1997 Ford F-250 SD problems
NHTSA has received 52 complaints about the 1997 Ford F-250 SD, and 23% of them involve engine. Next are cruise control (13%) and electrical system (12%).
At a glance
- Complaints
- 52 filed with NHTSA
- Most reported
- Engine 23% of complaints
- Crashes and fires
- 1 and 8
- Injuries and deaths
- 1 and 0
- Typical mileage
- 88,000 miles 38 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 | 0 |
| 20k to 40k miles | 2 |
| 40k to 60k miles | 9 |
| 60k to 80k miles | 6 |
| 80k to 100k miles | 6 |
| 100k to 120k miles | 3 |
| 120k to 140k miles | 2 |
| 140k to 160k miles | 3 |
| 160k to 180k miles | 1 |
| 180k to 200k miles | 0 |
| 200k+ miles | 6 |
What the data shows
Of the 38 complaints that include odometer readings, half describe a problem before roughly 88,000 miles.
Safety-related details: 1 complaint mentions a crash; 8 complaints mention a fire; 1 injury reported.
Looking only at complaints filed within five years of the model year (so older and newer years are comparable), the 1997 ranks 27th most-complained-about out of 27 model years of the Ford F-250 SD with enough data (11 complaints in that window). It is also covered by 2 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.
Consumer stated that the oil pan rusted right through. Also, it a ignited a fire under the base of the vehicle. Consumer contacted dealer and manufacturer, and neither were willing to assist the consumer.
On december 4, 2004, I took my truck on about a 600 mile trip. During the trip I tried the cruise control, which worked about 5 months earlier & found it to be nonfunctional. The next day, I found myself in a position that required engaging the four-wheel drive, however it would not engage. I parked the truck that evening & had not touched it in the following month and a half. On december 10, 2004 my wife canceled the insurance since my plan was to leave it parked until spring or I could afford to get it fixed.
Cruise won't shut off- has happened 3-4 times now and have come close to causing wrecks. Dealership claims they can't find any problem with it. Also, vehicle is smoking an appears to have transmission problems- again "nothing wrong"
Engine light continuously illuminated on the dashboard. Independent mechanic determined that wiring harness on the glove compartment broke, and one wire on the insulation malfunctioned.