Problems · by component

1997 Ford F-150 fuel system, gasoline problems

222 owner complaints to NHTSA about the 1997 Ford F-150 cite fuel system, gasoline, 8% of all 2,855 complaints for this model year. NHTSA also lists 2 recalls on this component.

Complaints
222
8% of all complaints
Crashes
4
Reported by owners
Fires
10
Reported by owners
Injuries
2
Reported by owners
01 —Owner reports

What owners say about the fuel system, gasoline

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
“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
“1997 FORD F150 4.6L 4X4 FUEL LINE IS LEAKING ABOVE THE TRANSMISSION WHERE THE LINES CONNECT BETWEEN THE FUEL FILTER AND THE TOP REAR OF ENGINE. FUEL LINES ARE RUBBING ON THE FRAME OF THE TRUCK. FORD HAS RECALLED OVER 600,000 OF THIS MODEL TRUCK FOR THIS PROBLEM IN AUGUST, 2000, (FORD MFG. RECALL# 00S22) BUT AFTER SPEAKING WITH FORD MOTOR COMPANY, THEY STATED THAT MY TRUCK WAS NOT A PART OF THE RECALLED TRUCKS EVEN THOUGH MY TRUCK FIT ALL OF THE CRITERIA, SUCH AS MODEL, DATE, TIME, AND PLACE OF MANUFACTURE TO THE LETTER. I WAS TOLD THAT LESS THAN ONE PERCENT OF TRUCKS WERE AFFECTED EVEN THOUGH FORD RECALLED OVER 600,000 OF THESE TRUCKS FOR THIS ISSUE.I'VE HAD A PREVIOUS ISSUE WITH FUEL TANK FALLING OUT OF TRUCK DUE TO FAULTY STRAPS. FORD REPLACED STRAPS, BUT WOULD NOT REPAIR DAMAGED FUEL TANK. THE FUEL SYSTEM IN THIS TRUCK IS VERY SUSPECT. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Aug 14, 2013Fuel system, gasolineODI 10535297
“I WENT TO A AUTOMOTIVE SHOP TO HAVE SOME BRAKE WORK DONE ON MY 1997 FORD F-150 TRUCK. THE MECHANIC SAID I HAVE SOMETHING TO SHOW YOU & WHAT THEY SHOW WAS ONE OF MY FUEL TANK STRAP WAS BROKEN AND ALSO THEY SAID MY GAS TANK DROP DOWN A LITTLE.SO I CALL A FORD DEALER & THEY SAY THERE NO RECALL ON MY 1997 FORD F-150 FUEL TANK STRAP IN VIRGINIA BUT IN OTHER STATES IT IS. I TOLD THEM ACCORDING TO THE NHTSA , IT IS ! NO HELP FROM FORD DEALER. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Aug 2, 2013Fuel system, gasolineODI 10533297
“1997 FORD F-150. CONSUMER WRITES IN CONCERNING SAFETY RECALL 11V385000 REGARDING FUEL TANKS *TGW THE CONSUMER STATED THE FUEL TANK STRAPS WERE REPLACED ON SEPTEMBER 28, 2011. PRIOR TO THE REPLACEMENT, THE CONSUMER DID NOT HAVE ANY PROBLEMS FUELING HIS TANK. AFTER THE STRAPS WERE REPLACED, HE STARTED HAVING PROBLEMS WITH FUEL LEAKING ON THE GROUND AFTER FILLING THE TANK. THE CONSUMER RETURNED TO THE DEALER. AN INSPECTION REVEALED A CRACK ON THE FILLER NECK ON THE TANK. THE DEALER STATED THEY WERE NOT RESPONSIBLE AS THEY ONLY REPLACED THE STRAPS. THE HOSE CLAMPS, FUEL TANK AND FILLER SPOUT WERE RUSTED. *JB”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Aug 21, 2012Fuel system, gasolineODI 10471063
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 FORD F-150. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED WHEN HE NOTICED THAT THE FUEL TANK WAS HANGING ON BY ONE OF ITS STRAPS. THE CONTACT EXAMINED THE VEHICLE AND NOTICED THAT ONE OF THE FUEL TANK STRAPS WAS FRACTURED AND THE SECOND STRAP WAS CORRODED. THE CONTACT REPAIRED THE STRAPS HIMSELF. THE VEHICLE WAS EVENTUALLY TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER AND THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL ASSOCIATED WITH NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 11V385000 (FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY:MOUNTING). THE MANUFACTURER WAS ALSO NOTIFIED AND STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 170,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Apr 19, 2012Fuel system, gasolineODI 10455792
“NOTICED GAS PORING FROM TANK AS I WAS REFILLING. LOOKED UNDER TO SEE STRAP ROTTED AND BROKEN. SCHEDULED TO HAVE STRAP FIXED FRI 4/6/12 BUT FROM WHAT I READ,THEY WONT FIX LEAK CAUSED BY STRAP. SO TANK WILL CONTINUE TO LEAK. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Apr 5, 2012Fuel system, gasolineODI 10454207

