FaultScore

1997 Dodge RAM airbag problems

39 of the 513 complaints about the 1997 Dodge RAM are about the airbag system — 8% of everything reported for this model year.

F

39

Complaints

28

Crashes

1

Fires

20

Injuries

Exactly what failed

Frontal 31 79.5%
AIR Bags 8 20.5%

Airbags across every Dodge RAM year

1994 28 8.3%
1995 40 11.9%
1996 39 11.6%
1997 39 11.6%
1998 66 19.6%
1999 40 11.9%
2000 23 6.8%
2001 46 13.7%
2002 15 4.5%

What owners said

Filed with NHTSA, in their own words.

Owings Mills, MD

AIR BAGS

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.

NHTSA complaint #8015642 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Saltillo, TX

AIR BAGS

AIR BAG LIGHT IS ALWAYS ILLUMINATING ON DASHBOARD.

NHTSA complaint #8004077 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

LAS Vegas, NV Crash 1 injured

AIR BAGS:FRONTAL

FRONT END ACCIDENT WITH ANOTHER VEHICLE AND AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. HAD NOT CONTACTED A DEALER AS OF YET.

NHTSA complaint #899612 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Walls, MI

AIR BAGS

WHEN TURNING STEERING WHEEL TO THE LEFT OR RIGHT THERE IS A CLICKING NOISE. CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER, AND THEY STATED IS SOUNDED LIKE IT MAY BE THE CLOCK SPRING. CONSUMER FELT THAT AIRBAGS MAY NOT DEPLOY IN AN EMERGENCY SITUATION.

NHTSA complaint #893533 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Ocanomowoc, WI

AIR BAGS:FRONTAL

AIR BAG LIGHT ON DASHBOARD CAME ON. CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALERSHIP, AND WAS INFORMED THAT RECALL 99V023000 REPAIRS HAVE BEEN PERFORMED. DEALER HAS NOT MADE A DETERMINATION AS TO THE REASON FOR LIGHT COMING ON. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION/ATTACHMENTS.

NHTSA complaint #893257 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Doorchester, MA Crash 1 injured

AIR BAGS:FRONTAL

VEHICLE WAS HIT FROM SIDE AT 35 MPH AND WAS FORCED INTO A WALL HEAD-ON AT 35 MPH. UPON IMPACT, DRIVER'S AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY, CAUSING INJURIES TO DRIVER'S NECK. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS.

NHTSA complaint #890797 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Deroit, MI Crash

AIR BAGS:FRONTAL

WHILE TRAVELING AT 40 MPH AND WHEN TRYING TO AVOID AN ACCIDENT CONSUMER RAN INTO TWO POLES HEAD-ON, AND AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION.

NHTSA complaint #890269 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Maple Grove, MN Crash 1 injured

AIR BAGS

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOV EVEHICLE.

NHTSA complaint #743293 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Tampa, FL Crash 1 injured

AIR BAGS:FRONTAL

FRONTAL CRASH AT 65-70 MPH, HIT A TREE, AIRBAG DID NOT DEPLOY. VEHICLE WAS TOTALLED.*AK VEHICLE ROLLED OVER AND DRIVER WAS INJURED, AIRBAG HAD PREVIOUSLY BEEN RECALLED AND REPLACED. CONSUMER FEELS THE STEERING KNUCKLE BROKE, LOCKING TIRES MAKING IT IMPOSSIBLE TO STEER. *SLC

NHTSA complaint #884832 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Newport Ritchie, FL Crash 2 injured

AIR BAGS:FRONTAL

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.

NHTSA complaint #879163 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Jolo, WV Crash 1 injured

AIR BAGS:FRONTAL

VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A FRONTAL CRASH, AIRBAG DEPLOYED, HOWEVER DID NOT PREVENT CONSUMER FROM HITTING STEERING WHEEL AND SUSTAINING INJURIES, CONSUMER FEELS THE AIRBAG DIDN'T FULLY DEPLOY BECAUSE IT NEVER CAME IN CONTACT WITH CONSUMER. *SLC

NHTSA complaint #878996 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Washington, DC

AIR BAGS:FRONTAL

WHEN TRUCK WAS INVOLVED IN A CRASH, THERE WAS NO DEPLOYMENT OF THE DRIVER'S SIDE AIR BAG, THE FRAME WAS BENT IN 5 DIFFERENT PLACES.

NHTSA complaint #784014 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ST Augustine, FL Crash 1 injured

AIR BAGS:FRONTAL

CONSUMER HAD A HEAD-ON COLLISON, AND AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. CONSUMER SUSTAINED SOME INJURIES.

NHTSA complaint #876483 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Sand Lake, MI Crash 1 injured

AIR BAGS:FRONTAL

CONSUMER RAN INTO THE BACK OF ANOTHER TRUCK BECAUSE BRAKES DID NOT CATCH.- ALSO, AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY.*AK DRIVER SIDE SEAT BELT FAILED.

NHTSA complaint #871470 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Twin Oaks, OK

AIR BAGS:FRONTAL

DURING VEHICLE COLLISION NO DEPLOYMENT OF THE DRIVERS AIR BAG. *MJS

NHTSA complaint #551759 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Bronx, NY

AIR BAGS

CONSUMER CALLED DEALER TO MAKE AN APPOINTMENT FOR AIR BAG REPAIRS. APPOINTMENT WAS SCHEDULED FOR THE NEXT DAY. WHEN CONSUMER CALLED TO CONFIRM THE APPOINTMENT, WAS TOLD THAT HE WAS NOT ON SCHEDULE. CONSUMER THEN MADE ANOTHER APPOINTMENT FOR 17TH. UPON ARRIVING ON THAT DAY, DEALER SAID IT WOULD BE READY BY NOON, BUT IT WAS NOT. THEN AT THE END OF DAY, REPAIRS WERE STILL NOT DONE.

