1997 Ford F Series
Safety record from NHTSA: recalls, owner complaints, investigations and service bulletins.
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These records cover every 1997 Ford F Series. To see whether one car still needs a recall repair, decode its VIN or check it with NHTSA.
Owner complaints
47 complaints1 involved a crash9 involved a fire1 injuries
What owners report most
Latest complaints
- Suspension
While driveing at 60 mph there was a loud crash from the left rear then a grinding pop from the left rear all while the rear end of my truck felt like it was fish tailing on ice or like some one huge was shakeing it from side to side I almost lost it into a field I was so suprised I got stopped to…
While driveing at 60 mph there was a loud crash from the left rear then a grinding pop from the left rear all while the rear end of my truck felt like it was fish tailing on ice or like some one huge was shakeing it from side to side I almost lost it into a field I was so suprised I got stopped to look the left rear shackle cut loose because it was almost all dotted away the lower springs on both sides are miss aligned by 2 inches each and the spring end IS now peeking thru the bed this truck was bought brand new by my best friends dad and was well taken care of kept in the garage and not used to tow or haul but it IS rusting away so badly that the exhaust bolts have rotted away on both sides and will cost 1500 to fix alot of that IS the cost to get the bolts out of the exhaust manifold they say built ford tough but they realy meen ford built it and if u get it wet tough its gona rot away !
- Engine
The truck was parked in a strip mall parking lot. a few minutes later someone said that there were flames coming from the hood. the car was a total in 10 minutes. four off duty firemen were there and could not put the flames out. near by fire station was called. its response was with in a few minutes. truck was totaled. *tr
- Vehicle speed control
While driving at highway speeds, the vehicle started surging up and down in speed erratically. I did not realize that it had to do with the speed control, but finally took it out of cruise for good. the speedometer still was surging up and down between 4 and 10 mph difference from what my speed…
While driving at highway speeds, the vehicle started surging up and down in speed erratically. I did not realize that it had to do with the speed control, but finally took it out of cruise for good. the speedometer still was surging up and down between 4 and 10 mph difference from what my speed was. after the vehicle was shut off for a day, it ran fine until I ran it on the road for about 40 miles, then it did the same erratic speed changes. *tr
- Engine and engine cooling
When I first bought the truck in 2001, the engine had approximately 82K miles. I was having a hard time starting and sometimes it would not start. at first the dealer thought it was the starter and they replaced it. they told me to take it to pepboys to get the starter replaced. when they…
When I first bought the truck in 2001, the engine had approximately 82K miles. I was having a hard time starting and sometimes it would not start. at first the dealer thought it was the starter and they replaced it. they told me to take it to pepboys to get the starter replaced. when they started the car a mass of gray smoke come out of the tail pipe. two days later the engine froze. since I had a warranty agreement I took the truck to a local ford dealer, they stated it had hydrolocked and the engine needed to be replaced. the warranty company sent out a short block and ford completed the rest of the repairs. at the beginning of april, my daughter was using my truck and she drove it to my house and parked it out front. it sat for 2 weeks, when I went to start it, it would not turn over. replace the battery and it still would not turn over. at that time the starter smoked and took the truck to a mechanic who replaced the starter. he tried to turn it over and it would not turn. he stated they tried using a torque wrench and still could not turn the motor. the mechanic recommended that the engine be replaced. I had the truck towed to my home. after reading the info about another truck hydrolocking, I decided to check to see if my truck had the same problem. when I pulled the plugs, I had coolant drain from the #3 cylinder and a small amount of coolant leak from #5 cylinder. preparing to replace the lower and upper intake manifold gaskets. *tr
- Fuel system, gasoline
Recall correction turns to explosion danger! ford issued recall #11 s 21 on the replacement of the fuel tank straps. best ford of nashua performed the service to install new straps on october 7, 2011. in conjunction with the recall work, a vehicle report on best ford letterhead was provided…
