHIN 1335 MILES.*AK

NHTSA ID

766509

Incident

Mar 27, 2002

WHILE PULLING ONTO A RAMP REAR WHEEL LOCKED UP. VEHICLE TAKEN TO A REPAIR SHOP, AND INFORMED CONSUMER THAT PINION GEAR SHEARED OFF IN REAR END. DEALER AND THE MANUFACTURER WERE NOTIFIED. *AK THE VEHICLE MADE A NOISE WHEN ACCELERATING UPHILL, THE HEAT SHIELD BROKE AND WAS FIXED. THE TRANSMISSION LOCKED UP. *YH

NHTSA ID

8013979

Incident

Jul 8, 2002

CONSUMER STATES THAT THE TRANSMISSION HAS BROKEN DOWN THREE TIMES, TWO OF WHICH THE TRANSMISSION HAD TO BE REBUILT, CONSUMER ALSO STATES THAT THERE IS GRINDING IN THE DRIVESHAFT. *SLC

NHTSA ID

566423

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK

NHTSA ID

762499

Incident

May 23, 2002

WHY HASNT THERE BEEN A RECAAL ON THE TRANSMISSIONS. *AK

NHTSA ID

762498

Incident

May 23, 2002

TRANSMISSION SLIPPAGE. TRANSMISSION GOVENOR REPLACED AT A COST OF $450 (INCLUDED A TRANSMISSION SERVICE WHICH I DIDN'T AUTHORIZE BUT ASSUMED WAS DONE AS PART OF THE REPAIR). CALLED CHRYSLER REGARDING WHAT I DEEMED AN INAPPROPRIATE FAILURE AND RECIEVED A REFUND FOR PARTS & LABOR TO REPLACE GOVENOR ONLY. WAS NOT TOLD BY THE DEALERSHIP OF THE RECALL (#722) ON THE TRANSMISSION COOLANT QUICK CONNECT. WAS INFORMED OF THE RECALL BY CHRYSLER WHEN THEY CALLED ME TO TELL MY CHECK WAS BEING MAILED. HAVE SINCE EXPERIENCE ONE EPISODE OF WEIRD TRANSMISSION NOISES WHEN MY VEHICLE WAS PUT INTO REVERSE (BACKING OUT OF THE DRIVEWAY). HAVE SINCE RESEARCED THIS PROBLEM AND FOUND IT ENDEMIC TO 97 DODGE RAMS. WAITING ANY DAY NOW FOR TOTAL TRAMSMISSION FAILURE. I AGREE WITH THOSE OF YOU WHO RELATE TO THIS VEHICLE AS A LEMON -- WILL NEVER AGAIN BUY ANOTHER AMERICAN MADE VEHCILE UNTIL THEY BEGIN CONCERNING THEMSELVES WITH QUALITY AND RELIABILITY. NLM

NHTSA ID

759863

Incident

Jan 22, 2002

MY FUEL PUMP QUIT WORKING, HAD TO HAVE TRUCK TOWED TO DEALER TO FIX,(UNDER WARRANTY) WHILE THERE I COMPLAINED ABOUT TRANSMISSION (BANGING GOING INTO 3RD GEAR,DRIVE SHAFT CLUNK), WAS TOLD WE SERVICED TRANNY, EVERYTHING OK. TRUCK WAS STILL ACTING THE SAME.THEN AT 33,000/34,000 MI.TRANY STARTED SHIFTING ERRATIC FROM 2-3RD GEAR,HAD DEALER CHECK AND RESERVICE TRANY, SCAN SYSTEM, THEY ROAD TESTED VEHICLE, SAID EVERYTHING IS OK. NOW THE NEXT DAY,TRANY SLIPS GOING INTO 3RD GEAR,(ENGINE OVERREAVES BETWEEN 2-3RD GEAR). CALLED DEALER AND WAS TOLD THEY WOULD CHARGE ME TO LOOK AT IT AGAIN. I TALKED TO A COUPLE OF TRANY SHOPS AND WAS TOLD DODGE HAS DEFECTIVE TRANSMISSIONS, FOR MY YEAR VEHICLE.*AK

