2017 RAM Promaster City Problems: Engine (19 Complaints)

The most-reported problem on the 2017 RAM Promaster City is Engine (37% of 19 owner reports). There are 3 safety recalls. Check the VIN and inspect Engine — this is the NHTSA file, not a score.

NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation Snapshot 2026-09-07 19 complaints · 3 recalls

What problems show up on the 2017 RAM Promaster City?

7 of 19 filings named Engine (37% of the file). That is what owners wrote, not a shop diagnosis of the vehicle in the driveway.

Second is Electrical (2 reports).

There are 3 official safety recalls on this year. They were filed about Airbags. Check the VIN at nhtsa.gov — a campaign on this page can still be open on a specific truck.

The 2016 has 25 reports on file; this year has 19. A smaller lifetime total is not a clean bill of health. If you need a fairer comparison, use the equal-time view.

What to check before you buy a 2017 RAM Promaster City

A useful visit to this page takes five minutes. YearTell does not score years and cannot see the vehicle in front of you.

  1. Look up the VIN for open recalls at nhtsa.gov. This year has 3 campaigns on file below.
  2. Engine. Have a shop check for oil consumption, coolant leaks, rough idle and unusual engine noise.
  3. Electrical. Have a shop scan for stored codes and check battery, charging and any warning lights that stay on.
  4. Lights. Walk around the vehicle: headlights, brake lights and turn signals all working.
  5. Skim a few owner reports below for Engine. Look for the same symptom repeating.
  6. Take that list to a mechanic. Do not turn the complaint total into a score.

What owners reported

System named most often: Engine 7 complaints · 36.8% of the file
Crashes, fires, injuries and deaths in those filings:
  • Crashes 0
  • Fires 1
  • Injuries 0
  • Deaths 0
All RAM Promaster City years →
NHTSA Consumer Complaints Snapshot 2026-09-07 Open source record Read our complete data methodology →

Complaint counts reflect self-selected reports and are not normalised for production sales volume. We publish no reliability scores, superlatives, or vehicle rankings.

Which systems owners named

Share of owner complaints filed against each vehicle system. These shares are not adjusted for how many vehicles were sold.

Which systems owners named Engine (ENGINE) appears in 7 of 19 owner complaints (36.8%) in this vehicle snapshot. Engine (ENGINE): 7 complaints, 36.8% of reports Engine (ENGINE) 7 · 36.8% Electrical (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM): 2 complaints, 10.5% of reports Electrical (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM) 2 · 10.5% Lights (EXTERIOR LIGHTING): 2 complaints, 10.5% of reports Lights (EXTERIOR LIGHTING) 2 · 10.5% Glass / wipers / cameras (VISIBILITY): 2 complaints, 10.5% of reports Glass / wipers / cameras (VISIBILITY) 2 · 10.5% Fuel system (FUEL SYSTEM): 1 complaints, 5.3% of reports Fuel system (FUEL SYSTEM) 1 · 5.3% Lane keeping (LANE DEPARTURE): 1 complaints, 5.3% of reports Lane keeping (LANE DEPARTURE) 1 · 5.3% Body / frame (STRUCTURE): 1 complaints, 5.3% of reports Body / frame (STRUCTURE) 1 · 5.3% Unclassified NHTSA leftover: 6 complaints, 31.6% of reports Unclassified NHTSA leftover 1 fire reports 6 · 31.6% 0% 25% 50% 75% 100%

“Unclassified NHTSA leftover” is not a car part. It is a filing bucket and always sits last.

View component data as a table
System / Component Complaints Share of Reports Safety Reports (Crashes / Fires)
Engine (ENGINE) 7 36.8% 0 crashes · 0 fires
Electrical (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM) 2 10.5% 0 crashes · 0 fires
Lights (EXTERIOR LIGHTING) 2 10.5% 0 crashes · 0 fires
Glass / wipers / cameras (VISIBILITY) 2 10.5% 0 crashes · 0 fires
Fuel system (FUEL SYSTEM) 1 5.3% 0 crashes · 0 fires
Lane keeping (LANE DEPARTURE) 1 5.3% 0 crashes · 0 fires
Body / frame (STRUCTURE) 1 5.3% 0 crashes · 0 fires
Unclassified NHTSA leftover 6 31.6% 0 crashes · 1 fires
NHTSA Consumer Complaints, NHTSA Safety Recalls, and NHTSA Defect Investigations Snapshot 2026-09-07 Open source record

Complaint counts reflect self-selected reports and are not normalised for production sales volume. We publish no reliability scores, superlatives, or vehicle rankings.

When reports and recalls showed up

When owners filed reports, and when recall campaigns showed up.

