RoadVitals

1997 Dodge Ram 3500 Fuel system Problems

Owner-reported complaints naming the fuel system system, filed with NHTSA

Data refreshed

Fuel system 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.
15
Latest Jan 15, 2013
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.
12%
of 125 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.
2

What this page shows

Reports naming fuel storage or delivery — tanks, pumps, lines, injectors and fuel leaks. 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. 15 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 fuel system

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

Fuel system
Filed Jan 15, 2013

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 DODGE RAM 3500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FUEL TANK COLLAPSED TWICE WITHIN A NINE YEAR TIME FRAME. THE FUEL TANK WAS REPLACED BY THE DEALER EACH TIME. THE DEALER ADVISED THE CONTACT THAT THE FUEL TANK WAS SETUP LIKE A VACUUM AND THE FUEL CAP ALLOWED AIR TO ENTER INTO THE TANK, CAUSING IT TO COLLAPSE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FUEL TANK WAS MANUFACTURED WITH PLASTIC AND DID NOT HAVE A VENT. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 175,000.

NHTSA ID
10493027
Incident
Jan 12, 2013
Mileage
175,000 mi
Fuel system
Filed Mar 22, 2010

AT ENGINE OIL CHANGE, SERVICEMAN NOTICED FUEL TANK HANGING BY AFT FUEL HANGER STRAP ONLY. FIRST FAILURE OF THE FUEL TANK HANGER STRAP ASSEMBLY. HAD THE TANK COMPLETELY FAILED ON THE ROAD, THE 35 GALLONS OF DIESEL FUEL COULD HAVE CAUSED A BURNED UP VEHICLE AND OR INJURY/ LOSS OF LIFE.*DT

NHTSA ID
10321448
Incident
Feb 15, 2010
Mileage
208,000 mi
Fuel system
Filed Aug 12, 2006

I HAVE A 1997 DODGE RAM TRUCK 3500 WITH 5.9 LITER 6 CYLINDER DIESEL LARAMIE SLT. THE FUEL GAUGE HASN'T WORKED FOR 5 YEARS NOW AND THE FUEL SENDING UNIT IS DEFECTIVE. I WOULD PURCHASE A NEW ONE, BUT COST TO ME FOR THE FUEL SENDING UNIT PART IS $198.00. CURRENTLY, LIKE EVERYONE ELSE THAT SEEMS TO HAVE FAULTY FUEL SENDING UNITS, I SET THE TRIPMETER AND GO 300-350 MILES AND THEN FILL UP THE TANK. THIS SEEMS TO BE A WIDESPREAD PROBLEM WITH DODGE RAM PICKUP TRUCKS WITH GAS AND DIESEL ENGINES AND I'M WONDERING WHY THERE HASN'T BEEN A RECALL? *JB

NHTSA ID
10165315
Incident
Aug 1, 2000
Mileage
29,455 mi
Fuel system
Filed Mar 18, 2004

WHILE DRIVING AT 55 TO 60 MPH TIRE TREAD SEPARATED, AND THE STEEL BELTS RUPTURED THE GAS TANK. VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER, AND GAS TANK WAS REPLACED. *AK CONSUMER SEEKING REIMBURSEMENT FOR REPAIR. *LA

NHTSA ID
10063499
Incident
Mar 18, 2004
Mileage
65,000 mi
Fuel system
Filed Feb 26, 2004
Fire reported

FUEL SHUT OFF AND SOLENOID OVERHEATED, CAUSING A FIRE IN THE VEHICLE. ALSO, VEHICLE STALLED. CONSUMER WAS ABLE TO EXTINGUISH THE FIRE. *AK *MR

NHTSA ID
10057525
Mileage
184,000 mi
Fuel system
Filed Feb 12, 2003

FUEL TANK SUPPORT STRAP BROKE CAUSING TANK TO DROP TO THE PAVEMENT. UPON REMOVAL OF THE TANK, THE FRONT STRAP WAS ALMOST COMPLETELY CRACKED THROUGH. *JB