Recall correction turns to explosion danger! ford issued recall #11 s 21 on the replacement of the fuel tank straps. best ford of nashua performed the service to install new straps on october 7, 2011. in conjunction with the recall work, a vehicle report on best ford letterhead was provided showing all systems were in good working order. on october 21, 2011, during a regular oil change the service person advised me that my fuel tank was leaking. I immediately reported it to best ford on october 21, 2011 to which they refused to correct the leak. They insisted that ford would not cover any other repairs. I informed the best ford service manager that fault was theirs and did file a written complaint. I have returned to best ford on three additional occasions and sent not less than five emails to request a face to face meeting. they have in each case refused to fix the leak caused as a result of the recall work performed in their service department. complaints have also been sent to ford motor co (customer service and the ceo) and they have likewise refused to assist with corrective action. the possibility of a fuel tank strap may have been corrected, however, my very maintained F150 IS now a present danger of explosion. *tr
- Fuel system, gasoline
After filling up the gas tank, pulled out on to the road, small bump in the intersection. Rusted straps broke and gas tank fell off. Lucky it was raining and road was wet or could of caused fire. *tr
- Fuel system, gasoline
Was fortunate to notice gas tank hanging down from under carriage... Was preparing to drive 50 mile in on interstate... Was able to drive to local dealer...not where purchased... And they installed a new gas tank strap..which with labor was 93 dollars... Well worth it when considering what could…
Was fortunate to notice gas tank hanging down from under carriage... Was preparing to drive 50 mile in on interstate... Was able to drive to local dealer...not where purchased... And they installed a new gas tank strap..which with labor was 93 dollars... Well worth it when considering what could have easily happened at 70 miles per hour. Am amazed that even noticed until too late...thought it was an isolated event until starting to look up other numerous problems that have had with this vehicle. *Tr
- Fuel system, gasoline
Walking to my truck I notice the rear fuel tank strap broken and hanging and the fuel tank hanging from the front strap only. The rear strap was totally rusted through. The rust also rusted the tank I and I had to replace the tank as well on 10/3/2010. *Tr
- Fuel system, other
I own a 1997 ford F-150 pik up truck. both straps that hold the gas tank in place have broken in two separate incidents. *Tr
- Electrical system · Fuel system, other
On august 1, 2010, our ford F150 (vin [xxx]) started on fire and burned from the engine on out. The hood IS totally burned through and the windshield also burned. The entire engine compartment IS ruined. The truck was in our driveway at the time and we were alerted my neighbors who saw flames…
On august 1, 2010, our ford F150 (vin [xxx]) started on fire and burned from the engine on out. The hood IS totally burned through and the windshield also burned. The entire engine compartment IS ruined. The truck was in our driveway at the time and we were alerted my neighbors who saw flames shooting 10' into the sky. We believe this engine fire was due to one of the recalls of ford's faulty switches or wiring that ignited the spark into a full burn. *Tr
- Engine and engine cooling › Cooling system
Engine coolant level keeps running low .truck starting to skip or misfire on cylinder. No visible leakage on the out side of motor. *Tr
- Engine and engine cooling
Went to start truck. Hydro locked. Would not start. *tr
- Engine and engine cooling › Engine › Gasoline
1997 F150 engine failure 4.2L 6 cyl motor bent or blew a rod after sound came from engine after starting it. *tr
- Engine and engine cooling › Engine › Gasoline
Faulty head gasket causing oil and coolant to mix. Eventually having to replace the engine due to bent rods. *Tr
- Engine and engine cooling
4.2 engine problem, the 1997 ford F150 has 90,000 miles on it, as of this date the engine main bearing wore out. This vehicle has all ways been serviced, and with oil changes every three months or 3000 miles since I purchased it with 6 miles on it. And this was a one owner vehicle. I think the…
4.2 engine problem, the 1997 ford F150 has 90,000 miles on it, as of this date the engine main bearing wore out. This vehicle has all ways been serviced, and with oil changes every three months or 3000 miles since I purchased it with 6 miles on it. And this was a one owner vehicle. I think the bearing were worn because of defective engine parts from the factor due to the leaking of lower intake gasket that ford motor company recalled these vehicles. They replaced this gasket ,but still some of these vehicle have had coolant problems . before the engines went bad it had to be replaced , and the cost of that engine I was approximately $4,000. I took the vehicle to ford dealership ,and the engine was checked for compression, and the compression was low due to the bearings failure. your attention to this matter would be greatly appreciated.*ak
- Vehicle speed control
Throttle hung three times: one under cruise, twice without. All instances started at highway speeds when temps where extremely cold. pumping peddle to break acceleration only allowed for partial deceleration. repeated attempts required to reduce speed. could have caused fatality in second…
