1997 Dodge Ram 1500 vs 1997 Ford F-250
Complaints, recalls, TSBs, investigations and safety ratings side by side, from official federal data. Last verified Aug 8, 2026. Raw complaint counts are not adjusted for sales volume.
| Metric | 1997 Dodge Ram 1500 | 1997 Ford F-250 |
|---|---|---|
| NHTSA complaints | 361 | 304 |
| Recall campaigns | 0 | 5 |
| Service bulletins (TSBs) | 13 | 316 |
| Investigations | 1 | 3 |
| Crash reports | 31 | 20 |
| Fire reports | 14 | 19 |
| NCAP overall rating | — | — |
| EPA MPG (combined) | 12–16 | 13–15 |
| Median reported incident mileage | 100,000 mi | 115,604 mi |
Reported problems side by side
| Component | Dodge Ram 1500 | Ford F-250 |
|---|---|---|
| Power Train | 56 | 34 |
| Structure | 70 | 18 |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 43 | 30 |
| Tires | 16 | 42 |
| Suspension | 21 | 30 |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 26 | 24 |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 20 | 29 |
| Steering | 23 | 23 |
Symptoms owners describe
| Rust / corrosion | 16 | 12 |
| Stalling | 14 | 13 |
| Brake problems | 13 | 5 |
| Vibration / shaking | 13 | 9 |
| Clunking / rattling | 10 | 0 |
| Hesitation / surging | 8 | 0 |
| Check engine light | 6 | 0 |
| Steering problems | 6 | 7 |
1997 Dodge Ram 1500
1997 Ford F-250
Compare all Dodge Ram 1500 vs Ford F-250 years →
Method. Complaints are unique NHTSA reports. A vehicle that sold more units will naturally accumulate more complaints — use shares and read the underlying reports before drawing conclusions.