When reports and recalls showed up Owner reports in this snapshot begin in Oct 2017; the first recall shown was reported in Dec 2016. 2017-Q4: 1 owner reports 1 2018-Q1: 3 owner reports 3 2018-Q3: 1 owner reports 1 2018-Q4: 1 owner reports 1 2019-Q3: 1 owner reports 1 2021-Q1: 3 owner reports 3 2022-Q2: 1 owner reports 1 2023-Q2: 1 owner reports 1 2024-Q3: 2 owner reports 2 2025-Q1: 3 owner reports 3 2025-Q2: 1 owner reports 1 2025-Q4: 1 owner reports 1 Owner reports Dec 2016 Oct 2025 Recall campaign 16V953000 ◆ Recall campaign 16V953000 Recall campaign 17V601000 ◆ Recall campaign 17V601000 Recall campaign 17V824000 ◆ Recall campaign 17V824000
View timeline records as a table
Date Record type Count Record identifier
2017-Q4 Owner reports 1
2018-Q1 Owner reports 3
2018-Q3 Owner reports 1
2018-Q4 Owner reports 1
2019-Q3 Owner reports 1
2021-Q1 Owner reports 3
2022-Q2 Owner reports 1
2023-Q2 Owner reports 1
2024-Q3 Owner reports 2
2025-Q1 Owner reports 3
2025-Q2 Owner reports 1
2025-Q4 Owner reports 1
Recall campaign 1 16V953000
Recall campaign 1 17V601000
Recall campaign 1 17V824000
NHTSA Safety Recalls Snapshot 2026-09-06 Open source record

Safety Recalls (3)

Official campaigns. Each one says what could go wrong and what the dealer was told to fix.

In short, these campaigns were filed about Airbags.

  1. Recall campaign 16V953000

    Airbags

    Report date
    Component:
    Airbags (AIR BAGS)
    Consequence:
    If the side curtain air bags do not inflate properly, the vehicle occupants are at an increased risk of injury in the event of a crash.
    Remedy:
    Chrysler has notified the owner, and a dealer inspected the side curtain air bags, free of charge. The recall began January 17, 2017. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is S95.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  2. Recall campaign 17V601000

    Safety recall 17V601000

    Report date
    Component:
    Unclassified NHTSA leftover
    Consequence:
    The incorrect tire placard can cause the operator to exceed the vehicle's weight capacity, or inflate the tires to an incorrect pressure, affecting vehicle handling, which can increase the risk of a crash.
    Remedy:
    Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will replace the incorrect tire placard with a corrected one, free of charge. The recall began November 17, 2017. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is T62.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  3. Recall campaign 17V824000

    Safety recall 17V824000

    Report date
    Component:
    Not available in the source record
    Consequence:
    If the fire extinguisher does not function properly, it can increase the risk of injury in the event of a fire.
    Remedy:
    Chrysler will notify owners instructing them to contact Kidde for a replacement fire extinguisher, free of charge. The recall began February 14, 2018. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403 or Kidde customer service service toll-free at 1-855-262-3540, or online at www.kidde.com and click on "Product Safety Recall" for more information. Chrysler's number for this recall is T82.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →
NHTSA Consumer Complaints Snapshot 2026-09-07 Open source record

Complaint counts reflect self-selected reports and are not normalised for production sales volume. We publish no reliability scores, superlatives, or vehicle rankings.

What owners actually wrote

Short excerpts from the public NHTSA file. Look for the same symptom repeating.

