2017 Ram 3500

Problems, Recalls & Reliability Report

Avoid This Year

Quick Summary

The 2017 Ram 3500 has 421 owner complaints filed with NHTSA — that's 5.3x the segment average of 80. The most common issue is brakes problems (43% of all complaints), specifically: 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 nea.

10 crash reports

421

Total Complaints

Recalls Issued

—/5

Safety Stars

5.3x

vs Segment Avg

Known Problems

BRAKES

183 complaints

43%

• 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 NEA
• THE INTERGRATED TOWING BREAK CONTROLLER IS FAULTY AND WILL NOT STOP MY CAMPER IN AN EMERGENCY SITUATION..
• TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2017 RAM 3500. WHILE DRIVING WITH A TRAILER CONNECTED, THE "TRAILER BRAKE NOT CONNECTED" MESSAGE ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO PINE BELT CHRYSLER JEEP DODGE RAM (1400 OCEAN AVE, ROUTE-88, LAKEWOOD, NJ 08701), BUT THE FAILURE COULD NOT BE DUPLICATED. THE VEHICLE WAS REP

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500💥 4 crashes

“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 NEA”

— NHTSA complaint filing

ELECTRICAL

33 complaints

• FROM A DEAD STOP OR TRYING TO MERGE IN TRAFFIC WHEN HITTING THE ACCELERATOR THERE IS A 2 TO 3 SECOND HESITATION NO POWER AT ALL, THEN TAKES OFF. THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS AFRAID THIS IS GOING TO CAUSE AN ACCIDENT. I HAVE NOTICED A LOT OF PEOPLE ON THE WEB TALKING ABOUT IT, THEY ARE CALLING IT A DEAD PE
• THE TRAILER BRAKE CONTROLLER HAVE BEEN LITTLE TO NO TRAILER BRAKING POWER AT LOW SPEEDS.
• 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

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500💥 1 crashes

“FROM A DEAD STOP OR TRYING TO MERGE IN TRAFFIC WHEN HITTING THE ACCELERATOR THERE IS A 2 TO 3 SECOND HESITATION NO POWER AT ALL, THEN TAKES OFF. THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS AFRAID THIS IS GOING TO CAUSE AN ACCIDENT. I HAVE NOTICED A LOT OF PEOPLE ON THE WEB TALKING ABOUT IT, THEY ARE CALLING IT A DEAD PE”

— NHTSA complaint filing

SPEED CONTROL

33 complaints

• TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2017 RAM 3500. WHILE DRIVING UNKNOWN SPEEDS, THE DRIVER'S SEAT MOVED WITHOUT WARNING WHEN THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS APPLIED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A LOCAL DEALER (BLUE BONNET CHRYSLER DODGE, 547 S SEGUIN AVE, NEW BRAUNFELS, TX 78130) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE VEHICLE
• I WAS HAULING A 15,000 LB FIFTH WHEEL WITH THE CRUISE CONTROL SET AT ABOUT 45MPH COMING UP TO THE LIGHT ON HWY. 35 AND HWY. 20 INTERSECTION NORTHBOUND IN INDIANA. I TAPPED MY FOOT ON THE BREAK TO SHUT MY CRUISE CONTROL OFF LIKE I NORMALLY DO AND PUT MY FOOT ON THE THROTTLE TO CONTROL THE ACCELERATIO
• OCCASIONALLY WHEN YOU STEP ON THE CLUTCH TO STOP THE VEHICLE OR CHANGE GEARS, THE CLUTCH PEDAL JUST GOES STRAIGHT TO FLOOR AND DOES NOT DISENGAGE THE CLUTCH. SOMETIMES YOU HAVE TO SHUT THE ENGINE OFF TO STOP THE VEHICLE, AND SOMETIMES WHEN STOPPED AT A STOP SIGN OR RED LIGHT, THE VEHICLE WILL NOT GO

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500💥 3 crashes

“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2017 RAM 3500. WHILE DRIVING UNKNOWN SPEEDS, THE DRIVER'S SEAT MOVED WITHOUT WARNING WHEN THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS APPLIED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A LOCAL DEALER (BLUE BONNET CHRYSLER DODGE, 547 S SEGUIN AVE, NEW BRAUNFELS, TX 78130) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE VEHICLE ”

— NHTSA complaint filing

ENGINE

31 complaints

• TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2017 RAM 3500. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 17V562000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING); HOWEVER, THE PARTS TO DO THE REPAIR WERE UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. LEE'S SU
• 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
• TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2017 RAM 3500. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBERS: 17V562000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING), 17V821000 (POWER TRAIN), AND 17V824000 (EQUIPMENT). THE PART WAS NOT AVAILABLE WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME FRAME TO SCHEDULE THE RECALL REPAIR. THE DEALER (GREENWAY

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500

“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2017 RAM 3500. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 17V562000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING); HOWEVER, THE PARTS TO DO THE REPAIR WERE UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. LEE'S SU”

— NHTSA complaint filing

TRANSMISSION

27 complaints

• 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 QU
• 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 SE
• 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

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500💥 1 crashes

“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 QU”

— NHTSA complaint filing

Estimated Repair Costs

BRAKES(~50K mi)

$500

ELECTRICAL(~50K mi)

$500

SPEED CONTROL(~50K mi)

$500

ENGINE(~50K mi)

$500

TRANSMISSION(~50K mi)

$500

Estimates based on average reported repair costs. Actual costs vary by location, shop, and severity.

🔍 Pre-Purchase Inspection Checklist

Based on 421 owner complaints for this specific year, here's what to check or ask about:

☐
BRAKES: 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 NEA
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
ELECTRICAL: FROM A DEAD STOP OR TRYING TO MERGE IN TRAFFIC WHEN HITTING THE ACCELERATOR THERE IS A 2 TO 3 SECOND HESITATION NO POWER AT ALL, THEN TAKES OFF. THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS AFRAID THIS IS GOING TO CAUSE AN ACCIDENT. I HAVE NOTICED A LOT OF PEOPLE ON THE WEB TALKING ABOUT IT, THEY ARE CALLING IT A DEAD PE
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
SPEED CONTROL: TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2017 RAM 3500. WHILE DRIVING UNKNOWN SPEEDS, THE DRIVER'S SEAT MOVED WITHOUT WARNING WHEN THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS APPLIED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A LOCAL DEALER (BLUE BONNET CHRYSLER DODGE, 547 S SEGUIN AVE, NEW BRAUNFELS, TX 78130) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE VEHICLE
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
ENGINE: TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2017 RAM 3500. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 17V562000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING); HOWEVER, THE PARTS TO DO THE REPAIR WERE UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. LEE'S SU
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
General: Get a pre-purchase inspection from an independent mechanic ($100-$200)