NHTSA Owner Complaint Log
This page lists owner-reported complaints filed with NHTSA for the 1997 Ford F-150. Complaints are unverified consumer reports submitted to NHTSA and do not by themselves prove a defect or defect rate.
Data synced from NHTSA on May 4, 2026
THE PAINT WAS OXIDIZING IN SEVERAL PLACES. THE DEALER WAS CONTACTED BUT DID NOTHING BECAUSE THE VEHICLE WAS OUT OF WARRANTY. *NLM
THE ENGINE WAS REPLACED BECAUSE OF A KNOCKING NOISE.*JB
GOODYEAR TIRE HAD LOW PRESSURE, CAUSING THEM TO BLOWOUT. IN ADDITION, CONSUMER REPLACED WHEELS:CAP/COVER/HUB, AND EXHAUST SYSTEM.*AK
THE INNER TIE ROD ASSEMBLY FAILED. *JB
A TIE ROD FELL OFF WHILE DRIVING. THE FRONT ENGINE SEAL AND INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET FAILED RESULTING IN AND ANTIFREEZE LEAK. SOME OF THE VEHICLES LIGHTS (DOME LIGHT AND DASH LIGHT) STAYED ON ALTHOUGH THE VEHICLE WAS TURNED OFF. *AK *NLM
WHILE BACKING OUT OF THE DRIVEWAY, THE CONSUMER TURNED THE STEERING WHEEL, AND IT CONTINUED TO TURN WITHOUT STOPPING. THE CONSUMER OPENED THE HOOD AND NOTICED THE STEERING WHEEL SHAFT HAD SEPARATED FROM THE STEERING BOX. *JB
ENGINE CHECK LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THERE WERE REPAIRS DONE TO THE VEHICLE, BUT THE LIGHT STILL ILLUMINATED. PLEASE PROVIDE DETAILS.*AK
ENGINE MOTOR WAS MAKING A KNOCKING NOISE, AND HAS NO OIL PRESSURE. THIS COULD RESULT IN THE ENGINE BLOWING UP. CAUSE UNKNOWN.*AK
THERE IS A CRACK IN THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDE DOOR WHERE THE WINDOW STARTS. *AK
REAR WINDSHIELD LEAKS. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR REPAIRS, BUT THE PROBLEM STILL EXISTS.*AK
THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR RECALL # 03V196000, HOWEVER AFTER THE MECHANIC STARTED TO WORK ON THE VEHICLE, HE INFORMED THE CONSUMER THAT ALL THE PARTS WERE NOT AVAILABLE, AND TO TAKE THE CAR AND THEY WOULD CALL CONSUMER WHEN THE PARTS ARRIVED, THE CONSUMER FELT UNSAFE DRIVING THE VEHICLE, AND THEREFORE THE VEHICLE WAS AT THE SHOP FOR 4 DAYS. *JB
WHILE MAKING RIGHT OR LEFT TURNS STEERING WHEEL BECOMES HARD TO TURN DUE TO POWER STEERING.*AK
THE TRUCK WAS BUILT WITH THE EXHAUST EXITING IN FRONT OF THE RIGHT REAR TIRE, WHICH CAUSED EXCESSIVE HEAT TO THE TIRE AND A BURNING SMELL. THE HUB CAPS AND WHEELS WERE DISCOLORED, AND THE REAR AXLE SEAL LEAKED, ALL THESE PROBLEMS WERE CAUSED BY THE DEFECTIVE EXHAUST SYSTEM WHICH WAS DUE TO THE EXTREME HEAT. THE REAR OIL SEAL LEAKED OIL. *MR *PH *JB
THE PASSENGER REAR TIRE KEEPS GOING FLAT. CAUSE IS UNKWOWN. *AK
PROBLEMS WITH STEERING ON 1997 FORD F150. *MR THE CONSUMER'S VEHICLE WASN'T INCLUDED IN RECALL # 03V196000. THE PROBLEM WAS INTERMITTENT IN THE CONSUMER'S VEHICLE AND CONTINUED. THE CONSUMER WAS CONCERNED FOR HER FAMILIES SAFETY AND THE POSSIBLE SIDE AFFECT WHICH MAY OCCUR. *SCC *JB
CONSUMER STATES RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER, AND DEALER STATED THAT VEHICLE WAS FINE. DEALER NEVER LOOKED AT CAR.*AK.
