NHTSA (USA)Critical
At a glance
What can fail
This page covers 10 recalls and 56 owner complaints for the 2017 Ram Promaster.
The 2017 Ram ProMaster draws the most complaints around its engine and powertrain. On the engine side, owners report problems tied to water intrusion through the windshield cowl area, with water reaching the serpentine belt and pulley system, a design complaint that shows up across multiple reports. Powertrain complaints center heavily on transmission failures, with owners describing complete transmission loss requiring towing, sometimes at relatively low mileage. A handful of electrical system complaints round out the pattern. Brake-related reports also appear, with some owners describing sudden brake failure accompanied by ABS and traction control warnings. One isolated complaint involves odometer discrepancy at the time of a used purchase, which falls outside the typical mechanical failure category. The transmission failure reports are notable for occurring well before what owners expected to be high-mileage territory.
56
Total Complaints
2
Crash-Related
3
Fire-Related
By System
The 2017 RAM ProMaster has 10 recalls, the most serious being a cooling fan that can seize and overheat its motor, raising the risk of an engine fire, along with a transmission shifter cable that can separate and leave the driver unaware of what gear the vehicle is actually in.
The shifter cable issue affects 3.6L engine models and can result in unintended vehicle movement, including rollaway. On the occupant safety side, several recalls involve aftermarket Freedman GO-ES Foldaway seats installed by various converters: when the seat back is rotated from its stowed position, it may not lock in place, and in a crash or sudden stop, the seat back can move and increase the risk of injury to the occupant. Separately within the safety equipment cluster, side airbags on certain ProMasters built in late 2016 have an inflator initiator that may fail to fire in a crash, leaving the airbag undeployed. Two recalls address fire extinguishers installed in converted camper and specialty van configurations, where a faulty extinguisher may not function during a fire. There is also a label recall: sun visor and dashboard labels incorrectly state that the vehicle has advanced frontal airbags when it does not, which can affect how occupants position themselves relative to the airbag system.
At a glance
What can fail
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Complaints are owner-reported and reflect individual experiences, not confirmed defects. They are distinct from recalls. Data sourced from the national vehicle safety complaint database. See trending complaints →
The transmission shifter cable can separate and disconnect from the transmission, preventing the vehicle from shifting gears as the driver intends and causing the gear lever position to not match the actual transmission gear.
What the fix does
Ram dealers will repair the transmission shifter cable connection at no cost. Contact Prime-Time customer service at 1-574-293-9191 for service scheduling.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The transmission shifter cable can separate and disconnect from the transmission, preventing the vehicle from shifting gears as intended and causing the gear shift lever position to not match the actual transmission gear.
What the fix does
Dealers will replace the transmission shift cable at no cost to you.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The engine cooling fan can seize, causing the fan motor to overheat.
What the fix does
Dealers will replace the engine cooling fan module at no cost.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The back seat cushion on Freedman Go-ES foldaway seats may not stay locked in place when rotated from stowed to upright position, especially during a crash or sudden stop.
What the fix does
Freedman will repair the foldaway seats at no cost. Contact Freedman at 1-800-443-4540 or New England at 1-800-886-9247.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The foldaway seat cushion may not lock securely when rotated upright, potentially shifting during crashes or sudden stops.
What the fix does
Dealers will inspect and repair the foldaway seat at no cost to you.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The foldaway seat back cushion may not lock securely when rotated to the upright position, risking dislodgement during a crash or sudden stop.
What the fix does
Freedman dealers inspected and repaired the foldaway seats at no charge to restore secure locking.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The fire extinguisher may clog and fail to spray, or require excessive force to use. In some models, the nozzle may separate from the valve assembly with enough force to cause injury and make the extinguisher unusable.
What the fix does
Chrysler will provide a replacement fire extinguisher at no cost. Contact Kidde or Chrysler to arrange the replacement.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The fire extinguisher may clog and fail to spray, require excessive force to activate, or have a nozzle that detaches and causes injury.
What the fix does
Dealers will replace the fire extinguisher with a different brand at no cost to you.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
Sun visor, dashboard labels, and owner's manuals incorrectly state that frontal driver and passenger advanced air bags are installed, when they are not.
What the fix does
Dealers will correct the sun visor labels, dashboard label, and owner's manual information at no cost to you.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The seat-mounted side airbag inflator initiator may fail to ignite during a crash.
What the fix does
Dealers will replace the seat-mounted side airbags at no charge.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.