Four problems related to vehicle speed control have been reported for the 1997 Dodge RAM. The most recently reported issues are listed below.
After starting vehicle consumer shifted to reverse, suddenly vehicle accelerated and engine revved. Consumer applied brakes, which did not stop vehicle. After about 100 feet consumer shut off engine, and passenger shifted to park. While accelerating on its own, the vehicle damaged the garage doors and part of the house.
While driving at 35 mph vehicle accelerated in low speed. Consumer put transmission into reverse and then into park, and vehicle sideswiped another vehicle at 15 mph0. Upon impact, driver's side air bag deployed and vehicle started to accelerate at high speed, and and vehicle went out of control. Consumer applied the brakes, and the vehicle wouldn't stop. It fishtailed. And consumer wife, who was pregnant, had to jump out of the vehicle due to vehicle veering into oncoming traffic . Then driver put vehicle into park, and engine continued racing. Turned key off and jumped out and ran behind his wife.
At 20,000 miles the throttle control rod broke in half, causing the engine to drop to idle. Rod was replaced. Garage said that this occurs often.
The fuel solenoid was replaced due to failure which caused the engine to shut down, the replacement was 1/3 larger with a different mounting bracket.