Complaints
96
Crashes
5
Fires
6
Injuries
10
Fatalities
2
Recalls
0
Worst 1997 Ford E-350 Problems
Top 3 most-reported issues with average mileage at failure.
#114 complaints
Tires:Tread/Belt
Crash-related:1
#28 complaints
Tire Defects
Avg mileage:80,244 mi
Crash-related:2
#37 complaints
Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine
Avg mileage:92,151 mi
Fires:1
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All Problems by Category
Every NHTSA complaint category for the 1997 Ford E-350.
| Component | Complaints | Crashes | Fires | Avg Mileage | Volume |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tires:Tread/Belt | 14 | 1 | — | — | |
| Tire Defects | 8 | 2 | — | 80,244 mi | |
| Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine | 7 | — | 1 | 92,151 mi | |
| Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Gasoline | 5 | — | 1 | — | |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip | 5 | — | — | — | |
| Unintended Acceleration | 4 | 1 | 1 | — | |
| Airbags | 3 | — | — | — | |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Foundation Components | 3 | — | — | — | |
| Tires:Sidewall | 3 | — | — | — | |
| Engine & Cooling | 2 | — | 2 | — | |
| Fuel System, Gasoline:Delivery:Hoses, Lines/Piping, And Fittings | 2 | — | — | — | |
| Parking-Brake Issues | 2 | — | — | — | |
| Automatic Transmission | 2 | — | — | — | |
| Seat Belt Issues | 2 | — | — | — | |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Foundation Components:Disc:Rotor | 2 | — | — | — | |
| Body Structure | 2 | — | — | — | |
| Electrical Faults | 1 | — | — | — | |
| Electrical System:Horn | 1 | — | — | — | |
| Electrical System:Ignition | 1 | — | — | — | |
| Electrical System:Wiring | 1 | — | 1 | — | |
| Engine And Engine Cooling:Cooling System | 1 | — | — | — | |
| Other Equipment | 1 | — | — | — | |
| Fuel System, Diesel:Storage:Tank Assembly | 1 | — | — | — | |
| Gasoline Fuel System | 1 | — | — | — | |
| Fuel System, Gasoline:Storage:Tank Assembly:Filler Pipe And Cap | 1 | — | — | — | |
| Transmission / Drivetrain | 1 | — | — | — | |
| Power Train:Driveline:Driveshaft | 1 | — | — | — | |
| Brakes | 1 | — | — | — | |
| Service Brakes, Air:Antilock:Control Unit/Module | 1 | — | — | — | |
| Hydraulic Brakes | 1 | — | — | — |
Tires:Tread/Belt
14
complaints
Crashes
1
Fires
—
Avg Miles
—
Tire Defects
8
complaints
Crashes
2
Fires
—
Avg Miles
80,244
Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine
7
complaints
Crashes
—
Fires
1
Avg Miles
92,151
Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Gasoline
5
complaints
Crashes
—
Fires
1
Avg Miles
—
Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip
5
complaints
Crashes
—
Fires
—
Avg Miles
—
Unintended Acceleration
4
complaints
Crashes
1
Fires
1
Avg Miles
—
Airbags
3
complaints
Crashes
—
Fires
—
Avg Miles
—
Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Foundation Components
3
complaints
Crashes
—
Fires
—
Avg Miles
—
Tires:Sidewall
3
complaints
Crashes
—
Fires
—
Avg Miles
—
Engine & Cooling
2
complaints
Crashes
—
Fires
2
Avg Miles
—
Fuel System, Gasoline:Delivery:Hoses, Lines/Piping, And Fittings
2
complaints
Crashes
—
Fires
—
Avg Miles
—
Parking-Brake Issues
2
complaints
Crashes
—
Fires
—
Avg Miles
—
Automatic Transmission
2
complaints
Crashes
—
Fires
—
Avg Miles
—
Seat Belt Issues
2
complaints
Crashes
—
Fires
—
Avg Miles
—
Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Foundation Components:Disc:Rotor
2
complaints
Crashes
—
Fires
