VinCanary

Reliability report · 2017 Ram 1500 · Updated July 2026

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)

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.

What to check

Pink and cleanServiced. Proceed.

Dark brownDamage underway.

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

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

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

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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

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