I was traveling on an interstate highway when I came upon an accident involving multiple vehicles. I took evasive action and was able to stop completely avoiding the vehicles involved, and just behind one vehicle that was partially blocking the right lane. I was struck from behind which caused the drivers seat to go into a reclining position. My truck was propelled forward with me in a reclining…
2017 RAM 1500 airbags problems
critical 49 complaints filed with NHTSA · avg repair $1,100 · see airbags across all vehicles →
Failure mileage
Complaints
49
Recalls
0
Avg fix
$1,100
41crashes
2fires
50injuries
1fatality
When does it fail?
Of the 49 airbags complaints filed for the 2017 RAM 1500, here's the actual mileage breakdown — failures cluster heaviest at 50,000-75,000 mi.
0-25k
25-50k
50-75k
75-100k
100-125k
125-150k
150k+
Each bar shows the share of total complaints filed at that mileage range. Peak failure window highlighted. Some owners report problems earlier; some make it well past 150,000 miles symptom-free. Maintenance habits and driving conditions shift the curve as much as mileage alone.
What stands out
Owners have filed 49 airbags complaints with NHTSA against this vehicle, but no formal recall covers the issue — the federal record reflects what manufacturers have admitted, not everything owners are reporting.
No new NHTSA airbags complaint has been filed on this vehicle in over 7 years — the issue may be aging out of the active population.
The failure pattern owners describe
Buyer takeaway: The 2017 RAM 1500 has a documented pattern of airbag non-deployment in frontal, side, and multi-impact crashes at speeds where deployment should be expected, with owners citing injuries that might have been prevented. Additionally, some owners report spontaneous airbag deployment during normal driving and persistent warning lights that dealerships struggle to diagnose.
Non-deployment is the dominant complaint across 49 reports. Owners describe crashes at 20 to 70 mph—head-on collisions with vehicles and fixed objects, T-bone impacts, multi-vehicle pileups—where the RAM's airbags stayed inert while comparison vehicles (Ford F150, Lexus, Chevrolet Avalanche) deployed normally. Injuries included fractured sternums, concussions, head trauma, whiplash, and neck/back pain. One owner hit a tree at 25–28 mph after a skid; another T-boned a delivery truck at 35 mph; a third collided head-on with a guard rail at 55 mph. Chrysler told one owner the truck didn't have enough "momentum" to trigger deployment—a response the owner disputed based on photos of similar-damage vehicles with working bags.
A secondary issue: spontaneous deployment without impact. One owner's bags went off at under 20 mph in a residential neighborhood, causing loss of control and a crash. Another's deployed while the truck was parked and engine-off during cleaning. A third describes deployment during normal cruise control operation.
Persistent or intermittent airbag warning lights also appear frequently, sometimes tied to loose seat-mounted connections. One owner reported water leaking from both front grip airbags. Seatbelt failures accompanied many non-deployment incidents, leaving occupants unrestrained to strike dashboards and steering wheels.
Dealerships and the manufacturer acknowledge complaints but offer limited action. One owner paid for a clock spring replacement after an earlier airbag light, only to experience non-deployment during a subsequent 45 mph impact.
Same RAM 1500 airbags reports on nearby years: 2014 · 2015 · 2016 · 2018 · 2019
Failure modes owners describe
Airbags failed to deploy in frontal and multi-directional impacts
Owners report the most common failure: airbags not deploying during frontal, side, and multi-vehicle collisions at speeds ranging from 20 to 70 mph. Incidents included head-on collisions with vehicles, guardrails, trees, and concrete barriers, as well as T-bone crashes. In many cases, comparing vehicles (Chevrolet Avalanche, Ford F150, Lexus), the other vehicles' airbags deployed normally while the Ram 1500 bags remained inert. Manufacturer response in one case (narrative #4) stated the vehicle did not sustain enough momentum—a claim disputed by owners citing similar-damage comparison vehicles where bags did deploy.
