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 submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 80 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.
The 25 most recent of 80, in the owner's own words
PARK POSITION WITH IGNITION KEY IN THE LOCK POSITION, VEHICLE SHIFTER MOVED OUT OF PARK , KNOCKED OWNER DOWN AND RAN OVER ME, CONTINUED TO ROLL BACK HIT SECOND CAR, CONTINUED TO KEEP GOING UNTIL IT HIT A CURB. THIS WAS A VERY DANGEROUS AND COULD HAVE CAUSED OTHER ACCIDENTS. CONSUMER SENT IN A FAX COPY OF THE INTERNET VOQ. *KB *JB
THE CONSUMER STATES THE FRONT BRAKES HAVE FAILED COMPLETELY. THE DEALER STATES THE VEHICLE WAS RIDING ONLY ON THE CALIPER AND THE LEFT ROTOR HAS CRACKED. . PLEASE PROVIDE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. *JB
No narrative was included with this report.
CONSUMER STATES HIS BRAKES CONTINUE TO GO OUT ON HIM. HE STATES THAT HE WAS TOLD THAT THE HUB ASSEMBLY CAUSES THE BRAKES TO GO OUT. THIS HAS HAPPENED TO HIM 3 TIMES AND HE IS ON HIS 4TH TIME. THERE IS NO RECALL FOR THIS PROBLEM. HE ALSO STATES THIS IS GETTING VERY EXPENSIVE. TS
WHILE OPERATING BRAKE PEDAL, BRAKE PEDAL TRAVEL SUDDENLY INCREASED WHEN I APPLIED BRAKES. I STOPPED ALONG THE SHOULDER OF THE RURAL ROAD UPON WHICH I WAS TRAVELING AND CHECKED FOR A BRAKE PROBLEM. I DISCOVERED THAT THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE BRAKE HOSE CONNECTING THE STEEL BRAKE LINE TO THE BRAKE CALIPER ASSEMBLY HAD BURST WHERE VISIBLE WEAR INDICATED THE HOSE HAD REPEATEDLY MADE CONTACT WITH THE TRUCK FRAME DURING RIGHT TURNS. ON 07/20/2002 I SPOKE TO THE DEALER FROM WHOM I'D PURCHASED THE USED VEHICLE AND SUGGESTED WE CHECK THE RIGHT FRONT HOSES ON THE OTHER USED DODGE TRUCKS FOR SALE ON HIS LOT. ONE OF THE VEHICLES HAD WEAR ON ITS RIGHT FRONT BRAKE HOSE IN A MANNER SIMILAR TO MINE. HE SAID HE WOULD HAVE TO REPLACE IT 07/22/2002 AND THANKED ME FOR INFORMING HIM OF THE PROBLEM. I REPLACED THE HOSE AND RETAINED THE FAILED HOSE. I CANNOT DETERMINE WHETHER OR NOT THE FAILED HOSE IS ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT .*AK
WHEN APPLYING BRAKES, ONLY HALF OF BRAKES WERE APPYLING PRESSURE TO ROTORS. CONSUMER PERFORMED REPAIRS TO VEHICLE. *AK THE RIDGE IN CASTING KEEPS THE CALIPER FROM FLOATING FREELY APPLYING PRESSURE ONLY TO THE PISTON SIDE OF THE CALIPER. *JG
APPLIED THE BRAKES AND FELT NO RESPONSE NOR ANY DECREASE IN SPEED OTHER THAN RELEASING THE ACCELERATOR, RESULTING IN HITTING THE VEHICLE IN FRONT. AFTER APPLYNING THE PARKING BRAKE ONLY THE LEFT FRONT LOCKED AS I SWERVED TO THE LEFT, REPLACE PADS AND CHANGED THE BRAKE FLUID.
