RoadVitals

1997 Dodge Ram 2500 Exterior lighting Problems

Owner-reported complaints naming the exterior lighting system, filed with NHTSA

Data refreshed

Exterior lighting reportsComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
9
Latest Feb 24, 2015
Share of all reportsThis category as a share of every owner report on file for this model year. One report can name more than one component, so the categories overlap.
4%
of 213 total
Crash or fire reportedReports in this category whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. The reporter's own answer on the NHTSA form, not a verified finding.
1
Injuries or deaths reportedTotals the submitters entered on their own reports in this category. Not verified by NHTSA and not a casualty statistic.
0

What this page shows

Reports naming headlights, tail lights, turn signals and other exterior lighting. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 1997 Dodge Ram 2500 submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 9 reports on file name it.

Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.

Owner reports naming exterior lighting

Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed

ElectricalExterior lighting
Filed Feb 24, 2015

TRAVELLING AT NIGHT WITH HIGH BEAMS ENGAGED WHEN ALL LIGHTS WENT OUT. I MADE AN EMERGENCY STOP BY THE SIDE OF THE FREEWAY AND THE LIGHTS CAME BACK ON. I PROCEEDED AND A FEW MINUTES LATER IT HAPPENED AGAIN. EVENTUALLY I DETERMINED THAT IT I LEFT THE HIGH BEAMS OFF IT WOULD NOT HAPPEN. TOOK TRUCK TO DEALERSHIP AND THEY DIAGNOSED AND REPLACED THE MULTI FUNCTION SWITCH. PROBLEM RECURRED ABOUT 1 MONTH LATER. REPLACED MULTI FUNCTION SWITCH ON MY OWN THIS TIME. PROBLEM RECURRED AGAIN AFTER ABOUT 6 MONTHS, THIS TIME HOT/BURNING WIRES COULD BE SMELLED. TOOK VEHICLE TO INDEPENDENT MECHANIC AND THEY FINALLY DIAGNOSED AND REPLACED LIGHT SWITCH IN DASH. BY THIS TIME ONE OF THE WIRES HAD NEARLY BURNED ALL THE WAY TO THE MAIN HARNESS. REPLACED SWITCH AND ALL FINE FOR ABOUT 2 YEARS THEN IT HAPPENED AGAIN. BEEN LIVING WITH NO HIGH BEAMS WAITING FOR TIME TO RIG A RELAY TO TAKE LOAD OFF SWITCH. CHRYSLER HAS A RECALL FOR THIS PROBLEM BUT WILL NOT HONOR IT DUE TO MY VIN NOT BEING ONE OF THE TARGETED MODELS... COMPLETE [XXX]! *JS

NHTSA ID
10690359
Incident
Nov 26, 2000
Mileage
68,650 mi
Exterior lighting
Filed Mar 24, 2014

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 DODGE RAM 2500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE HEADLIGHTS FAILED TO FUNCTION PROPERLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A PRIVATE MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS FOUND THAT THE HEADLIGHT SWITCH HAD FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED ABOUT THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 225,000.

NHTSA ID
10574460
Incident
Mar 24, 2014
Mileage
225,000 mi
ElectricalExterior lighting
Filed Oct 12, 2012
Fire reported

HEADLIGHTS STOPPED WORKING WHILE DRIVING AT NIGHT. HEADLIGHT SWITCH IS NOT SAFE TO HANDLE LOAD OF ELECTRICITY FROM THE HEADLIGHT AND MARKER LIGHT WIRES. I HAVE REPLACED SWITCH 4 TIMES AND STILL SAME PROBLEM. LIGHTS STOP WORKING BECAUSE THE SWITCH MELTS AND BEGINS TO BURN. THE RECALL FOR 1997 DODGE RAM HEADLIGHT SWITCH SHOULD HAVE BEEN EXTENDED FOR ALL MODELS BUILT IN THAT YEAR. *TR

NHTSA ID
10479925
Incident
Jul 30, 2012
Mileage
129,000 mi
ElectricalExterior lighting
Filed Aug 24, 2011