Showing 6 of 222 reports. Read every report on NHTSA.gov.

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

2 recalls on this component

Fuel system

Remedy pending

FORD IS RECALLING CERTAIN 1997 THROUGH 2003 MODEL YEAR FORD F-150, 2004 MODEL YEAR FORD F-150 HERITAGE, 1997 THROUGH 1999 MODEL YEAR F-250 LESS THAN 8,500 LBS. GROSS VEHICLE WEIGHT RATING (GVWR), AND 2002 AND 2003 LINCOLN BLACKWOOD VEHICLES MANUFACTURED FROM JUNE 20, 1995, THROUGH AUGUST 4, 2004, ORIGINALLY SOLD, OR CURRENTLY REGISTERED IN, CONNECTICUT, DELAWARE, ILLINOIS, INDIANA, IOWA, KENTUCKY, MAINE, MARYLAND, MASSACHUSETTS, MICHIGAN, MINNESOTA, MISSOURI, NEW HAMPSHIRE, NEW JERSEY, NEW YORK, OHIO, PENNSYLVANIA, RHODE ISLAND, VERMONT, WEST VIRGINIA, WISCONSIN, AND THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA. PROLONGED EXPOSURE TO ROAD DEICING CHEMICALS MAY CAUSE SEVERE CORROSION OF THE FUEL TANK STRAPS WHICH SECURE THE TANK TO THE VEHICLE.

Fuel system, gasolineReported Jul 29, 2011NHTSA 11V385000

Fuel system

Free remedy

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: LIGHT DUTY PICKUP TRUCKS MANUFACTURED AT THE KANSAS CITY OR NORFOLK ASSEMBLY PLANTS. THE FRONT FUEL LINE ASSEMBLY COULD HAVE A HOLE RUBBED THROUGH IN ONE OF TWO LOCATIONS. THE FIRST LOCATION IS BELOW THE FUEL RAIL CONNECTION WHERE THE FLEXIBLE HOSE IS CRIMPED TO THE STEEL TUBE. THE BRACKET THAT ATTACHES THE FRONT FUEL LINE TO THE TRANSMISSION COULD HAVE BEEN BENT DURING ASSEMBLY. THE SECOND LOCATION IS AT THE REAR STEEL TUBE SECTION FORWARD OF THE REAR BRACKET. DURING INSTALLATION THE REAR STEEL TUBES OF THE FRONT FUEL LINE ASSEMBLY COULD HAVE BEEN BENT DOWNWARD. IN VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH A MANUAL 4XZ4 TRANSFER CASE SHIFTER, THE SHIFTER LINKAGE MAY CONTACT THE STEEL TUBES AS IT IS BEING SHIFTED BETWEEN 4H, 4L, 2L AND NEUTRAL.

Fuel system, gasolineReported Aug 17, 2000NHTSA 00V231000
Data from NHTSA Recalls API · synced Nov 9, 2026

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