NHTSA ID
10007185
Incident
Nov 27, 2002
Fuel system
Filed Feb 12, 2003

THE FRONT AND REAR FUEL TANK SUPPORT STRAPS FAILED. *JB

NHTSA ID
10007184
Incident
Nov 27, 2002
Mileage
97,000 mi
Fuel system
Filed Aug 9, 2001

FUEL GAUGE HAS BEEN INOPERATIVE SINCE 1999.*AK

NHTSA ID
893970
Incident
Jan 1, 1999
Fuel system
Filed Apr 18, 2001

WHILE DRIVING AT SLOW SPEED FUEL TANK FELL OFF, 1 STRAP WAS GONE, OTHER HAD BROKEN. *AK

NHTSA ID
886242
Incident
Mar 5, 2001
Fuel system
Filed Nov 22, 2000

FUEL TANK IS HANGING ON BY ONE STRAP. DEALER SUGGESTED TO GET ONE STRAP FROMJUNKYARD AND PUT IT ON. DEALER COULD ORDER A STRAP, BUT THERE WOULD BE A CHARGE.*AK

NHTSA ID
875411
Incident
Nov 21, 2000
Fuel system
Filed Jun 9, 2000

CATASTROPHIC FAILURE OF PRIME-LOC (WWW.ASH-TEC.COM) FUEL FILTER RESULTED IN IMMEDIATE ENGINE SHUTDOWN, LOSS OF STEERING AND BRAKE ASSIST (8000LBS), CAVITATION OF INJECTOR PUMP, AND ATOMIZED DIESEL FUEL COVERING WINDSHIELDS AND OBSCURING VISION OF FOLLOWING VEHICLES. SIGNIFICANT FIRE HAZARD FROM ATOMIZED FUEL FILLING ENGINE COMPARTMENT AND UNDERSIDE OF VEHICLE. OF THE THREE OTHER PRIME-LOC OWNERS I HAVE CONTACTED, EACH OF US HAVE EXPERIENCED SIMILAR FAILURES. DISCUSSIONS WITH PRIME-LOC ENGINEER INDICATED POSSIBILITY OF NUMEROUS OTHERS SIMILAR FAILURES....) MANUFACTURER IGNORING ALL COMPLAINTS, CONTINUES TO SELL. I HAVE RETAINED ALL HARDWARE AND IT REMAINS AVAILABLE FOR METALLURGICAL INSPECTION (SUSPECT HYDROGEN EMBRITTLEMENT DURING PLATING PROCESS).*AK

NHTSA ID
723792
Incident
Aug 22, 1999
Fuel system
Filed May 12, 2000

DUE TO A DEFECTIVE FUEL STRAP WHICH BROKE, FUEL TANK DROPPED, WHICH COULD HAVE CAUSED A CRASH OR A FIRE. *AK

NHTSA ID
861820
Incident
May 12, 2000
Fuel system
Filed May 8, 2000

CONSUMER NOTICED GAS INDICATOR WORKED INTERMITTENTLY. DEALER SAID THEY DIDN'T SEE IT AS BEING A PROBLEM. *AK

NHTSA ID
861570
Incident
Apr 1, 2000
Fuel system
Filed Mar 2, 2000
2 injuries reported

WHILE PULLING A TRAILER WITH VEHICLE ON IT CONSUMER STARTED TO SMELL SOMETHING FUNNY, CONSUMER ROLLED DOWN THE WINDOW AND BLACK SMOKE ROLLED IN, THEN CONSUMER PULLED OVER AND VEHICLE BURNED UP. *AK

NHTSA ID
857792
Incident
Oct 17, 1997
Fuel system
Filed Jul 26, 1999

FUEL GAUGE IS READ INCORRECTLY. *AK

NHTSA ID
843447
Incident
Jul 26, 1999

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

Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own

Elsewhere on this vehicle

Data sources

Data on this page last refreshed .