NHTSA complaint #862178 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Four River, MA Crash 1 injured

AIR BAGS:FRONTAL

ROAD WAS WET & VEHICLE WAS GOING AROUND A CURB & VEERED OFF INTO A TELEPHONE POLE. ENTIRE FRONT END WAS CAVED INWARD. HAD SEAT BELTS ON. AIRBAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY, UPON IMPACT. DRIVER SUFFERED FACIAL INJURIES. MANUFACTURER INDICATED AIR BAGS WORKED OKAY. VEHICLE SENSORS WERE NOT TOUCHED.

NHTSA complaint #862140 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Twin Oaks, OK

AIR BAGS:FRONTAL

DURING VEHICLE COLLISION NO DEPLOYMENT OF THE DRIVERS AIR BAG. *MJS

NHTSA complaint #551759 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Fall River, MA Crash 1 injured

AIR BAGS:FRONTAL

WHILE DRIVING IN THE RAIN VEHICLE SLID OFF THE ROAD INTO A UTILITY POLE, AND SPLIT POLE IN HALF, CONSUMER FELT THAT THE INJURIES SUSTAINED WERE CAUSED BY AIRBAGS NOT DEPLOYING.

NHTSA complaint #860494 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Oviedo, FL

AIR BAGS

WHEN CONSUMER TURNED ON VEHICLE AIRBAG LIGHT CAME ON THE DASHBOARD. CONSUMER NOTIFIED THE DEALERSHIP, AND THEY FIXED THE PROBLEM. BUT TWO DAYS LATER, THE AIRBAG LIGHT STILL CAME ON.

NHTSA complaint #860381 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Greenbrier, TN Crash

AIR BAGS:FRONTAL

VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A FRONTAL COLLISION, AND THE AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY.

NHTSA complaint #859676 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Glendale Hts., IL Crash 1 injured

AIR BAGS:FRONTAL

NO DEPLOYMENT OF THE DRIVERSIDE AIR BAG DURING VEHICLE COLLISION RESULTING IN INJURY. *MJS

NHTSA complaint #9000540 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Santa FE, NM Crash Fire 1 injured

AIR BAGS:FRONTAL

VEHICLE WAS HIT BY ANOTHER CAR ON THE FRONT. THE OTHER VEHICLE WAS TRAVELING AT ABOUT 50 TO 60MPH. DRIVER'S SIDE AIRBAG DEPLOYED, AND DRIVER'S SWEAT PANTS CAUGHT ON FIRE. DRIVE RHAD TWO PAIRS OF SWEAT PANTS ON. FIRE BURNED A BIG HOLE THROUGH THE FIRST PAIR, AND SINGED THE SECOND PAIR OF PANTS. IF DRIVE RWOULD NOT HAVE HAD ON TWO PAIRS OF PANTS, HE WOULD HAVE BEEN BURNED. VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN LOOKED AT BY ANYONE.

NHTSA complaint #854758 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Abilene, TX Crash 1 injured

AIR BAGS

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOV EVEHICLE.

NHTSA complaint #716856 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Lawrenceville, GA

AIR BAGS:FRONTAL

RECALL REPAIR NOT ABLE TO BE COMPLETED PROPERLY DUE TO VEHICLE SEAT MODIFICATION, THE COVER TO AIR BAG MODULE WAS BOT INSTALLED (DID NOT FIT PROPERLY). MJS (99V-023)

NHTSA complaint #545028 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Eufaula, AL Crash 1 injured

AIR BAGS:FRONTAL

WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH HAD A DIRECT FRONTAL IMPACT WITH A BUILDING, AND DRIVER'S AIRBAG MALFUNCTIONED, BUT AIRBAG DID NOT DEPLOY FULLY. ALSO DRIVER'S SEATBELT RIPPED APART, CAUSING THE OCCUPANT TO HIT THE WINDSHIELD, AND SUSTAINED SERIOUS INJURIES. HAVE NOT CONTACTED THE MFR. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION.

NHTSA complaint #851960 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Geneva, OH Crash

AIR BAGS:FRONTAL

WAS TRAVELING AT APPROXIMATELY 55MPH AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. OBSTRUCTED DRIVER'S VIEW. AVOIDED HITTING DEER. HIT A DITCH. THE LEFT FRONT END WAS DAMAGED & HANGING OFF FRAME.

NHTSA complaint #849755 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Garden City, KS Crash 2 injured

AIR BAGS

HEAD ON COLLISION AT APPROX. 30 MPH AND AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY

NHTSA complaint #710323 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Lutz, FL Crash

AIR BAGS:FRONTAL

WHILE DRIVING AT 35 MPH ATTEMPTED TO AVOID AN ACCIDENT AND RAN INTO A TELEPHONE POLE. UPON IMPACT, DRIVER SIDE AIR BAG DIDN'T DEPLOY.

NHTSA complaint #842432 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Columbus, OH Crash

AIR BAGS:FRONTAL

VEHICLE REAR ENDED ANOTHER VEHICLE AT 60MPH, AND DRIVER'S SIDE AIRBAG DID NOT DEPLOY. DEALER HAS SEEN VEHICLE.

NHTSA complaint #839393 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Other 1997 Dodge RAM problems

← Full 1997 Dodge RAM report