1997 Ford F-53 Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other F-53 years
- Not enough data 17th of 27 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 2 recalls: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 3 complaints with NHTSA about the 1997 Ford F-53. That ranks 17th out of 27 F-53 model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is power train (1 complaints, 33%), typically at around 44,750 miles. There are 2 safety recalls covering this model year.
- 3owner complaints
- 2safety recalls
- 0NHTSA investigations
- 0complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 1997 Ford F-53 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Power Train | 1 | 33% | 44,750 | — | — |
| Suspension | 1 | 33% | — | — | — |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 1 | 33% | — | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
1997 Ford F-53 recalls (2)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Vehicle speed control:cruise control
Problem: Ford is recalling 225,000 my 1992-2003 econoline, my 1993-1995 taurus sho, my 1992-1998 crown victoria, my 1993 bronco, f-series, my 1995-1997 f-series super duty stripped chassis, my 1992-1998 mercury grand marquis, and my 1992-1995 lincoln town car vehicles. The affected vehicles were previously repaired using a wiring harness that is not compatible with the vehicle circuit polarity.
Risk: As a result, the fuse is located in the output circuit rather than in the intended input power feed circuit, and may not offer the intended protection in the event of an electrical short to ground.
Fix: Dealers will install a new wiring harness, or replace the mating electrical component. The recall began on february 18, 2008. Owners may contact ford at 1-800-392-3673.
Vehicle speed control
Problem: On certain pickup trucks, passenger vehicles, sport utility vehicles, and motor homes chassis, the speed control deactivation switch may, under certain conditions, leak internally and then overheat, smoke, or burn.
Risk: This could result in an underhood fire.
Fix: Dealers will install a fused wiring harness. Owners of the passenger cars included in this campaign will be instructed to return their vehicles to their dealers to have the speed control deactivation switch disconnected as an interim repair. As soon as repair parts are available (expected october 2007), owners will be instructed to return to the dealers for installation of a fused wiring harness. The recall began on august 13, 2007, and mailing completed by september 19, 2007. Owners may contact ford at 1-888-222-2751.
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.
Recent owner reports
Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.
The speed control kept kicking the transmission back into a lower gear going down state road 64 to patoka lake, when i finally arrived the transmission was so hot, it had started to slip. I tried to back into my camp site, and the transmission started to leak oil all over the pad. After it cooled…
Tl*the contact owns a 1997 ford f53 chassis. In august of 2007, the contact received a recall notice for nhtsa campaign id number 07v336000 (vehicle speed control: cruise control). He received the second notice in october. He called the dealers in the area and the parts for the recall repair were…
The front axle on these chassis's shift and without warning putting the vehicle into a severe front end shimmy. The only way to bring the vehicle under control is to hit the brakes hard and slow the vehicle to approx. 20 mph while in traffic usually at highway speeds creating a hazard to the…
Other Ford F-53 years
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 F-53 | 0 | 2 |
| 2025 F-53 | 1 | 3 |
| 2024 F-53 | 4 | 1 |
| 2023 F-53 | 4 | 1 |
| 2022 F-53 | 4 | 2 |
| 2021 F-53 | 13 | 2 |
| 2020 F-53 | 33 | 2 |
| 2019 F-53 | 6 | 0 |
| 2018 F-53 | 11 | 1 |
| 2017 F-53 | 6 | 1 |
| 2016 F-53 | 15 | 1 |
| 2015 F-53 | 7 | 0 |
| 2014 F-53 | 17 | 1 |
| 2013 F-53 | 8 | 1 |
| 2012 F-53 | 1 | 1 |
| 2011 F-53 | 7 | 1 |
| 2010 F-53 | 1 | 0 |
| 2008 F-53 | 1 | 0 |
| 2003 F-53 | 2 | 0 |
| 2002 F-53 | 0 | 1 |
| 2001 F-53 | 5 | 1 |
| 2000 F-53 | 2 | 1 |
| 1999 F-53 | 15 | 2 |
| 1998 F-53 | 1 | 1 |
| 1997 | 3 | 2 |
| 1996 F-53 | 2 | 2 |
| 1995 F-53 | 6 | 2 |
See all Ford F-53 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 F-53?
Owners most often report power train, suspension, vehicle speed control problems. The top one, power train, accounts for 1 complaint.
Was there a recall on the 1997 Ford F-53?
Yes, 2 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 1997 Ford F-53 a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other F-53 model years, the 1997 has too little data to compare. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.