2017 Ram 3500 problems and owner complaints
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
308 owner complaints analyzed
12 distinct recall campaigns
31,550 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 2017 model year. Data snapshot: . 112 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Service Brakes is the most frequently named component, appearing in 142 of 308 complaints (46.1%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Braking behavior | 192 | 62.3% |
| Steering behavior | 19 | 6.2% |
| Transmission and shifting | 13 | 4.2% |
| Electrical and battery issues | 13 | 4.2% |
| Fuel system concerns | 4 | 1.3% |
| Engine operation | 3 | 1.0% |
Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.
Component breakdown
Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Service Brakes | 142 |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 37 |
| Electrical System | 30 |
| Engine | 28 |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 28 |
| Power Train | 26 |
| Wheels | 19 |
| Steering | 18 |
Service Brakes: 142; Service Brakes, Hydraulic: 37; Electrical System: 30; Engine: 28; Vehicle Speed Control: 28; Power Train: 26; Wheels: 19; Steering: 18
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 49 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 21 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 16 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 8 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 10 |
| 150,000 and above | 8 |
Under 25,000: 49; 25,000 to 49,999: 21; 50,000 to 74,999: 16; 75,000 to 99,999: 8; 100,000 to 149,999: 10; 150,000 and above: 8
Under 25,000 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (49). 196 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.
Complaints over time
Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 2016 | 1 |
| 2017 | 8 |
| 2018 | 23 |
| 2019 | 31 |
| 2020 | 18 |
| 2021 | 9 |
| 2022 | 13 |
| 2023 | 67 |
| 2024 | 60 |
| 2025 | 51 |
| 2026 | 27 |
2016: 1; 2017: 8; 2018: 23; 2019: 31; 2020: 18; 2021: 9; 2022: 13; 2023: 67; 2024: 60; 2025: 51; 2026: 27
Pattern summary
Service Brakes leads the component reports. Braking behavior appears in 192 complaint narratives. Steering behavior appears in 19 complaint narratives. Transmission and shifting appears in 13 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.
Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.
Complaint evidence
Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.
Owner report 10992696 · 2017-06-01 (June 1, 2017)
I HAVE A RAM 3500 SINGLE REAR WHEEL TRUCK WITH INTEGRATED BRAKE CONTROLLER. IT WAS HOOKED UP TO MY 10,000# GVW 5TH WHEEL TRAILER THIS PAST WEEKEND AND NO MATTER HOW I SET THE CONTROLLER, FOR EITHER BRAKING STRENGTH OR TRAILER SELECTION TYPE, IT PROVIDES IMPERCEPTIBLE BRAKING TO THE TRAILER. IT NEARLY PUSHED ME RIGHT THROUGH AN INTERSECTION AT 25 MPH BECAUSE THERE WAS NO BRAKING. THIS OCCURRED ON A 35 MPH LEVEL GRADE AND I WAS SLOWED AT THE TIME FOR AN APPROACHING RED LIGHT. TRUCK IS RATED TO TOW MUCH MORE. I DISCONNECTED FACTORY UNIT AND P…
Owner-reported narrative. 2,050 miles reported. Look up ODI 10992696 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11048084 · 2017-11-22 (November 22, 2017)
2017 RAM PROMASTER 3500 AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION DOWNSHIFTS ON ITS OWN COMING DOWN MOUNTAIN GRADES AND FORCES YOU TO STOP ON THE SHOULDER BECAUSE THE TRANSMISSION CONTINUES TO DOWNSHIFT ON ITS OWN. ONCE YOU ARE STOPPED AND IN FIRST GEAR YOU MAY CONTINUE DOWN THE MOUNTAIN TILL ITS DOES IT AGAIN ALL THE WHILE OTHER AUTOMOBILES AND SEMIS ARE PASSING YOU AT HIGH RATES OF SPEED. YOU MUST COME DOWN A MOUNTAIN IN NEUTRAL. THE ONLY WAY TO STOP THE DOWNSHIFTING AND THE RPMS SHOOT UP TO 4000 RPMS, IS TO SHIFT TO NEUTRAL OR STOP AND START OVER AGAIN. IN SNO…
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 11048084 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10947943 · 2017-01-27 (January 27, 2017)
2017 RAM 3500 DUALLY 4X4 68RFE, FIRST TIME TRUCK WAS TAKEN OUT ON THE HIGHWAY OUT OF TOWN WHERE SPEED LIMIT WAS 75. TRUCK HAS A VERY PRONOUNCED SHAKE IN THE REAR. THIS IS FELT IN CAB OF THE TRUCK, BUT NOT THE STEERING WHEEL. PASSENGER SEAT SHAKES BACK AND FORTH. LIKE REAR IS OSCILLATING, AND A DRONING CAN BE HEARD. IT COMES AND GOES IN INTENSITY. HAPPENS ON ALL TYPES OF ROAD SURFACES. RAM FIELD ENGINEER, AND REGIONAL MANAGER SAY IT IS KNOWN ISSUE. TAKEN OTHER TRUCKS OUT WITH VERY MINOR VIBRATION, AND ALSO WITH NO VIBRATION. THIS WAS DONE WITH S…
