1997 Ford F-150 Service Brakes, Hydraulic Problems
Owners have filed 213 complaints with NHTSA about service brakes, hydraulic problems on the 1997 Ford F-150, 8% of all complaints for this model year. Half of the reports with a mileage happened before 80,000 miles. The words owners use most often: “brake line” (8% of reports).
- 213service brakes, hydraulic complaints
- 80,000median miles at failure
- 21mention a crash
- 8mention an injury
- 1related recalls
- 22%of reports with a speed happened at 50+ mph
What owners describe
Phrases that appear unusually often in these complaints compared with complaints about other cars.
- Brake line: mentioned in 16 of 213 complaints (8%)
- Stopping distance: mentioned in 15 of 213 complaints (7%)
- Master cylinder: mentioned in 15 of 213 complaints (7%)
- Brakes lock: mentioned in 13 of 213 complaints (6%)
At what mileage do service brakes, hydraulic problems happen?
Based on 37 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 213 complaints, 21 mention a crash, 12 a fire, 8 an injury.
Ford F-150 service brakes, hydraulic complaints by model year
| Model year | Service Brakes, Hydraulic complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 F-150 | 2 | 2% | 8,350 |
| 2024 F-150 | 1 | 1% | 13,290 |
| 2023 F-150 | 9 | 2% | 12,000 |
| 2022 F-150 | 5 | 1% | 22,000 |
| 2021 F-150 | 10 | 1% | 40,000 |
| 2020 F-150 | 2 | 0% | 59,500 |
| 2019 F-150 | 2 | 0% | 102,000 |
| 2018 F-150 | 19 | 1% | 83,000 |
| 2017 F-150 | 30 | 2% | 92,000 |
| 2016 F-150 | 37 | 2% | 68,000 |
| 2015 F-150 | 17 | 1% | 95,000 |
| 2014 F-150 | 56 | 4% | 88,214 |
| 2013 F-150 | 44 | 1% | 116,465 |
| 2012 F-150 | 12 | 1% | 115,000 |
| 2011 F-150 | 19 | 1% | 89,500 |
| 2010 F-150 | 13 | 2% | 16,274 |
| 2009 F-150 | 14 | 4% | 18,750 |
| 2008 F-150 | 17 | 5% | 5,600 |
| 2007 F-150 | 29 | 6% | 18,700 |
| 2006 F-150 | 68 | 12% | 19,371 |
| 2005 F-150 | 90 | 8% | 31,087 |
| 2004 F-150 | 95 | 5% | 13,000 |
| 2003 F-150 | 17 | 4% | 15,750 |
| 2002 F-150 | 27 | 3% | 60,329 |
| 2001 F-150 | 51 | 4% | 50,100 |
| 2000 F-150 | 67 | 6% | 59,899 |
| 1999 F-150 | 97 | 9% | 88,500 |
| 1998 F-150 | 110 | 8% | 120,000 |
| 1997 F-150 | 213 | 8% | 80,000 |
| 1996 F-150 | 32 | 10% | 150,000 |
| 1995 F-150 | 139 | 22% | 88,975 |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (1)
Service brakes, hydraulic:foundation components:master cylinder
Problem: The retainer clip that holds the master cylinder push rod to the brake pedal arm is missing.
Risk: A loss of service braking can occur increasing the risk of a vehicle accident.
Fix: Dealers will inspect to verify that the retainer clips are installed and if clips are missing will install clips.
What owners report
Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.
Tl* the contact owns 1997 ford f-150. The contact stated that after receiving notification of nhtsa campaign i.d. 11v385000 (fuel system, gasoline: storage: tank assembly: mounting) the contact took the vehicle to the dealer. The dealer stated that the fuel straps were corroded. The dealer was…
Tl* the contact owns a 1997 ford f-150. The contact stated that the spare tire cable, exhaust system manifold, fuel tank strap, brake line, bolts, erg valve, and the frame were rusted. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and denied to buy the vehicle back or…
Tl* the contact owns a 1997 ford f-150. The contact was driving 60 mph when he tried to engage the brakes and the pedal was depressed abnormally into the floorboard. The contact mentioned that he had to shift into neutral to engage the emergency brakes in order to stop the vehicle. The vehicle was…
Frequently asked questions
Do all 1997 Ford F-150s have service brakes, hydraulic problems?
No. NHTSA has 213 owner complaints about service brakes, hydraulic for the 1997 Ford F-150 (8% of the 2,758 complaints for this model year). Complaint data shows that the problem is reported, not how many of all cars sold are affected.
Was there a recall on the 1997 Ford F-150 service brakes, hydraulic?
Yes: 1 safety recall list service brakes, hydraulic. Check your VIN on NHTSA.gov to see whether the fix was done on your car.
At what mileage do service brakes, hydraulic problems start?
The median reported mileage is 80,000 miles: half of the reports with a mileage came before that.
What do owners say about service brakes, hydraulic problems on the 1997 Ford F-150?
The most frequent phrase is “brake line”, in 16 of 213 complaints, followed by “stopping distance” (15).
Other 1997 Ford F-150 problems
- Engine and Engine Cooling problems (529)
- Tires problems (305)
- Structure problems (226)
- Vehicle Speed Control problems (223)
- Fuel System, Gasoline problems (215)
- Suspension problems (204)
- Steering problems (202)
- Electrical System problems (198)
See all 1997 Ford F-150 problems or service brakes, hydraulic problems across all F-150 years.