2017 Ram 2500: Problems & Reliability
AVOID2017 Ram 2500: AVOID — 694 owner complaints, 3.6× the 2500 median year by raw count.
CarWhere's verdict score for the 2017 is 3.85, where 1.00 is a typical 2500 year once complaints are weighted for severity and spread over time on the road; the avoid line is 1.60, so this year clears it by 2.25. Severity drives it: 90% of those complaints report a crash, fire or injury or involve a safety-critical system (engine, powertrain, steering, brakes or fuel).
Sources: NHTSA owner complaints (ODI), recall campaigns and manufacturer service bulletins, CarWhere verified buyer prices · Model years 2015–2026 compared · Updated 2026-11-07 · By CarWhere Research · Methodology
694
NHTSA complaints
3.6×
vs. median 2500 year
379
Service bulletins
12
Recall campaigns
2017 Ram 2500 recalls
12 recall campaigns on federal record for the 2017, reported between Aug 10, 2017 and Jan 16, 2025.
| NHTSA campaign | Reported | Component |
|---|---|---|
| 25V010000 | Jan 16, 2025 | Air bags › Side/window › Curtain › Inflator |
| 24V896000 | Nov 27, 2024 | Service brakes, hydraulic › Antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip › Control unit/module |
| 19V347000 | May 9, 2019 | Latches, locks & linkages › Tailgate › Latch |
| 19V021000 | Jan 25, 2019 | Steering › Linkages › Drag › Link › Connection |
| 18E096000 | Oct 16, 2018 | Steering › Linkages |
| 18V486000 | Jul 27, 2018 | Structure › Body › Tailgate |
| 18V332000 | May 17, 2018 | Electrical system › Wiring |
| 18V100000 | Feb 8, 2018 | Powertrain / transmission › Automatic transmission |
| 17V824000 | Dec 21, 2017 | Equipment |
| 17V821000 | Dec 20, 2017 | Powertrain / transmission › Automatic transmission › Lever and linkage › Column shift |
| 17V562000 | Sep 12, 2017 | Engine & cooling › Engine › Diesel |
| 17V499000 | Aug 10, 2017 | Wheels |
2017 Ram 2500 service bulletins
The manufacturer has filed 379 technical service bulletins with NHTSA for the 2017 — close to the 440 of the median 2500 year from 2015 to 2026. Coded bulletins most often cover electrical system (68), engine & cooling (49), visibility (41). Bulletins are repair instructions for dealer technicians, not recalls.
The 2017 vs. the year before and after
From the 2016 to the 2017, owner complaints jumped 2.7× (258 → 694) — a step backward. The 2018 that followed jumped 3.7× (694 → 2,591), so the 2017 is the cleaner of the two by count.
| Model year | Verdict | Complaints | Bulletins | Recalls | Avg. buyer-paid |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 2500 | CAUTION | 258 | 457 | 14 | — |
| 2017 (this page) | AVOID | 694 | 379 | 12 | — |
| 2018 2500 | AVOID | 2,591 | 422 | 10 | — |
Prices are averages of CarWhere verified buyer transactions (shown when 3+ deals exist for the year). Full year-by-year table: Ram 2500 years to avoid.
Nearby 2500 years with a better rating: 2015.
Know what to pay for the right 2017 Ram 2500 — then negotiate it
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FAQ
Is the 2017 Ram 2500 reliable?
2017 Ram 2500: AVOID — 694 owner complaints, 3.6× the 2500 median year by raw count. CarWhere's verdict score for the 2017 is 3.85, where 1.00 is a typical 2500 year once complaints are weighted for severity and spread over time on the road; the avoid line is 1.60, so this year clears it by 2.25.
What are the most common 2017 Ram 2500 problems?
The 2017 Ram 2500 has 694 NHTSA owner complaints and 379 manufacturer service bulletins on file; the component breakdown is on NHTSA's record for this model year.
How many recalls does the 2017 Ram 2500 have?
12 recall campaigns on federal record for the 2017 Ram 2500, most recently 25V010000 (Jan 16, 2025, air bags); 24V896000 (Nov 27, 2024, service brakes, hydraulic); 19V347000 (May 9, 2019, latches, locks & linkages). Recall completion is VIN-specific, so check the exact car.
How do I check a specific 2017 Ram 2500 before buying?
Decode the VIN free at carwhere.com/tools/vin-decoder to confirm the build, then run the $9.99 CarWhere Full VIN Report for the exact VIN — recall, complaint, and service-bulletin record for this model year, the original window sticker where the manufacturer publishes one, and a market price check from verified buyers. One-time purchase, no subscription.
Sources & method
Complaint, recall and service-bulletin counts for the 2017 Ram 2500 come from NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation; the verdict is CarWhere’s severity-weighted, time-on-road-adjusted score compared with the model’s own median year. The live complaint feed was unavailable at render, so the complaint count is the verdict engine’s stored count. Complaints are owner allegations, not verified defects. Full methodology.