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Reliability report · 2017 Ram 1500 · Updated July 2026 · ~$3,100/yr fuel · what it costs to keep →

Often called the sweet-spot 4th-gen Ram — the same good bones as 2016 with noticeably fewer complaints, if you clear the steering and ABS checks.

2017 is widely regarded as one of the better fourth-generation Ram years, and the numbers back it up: complaints drop by roughly a third from 2016 while the truck itself — 5.7L Hemi or Pentastar V6, proven 8-speed — is unchanged. The recent complaint file is led by electric-power-steering loss (intermittent or sudden, sometimes told 'not covered'), followed by the same ABS control-module failure that haunts these trucks, with the Hemi's cam-and-lifter tick a constant background risk.

Because the mechanical story is identical to 2016 but the volume is lower, 2017 lands at Chirping rather than Squawking: a solid used pick, provided you confirm the steering behaves, the ABS/brake systems are intact, and the engine cold-starts without a tick. If it's a diesel, add the EcoDiesel recall checks. Do that, and this is one of the value picks of the range.

Evidence: 856 NHTSA complaints · 13 recall campaigns · 3 mechanic & forum sources

Canary status

Chirping

What that means: 856 federal complaints, well under 2016, and a familiar fourth-generation profile: electric-power-steering loss and ABS-module failure lead the recent file, with the usual Hemi tick in the background. A clean, checked example is a lot of proven truck for the money.

CalmChirpingSquawkingFainted

856

Federal complaints

13

Recalls (all populations)

Federal crash tests

5-star scale
Overall
Frontal crash
Side crash
Rollover

Tested variant: 2017 Ram 1500 Crew PU/CC 2WD (NHTSA VehicleId 11330)

Source: NHTSA New Car Assessment Program (NCAP) →

Known issues

Ranked by the cost of ignoring them. Every claim carries its source.

Electric power-steering loss

major

The largest cluster in the recent 2017 file. Owners report steering assist cutting out — sometimes intermittently over months, sometimes suddenly — and several are told their steering rack isn't covered by a recall. Loss of assist makes the truck hard to steer, especially at low speed. Test-drive specifically for consistent steering effort, listen for whine, and scan for steering/EPS codes; treat any intermittent heaviness as a real defect, not a quirk.

Sources: NHTSA complaint database, 2017 Ram 1500

ABS control-module failuremajor

The same failure that defines 2016 carries into 2017: the ABS module fails and disables anti-lock brakes, cruise, and traction control together, with the replacement part frequently on long backorder. Owners describe it as a widely known issue. Confirm all four systems work, scan for ABS/ESC codes, and if the seller claims it was replaced, ask for the invoice — a fresh module is a plus given the backorder history.

Sources: NHTSA complaint database, 2017 Ram 1500 · NHTSA recall database and manufacturer communications (recalls 17V434, 17V821, 25V010; diesel recalls)

5.7L Hemi cam-and-lifter tickmajor

  • 5.7L Hemi V8

The cross-generation Hemi risk: a worn hydraulic lifter and cam lobe produce a tick that grows into a misfire. Independent mechanics quote a cam-and-lifter repair at a minimum around $4,500 and note engine replacement is often recommended once metal appears in the oil. A cold-start listen is the single most valuable check on any Hemi truck — a persistent tick after warm-up is a walk-away or a hard negotiation.

Sources: NHTSA complaint database, 2017 Ram 1500 · Independent mechanic channel transcripts (4th-gen Ram; 5.7 Hemi cam/lifter deep-dives)

~$4,500

Cam + lifter repair (mechanic-quoted minimum)

higher

Engine replacement (often recommended)

Fuel-tank control valve — recall 17V434moderate

A 2017-specific recall: a broken fuel-tank control valve could leak fuel in a rollover, failing the FMVSS 301 fuel-system-integrity standard; the remedy replaces the fuel tank free. It's a targeted safety recall rather than a widespread reliability failure — just confirm it was completed by VIN. The BTSI shifter recall (17V821/18V100) also applies; check that too.

Sources: NHTSA recall database and manufacturer communications (recalls 17V434, 17V821, 25V010; diesel recalls)

EcoDiesel (3.0L) engine recalls — diesel buyers onlymoderate

  • 3.0L EcoDiesel V6

As on 2016, the optional 3.0L EcoDiesel carries EGR-cooler (19V757), crankshaft tone-wheel (20V475/23V411 plus the X94 warranty extension), and high-pressure-fuel-pump (22V406) recalls, all free fixes for stall/fire risks. Confirm each is done by VIN on a diesel; none apply to the gas engines.