NHTSA ID

759320

Incident

Sep 13, 1999

ENGINE HAS ALWAYS PINGED ON REGULAR GAS - 5+ TRIPS TO DODGE FOR SERVICE AND THEY NEVER FIXED THE PROBLEM. AT ONE POINT, THEY POURED FUEL INJECTOR CLEANER IN THE ENGINE WHICH IS SOMETHING THEY TELL YOU NOT TO DO WHEN YOU PURCHASE THE VEHICLE. AIR CONDITIONING SYSTEM COMPLETELY SHOT AT 50,000 MILES IN OCTOBER, 2001. A MONTH LATER, MY REAR-END WENT UP AT A COST OF $1345. TWO WEEKS LATER, MY TRANSMISSION WENT UP AT A COST OF $1700. IN JUNE OF 2001, MY FUEL PUMP WENT UP AT A COST OF $216. I DID NOT HAVE ANY OF THESE REPAIRS DONE AT DODGE ALTHOUGH I PURCHASED DODGE PARTS BECAUSE THEY HAVE NEVER FIXED ANYTHING WITHOUT EITHER SCREWING UP SOMETHING ELSE OR JUST NOT PROPERLY REPAIRING THE PROBLEMS. I CALLED THEIR SERVICE DEPARTMENT FOR REPAIR PRICES AND THEY WERE MUCH HIGHER THAN INDEPENDENT SERVICE SHOPS. I WROTE THEM FOR ASSISTANCE WITH THESE REPAIR COSTS BUT THEY WOULD NOT ASSIST ME BECAUSE REPAIRS WERE NOT DONE AT DODGE. THEY SAID I SHOULD HAVE ASKED THEM FOR HELP FIRST BUT I COULD NOT WAIT FOR A RESPONSE FROM THEM BECAUSE I NEEDED MY VEHICLE RIGHT AWAY. I ALSO DID NOT TRUST THEM TO PROPERLY REPAIR MY VEHICLE. OF COURSE, MY TRUCK WAS OUT OF WARRANTY FOR ALL OF THE PROBLEMS. I EVEN TOOK THEM TO SMALL CLAIMS COURT FOR THE ENGINE PING THEY COULD NOT CORRECT AND THEY BROUGHT IN 4 HIGH DOLLAR LAWYERS, SO, OF COURSE, IOST THE CASE. I HAVE NOT YET HAD MY AIR CONDITIONER REPAIRED. I AM GOING TO CONTACT THEM TO SEE IF THEY WILL REPAIR IT WITH SOME FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE ALTHOUGH I AM NOT SURE IF I SHOULD TRUST THEM AT THIS POINT. I HAVE SPENT A TOTAL OF $3,331 IN REPAIRS OVER THE PAST 3 MONTHS AND AM NOT FINISHED YET. WHAT A LEMON! THEY ALSO COULD NOT PERFORM A SIMPLE OIL CHANGE PROPERLY-THEY DID NOT REPLACE THE OIL PLUG AND THE OIL WAS LEAKING.*AK

NHTSA ID

759165

Incident

Dec 1, 1997

WHILE DRIVING, ENGINE CHECK LIGHT REMAINS ILLUMINATED, INDICATING A MALFUNCTION WITHIN THE SYSTEM. *AK THE ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AGAIN, THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT GO OVER 40 MPH. THE DEALER FOUND OUT THAT THE TRANSMISSION HAD FAILED AND REPLACED IT, BUT IT FAILED AGAIN AFTER 6000 MILES AND WAS REPLACED ON WARRANTY. *YH

NHTSA ID

8001922

Incident

Nov 27, 2001

TRANSMISSION COOLING SYSTEM FAILED... TWO TRANSMISSIONS LATER THEY DISCOVER THE PROBLEM. THE FIRST FAILURE AT 24000 WAS UNDER WARRANTY, THE SECOND FAILURE AT 48000 THEY CLAIMED WAS OUT OF WARRANTY AND COST ME $1500... THIS PROBLEM IS PREVELANT IN MOST 1997 (1500 DODGE RAMS,GAS). JUST ASK A STRANGER DRIVING ONE. FEEL FREE TO CALL ME 1-530-332-9565. NO ONE IS DOING ANYTHING ABOUT IT.

NHTSA ID

752700