Throttle hung three times: one under cruise, twice without. All instances started at highway speeds when temps where extremely cold. pumping peddle to break acceleration only allowed for partial deceleration. repeated attempts required to reduce speed. could have caused fatality in second occurrence as icy conditions and stopped vehicles could have resulted in a major collision. Shifting into neutral and pumping breaks allowed for a controlled stop. extremely high idle remained until multiple attempts to break acceleration prevailed. Note: floor mats are not involved in this issue. research has uncovered many other owners having the same issue with this vehicle, similar to the explorer of the same year. when IS a recall to get this corrected going to be issued... How many need to be injured or killed before somebody does the right thing!!! *nm
- Tires
Firestone stores at 11865 w 95 overland park ks 66214 and one at 7575 wornall rd kansas city mo 64114 are falsifying dot registration on over 90% of tires sold. process used IS that a fictitious number that has the right series of characters IS used on all tire invoices regardless of size or type.…
Firestone stores at 11865 w 95 overland park ks 66214 and one at 7575 wornall rd kansas city mo 64114 are falsifying dot registration on over 90% of tires sold. process used IS that a fictitious number that has the right series of characters IS used on all tire invoices regardless of size or type. this IS also entered into the computer which accepts the fictitious number as long as the character string IS long enough. the number IS given to new hires as it was me when I started and when I reported this to superior I was fired. over a period of 1 month over 700 tires were sold in this fashion and no other employee saw the problem with the policy other than to say they did not want to lose their job. *nm
- Engine and engine cooling › Engine › Gasoline
'97 ford F-150 4.2L V-6, lower intake gaskets failed, leading to hydrolocked engine. I have read hundreds of instances of this happening. truck IS now inoperable. *nm
- Engine and engine cooling › Cooling system
Ford lower intake gasket on 1997 F150 4.2L engine causing coolant loss. *nm
- Engine and engine cooling › Cooling system
Periodic low coolant levels with no visible leaks, progressively worse low oil pressure, trouble starting, steam in exhaust coolant leaking into cylinder caused bent rod and necessitated engine rebuild. *nm
- Engine and engine cooling › Engine
1. Loss of coolant 2. Pressure test showed front gasket leaking 3.front gasket replaced at cost of $1000.00 , may have lower intake gasket leak now, all common service issue , needs to be recalled. *jb
- Engine and engine cooling
Engine dead due to faulty gaskets, coolant leaking into engine. *nm
- Steering
My son applied his brakes on a 1997 ford F-150 and tried to avoid hitting the car in front of him, however; he claims the steering wheel "locked" prohibiting him from avoiding the wreck. he said it was like when the steering wheel locks when you don't have the key for the car. I would like to…
My son applied his brakes on a 1997 ford F-150 and tried to avoid hitting the car in front of him, however; he claims the steering wheel "locked" prohibiting him from avoiding the wreck. he said it was like when the steering wheel locks when you don't have the key for the car. I would like to know if there are any known issues with the steering wheel locking on 1997 ford f-150's or if this IS simply a by-product of the anti-lock break feature. *nm
- Engine and engine cooling › Engine
I didn't really notice anything just one day my engine started making loud knocking sound took it in for servicing and found out I spun a rod I replaced the engine. *jb
- Engine and engine cooling
Upon starting my truck, a loud banging or rattling noise could be heard. the noise was not present prior to that day. I shut it down and upon doing research on the internet, found numerous people who claim that a faulty gasket design caused water to leak into one of the cylinders inspection of…
Upon starting my truck, a loud banging or rattling noise could be heard. the noise was not present prior to that day. I shut it down and upon doing research on the internet, found numerous people who claim that a faulty gasket design caused water to leak into one of the cylinders inspection of the cylinders showed coolant to be pooled in the front, passenger-side cylinder. certified mechanics attribute coolant in the cylinder to be due to a premature gasket failure. if not corrected, the problem leads to major engine destruction. documented effects of the coolant leak are worn out bearings and surfaces, and broken or bent connecting rods, necessitating an engine rebuild. ford sent a tsb to some owners of these engines to replace the faulty gasket but not to other owners. the knowledge of a faulty gasket design was withheld from some 1997 4.2L F150 owners. The distinction between those who received the tsb and those who did not (based on my research so far) seems to be made based on where the truck was assembled, not on where the engine was assembled. ergo, some people have suffered catastrophic engine failure, with average repair costs of around $4500 dollars, due to ford not notifying owners of known defects. *jb
Defect investigations
NHTSA’s Office of Defects Investigation opened these reviews into vehicles including this one.