Data: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation · snapshot 2026-09-07
Safety incident filters
Showing 10 of 19 complaints · page 1 of 1
2025-12-08Engine (ENGINE)
NHTSA ODI 11703640
CrashFireInjuryDeath
Vehicle is failing oil consumption test at 97,571 miles. They are saying it’s burning excessive oil due to failed piston which ran had an open recall for . I’d like my vehicle to be considered for oil consumption test and possible motor replacement.
2025-06-20Engine (ENGINE)
NHTSA ODI 11668186
CrashFireInjuryDeath
The contact owns a 2017 Ram Promaster City. The contact stated that while coming to a stop, there was gray smoke coming from the exhaust pipe and the engine. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The contact who is a certified mechanic, performed an oil change and became aware that the engine was extremely low on engine oil. The vehicle was taken to the dealer and confirmed that the oil level was extremely. The dealer performed an oil consumption test. The test showed that the vehicle was two full quarts of oil low. The contact was informed that the engine block was damaged and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired due to the cost. The contact stated that prior to the oil consumption test, whenever the vehicle was started, the vehicle vibrated abnormally. The contact inspected the vehicle and found that the oil level was low. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 180,000.
2025-03-24Unclassified NHTSA leftover
NHTSA ODI 11650046
CrashFireInjuryDeath
It is consuming a lot of oil after 5 thousand miles went from 5.5 quarts to 3.4 quarts
2025-02-28Engine (ENGINE)
NHTSA ODI 11645606
CrashFireInjuryDeath
The contact owns a 2017 Ram Pro Master City. The contact stated that while the vehicle was stopped, the engine vibrated abnormally and there was a fuel-burning odor on the interior and exterior of the vehicle. The contact stated that while attempting to accelerate, the vehicle briefly lost motive power before the vehicle returned to normal functionality. The "General Warning Light” was illuminated. The failure became a regular occurrence, and the oil level was abnormally low. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or a dealer. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 100,000.
2025-02-26Engine (ENGINE)
NHTSA ODI 11645069
CrashFireInjuryDeath
Oil consumption issue with the engine: there was an extended warranty on the engine but it apparently expired July of last year. I bought the vehicle in April, but the warranty did not show up under any recalls or Carfax report. I discovered the oil consumption problem at the end of July and have been getting the runaround from several dealerships. Finally made some headway today by starting the oil consumption test, but they called me an hour or so after the appointment to tell me Stalantis had JUST changed their policy, effective TODAY, that they would no longer honor goodwill warranties in vehicles 2018 or older.
2024-08-06Fuel system (FUEL SYSTEM)Unclassified NHTSA leftover
NHTSA ODI 11606772
CrashFireInjuryDeath
The contact owns a 2017 Ram Promaster City. The contact stated that after refueling the vehicle, the engine shut off or idle roughly immediately after starting with the low oil warning light illuminated. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic where the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The dealer was not contacted, and the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 57,930.
2024-08-04Lane keeping (LANE DEPARTURE)Unclassified NHTSA leftover
NHTSA ODI 11606314
CrashFireInjuryDeath
My radio dont work i can see the camera to be reversed
2023-06-28Unclassified NHTSA leftover
NHTSA ODI 11529348
CrashFireInjuryDeath
The vehicle rpm reved up and then total loss of power then the vehicle caught fire wile driving down the road. Flames came out under dash and in engine compartment.
2022-06-03Engine (ENGINE)
NHTSA ODI 11467434
CrashFireInjuryDeath
Oil consumption issue causing engine to stall without warning while driving. Burning through 2 quarts every 1000 miles. Almost caused 2 accidents so far.
2021-03-17Engine (ENGINE)
NHTSA ODI 11403469
CrashFireInjuryDeath
MY VAN HAD A RECALL INVOLVING THE COOLING FAN, IT WAS REPAIRED. AT APPROXIMATELY 25,000 I HAD A CHECK ENGINE LIGHT, THE DEALER SAYS IT'S THE THERMOSTAT NEEDING REPLACED ($588.00!!!??? AT UNDER 26,000 MILES???!!!) THE TEMP GAUGE ALWAYS SITS RIGHT AT THE HALFWAY MARK, THIS CAN'T BE RIGHT BUT THEY SAID THAT'S TO BE EXPECTED.

Frequently asked questions

What are the most common problems on the 2017 RAM Promaster City?

Owners named Engine most often — 7 of 19 reports (37%). That is the NHTSA file, not a diagnosis of every vehicle.

Are there recalls for the 2017 RAM Promaster City?

NHTSA lists 3 safety recall campaigns. They were filed about Airbags. Check the VIN at nhtsa.gov; a campaign on this page can still be open on a specific vehicle.

What should I inspect before buying a 2017 RAM Promaster City?

Look up the VIN for open recalls. Have a shop check for oil consumption, coolant leaks, rough idle and unusual engine noise. Then skim owner filings for the same symptom and take that list to a mechanic.

Does a high complaint count mean I should skip this year?

No. Counts are reports people chose to file and they are not adjusted for sales volume. YearTell does not publish scores or a list of years to skip. Inspect the vehicle.

EPA Fuel Economy Database Snapshot 2026-08-21 Open source record

Estimated Ownership Cost

EPA fuel economy ratings and annual operating cost estimates

Data: US EPA Fuel Economy Guide · snapshot 2026-08-21
Supported range: 1,000–60,000 miles per year
Supported range: $1.50–$10.00 per gallon
55% city45% highway
Estimate unavailable

EPA fuel-economy data is unavailable for this vehicle.

No estimate is shown when required EPA values are unavailable.

 Open Ownership Cost Calculator →

Adjacent Model Years

Immediate preceding and succeeding model year records

NHTSA Consumer Complaints Snapshot 2026-09-07 Open source record

Complaint counts reflect self-selected reports and are not normalised for production sales volume. We publish no reliability scores, superlatives, or vehicle rankings.

Methodology & Data Integrity

Source: NHTSA ODI / recalls, snapshot 2026-09-07. YearTell is not a government agency.

Read our complete data methodology → Sources