When: Across mileages from 4,000 to 102,192 miles; no clear pattern tied to age or maintenance
Symptoms owners cite: No airbag deployment during frontal collisions at 20–70 mph; No airbag deployment during side/T-bone impacts; No airbag deployment after rollover or multi-impact events; Owner injuries (fractured sternum, head trauma, concussion, whiplash, neck/back injuries) that might have been reduced by bag deployment; Comparison vehicles deploying normally in similar-severity crashes; No warning lights prior to crash in most cases
Codes mentioned: B0028-13 (Right Side Seat Deployment Squib 1 Circuit Open, narrative #29)
Repairs/costs cited: One owner (narrative #6) reported dealership replaced the airbag system and computer after ORC recall, but still experienced non-deployment. Another owner (narrative #1) had vehicle inspected by Bosch EAA under manufacturer investigation but no repair details given. Most vehicles totaled; diagnosis often incomplete because vehicle deemed total loss or owner withheld from repair pending investigation.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Narrative #4: Manufacturer stated vehicle did not sustain enough momentum for airbags to deploy. Narrative #6: Chrysler advised contacting dealership for paid inspection; acknowledged previous complaint pattern but did not accept liability. Narrative #1: Chrysler commissioned Bosch EAA investigation; outcome not disclosed in complaint. No recall or safety update mentioned in any narrative.
Airbags deployed spontaneously without impact
Multiple owners report airbags deploying while driving normally or while vehicle was parked, with no collision, collision attempt, or road hazard. One narrative describes unprovoked deployment at under 20 mph in a residential neighborhood causing loss of control and a single-vehicle accident. Another describes airbags deploying while vehicle was parked and engine off during interior cleaning. A third describes deployment during normal highway driving causing brief loss of control.
When: Narrative #8: brand new vehicle in residential setting; Narrative #32: while parked and vacuuming; Narrative #38: during normal cruise control operation
Symptoms owners cite: Airbags deploy without any collision or impact; No warning lights or alerts prior to deployment in narrative #8; Driver loses control of vehicle and crashes as a result; Deployment while vehicle parked, engine off (narrative #32); Deployment during cruise control operation (narrative #38)
Repairs/costs cited: Narrative #8 vehicle totaled with injuries sustained. Narrative #32 owner had to pay insurance deductible and received citation/points despite no accident fault. No repair information provided for either.
Airbag warning light—persistent or intermittent, unclear cause or resolution
Owners report airbag warning light coming on intermittently or persistently with no clear pattern or resolution. One owner states the light comes on every 5–10 miles and will remain on for 1–100 miles before turning off, then repeat. Another reports the light appears intermittently and can be temporarily disabled by wiggling wires under the seat, suggesting a loose connection or faulty sensor. A third reports water leaking from both front grip airbags. Most owners state warning light appears without any collision or known trigger, and some report no dealership diagnosis despite bringing vehicle in.
When: Narrative #27: intermittent, triggered by wiggling seat wires; Narrative #30: every 5–10 miles during motion, disappears when parked; Narrative #29: sudden appearance during normal operation; Narrative #36: water leak noticed, 2019 onward; Narrative #40: less than 30,000 miles
Symptoms owners cite: Airbag warning light activates intermittently or persistently; Light can temporarily disappear by manipulating wires under seat (narrative #27); Light returns after reset within 1–100 miles (narrative #30); Water leaking from front grip airbags (narrative #36); No owner injury or accident, but safety concern raised; Dealership unable or unwilling to diagnose root cause
Codes mentioned: B0028-13 (Right Side Seat Deployment Squib 1 Circuit Open, narrative #29)
Repairs/costs cited: Narrative #27 owner suggests manual wire check may disable airbags. Narrative #36 owner requested warranty coverage for water leak; dealership denied claim. Narrative #40 owner checked under-seat components and fuses with no visible fault found. Narrative #18 owner paid for clock spring replacement after first light, but non-deployment recurred after second impact.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Narrative #27 owner attributes to manufacturer error. Narrative #36 warranty claim denied. Narrative #29 owner notes no obvious physical cause. No recall or TSB mentioned.
