1997 Ford E-450 Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other E-450 years
- Far more complaints than other years 7th of 32 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 2 recalls: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 18 complaints with NHTSA about the 1997 Ford E-450. That ranks 7th out of 32 E-450 model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is structure (10 complaints, 56%). There are 2 safety recalls covering this model year. NHTSA has opened 2 defect investigations involving it.
- 18owner complaints
- 2safety recalls
- 2NHTSA investigations
- 0complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 1997 Ford E-450 problems
Complaints grouped by the part of the car owners reported, with the median mileage when the problem happened.
| Problem area | Complaints | Share | Median miles | Owners mention most | Typical repair cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Structure | 10 | 56% | — | — | — |
| Tires | 7 | 39% | — | — | — |
| Electrical System | 1 | 6% | 54,000 | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
1997 Ford E-450 recalls (2)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Vehicle speed control
Problem: Ford is recalling model years 1995-2003 windstar, 2000-2003 excursion diesel, 1993-1997 and 1999-2003 f-250 sd through f-550 sd diesel, 1992-2003 e-150 through e-550, 1995-2002 explorer, 1997 and 2002 mercury mountaineer, 1995-1997 and 2001-2003 ranger, and 1994 f53 vehicles equipped with the texas instruments speed control deactivation switch (scds). The scds may leak internally and then overheat, smoke, or burn.
Risk: A vehicle fire could occur with or without the engine running.
Fix: Ford will notify owners that dealers will install a fused wiring harness in line with the scds. On 1999-2003 windstar vehicles with a leaking scds, dealers will also inspect the abs control module connector and repair as necessary. Repairs will be completed free of charge. The safety recall began on october 27, 2009. Owners may contact ford at 1-888-222-2751.
Vehicle speed control
Problem: On certain trucks equipped with speed control, gasoline or natural gas engines, the speed control deactivation switch may overheat.
Risk: Overheating could result in smoke or burn and an underhood fire.
Fix: Dealers will install a fused wiring harness into the speed control system free of charge. The recall began on august 7, 2006. Owners may contact ford at 1-866-436-7332. (note: also see recalls 05v017 and 05v388)
To see whether a specific car still has an open recall, enter its VIN on NHTSA's official recall lookup. You can also decode a VIN here.
NHTSA defect investigations
- HVAC Switch Failures (PE09055) — opened Dec 7, 2009, closed Apr 21, 2010.
- Engine compartment fires (EA05005) — opened Mar 22, 2005, closed Aug 2, 2006, led to recall 05V388000.
Recent owner reports
Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.
Tl* the contact owns a 1997 ford e-450. The contact stated the heater control switch failed to function; therefore, only cold air emits from the heater system. The contact believed the failure was related to the failure described in a manufactures recall . The vehicle was not repaired. The…
The 1997 tires with 18,000 miles on them have large cracks around the entire sidewall of all 6 tires (motorhome). Now afraid to drive because of all the firestone re-calls. Was wondering if these tires had a re-call (firestone steeltex radial r4s, lt225/75r16 m/s). No "incident" as of yet... *la
Tread separation, would ave caused a serious accident if tire had been located on front wheel. *ak
Had 2 blowouts.1at 22000mi and 1 at 26000.threw all the tread on the 1st one tire cool to touch and outside temp 58deg.looks like tread had never been glued on to carcus.the 2nd tire blew at 55mph outside temp56deg.looked as if part of the tread was glued.i know of 2 other class c motorhomes who…
Both right rear duals blew out. Replaced all 6 tires for family safety. *ak (tiresize: lt22575r16)
Other Ford E-450 years
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2027 E-450 | 0 | 1 |
| 2026 E-450 | 2 | 1 |
| 2025 E-450 | 2 | 0 |
| 2024 E-450 | 4 | 0 |
| 2023 E-450 | 2 | 3 |
| 2022 E-450 | 13 | 3 |
| 2021 E-450 | 27 | 6 |
| 2019 E-450 | 5 | 0 |
| 2018 E-450 | 5 | 4 |
| 2017 E-450 | 11 | 2 |
| 2016 E-450 | 17 | 4 |
| 2015 E-450 | 6 | 1 |
| 2014 E-450 | 5 | 3 |
| 2013 E-450 | 12 | 2 |
| 2012 E-450 | 4 | 4 |
| 2011 E-450 | 7 | 8 |
| 2010 E-450 | 5 | 6 |
| 2009 E-450 | 2 | 9 |
| 2008 E-450 | 6 | 8 |
| 2007 E-450 | 12 | 11 |
| 2006 E-450 | 20 | 11 |
| 2005 E-450 | 34 | 6 |
| 2004 E-450 | 27 | 5 |
| 2003 E-450 | 18 | 4 |
| 2002 E-450 | 13 | 2 |
| 2001 E-450 | 16 | 2 |
| 2000 E-450 | 42 | 3 |
| 1999 E-450 | 73 | 2 |
| 1998 E-450 | 5 | 2 |
| 1997 | 18 | 2 |
| 1996 E-450 | 1 | 2 |
| 1995 E-450 | 0 | 1 |
See all Ford E-450 problems by year, every Ford model, or the Ford VIN decoder.
Similar Ford models
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Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 1997 Ford E-450?
Owners most often report structure, tires, electrical system problems. The top one, structure, accounts for 10 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 1997 Ford E-450?
Yes, 2 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 1997 Ford E-450 a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other E-450 model years, the 1997 has far more complaints than most years. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.