- Spark plug ejection from cylinder head
On september 6, 2005, odi received a petition requesting that the agency investigate allegations of engine spark plug ejection in certain model year 1997 through 2004 ford vehicles with triton V-8 and V-10 engines.odi received a total of 474 non-duplicative complaints on the subject vehicles where the complainant, or…
On september 6, 2005, odi received a petition requesting that the agency investigate allegations of engine spark plug ejection in certain model year 1997 through 2004 ford vehicles with triton V-8 and V-10 engines.odi received a total of 474 non-duplicative complaints on the subject vehicles where the complainant, or the dealer repairing the vehicle, reported that a spark plug detached from the cylinder and/or ejected from the engine.as of december 8, 2005, odi IS not aware of any allegations where the alleged defect resulted in a loss of vehicle control, a crash, an injury, or a fatality in any of the 10,319,810 subject vehicles.in addition, odi IS aware of only two incidents where the vehicle stalled without restart.information contained in the odi consumer complaints and obtained from 72 telephone interviews with complainants showed the following:(1) 99% of the complaints were on my 1997 to 2002 subject vehicles.(2) most the complainants reported hearing a loud pop while driving or upon starting up the vehicle followed by a loud, repetitive clicking or popping sound.(3) many of the complainants reported that the popping sound was accompanied by some loss of vehicle power; however, in 99% of the incidents reported, the vehicle did not stall.in the very few incidents where the vehicle did stall, most vehicles could be restarted.(4) only a small percentage of the complainants cited that they smelled gas or a slight burning smell when the incident occurred.(5) in all but a very few incidents, vehicle damage was limited to the engine.in one incident, the complaint reported that the fuel rail was damaged and replaced after one of the spark plugs ejected from the engine; however, the complainant reported that the damage did not result in any type of fuel leak or fire.in another incident, the only incident where a fire was alleged, the complainant reported that no fluid leak was observed, but that a fire resulted after the spark plug had ejected from the engine and he had restarted the vehicle and driven to another location.none of the complainants reported any damage to the vehicle hood.(6) only two complainants reported that they observed what appeared to be some drops of fuel coming from the cylinder where the spark plug had failed or on the spark plug itself; however, each of these complainants reported that there was no smoke or flames as a result of his incident.as the petitioner noted, and odi?s analysis showed, it IS possible for a spark plug to detach from the engine cylinder threads in the subject vehicles.however, odi?s analysis of 474 complaints describing such incidents found only a very few alleged any safety-related consequences.none of these showed any evidence of a serious safety consequence.given the large population and relatively long exposure time of the subject vehicles, the complaint analysis indicates that the risk to motor vehicle safety from the alleged defect IS very low.in view of the foregoing, it IS unlikely that nhtsa would issue an order for the notification and remedy of the alleged defect at the conclusion of the investigation requested in the petition.therefore, in view of the need to allocate and prioritize nhtsa?s limited resources to best accomplish the agency?s safety mission, the petition IS denied.
- Undercarriage fires
Alleged subject vehicles driven through tall grass experience fires caused by grass clippings collecting on vehicle exhaust system components.
Service bulletins
Technical service bulletins and other communications the manufacturer sent dealers about this vehicle. Ask a dealer for the full document by its number.
- 10029029Jerr-dan: anti stall feature for ford f series light duty chassis with V10 gas engine and an engine drive clutch pump. Model years unknown.
- 10014086General (pcm) power train control module programming procedures.
- 10013369General power train control module (pcm) programming procedures.
- 10008279New service part - number 5 needle bearing and race kit - 4r70w transmission - service tip.
