2017 RAM 5500 problems & reliability
20 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2017 RAM 5500, alongside 7 safety recall campaigns. Last verified Sep 11, 2026. Complaints are unverified reports submitted by owners to the federal Office of Defects Investigation.
Each complaint is counted once (by NHTSA case number), even when it names several components.
Federal crash records (FARS 2020–2023): 2017 RAM 5500 vehicles were involved in 18 fatal crashes with 2 occupant deaths. Involvement counts are not adjusted for how many are on the road and do not imply fault or a vehicle defect.
Most reported problems
| Component | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Power Train | 8 | 40% |
| Service Brakes | 3 | 15% |
| Tires | 3 | 15% |
| Engine | 2 | 10% |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 2 | 10% |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 2 | 10% |
| Steering | 2 | 10% |
| Wheels | 2 | 10% |
| Electrical System | 1 | 5% |
| Forward Collision Avoidance | 1 | 5% |
Component groups as classified by NHTSA. A complaint can name more than one component, so shares may sum to more than 100%.
All 13 reported components →Complaints by incident year
What owners report
“My vehicle does not currently show an open recall in the NHTSA VIN lookup, but the vehicle has experienced repeated and potentially catastrophic wheel and brake-related failures. I am requesting that NHTSA review these incidents for a possible safety defect and determine whether an investigation or safety action is…”
Wheels · filed Sep 5, 2026
“The contact owns a 2017 Ram 5500. The contact stated that an unknown warning light appeared on the instrument panel which stated that the ABS function was not available and that the 4WD was disabled. The vehicle was taken a dealer where they kept the vehicle for over a week where they eventually replaced the brake…”
Service Brakes, Hydraulic · filed May 5, 2026
“The contact owns a 2017 Ram 5500. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V896000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulics); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. Several local dealers were made aware of the issue and confirmed that parts were not yet available. The contact stated…”
Service Brakes, Hydraulic · filed Feb 26, 2026
Verbatim excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA. Reports are not independently verified.
Federal defect investigations
- Post Recall Remedy Brake Transmission Shift Interlock (BTSI) Failure
Recall Query RQ25003 · opened Jul 3, 2025 · open
- Front Driveshaft Failure
Preliminary Evaluation PE19017 · opened Dec 12, 2019 · closed Oct 22, 2023
Technical service bulletins
276 manufacturer communications (TSBs, service campaigns, warranty extensions) are on file with NHTSA for the 2017 RAM 5500. The 10 most recent:
Trac-Rite Operation Diagnosis, Chatter, Shudder, Moving From A Stop And Turning
S1203000003 REV.A · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jun 26, 2026
Bearing - crankshaft thrust and kit
112906 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jun 17, 2026
Bearing - crankshaft thrust and kit
112906 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jun 17, 2026
Outside Power Fold Rearview Mirror Noise Or Loose At Pivot. Mirror Contacts Door Window Glass In The Folded Position.
S1623000028 Rev. K · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jun 12, 2026
Outside Power Fold Rearview Mirror Noise Or Loose At Pivot. Mirror Contacts Door Window Glass In The Folded Position.
S1623000028 REV.J · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jun 5, 2026
Outside Power Fold Rearview Mirror Noise Or Loose At Pivot. Mirror Contacts Door Window Glass In The Folded Position.
S1623000028 REV.I · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued May 29, 2026
Squeak Or Squawk Noise Coming From Either Side Door Of The Vehicle, It Could Be Just One Door Or More. The Noise Can Be Present In Either The Upper Or The Lower Hinge.
S2623000032 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Apr 30, 2026
Outside Power Fold Rearview Mirror Noise Or Loose At Pivot. Mirror Contacts Door Window Glass In The Folded Position.
S1623000028 REV.H · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Apr 1, 2026
SPEAKER - NONE
110603 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Mar 3, 2026
SPEAKER - NONE
110604 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Mar 3, 2026
TSBs are repair guidance manufacturers send to dealers — they are not recalls and repairs are not automatically free. Full documents are available on NHTSA’s site.
Safety recalls
The 2017 RAM 5500 has 7 NHTSA recall campaigns — recall repairs are free at franchised dealers regardless of the vehicle’s age.
Check whether your specific vehicle is affected
Recall campaigns often cover only certain VIN ranges. Enter your VIN on the official NHTSA site to confirm whether your vehicle is included and whether the repair is still open.
Check VIN on NHTSA →Buying a used 2017 RAM 5500?
- · Decode the seller’s VIN with our free VIN decoder to confirm the exact year, engine and trim.
- · Check for unrepaired recalls by VIN on NHTSA’s official lookup — recall repairs are free.