2017 Ram 1500 MPG
The 2017 Ram 1500 gets 13–20 mpg in the city and 19–27 on the highway (15–23 combined), across the 7 versions the EPA rated.
The most efficient pairs the 3.0-liter turbo 6-cylinder engine with an automatic transmission and rear-wheel drive, at 23 mpg combined. The thirstiest version uses the 5.7-liter 8-cylinder engine with an automatic transmission and four-wheel drive and is rated 15 mpg combined. That is 1 mpg lower than the best gasoline 2016 version (24 mpg).
| Version | Engine | Transmission | Drive | City | Hwy | Comb. | Fuel |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1500 2WD | 3.0 L 6-cyl turbo | Automatic 8-spd | Rear-Wheel Drive | 20 | 27 | 23 | Diesel · 448 g CO₂/mi |
| 1500 4WD | 3.0 L 6-cyl turbo | Automatic 8-spd | 4-Wheel Drive | 19 | 27 | 22 | Diesel · 465 g CO₂/mi |
| 1500 2WD | 3.6 L 6-cyl | Automatic 8-spd | Rear-Wheel Drive | 17 | 25 | 20 | Gasoline or E85 · 450 g CO₂/mi |
| 1500 4WD | 3.6 L 6-cyl | Automatic 8-spd | 4-Wheel Drive | 16 | 23 | 19 | Gasoline or E85 · 475 g CO₂/mi |
| 1500 2WD | 5.7 L 8-cyl | Automatic 8-spd | Rear-Wheel Drive | 15 | 22 | 17 | Midgrade · 512 g CO₂/mi |
| 1500 4WD | 5.7 L 8-cyl | Automatic 8-spd | 4-Wheel Drive | 15 | 21 | 17 | Midgrade · 527 g CO₂/mi |
| 1500 4WD | 5.7 L 8-cyl | Automatic 6-spd | 4-Wheel Drive | 13 | 19 | 15 | Midgrade · 580 g CO₂/mi |
2017 Ram 1500 fuel cost per year
Driving 15,000 miles a year on midgrade gasoline at the September 2026 U.S. average of $4.96 a gallon, the 2017 Ram 1500 costs about $4,380 a year to fuel in its most efficient form (17 mpg combined), or roughly 29 cents a mile.
The thirstiest priced version (15 mpg combined) comes to about $4,960 a year, $580 more.
This is an estimate from EPA combined mpg and the EIA national average price; your cost depends on how and where you drive and on local prices.
2017 Ram 1500 specs
2017 Ram 1500 buyers could choose between 3 engines, according to EPA records: 5.7 L 8-cyl, 3.0 L 6-cyl turbo and 3.6 L 6-cyl. It came with an automatic transmission, in four-wheel drive or rear-wheel drive versions. The EPA classes it as a standard pickup truck.
| Engine size (L) | Cylinders | Transmissions | Drive | Versions |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5.7 L | 8 | Automatic 8-spd; Automatic 6-spd | Rear-Wheel Drive; 4-Wheel Drive | 3 |
| 3.0 L turbo | 6 | Automatic 8-spd | Rear-Wheel Drive; 4-Wheel Drive | 2 |
| 3.6 L | 6 | Automatic 8-spd | Rear-Wheel Drive; 4-Wheel Drive | 2 |
2017 Ram 1500 problems
Owners have filed 884 complaints about the 2017 Ram 1500 with NHTSA, the U.S. vehicle-safety agency, as of October 2026.
Steering is the most-reported area (19% of component mentions), followed by engine (13%) and electrical system (9%).
Spread over its time on sale, that is 88 complaints a year: fewer than the 2016 (140 a year) and more than the 2018 (74 a year).
That ranks 9th of 17 Ram 1500 model years (2008–2024), counting from the most complaints per year.
Of the 884, 80 mention a crash, 16 a fire and 48 an injury.
| Component | Mentions | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Steering | 235 | 19% |
| Engine | 156 | 13% |
| Electrical system | 110 | 9% |
| Power train | 98 | 8% |
| Service brakes | 91 | 8% |
| Fuel/propulsion system | 89 | 7% |
| Unknown or other | 67 | 6% |
| Air bags | 53 | 4% |
| Suspension | 50 | 4% |
| Vehicle speed control | 43 | 4% |
| Structure | 36 | 3% |
| Engine and engine cooling | 32 | 3% |
| Diesel fuel system | 31 | 3% |
| Forward collision avoidance | 19 | 2% |
| Wheels | 13 | 1% |
| Exterior lighting | 12 | <1% |
| Seat belts | 12 | <1% |
| Tires | 9 | <1% |
| Gasoline fuel system | 8 | <1% |
| Hydraulic service brakes | 8 | <1% |
| Visibility/wiper | 8 | <1% |
| Latches/locks/linkages | 6 | <1% |
| Seats | 6 | <1% |
| Electronic stability control (esc) | 4 | <1% |
| Equipment | 2 | <1% |
| Lane departure | 2 | <1% |
| Visibility | 2 | <1% |
| Back over prevention | 1 | <1% |
| Other fuel system | 1 | <1% |
| Parking brake | 1 | <1% |
| Air service brakes | 1 | <1% |
| Trailer hitches | 1 | <1% |
What owners told NHTSA
The contact owns a 2017 Ram 1500. The contact stated that while driving at highway speeds, the electronic steering system began to fail, exhibiting a severe grinding noise, and the steering wheel was extremely stiff and difficult to turn. …
The crank tone wheel failed and created a no start scenario. The vehicle had to be towed to the dealer and they are advising quoting me a repair when there is a related open recall for this exact situation.