- 10004874Rough idle, miss and various other driveability concerns on vehicles with 7.3L dit engine. This may be related to injector bore scuffing caused by fuel quality issues.
- 10004027Remote keyless entry (rke) - service tips.
- 10001937False failure of the vapor management valve (vmv).
- 6092152Some vehicles equipped with engines produced by windsor engine plant may exhibit an engine knock at initial cold startup.
- 6091810Subject regarding proper operation and interpretation of dual air pressure gauge readings.
- 6091800Subject regarding technical hotline assistance for bi-fuel vehicles.
- 6090873Locks failed. Yd
- 6090791Vehicles equipped with windsor engines only may exhibit an engine knock at initial cold startup.
- 6090709Experiencing engine knock at initial cold startup.
- 6090538Information regarding camshaft position (cmp) sensor alignment tool chart. *Mjs
- 6090310Some service manuals may list the incorrect camshaft position sensor alignment tool for vehicles with various engine sizes.
- 6090184Information on replacing and / or repairing malfunctioning (door, ignition and decklid) locks.
- 6090087Information on identifying non-approved / alternate refrigerants which could cause safety, and performance concerns if installed in ford a/c systems.
- 6089681Subject on a wire harness terminal repair kit available for repairing electrical wiring harnesses.
- 6089647Subject regarding vehicle lean correction procedure.
- 6089616Emission recall for vehicles that were built with a fuel filler-valve which could leak while the vehicle IS being operated which can exceed evaporative emissions standards.
- 637787This bulletin states that some 4.6L fqr engine assemblies may have a smaller or larger knock sensor threaded hold than the one in the original engine assembly.
- 636344Some vehicles may exhibit wheels that seize to the hubs and are difficult to remove during service.
- 635976Subject regarding vehicle lean correction procedure developed for diagnosing and correcting vehicle lean.
- 630653Some vehicles may exhibit driveability conditions and / or check engine lamp illuminated with a diagnostic trouble p0455 (gross leak detected).
- 630412Some vehicles may exhibit a condition of oil contamination in cooling system.
- 630354Some vehicles may run rough at cruise or momentarily after stopping, a check engine light,and p030x codes.
- 630273Some vehicles equipped with 7.3L di engine may exhibit false diagnostic trouble codes p1105, p1106 (upper and lower alternator faults).
- 630026Some vehicles may exhibit driveabilty conditions and/or check engine lamp illuminated with a diagnostic trouble code p0455 (gross leak detected).
- 628153Owner notification program supplement 7 revised information - regarding replacement of wilderness at tires.
- 625773Some vehicles may exhibit a difficult to remove wheel rim condition.
- 616560Some california 7.3L engine equipped vehicles may exhibit a buck / surge / jerk (also known as hitching) during highway driving at speeds 40 mph or greater with the cruise control engaged.
- 615543Some vehicles equipped with 4r70w transmissions may exhibit delayed or no 2-3 upshift, primarily when the transmission IS cold. Transmission control indicator light (tcil) may also flash with diagnostic trouble code p0782.
- 615514Subject regarding engine diagnostic guide for warranty reimbursement.
- 615491All vehicles with antilock brake module concerns that require a module replacement, the technician must call for approval before removing and / or replacing the module.
- 615427This bulletin states that replacement under warranty of certain specified components on any 7.3L dit diesel vehicle, requires that the replaced component be returned with the appropriate year diesel engine diagnostic guide for warranty reimbursement.
- 615335Some vehicles may exhibit a hard start / long crank, cold start stall, cold rough idle concern.
- 615281Information on setting the check engine light and setting diagnostic trouble code p0455 (evaporative emissions gross leak).
- 615276Some vehicles with 7.3L dit engines may exhibit a no start / hard start and / or long crank time.
- 615200This bulletin states that for certain vehicles it IS not possible to set the check engine light and set diagnostic trouble code p0455 (evaporative emissions gross leak) if a customer refuels the vehicle with the engine running.
- 615194Some vehicles with 7.3L dit engine may exhibit a no start / hard start and / or long crank time.
Every Ford F Series model year
Bars are owner complaints, dots mark years with recalls. Select a year to open its report.