1997 Ford F-150 Suspension Problems
Owners have filed 204 complaints with NHTSA about suspension problems on the 1997 Ford F-150, 7% of all complaints for this model year. Half of the reports with a mileage happened before 86,335 miles. The words owners use most often: “torsion bar” (19% of reports).
- 204suspension complaints
- 86,335median miles at failure
- 2mention a crash
- 5mention an injury
- 1related recalls
- 33%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.
- Torsion bar: mentioned in 39 of 204 complaints (19%)
- Leaf spring: mentioned in 24 of 204 complaints (12%)
- Ball joints: mentioned in 13 of 204 complaints (6%)
At what mileage do suspension problems happen?
Based on 19 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 204 complaints, 2 mention a crash, 5 an injury.
Ford F-150 suspension complaints by model year
| Model year | Suspension complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 F-150 | 1 | 1% | — |
| 2024 F-150 | 3 | 2% | 845 |
| 2023 F-150 | 8 | 2% | 178 |
| 2022 F-150 | 14 | 2% | 35,301 |
| 2021 F-150 | 13 | 1% | 59,500 |
| 2020 F-150 | 9 | 1% | 21,300 |
| 2019 F-150 | 11 | 1% | 35,050 |
| 2018 F-150 | 23 | 1% | 24,000 |
| 2017 F-150 | 12 | 1% | 23,900 |
| 2016 F-150 | 17 | 1% | 32,500 |
| 2015 F-150 | 11 | 1% | 33,985 |
| 2014 F-150 | 10 | 1% | 50,000 |
| 2013 F-150 | 20 | 1% | 16,000 |
| 2012 F-150 | 19 | 1% | 79,500 |
| 2011 F-150 | 14 | 1% | 70,531 |
| 2010 F-150 | 16 | 2% | 23,500 |
| 2009 F-150 | 4 | 1% | 17,525 |
| 2008 F-150 | 11 | 3% | 61,000 |
| 2007 F-150 | 16 | 3% | 55,800 |
| 2006 F-150 | 25 | 4% | 52,000 |
| 2005 F-150 | 49 | 4% | 57,000 |
| 2004 F-150 | 118 | 6% | 14,531 |
| 2003 F-150 | 14 | 3% | 29,500 |
| 2002 F-150 | 20 | 2% | 64,125 |
| 2001 F-150 | 35 | 3% | 66,000 |
| 2000 F-150 | 41 | 4% | 65,000 |
| 1999 F-150 | 43 | 4% | 89,000 |
| 1998 F-150 | 132 | 10% | 122,160 |
| 1997 F-150 | 204 | 7% | 86,335 |
| 1996 F-150 | 21 | 6% | 91,800 |
| 1995 F-150 | 44 | 7% | 117,000 |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (1)
Fuel system, gasoline:storage:tank assembly; suspension:rear:springs:leaf spring assembly
Problem: Vehicle description: light duty 4-wheel drive pickup trucks. If the vehicle is overloaded, the rear leaf springs can be overstressed. A fatigue fracture of the spring can occur. The center leaf of the spring can fracture at the forward edge of the spring seat and, in some cases, contact the fuel tank.
Risk: Fuel tank contact can damage the tank and result in fuel leakage. Fuel leakage in the presence of an ignition source can result in a fire.
Fix: Dealers will inspect the rear springs and install an additional clip on the forward end of the rear springs to prevent fuel tank contact in the event of a leaf fracture. Any fractured springs will be replaced.
What owners report
Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.
While driving down the road at 35 mph with no load and nothing in tow the sub-frame cracked on both the driver and passenger side. On the driver side it cracked behind the rear tire. On the passenger side it cracked in front of the rear tire. The vehicle bowed and smashed the top of the bed into…
Rear shock mount connected to frame rusted and broke off. *tr
I noticed extreme rust that has eaten away parts of frame and suspension. *tr
Frequently asked questions
Do all 1997 Ford F-150s have suspension problems?
No. NHTSA has 204 owner complaints about suspension for the 1997 Ford F-150 (7% 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 suspension?
Yes: 1 safety recall list suspension. Check your VIN on NHTSA.gov to see whether the fix was done on your car.
At what mileage do suspension problems start?
The median reported mileage is 86,335 miles: half of the reports with a mileage came before that.
What do owners say about suspension problems on the 1997 Ford F-150?
The most frequent phrase is “torsion bar”, in 39 of 204 complaints, followed by “leaf spring” (24).
Other 1997 Ford F-150 problems
See all 1997 Ford F-150 problems or suspension problems across all F-150 years.