Problems · by component
1997 Ford F-150 electrical system problems
209 owner complaints to NHTSA about the 1997 Ford F-150 cite electrical system, 7% of all 2,855 complaints for this model year.
Complaints
209
7% of all complaints
Crashes
1
Reported by owners
Fires
129
Reported by owners
Injuries
5
Reported by owners
What owners say about the electrical system
Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
“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.”
“MY INTERIOR AND BACK EXTERIOR LIGHTS COME ON AND GO OFF RANDOMLY SOMETIMES WHILE DRIVING ON THE ROADS. THE LIGHT IN THE BACK ABOVE THE TRUCK BED IS BOTHERSOME BECAUSE IT COULD CAUSE ATTENTION OF ANOTHER DRIVER CAUSING A ACCIDENT. MY MOTHER ALSO HAS A FORD F150 THAT DOES THE SAME, HOWEVER HER TRUCK ISN'T THE SAME YEAR.”
“DECEMBER 3, 2020...MY HUSBAND DROVE THE TRUCK OVER TO A FRIENDS HOUSE. AFTER BEING THERE FOR APPROXIMATELY 2 HOURS HIS FRIEND WALKED IN THE BUILDING WHERE HE WAS AND SAID, 'HEY MAN, YOUR TRUCK IS ON FIRE!' EVERYONE RUSHED OUTSIDE TO SEE THE TRUCK WAS IN FACT ON FIRE. THEY CALLED THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WHO CAME AND FINISHED EXTINGUISHING THE FIRE. IT APPEARS THE FIRE STARTED ON THE DRIVERS SIDE NEAR THE TIRE, OR BEHIND THE DASH. I DID NOT EVEN THINK TO CHECK FOR A RECALL, BUT A FRIEND TOLD ME TO CHECK BECAUSE HE WAS AWARE THERE WAS A RECALL. SURE ENOUGH, THERE IS A RECALL AND IT DESCRIBES WHAT HAPPENED TO MY TRUCK EXACTLY. NHTSA RECALL NUMBER: 05V017000 DATE: JAN 27, 2005 FORD RECALL NUMBER: 05528”
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 FORD F-150. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT 68 MPH, THE CRUISE CONTROL AND WINDSHIELD WIPER BLADES STOP OPERATING, ALONG WITH THE DRIVER SIDE WINDOW INADVERTENTLY OPENING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE COMPUTER THAT CONTROLS THE CAB NEEDED REPLACEMENT. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE FAILURES PERSISTED AND THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO ANOTHER DEALER WHERE THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE NEW COMPUTER WAS NOT OPERABLE AND WAS TOLD THAT THE COMPUTER WAS ON BACK ORDER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 189,000.”
“MY TRUCK WAS TURNED OFF IN MY DRIVEWAY FOR ABOUT AN HOUR AND IT CAUGHT ON FIRE UNDER THE HOOD. A NEIGHBOR CAME TO TELL US AND THE FIRE DEPARTMENT HAD TO COME PUT OUT THE FIRE.”
“DRIVING AT NORMAL SPEED (45 MPH), NO ABNORMAL NOISES OR VIBRATIONS PRESENT. LOUD BANG NOISE CAME FROM WITHIN ENGINE BAY, AND TRUCK BEGAN TO SPUTTER AND STUMBLE VERY BADLY. CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND PRECEDED TO FLASH, PUT TRUCK INTO NEUTRAL AND ROLLED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD WHERE TRUCK WAS SHUT OFF. EXCESSIVE FUEL WAS FOUND ON TOP OF THE ENGINE AT THE THIRD CYLINDER FROM THE FRONT ON THE PASSENGER SIDE (4.6L V8 ENGINE). SPARK PLUG WAS SEPARATED FROM THE WIRE AND LYING ON TOP OF ENGINE. SPARK PLUG BOOT WAS MELTED AND SMOKING SUGGESTING IT WAS PREVIOUSLY BURNING. SPARK PLUG WAS %100 COVERED BY BURNT SOOTY MATERIAL. *TR”
Showing 6 of 209 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.