1997 Ford F Series (light) Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other F Series (light) years
- Far more complaints than other years 1st of 8 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- None on file
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 15 complaints with NHTSA about the 1997 Ford F Series (light). That is the most of any F Series (light) model year in the database (8 years). The most reported problem area is engine and engine cooling (5 complaints, 33%), typically at around 115,306 miles. Complaints mention 2 fires. There are no safety recalls on file for this model year. NHTSA has opened 1 defect investigation involving it.
- 15owner complaints
- 0safety recalls
- 1NHTSA investigations
- 0complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 1997 Ford F Series (light) 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 | 5 | 33% | 115,306 | — | — |
| Electrical System | 3 | 20% | 63,505 | — | — |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 3 | 20% | 159,000 | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 1 | 7% | 50,000 | — | — |
| Structure | 1 | 7% | 92,303 | — | — |
| Suspension | 1 | 7% | 87,000 | — | — |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 1 | 7% | 147,000 | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
1997 Ford F Series (light) recalls (0)
No safety recalls are on file for the 1997 Ford F Series (light).
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.
Recent owner reports
Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.
Front drivers side spark plug blew out of engine and destroyed coil pack ripping the threads out of the head. *tr
Our mechanic noticed that one of the straps at the rear of the gas tank was missing, and when filling up our 1997 ford f150, the tank was getting close to being filled, gas started spewing out of the fill tube. We looked under the truck and noticed that the fill tube had shifted due to the rear…
1997 ford f-150 . The gas tank straps have begun to rot and have chaffed the gas tank to the point there are some gas vapors escaping. Not a full blown leak at this point. I will begin the process of repairing to avoid fire/explosion. *tr
One gas tank strap broke on my 97 ford f150 a few months later the other one broke. I dropped and dragged the gas tank which began to leak. I don't drive that vehicle too much. I was very lucky there was no fire or explosion. *tr
The front brakes on my 1997 ford f150 lock up. While driving the brakes gradually overheat from a failure of the calipers to return to their non-braking position. I have replaced the rubber brake lines, replaced the disk brake pads. Turned the rotors, lubricated the sliding portions of the calipers…
Other Ford F Series (light) years
← 1996 F Series (light) · 1998 F Series (light) →
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2002 F Series (light) | 13 | 0 |
| 2001 F Series (light) | 10 | 0 |
| 2000 F Series (light) | 3 | 0 |
| 1999 F Series (light) | 6 | 0 |
| 1998 F Series (light) | 1 | 0 |
| 1997 | 15 | 0 |
| 1996 F Series (light) | 2 | 0 |
| 1995 F Series (light) | 1 | 0 |
See all Ford F Series (light) 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 Series (light)?
Owners most often report engine and engine cooling, electrical system, fuel system, gasoline problems. The top one, engine and engine cooling, accounts for 5 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 1997 Ford F Series (light)?
No safety recalls are on file for this model year.
Was the 1997 Ford F Series (light) a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other F Series (light) model years, the 1997 has far more complaints than most years. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.