Sources: NHTSA recall database and manufacturer communications (recalls 17V434, 17V821, 25V010; diesel recalls)

For past nine months the power steering intermittently stops working while I'm driving. The dealer says there's no recall on my steering rack.
3 mechanic & owner sources

Open recalls

Free fixes at any Ram dealer. Run the VIN — “completed” isn’t always completed.

  1. 17V434Broken fuel-tank control valve could leak fuel in a rollover (2017); fuel tank replaced free.open
  2. 17V821 / 18V100BTSI pin can stick and allow the column shifter to leave park without the brake (2009–2017 / 2017–2018); fixed free.open
  3. 17V198Differential pin retaining screw may loosen and lock or break the differential (2016–2017); pin inspected/replaced free.open
  4. 18V332A wiring short could prevent cruise control from disengaging (2014–2019); PCM software flashed free.open
  5. 18V486 / 19V347Power-tailgate latch actuator tab can fracture and let the tailgate open while driving (2015–2017); latch repaired free.open
  6. 25V010Side-curtain airbag inflators may rupture (2016–2019); one or both airbags replaced free.open
  7. 19V757 / 22V406Diesel-only: EGR cooler cracking (fire) and high-pressure-fuel-pump failure (stall) on 3.0L EcoDiesel; parts replaced free.open

What it costs to keep

The purchase price is what you negotiate. These are the numbers you live with afterward — each one sourced, none of them blended into a fake total.

The ownership picture — 2017 1500

Three sourced numbers. No fake total.

Fuel

20 MPG combined (17 city / 25 highway) for the RWD, 3.6L on the EPA federal fuel-economy test.

Source: FuelEconomy.gov (EPA) — EPA’s federal fuel-economy test, recomputed with current gas prices. EPA record 37992 (1500 2WD).
Other builds EPA lists: 4WD, 3.6L 19 MPG · 4WD, 5.7L (midgrade fuel) 15 MPG · RWD, 5.7L (midgrade fuel) 17 MPG · Diesel 4WD, 3.0L turbo 22 MPG.

$3,100/yr

at $4.15/gal · 15,000 mi/yr · 55/45 city/hwy · pulled Jul 12, 2026

Theft

Stolen at about the average rate.

Source: HLDI — the insurance industry’s loss-data institute — HLDI whole vehicle theft losses, 2016–18 models, published May 2019 (report WT-18). 100 = the all-vehicle average. Series read: Ram 1500 crew cab SWB 4WD.
Other series: Ram 1500 ext. cab 4WD 117 · Ram 1500 crew cab SWB 231 · Ram 1500 ext. cab 182 · Ram 1500 crew cab LWB 4WD 89 · Ram 1500 SWB 229, where 100 = average.

107 vs 100

7% above average

Repair risk

What this specific year is known to need. Pulled from the issues above — the repairs owners actually report, at the costs they report them. Averages from other sites blend every year together; these are this year’s own numbers.

Source: this report — 01 Known issues.

Cam + lifter repair (mechanic-quoted minimum)~$4,500
Engine replacement (often recommended)higher
Why there’s no single “cost to own” number: sites that promise one are guessing at your insurance quote, your annual miles, and your luck. These are the numbers we can actually source — and each one carries its receipt.

Shopping this year?

Get the printable pre-purchase checklist and an alert if this year’s recall sheet changes.

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Have a specific one in your sights?

The VIN is on the listing. We’ll check this exact car — build, open recalls, and whether the “completed” repairs stayed fixed.

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Before you buy

Print this
  1. 01Test-drive for consistent steering effort and listen for whine; treat any intermittent heaviness as a real EPS fault and scan for codes.
  2. 02Confirm anti-lock brakes, cruise, and traction control all work; the ABS module can be backordered, so a documented replacement is a plus.
  3. 03Cold-start and listen for a Hemi valvetrain tick before warm-up settles it.
  4. 04Verify the fuel-tank (17V434), BTSI (17V821/18V100), differential (17V198), and airbag (25V010) recalls are closed by VIN.
  5. 05Check the power-tailgate latch recall (18V486/19V347) if the truck has a power-locking tailgate.
  6. 06If it's a 3.0L EcoDiesel, confirm the EGR-cooler, tone-wheel, and HPFP recalls are all done.

Own one already?

The canary watches your VIN — new recalls and the mileage where known issues start.

Watch my VIN — free

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