Owner-reported complaints naming the brake system, filed with NHTSA
Data refreshed
Reports naming service brakes, the antilock braking system, brake hoses, master cylinders or the parking brake. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 1997 Dodge Ram 3500 submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 17 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.
Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed
POWER STEER/BRAKE FLUID MASTER CYLINDER LEAKED INTO CAB OF TRUCK SATURATING THE CARPETS BEFORE IT COULD BE DISCOVERED. SAFETY FEAR OF CARPET SOAKED WITH POWER STEERING FLUID. *TR
ABS AND BRAKE LIGHT STAYS ON. BRAKES ARE NOT LIKE THEY USE TO BE. *NM
DT: BRAKE LINES RUSTED. THIS HAPPENED WITHOUT WARNING. THE CALLER HAD TO REPLACE THE BRAKE LINES. HE WAS COMING TO A STOP SIGN AND WHEN HITTING THE BRAKE PEDAL IT WENT TO THE FLOOR. THE REAR BRAKES LOST ALL THE FLUID. HE PUMPED THE BRAKE AND GOT VEHICLE TO STOP. THE CALLER SAID THAT WHEN THEY WERE TRYING TO FIND WHERE A HOLE WAS THE FLUID SPRAYED OUT AND VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE. DEALER AND MANUFACTURER HAVE NOT BEEN CONTACTED YET.*AK
ANTI-LOCK BRAKE FAILURE - THE BRAKE FAILURE WAS ACCOMPANIED BY THE BRAKE AND ANTI-LOCK BRAKE LIGHT INDICATORS ON THE DASH TO INTERMITTANTLY APPEAR AND DISAPPEAR. THE BRAKE PEDAL INTERMITTANTLY RANGES FROM SOFT TO HARD. A PERIODIC VIBRATION IN THE PEDAL IS NOTED WITH NEARLY A TOTAL LOSS IN BRAKE PRESSURE.*AK
WHILE DRIVING, THE ANTI-LOCK BRAKE LIGHT HAD COME ON INTERMITTENTLY. THE CONSUMER NOTIFIED THE DEALERSHIP ON TWO SEPARATE OCCASIONS . *AK *SCC *JB
CONSUMER WAS EXPERIENCING BRAKE PROBLEMS. DEALER HAS ALREADY REPLACED TWO SETS OF ROTORS.*AK
WHEN THE PEDAL IS APPLIED IT GOES HALF WAY TO THE FLOOR BEFORE IT CATCHES, AND THERE IS A LATE RESPONSE FROM THE BRAKES, CAUSING EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE. THIS HAS RESULTED IN A REAR END COLLISION. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. *AK
CONSUMER COMPLAINS OF VEHICLE SHUDDERING VIOLENTLY AS THE CLUTCH AND FLY WHEEL BECOME INOPERABLE, VEHICLE PULLS TO THE RIGHT, DEALER ROTATED TIRES AND VEHICLE STILL SHAKES VIOLENTLY, DEALER REPLACED DAMPENING SHOCK, PITMAN ARM, TIE ROD, AND STEERING BOX. POSSIBLE STEERING OR SUSPENSION PROBLEM, DEALER COULDN'T REMEDY PROBLEM. *JADA
WHENEVER THE BRAKES ARE APPLIED FOR A SUDDEN STOP, THE VEHCILE VEERS SEVERELY TO THE LEFT OR RIGHT, ALMOST CHANGING LANES. DEALER SAYS IT'S NORMAL. *AK
WHILE DRIVING IN "EMPTY LOADS" THE REAR ABS BRAKING SYSTEM MALFUNCTIONED, CAUSING THE REAR BRAKES TO "CATCH AND GO," RESULTING IN EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE AND ALMOST AN ACCIDENT. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK
CONSUMER COMPLAINT CONCERNED BRAKE FAILURE. WHEN APPLYING BRAKES IN AN EMERGENCEY SITUATION, BRAKE SYSTEM MOMENTARILY FAILED. DEALER/MANUFACTURER NOTIFIED. ALSO THE CONSUMER STATED THAT MANUFACTURER INFORMED HIM THAT HE WOULD HAVE TO LIVE WITH THIS PROBLEM. *SLC
WHEN BRAKING THE LEFT REAR BRAKES LOCK WITH LIGHT PEDAL PRESSURE CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO PULL TO THE LEFT.
WHILE APPLYING BRAKES (ABS), THE VEHICLE WOULD PULL TO THE LEFT OR THE RIGHT. HAVE TAKEN TO DEALER AT LEAST 3 TIMES & INFORMED THAT ROTORS NEEDED TURNING. *AK
FRONT END OF VEHICLE WILL NOT STAY ALIGNED PROPERLY, CAUSING TIRES TO WEAR.
BRAKE PADS FAILED.
WHILE APPLYING THE ABS BRKAES VEHICLE PULLS TO THE LEFT. ALSO THERE IS A CLUNKING SOUND WITHIN BRAKES WHEN APPLIED.PROBLEM OCCURS AT ANY SPEED WHILE BRAKING. DEALERS REPLACED MANY PARTS, BUT PROBLEM REMAINS. *AK
WHILE DRIVING CONSUMER SMELLED BRAKE FLUID BURNING, PULLED OVER AND OPENED HOOD AND THE TRUCK WAS ON FIRE. *AK
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.
Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own
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