There are 23 stored owner reports matching the electrical system leading-label group for the 1997 Ford F-250 in our NHTSA-sourced dataset. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
This group counts stored reports whose component label starts with one of this site's matching prefixes, ignoring case. Each matching report counts once within the group. Components mentioned later in the label or only in the narrative are not searched. How component counts work
Loaded 23 of 23 matching reports. The list controls page through the loaded reports only.
Open the full vehicle complaint log (all categories)I HAVE HAD MY 1997 FORD F-250 FOR A FEW YEARS AND BESIDES AN ABI'S I'VEW PREVIOUS OWNER IT HASN'T GIVEN ANY ISSUE. THAT IS UP UNTIL A MONTH AGO WHEN MY INSTRUMENT CLUSTER UP AND QUIT WORKING. THERE WAS NO WARNING AND NO FUSES OR RELAYS FAULTY EITHER, I SPOKE WITH FRIENDS OF MINE WHO OWN SIMILAR MODEL YEARS OF MY TRUCK AND THEY SAY THEY HAVE HAD THE SAME ISSUE.
AFTER SEVERAL INCHES OF RAIN MY 1997 FORD F250 LIGHT DUTY BEGAN TRYING TO START WHILE PARKED IN THE DRIVEWAY. THE ONLY WAY TO STOP IT WAS TO DISCONNECT THE BATTERY CABLE. THE BATTERY CABLE WAS RED HOT AND SMOKING. LUCKILY MY NEIGHBOR NOTICED OR IT WOULD HAVE CAUGHT FIRE. THIS IS THE SECOND OCCURRENCE OF THIS PROBLEM FOR THIS VEHICLE. BOTH FOLLOWED HEAVY RAINS. THE FIRST OCCURRENCE INCLUDED SPONTANEOUS STARTING, INTERIOR LIGHTS COMING ON, LEFT SIDE WINDOW FAILURE, SPEEDOMETER FAILURE, AND CONTINUED OPERATION OF FAN, WINDOWS AND RADIO WITH IGNITION OFF. RESEARCHING THIS ISSUE HAS MADE ME AWARE THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM DUE TO WATER LEAKING THROUGH THE WINDSHIELD AND SEEPING INTO THE GENERIC ELECTRONIC MODULE AND FUSE BOX CAUSING MULTIPLE SYMPTOMS INCLUDING THE ONES STATED ABOVE. *TR
ON MARCH 2ND,2007 MY F250 DIESEL PICKUP, THAT WAS IDLING IN THE DRIVEWAY CAUGHT ON FIRE. THE FIRE STARTED ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE OF THE VEHICLE AND IT MELTED THE BRAKE FLUID RESERVOIR AND BURNT UP THE AREA SURROUNDING IT. MY 11 YEAR OLD SON NOTICED THE BLAZE AND SHUT OFF THE TRUCK AND POPPED THE HOOD AND TRIED TO SHOVEL SNOW TO PUT OUT THE FIRE. I QUICKLY OPENED THE HOOD AND PUT THE FIRE OUT WITH THE SURROUNDING SNOW. I CONTACTED FORD ABOUT A RECALL THAT THEY HAVE ON THE GASOLINE PICKUPS AND THEY TOLD ME THERE WERE NO RECALLS ON MY VEHICLE. I TALKED TO A LOCAL FORD MECHANIC THAT SAID IT SOUNDED LIKE THE CRUISE CONTROL IS WHAT STARTED THE FIRE. HE THEN GAVE ME THE PHONE NUMBER FOR CUSTOMER SERVICE AND THEY SENT ME A LETTER THAT STATED THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD DO. I AM NOT SURE WHAT MY NEXT STEP SHOULD BE, BUT I AM OUT A TRUCK AND I WOULD HATE TO SEE ANY ONE GETTING HURT BECAUSE OF AN OVERSIGHT BY THE FORD MOTOR COMPANY. *JB
THIS IS THIRD CAM POSITION SENSOR THIS TRUCK HAS HAD (140000 MILES ON TRUCK). HAS DIED TWICE WHILE PULLING INTO TRAFFIC, VERY DANGEROUS ALMOST CAUSED ACCIDENT BOTH TIMES. THIS IS A VERY WIDE SPREAD PROBLEM THAT HAPPENS WITH ALL OF THESE 7.3 POWERSTROKES. I CARRY, AS A LOT OF PEOPLE DO, AN EXTRA ONE IN THE GLOVE BOX FOR THE NEXT TIME IT HAPPENS! *NM
I WAS DRIVING ALONG ON RT 295 DURING A RAIN STORM AND MY WINDSHIELD WIPERS STOPPED WORKING ALONG WITH OTHER ELECTRICAL COMPONETS IN MY TRUCK. I DRIVE A 97 FORD F250 4X4 XLT. LUCKILY I WAS NOT INJURED. I TOOK MY TRUCK TO BE FIXED WHERE I WAS TOLD THAT I NEEDED TO REPLACE MY GEM MODULE AND FUSE BOX. I THOUGHT THAT WAS ODD. THE MECHANIC SAID THAT THE WINDSHIELDS ON THE MODEL OF MY TRUCK IS KNOWN TO LEAK AND DAMAGE THOSE COMPONETS. I COULD OF GOT INTO A SERIOUS ACCIDENT THAT DAY, RESULTING IN DEATH OF ME OR OTHER PEOPLE ON THE ROAD. *JB
DT: CONSUMER WANTED HIS SWITCH ON FRONT OF VEHICLE FIXED. HE HAS BEEN TOLD THAT THE PLASTIC MELTED AND ALLOWED THE BRAKE FLUID TO COME OUT AND CATCH ON FIRE. CONSUMER SAID THAT HE KNEW THAT 2000 AND 2001 YEAR MODELS HAVE BEEN RECALLED, AND CONSUMER WANTED HIS VEHICLE TO BE INCLUDED IN THIS RECALL. *AK
