2017 Ram 1500 Engine
Owner-reported problems and safety issues filed with NHTSA. Review common failures, severity levels, and complaint trends over time.
Complaint Timeline
Chronological view of owner reports
EGR Cooler cracked @ 58,000 miles resulting in a disabled truck that has to be towed to the nearest dealership 20 miles away and 1 1/2 hours from our home two days before Christmas 2025. Thankfully my family was ok and the engine did not catch fire. The original EGR cooler was replaced by the manufacture under a recall at the end of 2020 @ 28,000 miles.
Egr coolant system leaking
VIN [XXX] Recall “66A Loss of Crankshaft position”. Why is this recall only a software update and does not fix the issue causing the recall? The faulty part is the Tone Wheel and the delamination of the magnetic material on the wheel. The software update just allows the car to drive faster, (40mph) to get it to the dealer for the $2k plus repair. Daimler Chrysler or Fiat, who makes the EcoDiesel engine should be required to pay for this repair. The safety issue is still present. Driving 40mph at 4200rpm on the freeway is a safety concern. [XXX] [XXX] [XXX] [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
MANIFOLD EXHAUST BOLTS ARE BROKEN OFF AND THE EXHAUST FUMES GET INTO THE CAB.
I had the EGR recall completed but now the intake manifold is failing and I was told it could be damage from the cracked egr cooler. Dealership says none of it is under warranty.
The EGR valve and EGR cooler went out and it caused the MAP sensor to melt and also caused the intake manifold to melt and if I didn’t shut the truck off it was going to catch on fire. And this truck has had this problem in the past due to a recall and it was repaired and it happened again on may 4th 2025
I am reporting a recurring and well-documented issue involving broken exhaust manifold bolts on my 2017 Ram 1500 with the 5.7L HEMI engine. My truck has only 47,000 miles, and the driver-side manifold has already required repair once due to broken bolts. Now, I am again hearing ticking noises and suspect further bolt failures and the passenger side , indicating this issue is not isolated but chronic and systemic. Thousands of other owners across Ram forums and communities have experienced the same failure, especially in Ram 1500s from 2009 to 2018 equipped with the 5.7L HEMI. The failures are typically caused by thermal expansion and contraction, which leads to the exhaust bolts snapping, particularly the rear ones. This results in exhaust leaks, increased emissions, and potential long-term engine damage. Despite the known and widespread nature of this defect, there has been no recall or extended warranty coverage from the manufacturer. Owners are frequently forced to cover expensive repairs (over $1,000) for what is clearly a design or material defect that occurs well below typical component lifespans. I respectfully request that the NHTSA investigate this issue and consider initiating a recall or mandatory service campaign. A critical engine component failing at such low mileage, and more than once, should not be dismissed as normal wear and tear.
The contact owns a 2017 Ram 1500. The contact stated that while driving on a neighborhood street at 28 MPH and approaching a stop sign, the vehicle experienced a loss of automotive power, with the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle coasted and came to a stop while the contact was pumping the brake pedal. The contact restarted the vehicle. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 54,035.
Ram 1500 Exhaust Manifold Exhaust in passenger cabinet causing sore throat, headache and asthma exacerbation. Loud ticking sound when starting and acceleration.
The contact owns a 2017 Ram 1500. The contact stated that when the vehicle started, the contact became aware of an abnormal ticking sound. No warning light was illuminated. The contact inspected the vehicle and became aware of several fractured bolts on the exhaust manifold. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or the dealer. The vehicle was scheduled for a diagnostic test within several days. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 164,000.
Driving truck down the road heard a loud pop, engine stalled. Found oil leaking under truck. Dealer said it’s a known issue with the engine and would not cover replacement cost. Truck only has 90k miles. Engine failure while driving could have resulted in a major accident.
