Worst 1997 Ford F-150 Problems
Top 3 most-reported issues with average mileage at failure.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
TIRES
STRUCTURE:BODY:DOOR
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All Problems by Category
Every NHTSA complaint category for the 1997 Ford F-150.
| Component | Complaints | Crashes | Fires | Avg Mileage | Volume |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE | 198 | 2 | 8 | 98,799 mi | |
| TIRES | 168 | 9 | — | 65,398 mi | |
| STRUCTURE:BODY:DOOR | 164 | — | — | 72,375 mi | |
| FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE | 155 | — | 2 | 146,810 mi | |
| TIRES:TREAD/BELT | 137 | 5 | — | 71,705 mi | |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE | 136 | — | 5 | 96,833 mi | |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING | 128 | — | 19 | 103,696 mi | |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP | 111 | 18 | 3 | 75,034 mi | |
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL | 101 | 12 | 24 | 140,247 mi | |
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:CRUISE CONTROL | 90 | — | 69 | 109,079 mi | |
| WHEELS:LUGS/NUTS/BOLTS/STUDS | 88 | 2 | — | — | |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | 81 | — | 59 | 130,411 mi | |
| POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION | 70 | 5 | 2 | 84,791 mi | |
| AIR BAGS:FRONTAL | 69 | 67 | — | 144,667 mi | |
| UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 48 | 1 | 3 | 141,569 mi | |
| STEERING:LINKAGES:TIE ROD ASSEMBLY | 47 | 1 | — | 97,959 mi | |
| SUSPENSION:FRONT:SPRINGS:TORSION BAR | 42 | — | — | 46,000 mi | |
| VISIBILITY:GLASS, SIDE/REAR | 41 | — | — | 59,407 mi | |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FRONT UNDERHOOD | 40 | — | 37 | 87,040 mi | |
| STEERING | 40 | 3 | — | 128,919 mi | |
| VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER | 39 | — | — | 100,917 mi | |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:MANIFOLD/HEADER/MUFFLER/TAIL PIPE | 38 | 2 | 2 | 170,608 mi | |
| SUSPENSION:FRONT | 36 | 1 | — | 5,000 mi | |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM | 33 | — | — | 111,108 mi | |
| STEERING: STEERING WHEEL/HANDLE BAR | 33 | 2 | — | — | |
| STEERING:LINKAGES | 32 | 3 | — | 65,000 mi | |
| SUSPENSION:REAR:SPRINGS:LEAF SPRING ASSEMBLY | 32 | — | — | 106,068 mi | |
| STRUCTURE:BODY | 31 | 1 | 2 | 176,816 mi | |
| VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD | 28 | — | — | 100,178 mi | |
| AIR BAGS | 27 | 15 | — | 143,764 mi |
Search Owner Complaints
Read what owners actually reported to NHTSA for the 1997 Ford F-150. Type a keyword (e.g. “transmission”, “stalling”, “brakes”) to filter.
Recalls for 1997 Ford F-150
1 NHTSA recall campaigns affecting ~1,100,000 vehicles.
FORD IS RECALLING CERTAIN 1997 THROUGH 2003 MODEL YEAR FORD F-150, 2004 MODEL YEAR FORD F-150 HERITAGE, 1997 THROUGH 1999 MODEL YEAR F-250 LESS THAN 8,500 LBS. GROSS VEHICLE WEIGHT RATING (GVWR), AND 2002 AND 2003 LINCOLN BLACKWOOD VEHICLES MANUFACTURED FROM JUNE 20, 1995, THROUGH AUGUST 4, 2004, ORIGINALLY SOLD, OR CURRENTLY REGISTERED IN, CONNECTICUT, DELAWARE, ILLINOIS, INDIANA, IOWA, KENTUCKY, MAINE, MARYLAND, MASSACHUSETTS, MICHIGAN, MINNESOTA, MISSOURI, NEW HAMPSHIRE, NEW JERSEY, NEW YORK, OHIO, PENNSYLVANIA, RHODE ISLAND, VERMONT, WEST VIRGINIA, WISCONSIN, AND THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA. PROLONGED EXPOSURE TO ROAD DEICING CHEMICALS MAY CAUSE SEVERE CORROSION OF THE FUEL TANK STRAPS WHICH SECURE THE TANK TO THE VEHICLE.
Other Ford F-150 Years
Wider context: See the full Ford F-150 reliability report with year-by-year comparison and generation analysis.
Check Your Specific 1997 Ford F-150
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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