1997 DODGE RAM 2500, WITH OVERHEATING HEAD LAMP SWITCH. CONCERNS WITH THE POTENTIAL FOR FIRE! *TR

NHTSA ID
10421362
Incident
Jan 1, 2011
Mileage
180,000 mi
Exterior lighting
Filed Oct 7, 2008

I PURCHASED THIS 1997 DODGE 2500 DIESEL PICKUP BRAND NEW FROM THE DODGE DEALERSHIP IN OREGON. THE WORST VEHICLE THAT I HAVE EVER OWNED REGARDING BEING ABLE TO SEE AT NIGHT WITH THEIR HEADLIGHT DESIGN. I HAVE HAD MANY CLOSE CALLS TRYING TO SEE THE ROAD AS IT IS ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO SEE EVEN THE ROAD DIRECTLY IN FRONT OF THE PICKUP WITH THIS STYLE OF HEADLAMPS THAT DODGE ENGINEERED FOR THIS YEAR PICKUP NIGHT DRIVING. AT NIGHT. I HAVE TAKEN IT TO SEVERAL DODGE DEALERSHIPS TO SEE IF THEY CAN HELP. THEY HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO REMEDY THIS TO THIS DAY. VERY DANGEROUS TO DRIVE AT NIGHT. HELP! *TR

NHTSA ID
10244684
Incident
Jun 4, 1997
Mileage
36 mi
Exterior lighting
Filed Oct 7, 2008

I PURCHASED THIS 1997 DODGE 2500 DIESEL PICKUP BRAND NEW FROM THE DODGE DEALERSHIP IN OREGON. THE WORST VEHICLE THAT I HAVE EVER OWNED REGARDING BEING ABLE TO SEE AT NIGHT WITH THEIR HEADLIGHT DESIGN. I HAVE HAD MANY CLOSE CALLS TRYING TO SEE THE ROAD AS IT IS ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO SEE EVEN THE ROAD DIRECTLY IN FRONT OF THE PICKUP WITH THIS STYLE OF HEADLAMPS THAT DODGE ENGINEERED FOR THIS YEAR PICKUP NIGHT DRIVING AT NIGHT. I HAVE TAKEN IT TO SEVERAL DODGE DEALERSHIPS TO SEE IF THEY CAN HELP. THEY HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO REMEDY THIS TO THIS DAY. VERY DANGEROUS TO DRIVE AT NIGHT. HELP *TR

NHTSA ID
10244682
Incident
Jun 4, 1997
Mileage
36 mi
Exterior lighting
Filed Jan 7, 2004

HEADLIGHTS WILL EITHER FLICKER OR GO COMPLETELY OFF WHILE IN USE DUE TO A MALFUNCTION IN THE HEADLIGHT SWITCH. THIS CAUSES POOR VISIBILITY. THERE IS RECALL 99V024000, BUT THIS VEHICLE IS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL DUE TO VIN.*AK

NHTSA ID
10053618
Mileage
114,000 mi
Exterior lightingVisibility
Filed Jan 9, 2003

THE MOTORIZED EXTERIOR REAR VIEW MIRRORS MOVED TO AN INWARD POSITION BY THEMSELVES WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION, THIS RESULTED IN NO VISIBILITY, THE DEALERSHIP REPLACED THE MIRRORS BUT THE PROBLEM RECURRED. *NLM MIRRORS REPLACED AGAIN. HEADLIGHTS FAILED. MULTIFUNCTION SWITCH REPLACED. PASSENGER SIDE WINDOW WON'T GO DOWN WHEN USING SWITCH. *TT

NHTSA ID
10002407
Incident
Aug 1, 1999
Mileage
22,000 mi
Exterior lighting
Filed Apr 6, 2001

HEADLIGHT SWITCH SHORTED OUT, RENDERING HEADLIGHTS INOPERABLE. A RECALL HAS BEEN ISSUED ON VEHICLE'S MAKE AND MODEL; HOWEVER, THIS VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED DUE TO VIN.*AK

NHTSA ID
885308
Incident
Mar 30, 2001

Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.

Other components reported on this vehicle

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Elsewhere on this vehicle

Data sources

Data on this page last refreshed .