The contact owns a 2017 Ram 1500. The contact stated while driving at approximately 35 MPH, the vehicle stalled. Several unknown warning lights were illuminated. The contact was unable to pull to the side of the road. The contact stated that upon shifting to park(P) to restart the vehicle, the vehicle failed to restart, and the gear shifter remained stuck in park(P). The vehicle was dragged to the side of the road. The vehicle was then towed to Mike Creech Automotive, where it was diagnosed with the crank position sensor tone wheel failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 20V475000 (Engine and Engine Cooling); however, the VIN was not included. The vehicle was then towed to the dealer, where it was diagnosed that the crank position sensor tone wheel had delaminated and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was provided. The failure mileage was approximately 160,000.
Vehicle has 55k miles on it. Started leaking oil out of the blue over 6 oz per day. Looked around to try and identify where the leak was coming from and it was on the upper end of the engine. Thought it may have been the oil filter gasket, but my mechanic said the oil cooler was cracked. and he claimed that it is a very common failure for this make/model due to the part being made mostly of plastic components. Plastic parts in constant contact with 240 degree oil seems to be no bueno.
Hello, I am one of the millions of confused Ram truck owners wondering why there has never been a recall issued on this terrible life threatening issue?! I personally own a 2017 Ram 1500 with the Hemi 5.7 and I have both passenger and drivers side exhaust manifolds making a horrible ticking noise and leaking exhaust fumes that come into the cabin of the truck no matter what you do! It used to be it only ticked at the first start of the day with a slight bit of exhaust fumes and it was only the passenger side ticking and leaking. Now it's both sides ticking that does not go away and exhaust fumes that are just horrible that make you sick. To me THIS IS a life threatening issue because of carbon monoxide poisoning! I bought my truck brand new off the lot and I take very good care of it and to this day it still looks great. This issue should be recalled and be the responsibility of Ram Trucks to repair for the safety of myself and the millions of Ram Truck owners! THIS IS DANGEROUS AND SHOULD NOT BE SWEPT UNDER THE RUG!!! Thank you for your time.
The contact owns a 2017 Ram 1500. The contact stated while driving 35 MPH, the vehicle stalled. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact pulled over to the side of the road where the vehicle failed to restart. The vehicle was towed to the residence. The vehicle was then towed to the dealer, where it was diagnosed and determined that the tone wheel and the crankshaft position sensor had failed and needed to be replaced. The dealer charged a repair fee and informed the contact that the repair could not be covered under NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V411000 (Engine and Engine Cooling) because the recall only covered the PCM software update. The vehicle was being repaired. The contact related the parts replacement to Chrysler Campaign Number: D-21-10. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that the vehicle was not covered under the campaign. The failure mileage was approximately 142,000.
Ram has known for years that they have Exhaust Manifold issues but will not recall any of the Hemi engines affected. Many complaints start in 2015 and go into 2020 models. They say it is a known issue, but no recall. This defect causes a ticking noise when a cold start and goes away, what doesn't go away is the leaking of exhaust from the manifold that can enter the cabin. This could be very serious.
Truck was consuming coolant and you could smell it but can't see a leak then the service electronic throttle control light came on a few weeks later with a code reading P0402. This was a recall and has been replaced but was replaced before they had the proper fix for it. Dropped it off at dodge dealer this morning for further diagnosis.
As of a week ago I was driving and had a message come up on my dash stating that the engine is running hot. After looking I noticed half the coolant was missing, so I added more. A few days later I decided to check and yet again it’s low, shortly later the check engine comes on. I did a check on codes and my sensors are mostly being affected by what’s happening.Fast forward to June 16, 2024 I drive to work after adding more coolant that was down by half. After all this time I never seen a leak but only smelled it in my exhaust. I tried to move the vehicle into the shade and the vehicle won’t turn over
I was driving my truck one day and it went into limp mode. Took it to the dealership and they diagnosed the engine and came to the conclusion it's the egr. But I had the egr recall done in 21, but now this egr has malfunction and has totalled my engine. Now my powertrain warranty won't cover this issue and I believe the solution was never fixed but a band aide in the matter. Is there anything yall can do.
