1997 Ford F-150 Recalls, Complaints & Specs

14 safety recalls list the 1997 Ford F-150, and owners have filed 2,758 complaints with NHTSA. Check your own VIN below.

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14 safety recalls for the 1997 Ford F-150

Most recent first. Recall repairs are free at any authorised dealer. Click a recall for the full defect, consequence and remedy text.

1. Mounting (fuel system)

   NHTSA 11V385000 Reported July 29, 2011 1,100,000 vehicles potentially affected FORD MOTOR COMPANY

   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…

   Remedy: Ford will notify owners and instruct them to take their vehicles to a ford or lincoln dealer to have the fuel tank straps replaced with straps that have increased corrosion protection. Early in this campaign, if…

2. Vehicle speed control

   NHTSA 05V388000 Reported September 7, 2005 4,500,000 vehicles potentially affected FORD MOTOR COMPANY

   On certain pickup trucks and sport utility vehicles equipped with speed control, the speed control deactivation switch may overheat, smoke, or burn.

   Remedy: By letter dated september 12, 2005, owners were instructed to return their vehicles to their dealers to have the speed control deactivation switch disconnected. Owners who have had their speed control deactivated are…

3. Shaft sector (steering)

   NHTSA 03V196000 Reported May 27, 2003 171,446 vehicles potentially affected FORD MOTOR COMPANY

   On certain pickup trucks and sport utility vehicles, if the intermediate shaft yoke separates from the steering gear input shaft, the steering system becomes disconnected.

   Remedy: Dealers will inspect the steering intermediate shaft yoke to determine if the yoke is fully seated on the steering gear input shaft. If the yoke is fully seated no service is required. If the yoke is not fully seated…

4. Hoses, lines/piping, and fittings (fuel system)

   NHTSA 00V231000 Reported August 17, 2000 670,509 vehicles potentially affected FORD MOTOR COMPANY

   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…

   Remedy: Dealers will inspect these lines and replace the front fuel line assembly if necessary. Owner notification began october 27, 2000. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date…

5. Exterior lighting

   NHTSA 00V168000 Reported June 19, 2000 20,637 vehicles potentially affected FORD MOTOR COMPANY

   Vehicle description: MINI vans, light pickup trucks, and sport utility vehicles. Off lease canadian vehicles equipped with daytime running lights which meet canadian requirements and not the photometric requirements of FMVSS 108, "lamps, reflective devices, and associated equipment." according to ford, the vehicles were imported into…

   Remedy: Dealers will be advised to deactivate the running light function and to complete any outstanding safety recalls on these vehicles.

6. Tank assembly (fuel system) and leaf spring assembly (suspension)

   NHTSA 98V161000 Reported July 15, 1998 202,000 vehicles potentially affected FORD MOTOR COMPANY

   Vehicle description: light duty 4-wheel drive pickup trucks. If the vehicle is overloaded, the rear leaf springs can be overstressed. A fatigue fracture of the spring can occur. The center leaf of the spring can fracture at the forward edge of the spring seat and, in some cases, contact the fuel tank.

   Remedy: Dealers will inspect the rear springs and install an additional clip on the forward end of the rear springs to prevent fuel tank contact in the event of a leaf fracture. Any fractured springs will be replaced.

7. Lugs/nuts/bolts/studs (wheels)

   NHTSA 98V095000 Reported May 13, 1998 1,520,000 vehicles potentially affected FORD MOTOR COMPANY

   Vehicle description: multi-purpose vehicles and light duty pickup trucks. The lug nuts on these vehicles may not create sufficient clamp load allowing wheel movement in relation to the hub/rotor mounting surface.

   Remedy: Owners of these vehicles will be receiving two notifications. The first notification, which began in may 1998, will provide an interim repair procedure until parts become available. This interim procedure can be…

8. Accelerator pedal (vehicle speed control)

   NHTSA 98V007000 Reported January 21, 1998 45,000 vehicles potentially affected FORD MOTOR COMPANY

   Vehicle description: light duty pickup trucks equipped with a 4.2l engine and originally sold or currently registered in one of the following states: alaska, montana, north dakota, minnesota, wisconsin, new york, vermont, new hampshire, maine, michigan, idaho, wyoming, south dakota, colorado, nebraska, kansas, iowa, missouri, illinois,…

   Remedy: Dealers will install a revised pcv system on these vehicles.