WHILE DRIVING 20 MPH DRIVER NOTICED SMOKE COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD. DRIVER PULLED OVER AND OPENED THE HOOD. SUDDENLY, VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE. DRIVER WAS ABLE TO EXTINGUISH THE FIRE. VEHICLE WAS TOWED HOME. *AK THE CONSUMER HAD TO UNPLUG THE WIRES CONNECTED TO THE BRAKE MASTER CYLINDER TO STOP THE FIRE. NOW THE VEHICLE HAS NO AUTOMATIC CRUISE CONTROL. THE CONSUMER WAS TOLD BY LOCAL FORD SERVICE DEPARTMENT THAT THE FIRE WAS PROBABLY CAUSED BY THE CRUISE CONTROL SWITCH. THE MANUFACTURE HAS A RECALL ON F150 PICKUPS BUT NOT THE F250. THE PROBLEM HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED AND THE WIRES HAVE BEEN LEFT UNPLUGGED FOR NOW. *BF *NM
WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED, A FIRE STARTED UNDER THE HOOD. THE VEHICLE WAS TOTALED. THE DEALERSHIP WAS NOTIFIED, BUT DID NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. *AK *SC
VEHICLE WAS PARKED FOR TWO HOURS WHEN IT CAUGHT ON FIRE ON ITS OWN. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE. VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A GARAGE FOR INSPECTION. THE CAUSE HAS NOT BEEN DETERMINED AT THIS TIME. *AK
WHILE PARKED IN THE DRIVEWAY, THE VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE, DAMAGING FUSE BOXES AND WIRING HARNESS. ESTIMATED DAMAGE $3.000. NO INJURIES REPORTED.. *JB.......*AK
WHILE PARKED IN THE GARAGE VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE. THE CAUSE HAD YET TO BEEN DETERMINED. VEHICLE WAS CONSIDERED A TOTAL LOSS.*AK
THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED FOR 2 DAYS AND A FIRE WAS STARTED IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. THE HORN WAS HEARD BLOWING WHEN THE CONSUMER NOTICED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS ON FIRE. TWO MONTHS PRIOR TO THE FIRE, THE CRUISE CONTROL STOPPED WORKING. THERE WERE NO AFTER MARKET EQUIPMENT. THERE WAS TRAVEL TRAILER WIRING THAT WAS ON THE BACK OF THE TRUCK. THE VEHICLE WAS INSURED BY UNITRIN 800-777-4342 JL RAUSIN. *AK
I HAVE ON MULTIPLE OCCASIONS HAD SPARK PLUGS COME FLYING OUT OF THE HEAD OF MY TRUCK. I HAVE ASKED AROUND AND HEARD THAT ON MOST FORD TRUCKS AND ECONOLINE VANS ARE BLOWING THESE OUT ON THE REGULAR. I HAVE ALSO HEARD THAT IT IS DUE TO THE ALUMINUM HEADS HAVING ONLY 4 WEAK THREADS. I WOULD JUST LIKE TO POINT OUT THE FACT THAT IT HAS HAPPENED TWICE TO ME AND CAN COST ANYWHERE FROM 200 TO 1700 DOLLARS TO FIX DEPENDING ON HOW SEVERE THINGS ARE. I WOULD GREATLY APPRECIATE SOME RESEARCH INTO THIS SUBJECT AS I AM SURE THOUSANDS OF OTHERS WOULD. *AK
ENGINE LIGHT CONTINUOUSLY ILLUMINATED ON THE DASHBOARD. INDEPENDENT MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT WIRING HARNESS ON THE GLOVE COMPARTMENT BROKE, AND ONE WIRE ON THE INSULATION MALFUNCTIONED. *AK
THE VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE, CONSUMER BELIEVED THE FIRE STARTED DUE TO A DEFECTIVE STARTER COMPONET.*JB
VEHICLE WILL SHUT DOWN AND RESTART ITSELF WHILE DRIVING. THE GAS MILEAGE HAS GONE DOWN QUICKLY. VEHICLE WILL STALL AND NOT START AT ALL. PRIOR SENSOR PROBLEMS WITH SIMILAR SYMPTOMS.
VEHICLE QUITS WHILE RUNNING. STARTS BUT WILL NOT KEEP RUNNING. NO CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. BAD FUEL ECONOMY. CAN SMELL FUEL AT TIMES.
WHY IS THE IGNITION SWITCH RECALLED ONLY FOR F-150 PICKUP TRUCKS WHILE THE SAME SWITCH IS IN THE F-250 AND F-350 TRUCKS AS WELL? *AK
VEHICLE STALLS OUT WHEN STARTED. QUITS WHILE DRIVING.
CONSUMER HEARD LOUD NOISE COMING FROM UNDERNEATH HOOD/PARKED VEHICLE, EXTENDED CAB WAS COMPLETELY BURNT, STATE FARM INSURANCE ANALYSIS WAS IT WAS AN ELECTRICAL FIRE. *AK
Showing 1-20 of 23 loaded complaints
Complaints are unverified consumer reports submitted to NHTSA. A high complaint count may reflect vehicle popularity, not defect severity. Data sourced from NHTSA public records.
NHTSA source checks for this vehicle year
Checks are recorded separately for each dataset, not for the whole page. Dates use UTC. A missing check date does not mean no records exist.
Vehicle import recorded: Sep 3, 2026. This is the stored import date, not confirmation that every source was successfully refreshed.