THE SHOULDER BELT ON THE PASSENGER SIDE RETRACTED BACK INTO THE HOLSTER. THE BELT COULD NO LONGER BE USED UNTIL REPAIRED. THE OWNER CONTACTED THE MANUFACTURE AND THEY REFUSED ANY ASSISTANCE. A RECALL WAS ISSUED ON THE SEAT BELTS DECEMBER 1996 FOR MISSING OR INCORRECTLY INSTALLED SEAT BELT ANCHORAGE ATTACHMENT. NHTSA RECALL CAMPAIGN #96V256000. *NLM *SCC *JB
CONSUMER WAS ATTEMPTING TO MERGE ONTO HIGHWAY AND DEPRESSED GAS PEDAL FOR ACCELERATION, B UT VEHICLE DID NOT HAVE SUFFICIENT POWER FOR ACCELERATION AND JERKED EXCESSIVELY.*AK
CONSUMER STATES THAT WHEN DRIVING AND WIND BLOWING VEHICLE'S FRONT END WANDERS EXCESSIVELY, MAKING IT VERY DIFFICULT TO MAINTAIN CONTROL.*AK
CONSUMER STATES THAT VEHICLE IS EQUIPPED WITH SELF CONTAINED BALL JOINTS. THESE BALL JOINT DO NOT NEED TO BE GREASED. OVER TIME THE BALL JOINTS DEVELOP A SQUEAK AND NEED REPLACING. *AK
CONSUMER STATES THAT VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A REAR END COLLISION, AND NONE OF THE AIRBAGS DEPLOYED. *AK
WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH HIT A RAIL ROAD TRACK AND VEHICLE STARTED TRAVELING TO THE LEFT, CAUSING CONSUMER TO LOSE CONTROL OF VEHICLE DUE TO TIE RODS , *AK
CONSUMER COMPLAINED ABOUT WINDSHIELD WIPER LINKAGE PROBLM. MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED, AND STATED THAT IT WAS A COMMON PROBLEM, AND THEY WERE AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. DEALER WAS ALSO AWARE OF THE PROBLEM, AND HAS FIXED IT ON DIFFERENT TIMES.*AK
WHILE DRIVING AT 70 MPH RIGHT FRONT TIRE TREAD SEPARATED. *AK
WHILE DRIVING ON A NORMAL PAVED ROAD AT 25 MPH FRONT END SUDDENLY STARTED SHAKING. THIS WAS CAUSED BY TIE ROD END FALLING APART AND SEPARATING, NOT DUE TO NORMAL WEAR AND TEAR. *AK
COOLANT WAS ADDED TO THE VEHICLE, AND WITHIN TWENTY MINUTES THE COOLANT LEVEL WAS LOW, AND THE VEHICLE STARTED TO DRIVE ROUGHLY. DRIVER SHUT OFF THE VEHICLE AND WOULD NOT RESTART IT. DEALER FOUND THAT CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM WAS A FAULTY HEAD GASKET. *AK
VEHICLE'S METAL WHEEL RIMS HOLD WATER AFTER IT RAINS.*MR THE RIMS WERE DESIGNED IN A WAY THAT ALLOWED THEM TO RETAIN WATER AFTER IT RAINED OR CAME IN CONTACT WITH STANDING WATER. THIS PROBLEM CAUSED THE RIMS TO CORRODE AND RESULTED IN SEPARATION OF THE RIM. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED BUT TOLD THE CONSUMER THAT THEY WERE NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR THE PROBLEM. *NLM
THE CONSUMER STATED FUEL LEAKED FROM THE GAS TANK. THE VEHICLE WAS SERVICED AND THE TECHNICIAN STATED THE FILLER TUBE WAS RUSTED AT THE TANK 360 DEGREES AROUND AND 100% THROUGH.*AK *JB
