Problems · by component

1997 Ford F-150 air bags problems

97 owner complaints to NHTSA about the 1997 Ford F-150 cite air bags, 3% of all 2,855 complaints for this model year.

Complaints
97
3% of all complaints
Crashes
81
Reported by owners
Fires
0
Reported by owners
Injuries
57
Reported by owners
01 —Owner reports

What owners say about the air bags

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
“I WAS ON MY WAY TO WORK THE MORNING BEFORE THANKSGIVING. I SHIFTED FROM 2ND TO 3RD GEAR AND THE BACK TIRES HIT A PATCH OF WATER AND I STARTED FISHTAILING. I WENT OFF THE ROAD AND HIT A PATCH OF OAK TREES. ONE HEAD ON. ON IMPACT, THE SEATBELT DID NOT RETRACT AND I HIT THE STEERING WHEEL, THE DASH BROKE APART AND THE ENTIRE STEERING COLUMN MOVED WITH ME AND I HIT THE WINDSHIELD. AFTER HITTING THE WINDSHIELD, THEN THE AIRBAG DEPLOYED. WHEN THE DASH BROKE APART FROM THE STEERING COLUMN MOVING, IT CUT MY SHIN WHICH REQUIRED STITCHES. MY KNEE HIT AROUND THE EMERGENCY BRAKE RELEASE WHICH DROVE MY FEMUR INTO MY HIP FRACTURING IT IN 3 PLACES WHICH REQUIRED 3 TITANIUM PLATES AND SCREWS. I HAD AN OPEN FRACTURE ON MY ARM WHICH WAS THE HEAD OF MY RADIUS (ELBOW) BROKEN OFF WHICH HAD TO BE REPLACED WITH MORE TITANIUM PLATES AND SCREWS. I BROKE THE ORBIT OVER MY LEFT EYE AND SINUS CAVITIES BEHIND IT. I HAD STITCHES AND STAPLES IN MY FOREHEAD THAT WILL NOW LEAVE ME A SCAR FOR LIFE. I SPENT 15 DAYS IN THE HOSPITAL, I'VE MISSED A MONTH AND A HALF FROM WORK AND DON'T KNOW WHEN I CAN GO BACK, ACCUMULATED OVER$80,000.00 IN MEDICAL BILLS, AND I'M STILL IN A WHEELCHAIR. ALL OF THESE…”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jan 6, 2020Air bags, Seat belts, Service brakesCrash reportedODI 11297409
“I WAS IN A WRECK TRAVELING 25 MO MAKING A TURN TO HEAD WEST AND I COLLIDED WITH A SIMI AND MY AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY AT ALL I WAS TOLD BUT EMTS THAT THE WERE SHOCK THAT THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLY THEY TOLD ME THAT THEY SHOULD HAVE.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jun 22, 2018Air bagsCrash reportedODI 11103487
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 FORD F-150. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE HORN ON THE VEHICLE DID NOT SOUND AND THE AIR BAG LIGHT REMAINED ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 186,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Nov 16, 2015Air bagsODI 10790607
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 1997 FORD F-150. WHILE DRIVING AT AN UNKNOWN SPEED AT NIGHT, ANOTHER VEHICLE CRASHED INTO THE DRIVER SIDE OF THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED AND NO INJURIES WERE REPORTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 300,000. UPDATED 09/21/15*LJ UPDATED 11/27/2017*CN”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jul 16, 2015Air bagsCrash reportedODI 10734452
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 FORD F-150. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 55 MPH WHEN HE TURNED THE STEERING WHEEL TO AVOID A CRASH AND CRASHED INTO A DITCH. THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY WITH THE IMPACT. THE CONTACT SUFFERED FROM TWO FRACTURED VERTEBRATES. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED AND TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC BUT HAD NOT BEEN INSPECTED TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE AIR BAG FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE PROBLEM. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 180,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Mar 11, 2014Air bagsCrash reportedODI 10568540
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 FORD F-150. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 8 MPH, ANOTHER VEHICLE CRASHED INTO THE FRONT PASSENGER'S SIDE OF THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE. NEITHER THE DRIVER'S SIDE NOR THE FRONT PASSENGER'S SIDE AIRBAG DEPLOYED. THE DRIVER OF THE VEHICLE SUSTAINED UNKNOWN INJURIES. A POLICE REPORT WAS NOT FILED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 170,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Nov 22, 2013Air bagsCrash reportedODI 10553471

Showing 6 of 97 reports. Read every report on NHTSA.gov.

Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 9, 2026NHTSA vehicle page

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