1997 Ford F-150 problems
The 1997 Ford F-150 has 3,285 complaints on file with NHTSA. The largest share (17%) concerns engine. After that come tires (10%) and fuel system (8%).
At a glance
- Complaints
- 3,285 filed with NHTSA
- Most reported
- Engine 17% of complaints
- Crashes and fires
- 205 and 296
- Injuries and deaths
- 180 and 18
- Typical mileage
- 108,000 miles 976 complaints with mileage
Source: NHTSA owner complaints
Where the complaints are
Share of this model year's complaints by the part of the car involved. One complaint can name more than one part, so the shares can add up to more than 100%.
When problems show up
View the numbers
| Mileage | Complaints |
|---|---|
| 0k to 20k miles | 31 |
| 20k to 40k miles | 22 |
| 40k to 60k miles | 53 |
| 60k to 80k miles | 120 |
| 80k to 100k miles | 165 |
| 100k to 120k miles | 168 |
| 120k to 140k miles | 138 |
| 140k to 160k miles | 95 |
| 160k to 180k miles | 62 |
| 180k to 200k miles | 45 |
| 200k+ miles | 77 |
What the data shows
Among the 976 complaints that report mileage, the typical (median) problem appeared at about 108,000 miles. For engine specifically, the median reported mileage is about 100,000 miles (289 complaints with mileage).
Safety-related details: 205 complaints mention a crash; 296 complaints mention a fire; 180 injuries reported; 18 deaths reported.
Looking only at complaints filed within five years of the model year (so older and newer years are comparable), the 1997 ranks 2nd most-complained-about out of 36 model years of the Ford F-150 with enough data (1,605 complaints in that window). It is also covered by 14 safety recall campaigns.
What owners wrote
A few complaints as filed, shortened and with personal details removed. The first ones are among the most serious reports for this model year; the rest are typical.
Mfr # 97s86 NHTSA recall # 97v171000; consumer contacted the dealer to have recall work corrected. Work was corrected. However, the consumer was involved in an head-on collision traveling 15 MPH due to the steering wheel locking up. Consumer also stated the driver's and passenger's side air bags did not deploy.
Upon reversing out of an alley at 5 miles intermediate steering shaft separated from the steering gear. This resulted in loss of steering. As a result, consumer lost control of the vehicle and went onto the sidewalk.
I was driving home from town when all the ball bearings fell out of the steering column and the steering wheel became loose and the truck began to sway from right to left, it was controllable at the low speed I was going but thank god I wasn't on an interstate or highway at a higher speed I could have run off the road or worse had a head on collision !