1997 Ford F-450 SD Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other F-450 SD years
- Not enough data 16th of 32 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 3 recalls: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 4 complaints with NHTSA about the 1997 Ford F-450 SD. That ranks 16th out of 32 F-450 SD model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is engine and engine cooling (2 complaints, 50%). There are 3 safety recalls covering this model year. NHTSA has opened 1 defect investigation involving it.
- 4owner complaints
- 3safety recalls
- 1NHTSA investigations
- 0complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 1997 Ford F-450 SD 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 2 | 50% | — | — | — |
| Suspension | 2 | 50% | — | — | — |
| Parking Brake | 1 | 25% | — | — | — |
| Power Train | 1 | 25% | — | — | — |
| Tires | 1 | 25% | — | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
1997 Ford F-450 SD recalls (3)
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.
Engine and engine cooling:engine:diesel
Problem: On certain heavy duty trucks equipped with 7.3l diesel engines, the camshaft position sensor located on the engine of the vehicle may function intermittently, possibly resulting in an engine stall.
Risk: In the event of an engine stall, a crash could result without warning.
Fix: Dealers will inspect the sensor and replace it with an improved camshaft position sensor free of charge. The recall began on december 29, 2007. Owners may contact ford at 1-866-436-7332.
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
- 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.
While traveling at approximately 55 mph there was a loud booming noise that came from vehicle. Consumer pulled over, and noticed that right rear inside firestone, steeltex radial r4s tire experienced complete tread separation. Tire size is lt225/75r16e, ford, f450hd. *ak dot number vd1l1xa456. *slc
The vehicle rear end snaps violently jerking the back of the truck sideways. It does this 2-3 times a week. It has never done it when the dealer test drives. They tell me they have no idea what causes this and will not attempt to fix the problem.
The flywheel on this vehicle continues to tear up. I have been told that this is a problem with this flywheel, but once my warranty is up the dealer will no longer repair it under warranty. I have had to pay $100 each time this has happened. The flywheel has actaully needed replacing more times…
Owner having problems with the rear end, oil leaks, and transmissions on three of vehicles of this make.
Other Ford F-450 SD years
← 1996 F-450 SD · 1998 F-450 SD →
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 F-450 SD | 2 | 3 |
| 2025 F-450 SD | 2 | 4 |
| 2024 F-450 SD | 8 | 3 |
| 2023 F-450 SD | 5 | 13 |
| 2022 F-450 SD | 24 | 14 |
| 2021 F-450 SD | 18 | 12 |
| 2020 F-450 SD | 0 | 10 |
| 2019 F-450 SD | 3 | 9 |
| 2018 F-450 SD | 0 | 7 |
| 2017 F-450 SD | 1 | 11 |
| 2016 F-450 SD | 1 | 3 |
| 2015 F-450 SD | 1 | 4 |
| 2014 F-450 SD | 1 | 4 |
| 2013 F-450 SD | 2 | 8 |
| 2012 F-450 SD | 3 | 7 |
| 2011 F-450 SD | 6 | 8 |
| 2010 F-450 SD | 3 | 6 |
| 2009 F-450 SD | 3 | 5 |
| 2008 F-450 SD | 68 | 3 |
| 2007 F-450 SD | 16 | 1 |
| 2006 F-450 SD | 35 | 1 |
| 2005 F-450 SD | 40 | 4 |
| 2004 F-450 SD | 33 | 2 |
| 2003 F-450 SD | 16 | 5 |
| 2002 F-450 SD | 14 | 4 |
| 2001 F-450 SD | 23 | 7 |
| 2000 F-450 SD | 43 | 5 |
| 1999 F-450 SD | 66 | 9 |
| 1998 F-450 SD | 1 | 2 |
| 1997 | 4 | 3 |
| 1996 F-450 SD | 2 | 2 |
| 1995 F-450 SD | 2 | 2 |
See all Ford F-450 SD 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-450 SD?
Owners most often report engine and engine cooling, suspension, parking brake problems. The top one, engine and engine cooling, accounts for 2 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 1997 Ford F-450 SD?
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-450 SD a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other F-450 SD model years, the 1997 has too little data to compare. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.