2017 Ram 1500 transmission problems

Filed Sep 22, 2026 · Transmission · 140,000 miles · MN

The contact owns a 2017 Ram 1500. The contact stated that after reversing out of the driveway and shifting into drive(D, and depressing the accelerator pedal, the rear axle fractured. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed and determined that the differential pin retaining screw had backed out, causing the rear axle failure. The mechanic determined that the rear axle assembly needed to be replaced. The contact associated the failure with the federal safety agency Campaign Number: 17V198000 (Power Train). The manufacturer was notified of the failure by phone and referred the contact to the federal safety agency Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was 140,000.

Filed Apr 29, 2026 · Brakes, Driver assistance · 104,520 miles · OR

The contact owns a 2017 Ram 1500. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the message "Service Electronic Stability Control" was displayed. While investigating the failure, the contact related the failure to an unknown recall; however, the VIN was not included. The vehicle was taken back to the residence, and the contact used an OBD reader to diagnose the vehicle. The contact determined that the tone wheel had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was taken to a dealer, where it was confirmed that the tone wheel and the front passenger’s side axle needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 104,520.

Filed Apr 28, 2026 · Engine, Fuel system · CO

Vehicle is having the same issues it had before with soot and sludge build up in the engine that caused the EGR to fail and melt into the engine... I have all the parts that were replaced from the 1st time this happened and was not repaired properly and is now causing a catastrophic failure....

Filed Apr 25, 2026 · Brakes, Electrical · VA

Timeline of issues: 04/11/2026 – Vehicle purchased 04/16/2026 – Brakes began grinding 04/18/2026 – Vehicle developed starting issues 04/19/2026 – Brake system parts (pads, rotors, calipers) ordered due to failure 04/23/2026 – Parts received; same day 4WD was tested and confirmed not functioning properly (dashboard indicates engagement but front wheels do not engage) 04/24/2026 – Complete brake failure occurred due to caliper failure These issues occurred immediately after purchase and indicate the vehicle had significant pre-existing mechanical defects at the time of sale. The 4WD system also does not function correctly despite indicating engagement, and the braking system failed completely shortly after purchase.

Filed Apr 7, 2026 · Steering, Transmission · 177,000 miles · WI

The contact owns a 2017 Ram 1500. The contact stated that while driving at 45 MPH, the vehicle lost power steering functionality with the steering assist warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a dealer to be diagnosed. The dealer associated the failure with the federal safety agency Campaign Number: 17V198000 (POWER TRAIN); however, the VIN was not associated with the recall. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 177,000.

Filed Mar 20, 2026 · Fuel system, Steering · MN

1Rear end shifted to passenger side 3 in 2. The intermittent shaft made the steering wheel over turn over half a turn. 3 manifold bolts replaced but snapped again. Fuel pump went out. Tailgate has opened multiple times. 120 k seems unfit to drive wheel studs drivers rear broke off 1 by 1 till there were 2 left

Filed Mar 18, 2026 · Transmission · 214,000 miles · FL

The contact owns a 2017 Ram 1500. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle unexpectedly failed to shift into gear properly, with the check engine warning light illuminated. The contact stated that while the vehicle was stopped, after depressing the accelerator pedal, the vehicle unexpectedly reversed. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked and shut off, the vehicle unexpectedly started rolling away while parked on a hill at the residence, and the parking brake was engaged. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic and DTC: P0814-000; for transmission failure was retrieved. The vehicle was not repaired. The dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 214,000.

Filed Mar 16, 2026 · Steering, Transmission · 140,455 miles · MN

The contact owns a 2017 Ram 1500. The contact stated that while driving approximately 50 MPH, several unknown transmission codes were displayed on the instrument panel, and the vehicle went into LIMP Mode. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed and determined that a transmission flush was needed. The vehicle was repaired; however, the failure persisted, and the vehicle stalled. The vehicle was towed to the dealer where it was diagnosed and determined that the power steering rack had short-circuited and needed to be replaced. The contact researched and was made aware of an unknown the federal safety agency recall; however, the VIN was not under recall. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 140,455.

Filed Mar 5, 2026 · Transmission · GA

I was driving on Interstate 20 in the third lane from the right of four total lanes when my truck suddenly lost all propulsion while attempting to pass another vehicle. The engine did not shut off, but it immediately dropped to very low RPM and the accelerator pedal no longer controlled the vehicle’s power. Multiple engine warning lights illuminated at the same time. I immediately activated my hazard lights and attempted to maneuver the vehicle across traffic to reach the shoulder. Because the vehicle had no propulsion, this created a dangerous situation in active interstate traffic. Several vehicles had to take evasive action and I experienced multiple near-collisions while trying to reach the shoulder. After safely stopping, I had the vehicle towed to my home and later towed again to the dealership at my own expense. The day before this incident, I received a recall notice in the mail related to this issue: Safety Recall 66A/23V‑411. However, the dealership has informed me that my vehicle is only covered under recall 66A (a software update) and not recall 73A, which involves replacement of the tone wheel component. Based on the symptoms experienced and the dealership’s diagnosis, the tone wheel requires replacement. However, the dealership states that this repair is not covered under the recall currently assigned to my vehicle. Given that this failure caused a sudden and complete loss of propulsion at highway speed, I believe this issue is directly related to the safety concern described in the recall and poses a serious safety risk. I am requesting that the federal safety agency review whether the recall coverage for this issue is adequate and whether vehicles experiencing this failure should also be covered for tone wheel replacement.

Filed Feb 17, 2026 · Acceleration, Engine · WA

I am reporting a persistent safety defect involving loss of intended drivability in my 2017 Ram 1500 with an 8-speed automatic transmission. For the past 3 years, on almost every use of the vehicle, the transmission enters an abnormal operating state where it becomes stuck in a single gear (most often 3rd or 4th) and will not upshift or downshift. When this occurs, the vehicle experiences reduced ability to accelerate and loss of normal drivability. The condition does not resolve while driving and requires me to pull over, shut the vehicle off, and restart it to restore operation. This defect has occurred multiple times at freeway speeds, requiring me to pull over onto the highway shoulder due to loss of vehicle function. A vehicle that cannot reliably shift or accelerate at highway speed presents a clear safety hazard to the driver and surrounding traffic. Requiring a stop-and-restart is not a safe or reasonable mitigation strategy in real-world traffic conditions. The issue occurs more frequently when the vehicle is cold, indicating a predictable and repeatable failure mode, not driver error or misuse. I have had to alter normal driving behavior, including extended warm-up periods and avoiding highways, to reduce risk. I was informed by repair facilities that this is a known issue related to transmission control module (TCM) software, and that Chrysler has issued Technical Service Bulletin(s) describing TCM software updates to address abnormal shifting and drivability behavior. The existence of these TSBs demonstrates manufacturer knowledge of the failure mode and a defined corrective action, yet the issue has not been addressed as a safety recall. I am submitting this complaint so the issue can be evaluated based on objective safety criteria. A vehicle that routinely loses drivability and requires emergency stops on freeways warrants formal safety investigation.