Problems · by component

1997 Ford F-250 service brakes, hydraulic problems

32 owner complaints to NHTSA about the 1997 Ford F-250 cite service brakes, hydraulic, 9% of all 343 complaints for this model year. NHTSA also lists 1 recall on this component.

Complaints
32
9% of all complaints
Crashes
3
Reported by owners
Fires
1
Reported by owners
Injuries
3
Reported by owners
01 —Owner reports

What owners say about the service brakes, hydraulic

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
“DT*: THE CONTACT STATED AFTER MULTIPLE USES, THE BRAKES WENT TO THE FLOOR WHEN PULLING AN RV IN TOWN. THE DEALERSHIP DETERMINED THE BRAKE FLUID IS BOILING AND THE SYSTEM SHOULD BE FLUSHED, THEN A DIFFERENT TYPE OF BRAKE FLUID PUT IN TO HANDLE THE WEIGHT OF THE RV.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Feb 28, 2006Service brakes, hydraulicODI 10151422
“DT: CONSUMER STATES THAT THE STEEL BRAKE LINES WERE RUSTED. CONSUMER NOTICED THE PROBLEM WHEN HE STEPPED ON THE BRAKES AND THEY WENT TO THE FLOOR IN AUGUST 2004. THEN , IN JUNE 2005 THIS HAPPENED AGAIN ON THE FRONT LINES. IN AUGUST 2004 CONSUMER REPLACED THE BRAKE LINE HIMSELF IN THE REAR, WHICH WAS STILL GOOD. *AK”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jun 29, 2005Service brakes, hydraulicODI 10127014
“WHIEL THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED FOR A FEW DAYS, A MECHANIC NOTICED SMOKE COMING FROM UNDER THE TRUCK. HE OPENED THE HOOD AND THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT WAS ENGULFED IN FLAMES. THE FLAMES WERE COMING FROM THE MASTER CYLINDER. AS THE BRAKE FLUID RESEVOIR MELTED BRAKE FLUID IT MADE THE FIRE BIGGER. NO PROBLEMS WITH THE VEHICLE PRIOR TO THE FIRE. NO AFTER MARKET EQUIPMENT. PHOTOS AND INVESTIGATION REPORT MAILED TO BRUCE YORK. *JB”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Dec 17, 2004Service brakes, hydraulicFire reportedODI 10105010
“PROBLEMS WITH OIL PAN, BRAKES, TRANSMISSION AND EXHAUST MANIFOLD.*MR THE FRONT END CASING CRACKED. THE OIL PAN, BRAKE AND TRANSMISSION LINES RUSTED OUT. THE BOLT HEADS ROTTED OFF FROM THE EXHAUST MANIFOLDS, AND THE HEADS CRACKED AS A RESULT. THE REAR END CAP RUSTED ALONG WITH THE POLLUTION CONTROL VALVES. THE LEFT FRONT TIRE TILTED AS A RESULT IN A CRACKED FRONT END HOUSING LEAVING A 1" GAP. A FRONT TIRE ALIGNMENT WAS NEEDED. *PH *JB”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Sep 2, 2003Suspension, Service brakes, hydraulic, Engine and engine cooling, Power trainODI 10038300
“THE BRAKE PEDAL HAD TO BE PUMPED IN ORDER TO GET THE VEHICLE TO STOP. THE FRONT AND REAR ROTORS HAVE BEEN REPLACED 5 TIMES. THE PARKING BRAKE CABLE FAILED AND WAS REPLACED. THE RADIATOR FAILED 3 TIMES AND THE HEATER CORE FAILED. *TS *NLM”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Nov 15, 2002Service brakes, hydraulic, Parking brake, Engine and engine coolingODI 8022809
“MILEAGE IS 113,086. HAVE ABS. BRAKE LINES TO BOTH REAR WHEEL HAVE RUBBED AGAINST MOVING PART OF SHOCK ABSORBERS. THE RUBBER COVERING OF BRAKE LINES IS WORN OFF COMPLETELY AND PART OF METAL IS WORN. FORD DOUBLE INSULATED THE BRAKE LINES SO IT IS CLEAR THEY KNOW THE LINES WERE RUBBING AGAINS THE SHOCK ABSORBERS. IF THESE LINES WERE TO WEAR THROUGH AND FLUID SPRAYED OUT, I DREAD TO THINK WHAT WOULD HAPPEN. TO REPEAT: REAR BRAKE LINES ARE RUBBING AGAINS PART OF SHOCK ABSORBERS, THUS WEARING AWAY ALL THE INSULATION ON LINE.*AK”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Aug 11, 2002Service brakes, hydraulicODI 765497

Showing 6 of 32 reports. Read every report on NHTSA.gov.

Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 13, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
02 —Related recalls

1 recall on this component

Service brakes

Free remedy

THE RETAINER CLIP THAT HOLDS THE MASTER CYLINDER PUSH ROD TO THE BRAKE PEDAL ARM IS MISSING.

Service brakes, hydraulicReported Sep 25, 1996NHTSA 96V184000
Data from NHTSA Recalls API · synced Nov 13, 2026

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