Visibility
Filed Jan 31, 2004
PASSENGER EXTERIOR MIRROR WILL NOT STAY LOCKED IN POSITION AND FOLDS BACK WHEN PULLING OFF FROM A STOP. *JB
- NHTSA ID
- 10056259
- Incident
- May 8, 2003
- Mileage
- 58,000 mi
1997 Dodge Ram Visibility Problems
Owner-reported complaints naming the visibility system, filed with NHTSA
Data refreshed
Visibility 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.
30
Latest Jan 31, 2004
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.
8%
of 398 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.
0
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 windshields, glass, wipers, defrosters and mirrors. 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. 30 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 visibility
The 25 most recent of 30, in the owner's own words
Visibility
Filed Mar 31, 2003
THE SIDE MIRRORS FAILED TO STAY IN THE POSITION IN WHICH THEY WERE SET IN. *JB. BOTH SIDE MIRRORS FOLDED AGAINST THE DOORS WHICH WAS CAUSED BY VARIOUS WIND CURRENTS AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, WHICH MADE IT DIFFICULT TO SEE WHEN ATTEMPTING TO CHANGE LANES. *JB
- NHTSA ID
- 10014728
- Incident
- Mar 24, 2003
- Mileage
- 29,650 mi
AirbagsElectricalSteering+1 more
Filed Aug 6, 2002
INTERMEDIATE SHAFT WAS DEFECTIVE, CAUSING STEERING COLUMN TO BREAK. AFTER CONTACTING DEALER.*AK CONSUMER HAD THE INTERMEDIATE SHAFT REPLACED TWICE WITHIN 20,000 MILES. THE DRIVER SIDE MIRROR WAS LOOSE. BECAUSE OF THE NOISE IN THE STEERING WHILE TURNING, THE CLOCK SPRING WAS REMOVED AND THE STEERING WHEEL REINSTALLED. THE PROBLEM STILL EXISTED. REAR SPEAKER WAS INOPERATIVE AND REPLACED. *JG
- NHTSA ID
- 8015642
- Incident
- Aug 18, 1998
Visibility
Filed May 23, 2002
CONSUMER STATES WHEN THE VEHICLE IS BEING DRIVEN ON THE HIGHWAY, THE SIDE VIEW MIRRORS TURN INWARD FACING THE CAB OF THE VEHICLE, AND WILL NOT REMAIN IN THE SET POSITION. WHEN THIS PROBLEM OCCURRS THE DRIVER CAN NOT DETERMINE THE DISTANCE OF ON COMING TRAFFIC AND CAN NOT SAFELY CHANGE LANES. *JB *YH
- NHTSA ID
- 8010398
Visibility
Filed Feb 28, 2002
SIDE MIRROR MOTIONS BACK AND FORTH WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING. DEALERSHIP IS AWARE OF PROBLEM.*AK
- NHTSA ID
- 8004807
- Incident
- Jan 1, 2001
Visibility
Filed Nov 13, 2001
WHILE TRAVELING AT HIGHWAY SPEED DRIVER'S SIDE MIRROR WOULD FOLD IN, CAUSING POOR VISIBILITY WHEN CHANGING LANES. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK
- NHTSA ID
- 899015
Visibility
Filed Aug 26, 2001
DAMAGE FROM RAIN LEAKAGE OF BACK GLASS TO VEHICAL'S INTERIOR HEADLINER AND CARPET. *AK
- NHTSA ID
- 751161
- Incident
- Jan 1, 2001
Visibility
Filed Jun 19, 2001
MIRRORS FLOP BACK AND FORTH WHILE DRIVING MAKING IT VERY HARD TO SEE & USE THEM. THE DEALERSHIP HAS STATED THAT THIS IS A VERY COMMON COMPLAINT WITH THE DODGE RAM BUT NO RECALL HAS BEEN ISSUED! THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS AND COULD CAUSE A VERY BAD ACCIDENT -NOT BEING ABLE TO SEE OUT OF THEM CORRECTLY .*AK
- NHTSA ID
- 747061
- Incident
- May 1, 2001
Visibility
Filed Jun 15, 2001
REAR VIEW MIRRORS MOUNTED ON BOTH DOORS OF VEHICLE FAILED TO REMAIN IN ONE POSITION AND "FLOPPED IN WIND". DEALERSHIP WAS UNWILLING TO ASSIST CONSUMER IN REPAIR OF THIS PROBLEM. *AK *SLC
