2017 Ram 1500 Steering
Owner-reported problems and safety issues filed with NHTSA. Review common failures, severity levels, and complaint trends over time.
Complaint Timeline
Chronological view of owner reports
In my 2017 dodge ram 1500 big horn, the rack and pinioning computer system failed while driving it. Dealer ship stated it was a pretty common failure and the parts are normally in high demand. After doing research it appears that the years around 2017 have had recalls on the same part but the 2017 does not. If the system failed while someone unfamiliar with driving a car with no power steering it could cause wrecks and serious health problems.
Electric power steering failed suddenly while making a left turn, on a two lane highway, left me in the oncoming lane with risk for near head on collision. My [XXX] old old drives this truck, she would not have had the strength to turn the wheel enough to avoid collision or hit a tree. No signs of this problem before incident, took me by surprise. The service power steering light came on after and continues. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
the truck drove just fine the day before, got into the truck and turned it on got a "service steering" light and message. tried to turn the steering wheel and it will not turn. IT read multiple codes as i have a code reader, checked power and fuses and everything was good but one code keeps coming up c2217 which seems to be associated with a recall for the 2015-16 and 2019 rams. my truck is stuck in my driveway and can not turn the steering wheel to drive safely. luckily i was not driving like some others have been.
Suddenly and without any warning my power steering started to get unresponsive and difficult to safely navigate corners or stay in my lane. The truck only has 59,000 miles on it and I wouldn't think that is enough to make the steering rack fail. I know that there was a recall for the 2014 -2016 1500s so I was wondering if my 2017 was affected by the same issues? I am feeling unsafe driving this vehicle but it is my only transportation to work. What is the the best next step for me to resolve this without any out of pocket expenses if this is a recall issue?
I was driving down the road at 30 mph and my steering wheel seized, I got a check steering alarm on my dash.
I drove from NC to Philadelphia in early October 2024. I parked at Delta Hotel near Philadelphia airport and stayed the night for a 6am appointment with my physician. At approx. 5:30 am, I exited the hotel to drive to my physician appointment. When I started the truck, a dashlight flashed (service power steering) and I had no power steering. The weather was about 40 degrees and winds about 20 mph. Without power steering, I drove approx. 10 miles to my physician appointment. I parked in a parking garage. At approximately 10 am, I had completed my physician appointment. I went to the truck and started it up. Service light was now off, and I drove back to NC without incident. For the past 1.5 months, I assessed the problem. Basically, if the temperature is less than 50 degrees, I have no power steering. if it is over 50 degrees, steering operation is normal, and the (service power steering) is not illuminated. Currently the truck is in the garage attached to the house. Typically the garage temperature is 58 degrees. In the garage, the steering operation is normal and no warning messages are displayed. When the vehicle exits garage and encounters cooler than 50 degree air, the problem resurfaces.
Loss of steering in cold weather. Electronic Power Steering warning light comes on saying service power steering. This is the same issue that Ram 2013-2016 models were already recalled for. Safety issue when power steering goes out while driving in cold weather, extremely hard to turn the steering wheel to get the truck off the road to a safe place. Parts are not readily available, long back orders, and $3k repair quote. Problem is reproducible by the dealer.
The electric power steering failed while driving the vehicle. Due to the size and weight of the vehicle, it is extremely difficult to maneuver safely without power steering. I took it to the nearest dealer and they inspected the truck and confirmed that the electric power steering rack and pinion had failed due to the control board withing the rack and pinion and recommended a complete replacement of the rack and pinion.
The contact owns a 2017 Ram 1500. The contact stated while driving at undisclosed speeds in a parking lot, the power steering function was inoperable. There was loss in communication with the rack and pinion. The power steering service message was displayed. The contact stated that the failure was related to NHTSA Campaign Number: 16V167000 (Steering). The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed that a power steering rack replacement was needed. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and confirmed there was no recall on the VIN for the failure. The contact was referred to the NHTSA Hotline to report the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 86,851.
Power steering control not working. It's getting power but not engaging the motor.
My power steering intermittently locks while driving, particularly in the process of a turn. It is just a momentary lock, but it does interfere with the turning process. One time it locked and stayed locked. I shut the vehicle down and restarted, and it would not come back, had to sit for about 15 minutes, no accident as of yet. The dealership states I will have to replace the whole front end (both racks) steering system. My vehicle is a 2017 RAM with 48,000 miles on it.