9. Gear position indication (prndl) (power train)

   NHTSA 97V171000 Reported October 7, 1997 866,000 vehicles potentially affected FORD MOTOR COMPANY

   Vehicle description: light duty pickup trucks and multi-purpose passenger vehicles. If the automatic transmission shift cable assembly was not fully attached to the steering column bracket, the shift cable assembly can come out of the bracket. The vehicle operator would then not be able to shift the transmission from one of the drive…

   Remedy: Dealers will make the proper attachment of the transmission shift control cable to the steering column bracket and add a tie strap to that connection.

10. Automatic transmission (power train)

    NHTSA 97V147000 Reported September 9, 1997 15,500 vehicles potentially affected FORD MOTOR COMPANY

    Vehicle description: light duty pickup trucks. The transmission bracket end fitting can separate from the shift cable assembly resulting in operator inability to shift the transmission from one of the drive gear positions into the park position.

    Remedy: Dealers will install a new transmission shift control cable.

11. Anchorage (seat belts)

    NHTSA 96V256000 Reported December 27, 1996 133,000 vehicles potentially affected FORD MOTOR COMPANY

    The seat elt anchorage attachments are missing or misinstalled on these vehicles.

    Remedy: Dealers will inspect and, as necessary, repair the seat belt anchorage attachments.

12. Vehicle speed control

    NHTSA 96V251000 Reported December 18, 1996 22,000 vehicles potentially affected FORD MOTOR COMPANY

    Vehicles originally sold or currently registered in the following states: alaska, montana, north dakota, minnesota, wisconsin, michigan (upper peninsula), new york, maine, vermont, and new hampshire. Operation at highway speeds during extreme cold, northern climate winter conditions, can result in ice forming in the throttle body of the…

    Remedy: Dealers will install a foam insulating sleeve on the line from the pcv to the hose fitting on the throttle plate.

13. Master cylinder (service brakes)

    NHTSA 96V184000 Reported September 25, 1996 1,200 vehicles potentially affected FORD MOTOR COMPANY

    The retainer clip that holds the master cylinder push rod to the brake pedal arm is missing.

    Remedy: Dealers will inspect to verify that the retainer clips are installed and if clips are missing will install clips.

14. Labels (equipment)

    NHTSA 96V161000 Reported August 29, 1996 134,770 vehicles potentially affected FORD MOTOR COMPANY

    The certification labels on the involved vehicles has incorrect rear tire inflation pressure designations. This does not comply with FMVSS no. 120, "tire selection and rims for motor vehicles other than passenger cars."

    Remedy: Owners will be provided with correct certification labels and instructions for installing these labels. Dealers can install this label if the owner so desires.

2,758 owner complaints filed with NHTSA

Owners of the 1997 Ford F-150 have filed 2,758 complaints with NHTSA; 165 describe a crash and 262 describe a fire. Reports cite 127 injuries and 14 deaths. The average mileage at failure in those reports is 115,991 miles. Complaints peaked in 2000 with 464 filed that year.

Most-reported components

• Engine and engine cooling: engine198
• Tires168
• Structure: door164
• Fuel system, gasoline155
• Tires: tread/belt137
• Engine and engine cooling: gasoline136
• Engine and engine cooling128
• Service brakes, hydraulic: antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip111

What owners are reporting

“The contact owns a 1997 Ford F-150. The contact stated that while driving at undisclosed speeds, the transmission hesitated while shifting gears. The contact stated that when the gear changed, the veh”

Owner complaint to NHTSA, April 11, 2024 · Power train

“on two occasions now while traversing a slight downgrade (approx 8-10mph) applied brake (per pedal) and vehicle failed to stop! (felt as though it was sliding) which it wasn't. continued to roll! afte”

Owner complaint to NHTSA, October 30, 2023 · Service brakes

Fuel economy and specs

EPA ratings for the 1997 Ford F150 (F150 Pickup 2WD, F150 Pickup 4WD). Ranges cover every tested configuration.

Compare Ford F-150 model years

Recall and complaint counts for every Ford F-150 model year in NHTSA's database.

Checking a specific 1997 Ford F-150

Other Ford models

• Explorer34,566 complaints
• Escape27,430 complaints
• Fusion22,405 complaints
• Focus22,096 complaints
• Taurus18,159 complaints
• Windstar14,158 complaints
• Edge14,065 complaints
• Expedition9,359 complaints

Source: NHTSA recall and complaint databases and EPA fuel economy data, October 2026. Complaint counts are owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects. Recall counts are safety campaigns that list this model year; whether a particular car was already repaired depends on its VIN. How this data is compiled.