HAD TO MAKE A ACCIDENT AVOIDENCE MANUEVER. THE BRAKES WOULD NOT STOP THE TRUCK, HAD TO RUN OFF THE ROAD TO AVOID IMPACT. RESULTING IN DAMAGING A FRONT LAWN IN A RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOOD. THE NEXT EPISODE WAS PULLING A SMALL 8' TRAILER WITH A HONDA 4-WHEELER. LIGHT TURNED RED AND WHEN I WENT TO STOP, I ENDED IN THE MIDDLE OF THE INTERSECTION. AFTER THE SECOND INCIDENT I CONTACTED THE DEALERSHIP AND TOOK IT IN FOR INSPECTION. NO PROBLEMS WERE FOUND. THE SERVICE MANAGER MR. WEB ( I BELIEVE THAT'S HIS NAME) DROVE MY TRUCK AND AGREED IT SEEMED TO TAKE LONGER TO STOP, BUT UPON INSPECTION NO PROBLEMS WERE FOUND. AFTER 3 MORE INCIDENTS OF THE SAME NATURE, THE DEALERSHIP DID REPLACE ALL THE BRAKES, TELLING ME THERE WAS AN UPDATE TO A DIFFERENT PAD FOR THE REAR BRAKES. THE TRUCK AT THE TIME HAD APPROXIMATELY19000 MILES. I THEN WAS TOLS IT WAS NORMAL FOR THE BRAKES TO WEAR OUT AT 19000 MILES. I DO NOT BELIEVE THAT. I STILL HAVE THE STOPPING PROBLEM, AND I AM EXTREMELY CAREFUL WHEN I TOW MY 17' BOAT AND TRAILER. THE WEIGHT IS LESS THAN 3000 LBS. THE TRUCK NOW HAS BARELY OVER 40000 MILES. I HAD THE BRAKES CHECK BY A QUALIFIED MECHANIC, AND WAS TOLD THAT THE BRAKES HAVE ABOUT 75% OF PAD LEFT. ARE THER ANY OTHER COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE BRAKING SYSTEM ON THE 1997 DODGE 4X4 RAM 1500 TRUCKS?*AK
WHILE DRIVING 70 MPH LEFT FRONT WHEEL COMPLETELY CAME OFF, CAUSING LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL. DEALER REPLACED WHEEL HUB/ BRAKE ROTORS. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK
MADE THREE TRIPS TO DEALER FOR ENGINE LIGHT OVER A PERIOD OF 45 DAYS. FIRST TRIP WAS ON 10/3/01WITH A CHARGE OF $132.25 TECH FOUND TORQUE CONVERTER NOT WORKING. CLEANED TORQUE CONVERTER SOLENOID. SECOND TRIP TO DEALER WAS MADE ON 10/30/01 WITH CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ON AGAIN. TECH FOUND SAME PROBLEM AGAIN AND REPLACED TORQUE CONVERTER SOLINOID FOR CHARGE OF $246.58. THIRD TRIP WAS MADE ON 11/13/01 WITH CHECK ENGINE LIGHT AGAIN ON. THIS TIME TECH SAID PROBABLY AN INTERNAL LEAK "SOMEWHERE" BUT DON'T KNOW WHERE. SAID OK TO DRIVE UNTIL TRANSMISSION STARTS SLIPPING. CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AGAIN ON THE WAY HOME AND TRANS BEGAN SLIPPING NEXT DAY. RETURNING TO DEALER ON 11/15/01 THE TRANSMISSION GAVE OUT COMPLETELY AND HAD TO BE TOWED. DEALER CALLED ON 11/16/01 STATING THAT THE FRONT PLATE IN TRANSMISSION HAD FAILED AND PROBABLY COULD NEVER GET ALL THE METAL OUT OF TRANSMISSION. NOW COST WILL BE $2200 FOR A REBUILT TRANSMISSION. *AK
WHILE BACKING UP HEARD A NOISE, NOTICED THAT FRONT RIGHT ROTORS HAD BROKEN IN HALF. CONSUMER REPLACED BOTH FRONT ROTORS.*AK WHILE CONSUMER WAS BACKING OUT OF THE DRIVEWAY, HE HEARD A METALIC NOISE AND BRAKE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR AND THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT STOP, CONSUMER HAD TO PUMP IT TO BRING THE PEDAL UP.*YD
THE THOTTLE STUCK IN THE WIDE OPEN POSITION AND WOULD NOT RETURN TO IDLE. THE BRAKES WERE JUST ABLE TO STOP THE VEHICLE. SHIFTING TO NEUTRAL CAUSED THE ENGINE TO GO WELL INTO THE REDLINE ON THE RPM INDICATOR. PULLING UP ON THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL DID NOTHING. THE DEALER SAID THE LINKAGE WAS RUSTED TIGHT. THEY DON'T HAVE NEW PARTS SO THEY SCRAPPED THE RUST OFF, OILED IT AND PUT IT BACK TOGETHER. THEY SAID THE THROTTLE CABLE WAS NOT THE PROBLEM AS IN THE RECALL OF "95-96 VEHICLES. THIS IS A HARD TRUCK TO GET STOPPED WHEN THE THROTTLE IS STUCK WIDE OPEN. GOOD THING MY WIFE WASN'T DRIVING IT.*AK
LINE RUBBED AGAINST FRAME, AND RUBBED HOLE INTO BRAKE LINE. *AK
A RAPID WEAR OF PADS AND ROTORS.
