no report yet
Vehicle speed control
Risk. OVERHEATING COULD RESULT IN SMOKE OR BURN AND AN UNDERHOOD FIRE.
1997 Ford F-350Problems, recalls & complaints
NHTSA has logged 155 owner complaints about the 1997 Ford F-350, most often about the tires. It is covered by 3 safety recalls.
Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports, through October 24, 2019. Updated daily.
Complaints by system
Where the 1997 Ford F-350 has problems
155 complaints grouped by the system owners reported.
29Tires
29Service brakes, hydraulic7 crash/fire/injury
26Engine and engine cooling3 crash/fire/injury
21Power train1 crash/fire/injury
12Steering2 crash/fire/injury
9Suspension
8Vehicle speed control
7Electrical system
7Fuel system, gasoline
2510 other systems4 crash/fire/injury
| System | Complaints | Crash, fire or injury |
|---|---|---|
| Tires | 29 | 0 |
| Service brakes, hydraulic | 29 | 7 |
| Engine and engine cooling | 26 | 3 |
| Power train | 21 | 1 |
| Steering | 12 | 2 |
| Suspension | 9 | 0 |
| Vehicle speed control | 8 | 5 |
| Electrical system | 7 | 2 |
| Fuel system, gasoline | 7 | 2 |
| 10 other systems | 25 | 4 |
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Complaints are submitted by the public and are not verified by NHTSA.
3 recalls
1997 Ford F-350 recalls and how many were fixed
Each ring shows the share of affected cars repaired, from the manufacturer’s latest quarterly report to NHTSA. Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.
no report yet
Tires: bead
Risk. THE BEAD AREA OF THE TIRE WAS CUT WHICH COULD RESULT IN AIR LOSS.
no report yet
Foundation components: master cylinder
Risk. A LOSS OF SERVICE BRAKING CAN OCCUR INCREASING THE RISK OF A VEHICLE ACCIDENT.
Recalls apply to specific cars. To see whether a recall is still open on yours, enter the 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls or with Ford.
Best & worst years
1997 vs. every other F-350 year
Bars show complaints per model year. Colors show the CarFlaw verdict: complaints weighted for crashes, fires and injuries, adjusted for years on the road and compared with the F-350 median. How we score
'67'68'69'72'73'74'75'76'77'78'79'80'81'82'83'84'85'86'87'88'89'90'91'92'93'94'95'96'97'98'99'00'01'02'03'04'05'06'07'08'09'10'11'12'13'14
- Avoid
- Caution
- Solid
- Best
- Not rated
2 investigations
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal investigations that included the 1997 Ford F-350, and the recalls they led to.
- SPARK PLUG EJECTION FROM CYLINDER HEADNo recall
- ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRESLed to recall 05V-388
In owners' words
What F-350 owners report
Recent tires complaints filed with NHTSA, shortened. Personal details are removed.
WE WERE TRAVELLING 65 MPH ON THE 91 FREEWAY TOLL ROAD WHEN MY LEFT REAR TIRE TREAD COMPLETELY SEPARATED FROM THE CASING CAUSING MY VEHICLE TO SWERVE AND JUMP AND CAUSING SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE TO MY VEHICLE, INCLUDING DAMAGING THE FUEL FILL LINE. FORTUNATELY THERE WAS NO FUEL LEAKAGE. THE TIRE DID NOT…
FIRESTONE STEELTEX FAILURE ON A 1997 FORD F350. ON JUNE 20, 2005, THE LEFT FRONT OEM FIRESTONE STEELTEX TIRE FAILED AT SPPED ON I-95S BETWEEN AVBERDEEN AND CHURCHVILLE MARYLAND. SINCE THE TRUCK IS DRIVEN VERY LITTLE, ALL TIRES HAVE 40,000 MILES ON THEM AND HAVE SUBSTANTIAL TREAD REMAINING. ALSO, I…
WHILE DRIVING 60 MPH RIGHT REAR PASSENGER TIRE EXPLODED. DRIVER WAS ABLE PULL OVER TO SHOULDER. THEN, DROVE VEHICLE TO A REPAIR STATION. FIRESTONE, STEEL TEX RADIAL, 23585/R16. *AK
Own a 1997 F-350?
Decode your VIN to see the recalls for your exact car, then confirm open recalls with NHTSA.