My truck all of sudden put up the ABS light, traction control light, emergency brake light and loss of cruise control. Had it test at an O'reilly and has a C-2200-49 ABS module failure internal module failure.
2017 Ram 1500 recalls
NHTSA lists 13 recall campaigns for the 2017 Ram 1500.
The most recent, campaign 25V010000 from January 2025, concerns air bags.
Engine and engine cooling accounts for 3 of the 13 campaigns, more than any other area.
17V434000 · July 7, 2017 · Gasoline fuel system
Problem: The fuel tanks in the affected vehicles may have a broken fuel tank control valve which might leak fuel if the vehicle were to become inverted. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 301, "Fuel System Integrity."
Risk: In the event of a rollover crash, leaking fuel in the presence of an ignition source can increase the risk of a fire.
Remedy: Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will replace the fuel tanks, free of charge.
| Campaign | Reported | Component | 1500 years covered |
|---|---|---|---|
| 25V010000 | January 16, 2025 | Air bags | 2016–2019 |
| 23V411000 | June 8, 2023 | Engine and engine cooling | 2014–2019 |
| 22V406000 | June 9, 2022 | Diesel fuel system | 2014–2019 |
| 21V632000 | August 12, 2021 | Air bags | 2015–2020 |
| 20V475000 | August 13, 2020 | Engine and engine cooling | 2014–2018 |
| 19V757000 | October 24, 2019 | Engine and engine cooling | 2014–2019 |
| 19V347000 | May 9, 2019 | Latches/locks/linkages | 2013–2018 |
| 18V486000 | July 27, 2018 | Latches/locks/linkages, Structure | 2015–2017 |
| 18V332000 | May 17, 2018 | Electrical system, Vehicle speed control | 2014–2019 |
| 18V100000 | February 8, 2018 | Power train | 2017–2018 |
| 17V821000 | December 20, 2017 | Power train | 2009–2017 |
| 17V198000 | March 23, 2017 | Power train | 2016–2017 |
Safety ratings
NHTSA crash-tested 6 versions of the 2017 Ram 1500; the best overall score is 4 out of 5 stars.
| Version tested | Overall | Frontal | Side | Rollover |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Quad PU/EC 4WD | ★★★★☆ | ★★★★☆ | ★★★★★ | ★★★☆☆ |
| Quad PU/EC 2WD | ★★★★☆ | ★★★★☆ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★☆ |
| Crew PU/CC 4WD | ★★★★☆ | ★★★★☆ | ★★★★★ | ★★★☆☆ |
| Crew PU/CC 2WD | ★★★★☆ | ★★★★☆ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★☆ |
| Regular PU/RC 4WD | ★★★★☆ | ★★★★☆ | ★★★★★ | ★★★☆☆ |
| Regular PU/RC 2WD | ★★★★☆ | ★★★★☆ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★☆ |
Crash-test photos: NHTSA (public domain). NHTSA can reuse a test for later model years of the same design.
Compared with other years
Complaints per year on sale divide each model year's NHTSA complaints by the years since it went on sale, so older and newer Ram 1500s can be compared fairly. Among other 2017 models in the EPA's standard pickup trucks class, the 2017 Ford F-150 (22 mpg) and 2017 Chevy Silverado 1500 (20 mpg) come closest on combined fuel economy.
| Year | Best mpg | Complaints | Per year on sale | Recalls |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | 23 | 1,777 | 136 | 17 |
| 2015 | 24 | 1,459 | 121 | 18 |
| 2016 | 24 | 1,554 | 140 | 17 |
| 2017 | 23 | 884 | 88 | 13 |
| 2018 | 23 | 667 | 74 | 15 |
| 2019 | 23 | 1,494 | 185 | 30 |
| 2020 | 26 | 640 | 91 | 14 |
Every Ram 1500 model year compared →
Similar 2017 models
FAQ
Is the 2017 1500 a good car?
We don't rate cars, but the official data gives a picture. The 2017 Ram 1500 has 88 NHTSA complaints per year on sale (9th most of 17 model years), 13 recall campaigns, a best overall crash rating of 4 stars and up to 23 mpg combined from the EPA.
What are common 2017 1500 problems?
The components owners report most to NHTSA are steering (235), engine (156) and electrical system (110). Complaints are unverified owner reports.
How many recalls does the 2017 1500 have?
NHTSA lists 13 recall campaigns. To see whether a recall is still open on a specific car, enter its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
What gas mileage does the 2017 1500 get?
The EPA rates the versions at 15–23 mpg combined (13–20 city, 19–27 highway).
How much does it cost to fuel a 2017 1500 per year?
About $4,380 a year for 15,000 miles in its most efficient form, up to about $4,960 for the thirstiest version, using EPA mpg and the September 2026 U.S. average midgrade gasoline price of $4.96 a gallon (EIA).