Should I buy a 2017 RAM 3500 with documented steering problems?

Depends on the price and the specific vehicle. Documented steering issues should be priced into the purchase — if the seller is asking full retail, negotiate down by the expected repair cost. A pre-purchase inspection from an independent shop tells you whether THIS specific vehicle has already shown the symptoms or not.

2017 RAM 3500 steering problems

moderate 18 complaints filed with NHTSA · avg repair $700 · see steering across all vehicles →

Failure mileage

Complaints

Recalls

Avg fix

$700

The failure pattern owners describe

Owners report a defective recall remedy (NHTSA 19V021000) that welds the drag link jam nuts in place to prevent looseness. The problem: welding renders the drag link non-adjustable, making front-end alignment impossible or incomplete. Owners describe inability to keep the truck straight, constant steering wheel pull to one side, rapid tire wear (outer edges worn prematurely, sometimes in half normal life), and crooked steering wheels that dealers refuse to correct. Several owners state that after the recall repair, their trucks developed or worsened steering problems—including one "death wobble" incident at highway speed that forced the truck into a ditch. One owner reports the dealer's botched welding repair permanently damaged the drag link assembly beyond salvage; Stellantis kept the truck at the dealership without resolution for months despite multiple promises. Owners universally reject the weld-and-done approach as unsafe and not approved by automotive standards. The recall notification states replacement parts exist, but dealers claim parts are unavailable; FCA refuses to provide updated parts to owners under warranty and forbids aftermarket alternatives or they void responsibility. One complaint mentions a cracked steering wheel discovered during alignment work. Additional steering-related issues include ABS/ESC/traction control warning lights (code C0020-01 reported) that activate intermittently, rendering the truck unsafe to tow. One narrative involves a TPMS that fails to alert at critical pressure loss. A steering column shifter broke with shift lock malfunction.

Same RAM 3500 steering reports on nearby years: 2014 · 2015 · 2016 · 2018

Failure modes owners describe

Drag link jam nut welding (recall repair defect)

NHTSA 19V021000 recall remedy welds drag link nuts to prevent looseness. Welding creates a permanent, non-adjustable joint that prevents proper front-end alignment and causes steering geometry problems.

When: Post-recall (approximately 6,000–70,000 miles)

Symptoms owners cite: Inability to align steering wheel straight; Constant pull to one side requiring driver to hold wheel; Vehicle veering out of lane uncontrollably; Rapid and uneven tire wear (outer edges worn to unsafe level in half normal mileage); Crooked steering wheel; Death wobble at highway speed (70 mph); Steering wheel difficult to control

Repairs/costs cited: Dealers report parts listed on recall are unavailable. FCA refuses to provide replacement drag link assembly or approve aftermarket parts under warranty. Welding repair renders adjustment impossible; some dealers acknowledge damage to drag link assembly beyond salvage.

Recalls/TSBs owners mention: NHTSA Campaign 19V021000 (Steering) recall—remedy is to inspect and weld drag link. FCA corporate stated welding is engineer-approved; refused to provide replacement parts or allow owner-paid installation of updated parts. Parts unavailability confirmed by multiple dealers and VIN tool.

ABS/ESC/traction control system malfunction

ABS warning light and traction control light activation with service messages, causing cruise control inoperability and safety concerns, particularly when towing.

When: Intermittent; one instance reported at low mileage

Symptoms owners cite: ABS warning light illuminated intermittently; Traction control light on intermittently; Service ABS system warning message; Service Electronic Braking System warning message; Cruise control inoperable when lights activate

Codes mentioned: C0020-01 (ABS Pump Motor Control—General Electrical Failure)

Repairs/costs cited: ABS module and HCU replaced once under warranty; issue persists or recurs.

Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Parts replaced under warranty; no further remedy mentioned. No long-term solution provided.

TPMS (tire pressure monitoring system) failure to alert

TPMS fails to provide audible or visual warning when tire pressure drops to critically low levels (14–11 psi), creating risk of tire overheating and blowout.

When: On-demand (detected when tire went flat)

Symptoms owners cite: No audible alarm at 14 psi pressure; No visual alert at 14 psi pressure; No warning even as pressure dropped to 11 psi; Difficult steering due to flat tire (not TPMS function, but consequence)

Repairs/costs cited: Dealership stated system is working as designed; refused to provide written criteria for alarm activation.

Recalls/TSBs owners mention: RAM Customer Care manager deferred to dealership's verbal statement that system is working as designed; did not clarify alarm thresholds.

Steering column shifter failure

Shifter on steering column broke; shift lock would not disengage when brake pedal was pressed.

When: Unknown mileage

Symptoms owners cite: Broken shifter; Shift lock malfunction (would not disengage with brake pedal depression)

Steering wheel crack

Steering wheel cracked, discovered during routine alignment work. Dealer under recall notification did not diagnose or repair.

When: Approximately 85,000 miles (discovered during alignment attempt)

Symptoms owners cite: Cracked steering wheel

Repairs/costs cited: Mechanic unable to perform alignment due to crack. Dealer contacted but did not diagnose or repair.

Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Vehicle was previously serviced under NHTSA 19V021000 recall; dealer did not address steering wheel crack.

Synthesized from 18 NHTSA owner complaints — unverified consumer allegations, summarized for patterns. The verbatim filings appear below.

What owners are reporting 1 most recent

steering · filed 12/16/2023

Abs lights keep going off.

Had steering trouble with your 2017 RAM 3500? 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 steering problem on the 2017 RAM 3500?

It's a documented issue but not catastrophic. 18 complaints have been filed. Repairs average $700 and most owners catch it before it causes a breakdown.

At what mileage does the steering typically fail?

Across the 9 complaints that reported odometer mileage, most steering failures cluster between 14,000 and 49,851 miles, with the median around 46,362. A quarter of owners report trouble before 14,000; a quarter make it past 49,851. 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 $700 for steering 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 steering?

No active recalls currently cover steering 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.

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/3500. 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.