PROBLEMS WITH ENGINE ON 1997 FORD F150. *MR THERE WAS A LOUD TAPPING NOISE WHICH HAD COME FROM THE ENGINE. THE CONSUMER RECEIVED A RECALL LETTER WHICH DESCRIBED THE SAME PROBLEMS AS THE CONSUMERS VEHICLE. THE RECALL SERVICE WAS PERFORMED, BUT LESS THAN 25K MILES LATER, THE CONSUMER WAS TOLD THAT A NEW ENGINE WAS NEEDED. *SCC *JB
UPON STARTING VEHICLE CONSUMER HEARD A TAPPING NOISE. THEN THE NOISE BECAME LOUDER. ENGINE HEAD GASKET DEVELOPED A LEAK WHICH CAUSED WATER TO GET INTO THE ENGINE. AS A RESULT, AFTER A PERIOD OF TIME, THE PISTON CONNECTING ROD SNAPPED. DEALERSHIP INDICATED THIS WAS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THIS ENGINE. TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM THE ENGINE HAS TO BE REPLACED.*AK
WHILE DEPRESSING THE BRAKES AT 45 MPH BRAKES FAILED. VEHICLE CONTINUED TO MOVE AND A GRIND NOISE WAS HEARD. SOMEHOW, VEHICLE FLIPPED OVER. *AK
UPON REVERSING OUT OF AN ALLEY AT 5 MILES INTERMEDIATE STEERING SHAFT SEPARATED FROM THE STEERING GEAR. THIS RESULTED IN LOSS OF STEERING. AS A RESULT, CONSUMER LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND WENT ONTO THE SIDEWALK.*AK
CONSUMER COMPLAINED ABOUT A BRAKE PROBLEM., ESPECIALLY WHEN DRIVING ON A WET OR SLICK SURFACE. DEALERSHIP INDICATED THAT ABS SYSTEM NEEDED TO BE REPLACED, BUT WOULD NOT ABSORB THE COST.*AK
WHILE BACKING UP HEARS A NOISE. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. THERE IS A TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN # 15692 THAT DESCRIBES THE EXACT PROBLEM, A CONSTANT SNAPPING NOISE IN THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE. *AK CONSUMER BELIEVES THIS WAS A MANUFACTURER DEFECT. *PH
CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER TO GET THE TIRES ROTATED WHEN THE MECHANIC NOTICED THAT LEAF SPRING BROKE. CONSUMER WAS CONCERNED THAT THE GAS TANK COULD HAVE BEEN PUNCTURED. *AK
THE TRUCK STALLED WITHOUT WARNING WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED. WHEN THIS OCCURRED THE POWER STEERING WOULD LOCK UP. THE STALLING OCCURRED MORE OFTEN IN WARM TEMPERATURES. AFTER SEVERAL ATTEMPTS THE DEALERSHIP REPLACED THE IDLE AIR INTAKE VALVE, WHICH CORRECTED THE PROBLEM. *NM *MR
WHILE BACKING OUT OF THE DRIVE WAY THE DRIVER LOST CONTROL OF THE FRONT WHEELS. THE DRIVER FEELS LUCKY HE WASN'T DRIVING IN TRAFFIC OR ON HIGHWAY. THE DRIVER SAYS, "TIE ROD ENDS ARE FAILING." PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.
AFTER MAKING A LEFT TURN LEFT REAR TIRE WAS PUNCTURED. THIS WAS DUE TO THE REAR LEAF SPRING POPPING OUT. DRIVER FELT LUCKY THAT HE WAS MAKING A LEFT TURN INSTEAD OF A RIGHT TURN BECAUSE LEAF SPRING COULD HAVE PUNCTURED THE GAS TANK. *AK