Owner-reported narrative. 200 miles reported. Look up ODI 10947943 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11024841 · 2017-09-21 (September 21, 2017)
THERE IS A CHASSIS VIBRATION ISSUE WHERE THE ENTIRE TRUCK SHAKES AT SPEEDS OVER 60 MPH. THE SEATS SHAKE AND THE WHOLE TRUCK SHAKES AS IF A TIRE IS REALLY OUT OF BALANCE. THERE IS NO SHAKE IN THE STEERING WHEEL HOWEVER, AND NEW TIRES, AND RECENTLY BALANCED TIRES, HAVE NO EFFECT ON THE ISSUE. IT SEEMS TO START IN THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE. MANY PEOPLE ON THE FORUMS REPORT THE SAME PROBLEM AND NO ONE HAS FOUND A FIX FOR IT THAT I KNOW OF. DEALERS JUST THROW NEW TIRES AND WHEELS AT THE PROBLEM WITH NO RESOLUTION. CHECK FORUMS LIKE CUMMINSFORUM…
Owner-reported narrative. 500 miles reported. Look up ODI 11024841 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10959853 · 2017-03-09 (March 9, 2017)
VEHICLE IS EQUIPPED WITH A G56 MERCEDES 6 SPEED MANUAL TRANSMISSION. WHEN IN 5TH GEAR THERE IS A CHATTER ORIGINATING FROM THE TRANSMISSION AMPLIFIED BY THE SHIFT LEVER. NOISE AND VIBRATION OCCURS AT ANY SPEED AND ANY LOAD (UNDER THE FIFTH WHEEL OR NOT) WHILE IN 5TH GEAR. GEARS 1 THRU 4 AND 6 ARE QUIET AS EXPECTED.
Owner-reported narrative. 80 miles reported. Look up ODI 10959853 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11419871 · 2021-06-07 (June 7, 2021)
2017 Dodge Ram 3500. Consumer stated they have experienced numerous issues with vehicle from, power steering, electrical and fuel pump issues. THE CONSUMER STATED THE VEHICLE WAS EXPERIENCING A HARD TICKING NOISE IN THE ENGINE. THE LIFTERS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED OR THE ENGINE REPLACED.
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 11419871 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11103310 · 2018-07-03 (July 3, 2018)
2017 LEXUS ES 350. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO FLAW IN THE SOFTWARE WHICH RESULTED IN AN ACCIDENT. *LD THE CONSUMER STATED THE VEHICLE CRASHED INTO THE GARAGE AND WAS TOTALED. *JS THE CONSUMER INQUIRED IF THE ACCIDENT WAS RELATED TO THE DEFECTIVE FUEL PUMP THAT BECAME A SAFETY RECALL. *JS
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 11103310 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11342736 · 2020-08-01 (August 1, 2020)
AFTER ONLY 57K MILES THE FUEL SENSOR / FUEL PUMP IS MALFUNCTIONING. FUEL GAUGE IS NOT WORKING. I BELIEVE NOT KNOWING HOW MUCH FUEL IS IN THE TRUCK CONSTITUTES A SAFETY ISSUE. THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH RAM TRUCKS AS REPORTED 100S OF TIMES ON LINE.
Owner-reported narrative. 57,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11342736 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11062990 · 2018-01-16 (January 16, 2018)
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2017 RAM 3500. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBERS: 17V562000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING) AND 17V821000 (POWER TRAIN). THE PARTS WERE NOT AVAILABLE WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME FRAME TO SCHEDULE THE RECALL REPAIR. THE DEALER (RAY CHRYSLER DODGE JEEP RAM, 23 N US-12, FOX LAKE, IL 60020) WAS UNABLE TO VERIFY WHEN THE REMEDY AND PARTS WOULD BE SUPPLIED FROM THE MANUFACTURER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED TO DETERMINE IF THEY COULD VERIFY WHEN THE PART WOULD BE SUPPLIED TO THE DEALER. THE CONTACT STATED T…
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 11062990 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11600141 · 2024-07-08 (July 8, 2024)
The contact owns a 2017 Ram 3500. The contact stated while driving 40-45 MPH, the vehicle started shuddering. An unknown warning light was illuminated. The contact continued driving uphill and the vehicle stalled. The vehicle failed to restart. The contact was able to push the vehicle to the side of the road with assistance. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic, where it diagnosed that the emission control system had failed. The mechanic replaced the EGR cooler, the EGR valve and the temperature sensor. Additionally, the mechanic pe…
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 11600141 at NHTSA ↗