PROBLEM WITH ROTORS. THEY HAD ROTORS REPLACED BECAUSE THEY WERE MAKING SOME NOISES. CONTACTED DEALER ,AND DEALER WAS NOT WILLING TO DO ANYTHING.*AK
CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE IN FOR INSPECTION AND FOUND OUT BRAKE PAD FELL OFF. METAL TO METAL RUINED ROTOR. BOTH HAD TO BE CUT BECAUSE OTHER GOOD ONE WAS WORN DOWN. ALSO, FUEL PUMP WENT BAD FOR SECOND TIME. CONSUMER STOPPED AT A STOP AFTER RETURNING FROM STORE AND VEHICLE STALLED. IT NO LONGER STARTED RIGHT UP, IT ALWAYS HEITATED LIKE IT WAS NOT TRYING TO CATCH. DEALER SAID IT LOST ITS PROGRAM BECAUSE IT WAS NOT USED ENOUGH. CONSUMERS WARRANTY WAS EXPIRED, COVERED COST.*AK
WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH CONSUMER APPLIED BRAKE AND SKIDDED ABOUT 10 FEET,HIT ANOTHER VEHICLE HEAD-ON. UPON IMPACT,DRIVER AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY WHICH HAVE CAUSED INJURIES.*AK THE INSPECTORS FROM THE MANUFACTURER INDICATED THAT THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY BECAUSE THE IMPACT DISSIPATED. *YH
WHILE BRAKING, VEHICLE WILL NOT STOP, DEALER STATES BRAKES ARE WITHING SPECIFICATION. FRONT TIRES KEEP WEARING, DEALER CAN NOT FIND REASON FOR WEAR. *SLC
POWER STEERING AND BRAKES WENT OUT AT THE SAME TIME WHILE DRIVING, NO ACCIDENT. TRIED TO USE EMERGENCY BRAKE , DID NOT WORK EITHER. CONSUMER USED GEARS TO STOP VEHICLE. REPAIRED, DODGE WILL NOT REIMBURSE BECAUSE REPAIR NOT DONE AT DODGE DEALER. *AK DEALER REPLACED STEERING PUMP AND HET ASSEMBLY FOR EMERGENCY BRAKE. *SLC
ALL THREE HAVE BEEN IN TO THE DEALER REGARDING THE SAME EXACT CONCERN. DIFFERENT DRIVERS OPERATE EACH OF THESE VEHICLES. THIS WILL BEE THE SECOND TIME THIS VEHICLE WILL BE GOING BACK TO THE DEALER FOR THE SAME REPAIR. WE ARE CONCERNED ABOUT ALL LIKE VEHICLES HAVING THE SAME CONCERN. WITH THE REAR BRAKES GETTING SEVERELY OUT OF ADJUSTMENT LIKE THEY DO WITH THESE VEHICLES IT IS VERY POSSIBLE THAT A CRASH OCCURS DURING A PANIC STOP DUE TO THE VEHICLE SWERVING. *AK
CONSUMER RAN INTO THE BACK OF ANOTHER TRUCK BECAUSE BRAKES DID NOT CATCH.- ALSO, AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY.*AK DRIVER SIDE SEAT BELT FAILED. *YH
WHILE DRIVING ABOUT 65 MPH AND BARELY TOUCHING THE BRAKES TO SLOW DOWN, ALL FOUR WHEELS LOCKED UP. TRUCK WAS TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP. BRAKE FAILURE HAD OCCURRED ONCE BEFORE, AND RESULTED IN AN ACCIDENT. DEALER COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM, BUT THEY REPLACED THE POWER BRAKE BOOSTER. BRAKE FAILURE HAS NOT OCCURRED SINCE. *AK *ML
RIGHT FRONT BRAKES MAKE A CLANKING NOISE WHILE DRIVING. NOISE STOPS WHEN APPLYING BRAKES. VEHICLE BEEN IN / OUT OF DEALER SHOP ON THREE OCCASIONS, AND PROBLEM IS STILL OCCURRING. PROVIDE FURTHER DETAILS. *AK
ROTORS AND PADS REQUIRED REPLACING AT 17000 MILES. DEALER CLAIMS ROTORS ARE MANUFACTURED THIN AND ROAD SALT IN OUR AREA CORRODES THEM PREMATURELY. I HAD TO PAY $360. TO HAVE THEM REPLACED, NOT COVERED UNDER WARANTY. *AK
I HAVE HAD MANY ATTEMPTS TO FIX THE PROBLEM ON THE FRONT END FIXED, BECAUSE I HAVE BEEN TOLD THE REAR BRAKE ADJUSTERS DONT WORK
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.
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