Took to the shop explained that our EGR was replace at the fresno crystler dodge dealership with same OEM part not the new fix because it didn't exist they closed the account and now EGR went out again and they refuse to replace the original recalled part truck because it has been 4 years since replaced and is sitting in the north knox dodge dealer with the EGR completely malfunctioned leaking coolant blowing smoke and smells like it's about to catch fire and both dealerships refuse to replace the part
The contact owns a 2017 Ram 1500. The contact stated that on several occasions while driving at various speeds, the check engine warning light illuminated, and the vehicle stalled. The vehicle was steered to the side of the road each time and the battery was disconnected and reconnected. The vehicle was then taken to a dealer, where it was diagnosed on several occasions that several unknown parts needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired but the failure persisted. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and a complaint was filed. The failure mileage was approximately 45,000.
At 125,000 miles my truck developed a Hemi Tick. Now upon research it is said it is normal, however I don't3 see how such a thing is normal when the possibility of your engine going from running to not running. There have been things stated to try and I have tried them all yet the tick still remains and has actually gotten worse. This vehicle is my main means of transportation to and from. Being a senior it is very difficult for me or my wife to travel to doctors appointments that are very critical to our existence. So what is left? The manufacturer says this is normal but it is not a normal thing for your engine to suddenly quit especially when you maintain regular service on it. This is going on with to many owners and to say it normal is just a way to get away with fixing the issue. Something needs to be done about this issue as so many folks are and have put in tremendous amounts of money in their vehicles to have to turn around and spend another 7500 or so into getting it going again because, "this is normal."
The engine intermittently shuts down while running or at idle. This has happened over three months, starting with a two-second (twice) shutdown and restart on its own. In two later shutdowns (two months apart) I needed to restart the engine. The dealer has had the truck for 5 days without finding the problem.
In January 2024, my 2017 Dodge 1500 leaked a large amount of oil in a short period of time. If it had gone unnoticed, this could have led to engine failure while driving. The truck has 61,000 miles on it. I took it to my local Dodge dealership for diagnosis. When I explained the problem to the Assistant Service Manager, he said; "I'll bet I know what it is... the oil cooler. It's not uncommon". In fact, it WAS the oil cooler. Specifically, the gaskets in these trucks degrade, fail, and oil quickly leaks out. I "Googled" this issue online and found that there are MANY complaints regarding this exact issue from all over the country. Many of the trucks, like mine, had relatively low mileage. In order to make the repair, the mechanic must remove the intake manifold to access the oil cooler. As the gasket is incorporated into the cooler, the entire unit must be replaced. The cost for this repair was $1324. In further discussion with the Assistant Manager, he noted again that this is not an uncommon problem and has been a problem since about 2010. The cause is inferior (plastic) parts. He said that Dodge has done nothing to rectify the issue. They have not upgraded the part, offered to fix defective oil coolers, or done a recall since they don't consider it a "safety" issue. He referred me to Dodge's "Customer Care" number but also added that he didn't think it would do much good. On January 23, 2024, I called Dodge Customer Care. The representative said he would forward my complaint "for review". When I asked him how I would follow up on my complaint, he said that he did not know if anyone from Dodge would actually call me back. It felt like a waste of time. He also said I should file a complaint with the NHTSA. Dodge needs to acknowledge that the oil cooler units on their 1500 pickups are defective and make restitution to the owners.
The contact owns a 2017 Ram 1500. The contact stated that while driving at approximately 70 MPH with traffic slowing, the contact slowed down, and at 10 MPH, the engine seized with several unknown warning lights illuminated. The contact coasted to the side of the road and had the vehicle towed. The vehicle was towed to a local tow yard to be diagnosed. The independent mechanic could not identify the cause of the failure and referred the contact to the dealer. The vehicle was towed to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the tone wheel had failed causing the engine to seize. The contact was informed of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V411000 (Engine and Engine Cooling) which provided a remedy of a software update. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure, and it was confirmed that the VIN was included in NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V411000 (Engine and Engine Cooling) however, the mechanic denied the replacement of the tone wheel. The failure mileage was 104,000.
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The 2017 Ram 1500 has 111 Engine complaints on file. 1 crashes have been reported. Review the timeline above for detailed owner experiences.