1997 Dodge RAM 1500 Brakes Problems
- Complaints
- 53about this part
- Share
- 15%of 361 total for the year
- Median mileage
- 95,283miles
- Trend
- StableComplaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are within 25% of the 3 years before.
NHTSA recorded 53 complaints about the brakes of the 1997 Dodge RAM 1500, 15% of the 361 complaints for this model year. Where a mileage was given, the median is 95,283 miles. 7 of these say a crash was involved, according to the filers.
Example complaints
Selected from NHTSA records; personal details are removed. They are consumer reports, not findings.
“On december 14 2005 my son was driving my Dodge RAM 1500, he tried to stop and the ABS system locked and he rear ended the car in front of him. The engine stalled and he had no control over the vehicle. The truck slid approximately 20 feet. There was a child injured in the car that he hit.”
NHTSA complaint #10161222, filed 2006-07, 111,422 miles“Hard brake line for rear brakes broke where corroded when I depressed the brake pedal causing me to loose brake pressure and caused my brakes not to work narrowly avoiding an accident.”
NHTSA complaint #10396861, filed 2011-04, 152,000 miles“While driving my truck in a busy shopping center, approximately speed of 20 MPH, I applied my brakes to stop at a stop sign. The brake pedal went to the floor. I had no brakes as I proceeded through the crosswalk in front of a department store. Just a few seconds before, I had pulled out of the parking space, applying my brakes to put the vehicle in drive and again applied my brakes at the end of the parking row . Each time, no indication of any problem, braked felt and worked as normal. …”
NHTSA complaint #10141470, filed 2005-11, 59,626 miles“While driving my 1997 Dodge RAM 1500 on an interstate highway near philadelphia, pa at the 65 MPH speed limit, traffic was slowing. I put my foot on the brake pedal and it went to the floor without warning. Pumping it did nothing. I had total brake failure. Fortunately, there were no vehicles in the two lanes to the right of me, I swerved and got the truck on the shoulder of the highway. If there would have been vehicles to my right, I would have rear ended the vehicle in front of me, causing a multiple vehicle chain-reaction type of crash. …”
NHTSA complaint #10137069, filed 2005-09, 60,180 miles“A long list is available at humes of waterford,pa. The most amazing failure of the vehichle was when the driver's door flew open while driving around the bend and I was lucky thaat no oncoming traffic was coming. Humes(dealer) fixed it by a horrible weld on the latch.”
NHTSA complaint #10116859, filed 2005-04, 40 milesBrakes: other model years
| Year | Complaints | Share of year |
|---|---|---|
| 2012 | 51 | 7% |
| 2011 | 26 | 4% |
| 2010 | 16 | 3% |
| 2009 | 34 | 5% |
| 2008 | 27 | 5% |
| 2007 | 21 | 4% |
| 2006 | 39 | 5% |
| 2005 | 40 | 3% |
| 2004 | 53 | 5% |
| 2003 | 73 | 6% |
| 2002 | 36 | 4% |
| 2001 | 59 | 5% |
| 2000 | 31 | 6% |
| 1999 | 56 | 9% |
| 1998 | 64 | 12% |
| 1997 | 53 | 15% |
| 1996 | 46 | 15% |
| 1995 | 27 | 13% |
| 1994 | 11 | 9% |
| 1993 | 3 | 50% |
Other parts of the 1997 Dodge RAM 1500
70 complaintsTransmission and drivetrain
56 complaintsFuel system
29 complaintsOther or unknown
28 complaintsAir bags
24 complaintsElectrical system
23 complaintsSteering
23 complaintsSuspension
21 complaintsEngine cooling
20 complaintsExterior lighting
17 complaintsTires
16 complaintsVehicle speed control
14 complaints
← All problems reported for the 1997 Dodge RAM 1500
About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 31, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.
To check a specific vehicle for open recalls, use its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. Methodology