- NHTSA ID
- 890496
- Incident
- Dec 1, 1997
Visibility
Filed Feb 20, 2001
NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK
- NHTSA ID
- 741201
- Incident
- Feb 17, 2000
Visibility
Filed Jan 18, 2001
SIDE MIRRORS FOLD BACK AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS, IMPOSSIBLE TO KEEP ADJUSTED. *AK
- NHTSA ID
- 739582
- Incident
- Oct 10, 1999
Visibility
Filed Nov 28, 2000
THE OUTSIDE PASSENGER MIRROR FREELY GOES BACK AND FORTH WHILE DRIVING, THE DEALER STATED TO REPAIR THIS, A KIT NEEDED TO BE ORDERED, THE CONSUMER FEELS THIS IS A SAFETY DEFECT AND THE DEALER SHOULD FIX THE PROBLEM. *SLC
- NHTSA ID
- 557600
Visibility
Filed Oct 24, 2000
WHEN DRIVING AT SPEEDS OF 40 TO 45MPH EXTERIOR MIRRORS STARTED TO FOLD INWARD. DEALER SAID THERE WAS NO SOLUTION. *AK
- NHTSA ID
- 873683
Visibility
Filed Sep 11, 2000
WHENEVER DRIVING EXTERIOR MIRRORS WOULD TURN INWARD. DRIVER WOULD NEED TO USE INTERIOR MIRRORS TO SEE OTHER VEHICLES ON SIDE. TOOK TO DEALERSHIP & MECHANIC REFUSED TO CORRECT PROBLEM DUE TO VEHICLE BEING OVER 35,000 MILES.*AK
- NHTSA ID
- 870222
Visibility
Filed Sep 10, 2000
THE FAILURE OF THE REAR VIEW MIRROR APPEARS TO BE A MANUFACTURERS DEFECT. THE MIRROR SUPPORT ARM BECAME LOOSE INTERNAL TO THE CONNECTION BRACKET ON THE VEHICLE.
- NHTSA ID
- 730966
- Incident
- Aug 31, 1999
Visibility
Filed Jul 20, 2000
WHILE DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS DRIVER'S AND PASSENGER'S MANUAL MIRRORS MOVES INWARD CONSTANTLY WHICH OBSTRUCTED THE REAR VIEW TO THE DRIVER . THIS MAY CAUSE A CRASH. *AK
- NHTSA ID
- 865747
- Incident
- Jan 20, 2000
Visibility
Filed Jul 19, 2000
BOTH PASSENGER'S SIDE AND DRIVER'S SIDE MIRRORS MOVE RAPIDLY WHEN VEHICLE IS DRIVING AT 45 MPH OR MORE. *AK
- NHTSA ID
- 865703
- Incident
- Feb 1, 2000
Visibility
Filed Jul 5, 2000
I OWN A 1997 DODGE RAM TRUCK AND THE DRIVERS AND PASSENGERS OUTSIDE MIRROR WILL NOT HOLD INTO POSITION (THEY SWING IN TOWARDS THE DOOR GLASS WHILE DRIVING). I CONTACTED THE DODGE DEALER IN MY AREA AND THEY CONFIRMED THAT THERE IS A CONCERN WITH THE MIRRORS, IN FACT THEY TOLD ME THAT DODGE REDESIGNED THE MIRRORS FOR THAT REASON. THE REPLACEMENT MIRRORS ARE THE OLD DESIGN AND THEY TOLD ME THAT IN A MATTER OF TIME THE NEW ONES WILL DO THE SAME THING. BECAUSE THIS IS A SAFETY MATTER I WOULD HOPE THAT THE MIRRORS COULD BE RETROFIT TO THE NEW STYLE OR A PERMANENT FIX BE MADE.*AK
- NHTSA ID
- 724969
- Incident
- May 1, 2000
Visibility
Filed Feb 4, 2000
BOTH SIDEVIEW MIRRORS COLLAPSE INWARD WHEN TRAVELING AT 60MPH. *AK
- NHTSA ID
- 718305
- Incident
- Aug 1, 1999
ElectricalOther / unspecifiedSteering+2 more
Filed Oct 13, 1999
1. TRANSMISSION WOULD NOT SHIFT INTO OVERDRIVE. AFTER KEEPING THE TRUCK FOR 34 DAYS, DEALERSHIP FINALLY PUT IN A REBUILT TRANNY. 2. DRIVER'S SIDE MIRROR VIBRATES AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS, RENDERING IT USELESS. DEALER BLAMED IT ON THE BUG SHIELD. 3. BATTERY COMPLETELY DIED RIGHT AFTER WARRANTY EXPIRED. 4. FRONT WHEELS MAKE CONSTANT CLICKING NOISE...SUSPECT FAILED BEARINGS. 5. STEERING WHEEL MADE CRACKING SOUND WHEN TURNING TO LEFT OR RIGHT...TOOK SEVERAL ATTEMPTS TO FIX IT. TRUCK IS TOTAL PIECE OF JUNK!