The contact owns a 2017 Ram 1500. The contact stated while driving 65 MPH, the steering wheel became stiff. The power steering warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the residence. The vehicle was diagnosed by an independent mechanic and the contact was informed that the rack and pinion needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact stated that the local dealer along with Vaden Chrysler Dodge Jeep RAM Brunswick (912) 456-8371), and Jacksonville Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram Arlington (904) 414-4746) were notified of the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired due to the cost. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 179,955.
When turning right or left a continuous speeds, the vehicle loses power steering altogether or snaps the steering wheel back
The power steering is intermittently getting very difficult control. There seems to be "tight spots " turning right and left. This issue is getting progressively worse. I have not lost control of the vehicle yet but it is getting worse and I rely on this vehicle for transportation to and from work
Rack and pinion unit locked up and the tires immediately locked all the way to the right Along with the steering wheel locking up, Part not available for inspection. Has already been replaced. I could have injured or killed myself or another person because I could not steer, only able to apply brakes. The component was inspected and replaced by an independent service. No other inspections were done. No warning of any kind.
I was driving on a highway on a rainy day when I felt a small vibration in the front end of my truck. Suddenly, the service electric steering system light comes on my dash and I can't hardly turn the steering wheel. I lost all power steering in my truck, occasionally it would try to turn on while trying to drive it home, then the service steering light would come on and jerk the steering wheel in my hand, which is very hard to hold on to and I'm a big guy. If this were to happen to a smaller person, I'm not sure how they would be able to keep from going in the ditch or worse, rolling the truck. This I was told by a ram dealership is due to a faulty rack and pinion steering system, which is a $2800 fix. I'm honestly glad it wasn't my wife or kids driving the truck, this could have been way worse!
The electric power steering failed while driving with no warning. The first time while making a right hand turn, the steering very suddenly lost all power assist and it was near impossible to keep control through the turn. After a few seconds it began to work again. Several miles later while traveling approx 60 mph it happened again and I was barely able to keep it on the road until I could show down and pull off to the side. After shutting the car off for about 20 mins. I started the truck and it worked all the way home about 5 miles. For a couple days if I disconnected the negative battery cable for a while it would work again until I shut off the truck. And then it started happening intermittently while driving so I parked the truck until it could be fixed. After some research I learned there is a recall on the 2013's to 2016's for the same problem with many exact complaints about 2017's. For two weeks I've been searching for a new steering rack (part number 68628857AA) and there are none available with backorders of 45+ plus days with dealerships telling me they have customers who have been waiting 6 months for one. It's a $2000 - $3000 part depending on the dealership. They want you to pay for it and wait 6 months to get it which is absolutely absurd. Please help!
The electrical power steering completely went out. Thankfully right before getting on interstate. It is locked up with no give at all. The dealership it is at says he hasn't had 1 like this hardly at all where you can't steer what so ever. This happened at an intersection. Recalls on 2014 to 2016 of these trucks were done and why if the steering completey locks up like this is there not one on this year?
Intermittent electric power steering loss. One minute it is easy to turn then the next it is like it is fighting against you and is hard to turn. It happens at slower speeds more often .
Electronic power steering intermittent failure w service light. Dealer informed no parts available for replacement. Previous recalls on other models ram 1500 with same issues.
while driving the electric power steering failed . light came on an lost power to the steering wheel . could have been killed because, it impossible to steer
Was driving my truck on vacation and the steering locked up and is stuck! Rack and pinion fail diagnosed by the dealer.
Complete loss of power steering resulting in a near head on collision with another motorist. Cause of the loss of power steering was determined to be electronic components of the circuit board located inside of the steering rack had short circuited.
Power steering stop work and takes extreme force to turn it. Almost drove off a t-intersection when came time to turn with no warning.
was driving stopped at stop sign. went to turn left and message popped up stating " service power steering" truck lost power steering had to break and reverse due to almost hitting pole and not being able to turn left. put truck in park. turned truck off turned truck back on and power steering message still was there. no prior warnings prior to driving truck. no other issues prior to power steering failure. My safety was at risk where I could of crashed vehicle into pole. my husband called dealer and is awaiting a call back. As of 4/16 no call back yet. Vehicle is sitting in driveway now due to not being able to drive safely with it with power steering loss.
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Quick Summary
The 2017 Ram 1500 has 152 Steering complaints on file. 5 crashes have been reported. Review the timeline above for detailed owner experiences.