2017 Ram 1500 Engine Problems

NHTSA component category: ENGINE · data through 07/14/2026

155Engine complaints

18%Of all 859 complaints

#2Most-reported category

Source: U.S. NHTSA complaint data. Complaints are unverified reports from vehicle owners — a complaint is not a confirmed defect.

How engine ranks on this vehicle

STEERING216 · 25.1%

ENGINE155 · 18%

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM102 · 11.9%

POWER TRAIN93 · 10.8%

FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM87 · 10.1%

Share of the 859 complaints citing each category; one complaint can cite several. Full breakdown on the 2017 Ram 1500 overview page.

What owners report

“THE LIFTERS IN MY 3.6 LITER RAM 1500 ARE BAD AT 80000 MILES. THIS IS THE SAME PROBLEM REPORTED WITH THIS ENGINE IN 2011-2013 DODGE…”NHTSA complaint 11172824 — filed 01/29/2019

“THE CONTACT OWNS A 2017 RAM 1500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT ON MULTIPLE OCCASIONS WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE WOULD SUDDENLY SHUT OFF WITHOUT WARNING. THE…”NHTSA complaint 11144498 — filed 10/31/2018

“THIS INVOLVES A 2017 RAM ECODIESEL WITH 15,500 MILES. THE ECO DIESEL STARTED TO MAKE A RATTLING SOUND AS I WAS DRIVING STRAIGHT AT INTERSTATE…”NHTSA complaint 11122955 — filed 08/28/2018

Excerpts are shortened and scrubbed of personal details; they are individual, unverified reports.

Engine complaints by year filed

Frequently asked questions

Does the 2017 Ram 1500 have engine problems?

Engine is the #2 most-reported problem area on the 2017 Ram 1500: 155 of 859 complaints on file (18%). Complaints are unverified owner reports, not confirmed defects.

How many complaints does the 2017 Ram 1500 have in total?

859 complaints were on file with NHTSA as of 07/14/2026. Across all categories, 80 involved a crash, 16 involved a fire, 77 reported injuries, and 1 reported deaths.

What does NHTSA's engine category include?

NHTSA assigns each complaint to standard component categories; this page reports the ENGINE category exactly as NHTSA defines and records it.

About this data — Complaint figures on this page are consumer reports submitted to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), a U.S. government agency. NHTSA does not verify individual complaints; a complaint is not proof that a defect exists, and counts reflect what owners chose to report, not confirmed failure rates. Recall information comes from official NHTSA safety recall campaigns; recall repairs are free at authorized dealers. Always check your specific vehicle by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. CarModelProblems.com is an independent site and is not affiliated with NHTSA or any vehicle manufacturer. Data through 07/14/2026.