1997 Ford F-350 Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other F-350 years
- About as many complaints as other years 5th of 24 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 3 recalls: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 155 complaints with NHTSA about the 1997 Ford F-350. That ranks 5th out of 24 F-350 model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is service brakes, hydraulic (29 complaints, 19%), typically at around 97,000 miles. Complaints mention 10 crashes, 11 fires, 3 injuries. There are 3 safety recalls covering this model year. NHTSA has opened 2 defect investigations involving it.
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- 155owner complaints
- 3safety recalls
- 2NHTSA investigations
- 10complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 1997 Ford F-350 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 29 | 19% | 97,000 | — | — |
| Tires | 29 | 19% | 79,000 | — | — |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 26 | 17% | 103,527 | — | — |
| Power Train | 21 | 14% | 136,000 | — | — |
| Steering | 12 | 8% | 92,000 | — | — |
| Suspension | 9 | 6% | 125,000 | — | — |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 8 | 5% | 105,000 | — | — |
| Electrical System | 7 | 5% | 164,000 | — | — |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 7 | 5% | 117,929 | — | — |
| Exterior Lighting | 4 | 3% | — | — | — |
| Engine | 3 | 2% | 120,000 | — | — |
| Parking Brake | 3 | 2% | — | — | — |
| Structure | 3 | 2% | 175,000 | — | — |
| Visibility | 3 | 2% | — | — | — |
| Wheels | 3 | 2% | 26,000 | — | — |
| Equipment | 2 | 1% | 162,000 | — | — |
| Seat Belts | 2 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Air Bags | 1 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Air | 1 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Unknown or Other | 1 | 1% | 128,000 | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
1997 Ford F-350 recalls (3)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
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)
Tires:bead
Problem: Vehicle description: light duty pickup trucks and chassis. The tires on these vehicles were damaged during mounting onto the wheels. Only trucks produced at the cuautitlan, mexico plant between september 1, 1996, and july 17, 1997, were affected by the defect.
Risk: The bead area of the tire was cut which could result in air loss. Sudden air loss could occur resulting in a loss of vehicle control.
Fix: Due to the age of the vehicles and this recall affecting original equipment tires only, ford will no longer accept claims for this campaign.
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.
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
- Spark plug ejection from cylinder head (DP05005) — opened Sep 22, 2005, closed Jan 4, 2006.
- 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.
On the passenger side of the engine pan the dipstick adapter was manufactured poorly. The oil from the crankcase has caused the oring to swell and leak oil. The oil leak is getting on the starter and clutch. The oil can cause a short in the electrical system. This can cause an accident or death…
Tl* the contact owns a 1997 ford f-350. While driving 25 mph, the vehicle stalled without warning. The contact restarted the vehicle and it stalled a second time. The contact was able to restart the vehicle and drive home. Gladian repair shop of pittsburg, virginia was made aware of the failure and…
Tl* the contact owns a 1997 ford f-350. While driving at various speeds, the vehicle would suddenly stall. After restarting the engine, the vehicle operated normally. The contact indicated that the failure was intermittent. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who diagnosed that the cam…
We were travelling 65 mph on the 91 freeway toll road when my left rear tire tread completely separated from the casing causing my vehicle to swerve and jump and causing significant damage to my vehicle, including damaging the fuel fill line. Fortunately there was no fuel leakage. The tire did not…
While driving my 1997 ford f350 diesel pickup, pulling a 36ft gooseneck horse trailer with my two teenage daughters and their four horses, the engine in my pickup spontaneously ignited. There was no "check engine" warning light, and the engine temperature gauge showed normal. The only warning i had…
Other Ford F-350 years
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2019 F-350 | 0 | 0 |
| 2018 F-350 | 0 | 0 |
| 2017 F-350 | 0 | 0 |
| 2015 F-350 | 0 | 0 |
| 2014 F-350 | 91 | 0 |
| 2013 F-350 | 76 | 1 |
| 2012 F-350 | 149 | 4 |
| 2011 F-350 | 136 | 4 |
| 2010 F-350 | 0 | 1 |
| 2009 F-350 | 28 | 2 |
| 2008 F-350 | 131 | 8 |
| 2007 F-350 | 36 | 3 |
| 2006 F-350 | 145 | 3 |
| 2005 F-350 | 114 | 3 |
| 2004 F-350 | 159 | 2 |
| 2003 F-350 | 90 | 2 |
| 2002 F-350 | 116 | 2 |
| 2001 F-350 | 160 | 5 |
| 2000 F-350 | 304 | 4 |
| 1999 F-350 | 413 | 12 |
| 1998 F-350 | 12 | 1 |
| 1997 | 155 | 3 |
| 1996 F-350 | 130 | 3 |
| 1995 F-350 | 134 | 2 |
See all Ford F-350 problems by year, every Ford model, or the Ford VIN decoder.
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Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 1997 Ford F-350?
Owners most often report service brakes, hydraulic, tires, engine and engine cooling problems. The top one, service brakes, hydraulic, accounts for 29 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 1997 Ford F-350?
Yes, 3 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 1997 Ford F-350 a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other F-350 model years, the 1997 has about as many complaints as a typical year. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.