Estimate only. Excludes tax, title, registration and dealer fees, and assumes a fixed-rate loan with equal monthly payments. Your actual rate depends on your credit and lender.

Decoded from the VIN

NHTSA build data for 3B7MF33W5VM534357

Engine

8.0L · V8

Drivetrain

4WD/4-Wheel Drive/4x4

Body

Pickup

Fuel

Gasoline

Model year

1997

Made by

CHRYSLER DE MEXICO TOLUCA

Full factory specs for this build →

✗ Backup camera
✗ Blind-spot monitor
✗ Lane departure
✗ ABS
✗ Electronic stability

Fuel economy (EPA)

Combined

MPG

City

MPG

Highway

MPG

$3,100 /yr est. fuel

Assumes 15,000 miles a year at $3.10/gallon and 15 MPG combined.

5-year cost to own

Beyond the sticker: what this 1997 Dodge Ram likely costs over five years at 15,000 mi/yr.

Fuel $15,500

Insurance $5,313

Maintenance & repairs $7,000

Total, 5 years $27,813

Estimate — insurance and taxes vary by driver and state.

Safety & recalls

NHTSA crash tests & recall campaigns for this model year

The 1997 Dodge Ram has 11 recall campaigns as of August 2026. EPA combined fuel economy: 15 MPG.

11 recall campaigns on this model year

Check accident & title history →

EXTERIOR LIGHTING

K2 MOTOR IS RECALLING 1,921 AFTERMARKET HEADLAMPS OF VARIOUS MODELS SOLD FOR USE ON THE ABOVE LISTED VEHICLES.

NHTSA campaign 08E050000
EXTERIOR LIGHTING

SABERSPORT IS RECALLING 16,270 COMBINATION CORNER AND BUMPER LAMP ASSEMBLIES OF VARIOUS PART NUMBERS SOLD FOR USE AS AFTERMARKET EQUIPMENT FOR VARIOUS PASSENGER VEHICLES.

NHTSA campaign 09E012000
EXTERIOR LIGHTING

CERTAIN AAI MOTORSPORTS COMBINATION LAMPS SOLD AS REPLACEMENT LAMPS FOR USE ON THE ABOVE LIST PASSENGER VEHICLES.

NHTSA campaign 06E060000

Recall campaigns apply to the model year, not to one car. Check remedy status for this VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

Model-level data for the 1997 Dodge Ram from NHTSA (recalls, NCAP crash tests) and EPA fueleconomy.gov, refreshed August 28, 2026.

Where the price is heading

Typical asking price for a Dodge RAM over the last 6 months — the market softened $19,888 in that span.

Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug

Monthly price table

Month	Typical price
March 2026	$29,888
April 2026	$21,500
May 2026	$18,900
June 2026	$11,449
July 2026	$19,995
August 2026	$10,000

Market by model year

Gen 1 · 1996–2002

What each model year costs right now — live supply, median asking price and how much value each year keeps versus the newest one.

Year	Units for sale	Median price	vs newest	Avg mileage
2002	103	$8,497	100%	160,368 mi
2001	132	$10,995	129%	177,242 mi
2000	50	$10,120	119%	166,429 mi
1999	67	$11,995	141%	173,461 mi
1998	38	$13,498	159%	174,396 mi
1997	36	$11,590	136%	150,882 mi
1996	35	$7,944	93%	178,928 mi