Problems · NHTSA complaints

1997 Ford F-150 problems

Owners filed 2,855 complaints about the 1997 Ford F-150 with NHTSA between May 1995 and Apr 2024. The most-cited component is engine and engine cooling (554).

Complaints
2,855
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
168
Reported by owners
Fires
275
Reported by owners
Injuries
133
People reported injured
Deaths
14
Reported to NHTSA
01 —By component

Complaints by component

One complaint can cite several components
  1. Engine and engine cooling554
  2. Tires310
  3. Structure234
  4. Vehicle speed control228
  5. Fuel system, gasoline222
  6. Electrical system209
  7. Service brakes, hydraulic209
  8. Suspension205
  9. Steering204
  10. Visibility146
  11. Power train144
  12. Wheels112
  13. Air bags97
  14. Equipment50

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.

Data from NHTSA Complaints API · synced Nov 9, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
02 —Trend

When complaints were filed

Does it get worse with age? Complaints per calendar year filed
View as table
Model yearComplaints filed per calendar year
19951
199659
1997159
1998258
1999263
2000468
2001290
2002210
2003183
2004120
2005282
200694
200760
200852
200922
201057
2011168
201235
201311
201415
201517
20169
20174
20182
20190
20207
20213
20221
20234
20241

Mileage at failure isn’t a structured field in NHTSA complaint data, so we don’t chart it. Some owners mention it in their reports below.

03 —Owner reports

Top problems in owners’ words

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first

Engine and engine cooling

554 reports5 crashes40 fires
“WHEN I FIRST BOUGHT THE TRUCK IN 2001, THE ENGINE HAD APPROXIMATELY 82K MILES. I WAS HAVING A HARD TIME STARTING AND SOMETIMES IT WOULD NOT START. AT FIRST THE DEALER THOUGHT IT WAS THE STARTER AND THEY REPLACED IT. THEY TOLD ME TO TAKE IT TO PEPBOYS TO GET THE STARTER REPLACED. WHEN THEY STARTED THE CAR A MASS OF GRAY SMOKE COME OUT OF THE TAIL PIPE. TWO DAYS LATER THE ENGINE FROZE. SINCE I HAD A WARRANTY AGREEMENT I TOOK THE TRUCK TO A LOCAL FORD DEALER, THEY STATED IT HAD HYDROLOCKED AND THE ENGINE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE WARRANTY COMPANY SENT OUT A SHORT BLOCK AND FORD COMPLETED THE REST OF THE REPAIRS. AT THE BEGINNING OF APRIL, MY DAUGHTER WAS USING MY TRUCK AND SHE DROVE IT TO MY HOUSE AND PARKED IT OUT FRONT. IT SAT FOR 2 WEEKS, WHEN I WENT TO START IT, IT WOULD NOT TURN OVER. REPLACE THE BATTERY AND IT STILL WOULD NOT TURN OVER. AT THAT TIME THE STARTER SMOKED AND TOOK THE TRUCK TO A MECHANIC WHO REPLACED THE STARTER. HE TRIED TO TURN IT OVER AND IT WOULD NOT TURN. HE STATED THEY TRIED USING A TORQUE WRENCH AND STILL COULD NOT TURN THE MOTOR. THE MECHANIC RECOMMENDED THAT THE ENGINE BE REPLACED. I HAD THE TRUCK TOWED TO MY HOME. AFTER READING THE…”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Apr 24, 2012Engine and engine coolingODI 10456371

Tires

310 reports15 crashes1 related recall
“DRIVING AT 40 MPH IN 1997 FORD F-150 PICKUP ON 4 LANE HIGHWAY. HEARD NOISE TOWARDS REAR OF VEHICLE. NO COLLISION SPARE TIRE EXITED BOTTOM OF BED . BOUNCED ON ROADWAY ACROSS TRAFFIC ON OTHER SIDE OF 4 LANE ON COMING TRAFFIC BEHIND THEN AND IN FRONT OF VEHICLES. SOMEHOW NO ONE COLLIDED WITH THE ROLLING SPARE TIRE AS IT EXITED THE ROADWAY TO THE SHOULD OF ROADWAY. TIRE NOW IN BED OF TRUCK NOT UNDERNEATH UNTIL I CAN REPAIR DUE TO BROKEN CABLE THAT SUPPORTED TIRE. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Apr 16, 2010Structure, TiresODI 10326073

Structure

234 reports1 crash3 fires
“The contact owns a 1997 Ford F-150. The contact stated that the rear passenger’s side subframe near the axle of the vehicle was severely corroded. The dealer and the manufacturer were not notified of the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired. The approximate failure mileage was 134,788.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Oct 1, 2021StructureODI 11435115

Vehicle speed control

228 reports14 crashes95 fires3 related recalls
“1997 Ford F150, had recall 25527072 05S28 performed in March of 2006. The switch installed as part of the recall has failed and brake fluid has leaked from the switched and the harness. It is not apparent that the switch is leaking until the harness connector is removed from the switch. The integrity of the brake system is compromised and the previous recall was for fires because of brake fluid in the wire harness. UPDATE 5/11/23 BRAKE SWITCH HARMESS RECALL 05S28 WAS REPLACED WITH A MITORCRAFT PART SW6350 AND CONSUMER IS REQUESTUING REFUND FOR PARTS FROM FORD.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Apr 17, 2023Vehicle speed control, Service brakesODI 11517479

Fuel system, gasoline

222 reports4 crashes10 fires2 related recalls
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 FORD F-150. THE CONTACT HAD TAKEN THE VEHICLE TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC TO HAVE HIS BRAKES SERVICED. WHILE THERE, HE WAS INFORMED OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 00V231000 (FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE). THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO VANCOUVER FORD, INC. (6801 NE 40TH ST, VANCOUVER, WA 98661) WHERE HE WAS INFORMED BY THE MECHANIC THAT THE RECALL REQUIRED FOR HIM TO CHECK THE PVC VALVE AND THE FUEL LINE. AS PER THE MECHANIC, THERE WERE NO ISSUES WITH THE VEHICLE AND NO REPAIRS WERE PERFORMED ON THE VEHICLE. THE RECALL WAS THEN REMOVED FROM HIS VIN. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE AT A COMPLETE STOP, THE VEHICLE STALLED AND SHUTOFF WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT WHILE AT A COMPLETE STOP WHILE DEPRESSING THE BRAKE PEDAL, THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED FORWARD WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT REPLACED THE PCV VALVE AND THE PCV HOSE HIMSELF HOWEVER, THE FAILURE PERSISTED. THE MANUFACTURER HAD BEEN NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND THE PREVIOUS RECALL ON HIS VEHICLE. THE MANUFACTURER INFORMED HIM THAT THERE WERE NO RECALLS ON HIS VEHICLE AND OFFERED HIM NO FURTHER ASSISTANCE. THE VEHICLE HAD YET TO BE REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 154,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Aug 20, 2020Fuel system, gasolineODI 11350429

Electrical system

209 reports1 crash129 fires
“The contact owned a 1997 Ford F-150. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked at the residence, the contact noticed smoke coming from the driver's side from the bottom of the front tire. The vehicle then caught on fire. The fire department came to extinguish the fire. A fire report was filed. The cause of the fire was an electrical engine component. There were no injuries and no medical attention needed. The vehicle remained at the residence and was not repaired. The vehicle was deemed a total loss. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 200,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jun 3, 2022Electrical systemFire reportedODI 11467315
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 9, 2026

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.