—
Avg Miles
—
Body Structure
2
complaints
Crashes
—
Fires
—
Avg Miles
—
Electrical Faults
1
complaints
Crashes
—
Fires
—
Avg Miles
—
Electrical System:Horn
1
complaints
Crashes
—
Fires
—
Avg Miles
—
Electrical System:Ignition
1
complaints
Crashes
—
Fires
—
Avg Miles
—
Electrical System:Wiring
1
complaints
Crashes
—
Fires
1
Avg Miles
—
Engine And Engine Cooling:Cooling System
1
complaints
Crashes
—
Fires
—
Avg Miles
—
Other Equipment
1
complaints
Crashes
—
Fires
—
Avg Miles
—
Fuel System, Diesel:Storage:Tank Assembly
1
complaints
Crashes
—
Fires
—
Avg Miles
—
Gasoline Fuel System
1
complaints
Crashes
—
Fires
—
Avg Miles
—
Fuel System, Gasoline:Storage:Tank Assembly:Filler Pipe And Cap
1
complaints
Crashes
—
Fires
—
Avg Miles
—
Transmission / Drivetrain
1
complaints
Crashes
—
Fires
—
Avg Miles
—
Power Train:Driveline:Driveshaft
1
complaints
Crashes
—
Fires
—
Avg Miles
—
Brakes
1
complaints
Crashes
—
Fires
—
Avg Miles
—
Service Brakes, Air:Antilock:Control Unit/Module
1
complaints
Crashes
—
Fires
—
Avg Miles
—
Hydraulic Brakes
1
complaints
Crashes
—
Fires
—
Avg Miles
—
Search Owner Complaints
Read what owners actually reported to NHTSA for the 1997 Ford E-350. Type a keyword (e.g. “transmission”, “stalling”, “brakes”) to filter.
Other Ford E-350 Years
1997 Ford E-350 — FAQ
Answers based on real NHTSA complaint and recall data for this specific model year.
Is the 1997 Ford E-350 reliable?
Verdict: High Complaint Volume. The 1997 Ford E-350 has 96 NHTSA complaints, 5 crash-related, and 0 recall campaigns. The most common issue is Tires:Tread/Belt with 14 complaints. Source: NHTSA via VinItel.
What are common problems with the 1997 Ford E-350?
Top reported problems: Tires:Tread/Belt (14 complaints); Tire Defects (8 complaints, avg 80,244 mi); Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine (7 complaints, avg 92,151 mi). Every complaint is filed by an owner with NHTSA — this is raw reported data, not editorial opinion.
At what mileage do problems start on the 1997 Ford E-350?
The weighted average mileage at time of complaint is about 85,801 miles. Some components fail earlier, some later — check the "All Problems by Category" table above for per-issue averages.
How safe is the 1997 Ford E-350?
NHTSA complaints for the 1997 Ford E-350 include 5 crash-related reports, 6 fire reports, 10 injuries, and 2 fatalities. These are owner-reported incidents, not official crash-test ratings — a complaint being filed doesn't confirm a defect, but clusters around specific components are worth investigating.
Does the 1997 Ford E-350 have any recalls?
No NHTSA recall campaigns have been issued for the 1997 Ford E-350 as of the latest data sync. Verify by VIN for the most current status — new recalls can be issued years after a model year ships.
Should I buy a 1997 Ford E-350?
This year has a higher-than-normal complaint volume. It's not an automatic no, but focus inspection on the top reported issue (tires:tread/belt) and verify open recalls have been addressed.
Source: NHTSA (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration) complaint and recall databases, aggregated by VinItel.
Wider context: See the full Ford E-350 reliability report with year-by-year comparison and generation analysis.
Check Your Specific 1997 Ford E-350
Real owner complaints tell you about the model. The VIN tells you about your specific car — accidents, title issues, odometer fraud.
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