- NHTSA ID
- 713221
- Incident
- Jun 1, 1999
Body & structureElectricalEngine+5 more
Filed Mar 17, 1999
RADIO DESTROYS CASSETTE TAPES, REPAIRED TWICE FOR THIS PROBLEM THEN FINALLY REPLACED.
- NHTSA ID
- 544431
- Incident
- May 6, 1997
Visibility
Filed Mar 1, 1999
THE FRONT CORNER POSTS ARE EXTREAMLY WIDE, TO THE POINT BLOCKING VISION. ALTHOUGH I HAVE TRAINED MYSELF TO MOVE MY BODY TO BE ABLE TO SEE AROUND THEM I HAVE COME CLOSE TO AN ACCIDENT A COUPLE OF TIMES. I BELIEVE THIS IS A DESIGN PROBLEM OR DESIGN FLAW. IF SOMEONE DRIVING ONE OF THESE TRUCKS SAYS "BUT I DIDN'T SEE THE OTHER CAR". IT MAY VERY WELL BE TRUE. I HAVE NO OTHER PROBLEMS WITH THIS WONDERFULL TRUCK.
- NHTSA ID
- 703913
Visibility
Filed Feb 1, 1999
WINDSHIELD WASHER COMPARTMENT FAILED. *YC
- NHTSA ID
- 606592
Visibility
Filed Nov 19, 1998
THE DRIVER'S SIDE REAR VIEW MIRROR AND THE PASSENGER SIDE REAR VIEW MIRROR VIBRATE WHEN A SPEED OD 35 MPH OR HIGHER IS REACHED. IT CONSTANTLY VIBRATES FROM THAT SPEED ON, AND VIBRATES TO THE POINT THAT IT IS ESSENTIALLY USELESS - YOU CANNOT SEE IN IT. I'VE TAKEN IT TO THE ORIGINAL DEALERSHIP (PALMER DODGE) APPROXIMATELY 4 TIMES, AND ALSO TO SOUTH TOWNE DODGE. EACH DEALERSHIP HAS REPLACED THE MIRROR AND RETIGHTENED ALL NUTS, BOLTS, SCREWS, ETC., BUT THE VIBRATION WILL NOT GO AWAY. THE DEALERSHIPS HAVE TOLD US THAT IT OCCURS ON ALL TRUCKS FROM 1994 TO THE PRESENT, AND THAT THEY DON'T HAVE A SOLUTION YET. PLEASE HELP ME BE ABLE TO SEE BEHIND ME WHEN I DRIVE. THANKS FOR YOUR TIME.
- NHTSA ID
- 700758
- Incident
- Jan 6, 1997
Visibility
Filed Nov 3, 1998
THE WINDSHIELD BONDING/SEALANT WOULD LEAK & RUN DOWN THE SIDE EDGES OF THE VEHICLE TO THE FENDER. THIS HAPPENS WHEN THE WEATHER IS HOT. *AK
- NHTSA ID
- 830041
- Incident
- Oct 14, 1998
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
- NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation — owner-reported complaints and the components recorded on them
Data on this page last refreshed .