Seat belt failures during impacts
Multiple owners report seat belts failing to secure or lock during collisions, allowing occupants to strike the steering wheel, dashboard, or windshield. In some cases, seat belt failure occurs alongside non-deployment of airbags, compounding injury risk. One owner reports both front driver and passenger seatbelts failing during a 45 mph impact with only passenger airbags deploying. Another reports seatbelt failure alongside airbag non-deployment in a 35 mph collision. A third reports driver-side seat breaking backward during a rear-end impact, throwing the driver into uncontrolled motion.
When: Narrative #9: 71,000 miles, T-bone at ~35 mph; Narrative #18: second impact at 45 mph; Narrative #41: front-end embankment collision; Narrative #42: freeway front-end at 40+ mph; Narrative #1: rear-end impact ~50–55 mph causing seat to break
Symptoms owners cite: Seat belt fails to lock or restrain during frontal impact; Driver or passenger strikes dashboard, steering wheel, or windshield; Driver-side seat breaks backward, throwing occupant forward uncontrolled; Occupants sustain head, chest, neck, and sternum injuries; Seatbelt failure often concurrent with airbag non-deployment
Repairs/costs cited: Narrative #1: seat replacement needed but vehicle totaled; owner expressed concern that better seat design could have prevented the secondary collision and injuries. Narrative #18: clock spring replaced after first impact, but seatbelts and airbags failed in second impact months later. Narrative #9: driver sustained fractured sternum, head, neck, and back injuries; vehicle totaled.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Narrative #1: Manufacturer commissioned Bosch EAA inspection and promised review but outcome not disclosed. No manufacturer acknowledgment of seatbelt failure risk in any narrative.
Spontaneous airbag rupture while vehicle parked
One owner reports side airbag ruptured without any road accident or collision while vehicle was parked. Owner states no impact, tampering, or external cause identified.
When: Vehicle parked and stationary
Symptoms owners cite: Side airbag ruptured spontaneously; No collision, impact, or external cause identified; Safety hazard while vehicle occupied during cleaning
Synthesized from 49 NHTSA owner complaints — unverified consumer allegations, summarized for patterns. The verbatim filings appear below.
What owners are reporting 1 most recent
Had airbags trouble with your 2017 RAM 1500?
File a complaint with NHTSA → It's free, official, and how every report above got here — owner filings are the federal safety record this page is built on.
Common questions
How serious is the airbags problem on the 2017 RAM 1500?
It's a serious issue. 49 complaints have been filed, including 41 reports involving a crash and 1 fatality(ies). We've classified it as critical based on NHTSA's reported outcomes.
At what mileage does the airbags typically fail?
Across the 33 complaints that reported odometer mileage, most airbags failures cluster between 20,000 and 56,000 miles, with the median around 34,000. A quarter of owners report trouble before 20,000; a quarter make it past 56,000. Maintenance history matters more than the odometer alone — this is the reported failure window, not a guarantee.
What does it cost to fix?
Independent shops typically charge around $1,100 for airbags repairs on this vehicle. Dealer pricing tends to run 20-40% higher. The exact figure depends on the specific failure mode, parts availability, and your local labor rates. If you're outside factory warranty, an extended service contract often covers this category.
Are there any recalls related to airbags?
No active recalls currently cover airbags issues on this vehicle. The complaints filed represent owner-reported failures that haven't risen to the level of a manufacturer-issued recall — but they're still worth knowing about before you buy or budget for repairs.
Related
Complaint and recall data sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
public records database. Verify the raw federal record at
nhtsa.gov/vehicle/2017/RAM/1500.
Severity ratings are derived from reported crashes, fires, injuries, and fatalities. Repair cost estimates are
independent-shop national averages and may differ in your area. Some links on this page are affiliate links.