Most common 1997 Ford E-150 problems
Share of the 102 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
Ford E-150 complaints by model year
Best E-150 years: 2009, 2014, 2015. Years to avoid: 2001, 1997, 1999, 1995, 1996. Compare all years →
1997 Ford E-150 recalls (5)
Equipment adaptive/mobility
All in one mobility is recalling certain model year 1997 through 2008 conversion vans equipped with vmi/ricon 6-way power seat bases. There is a possibility of a defective weld at the joint between the pivoting plate and the pivoting plate pin.
Remedy: All in one mobility will notify owners and the vehicles will be repaired free of charge. The safety recall began on June 22, 2010. Owners May contact all in one mobility at 1-503-255-5005.
Vehicle speed control
Ford is recalling model years 1995-2003 windstar, 2000-2003 excursion diesel, 1993-1997 and 1999-2003 f-250 sd through f-550 sd diesel, 1992-2003 e-150 through e-550, 1995-2002 explorer, 1997 and 2002 Mercury mountaineer, 1995-1997 and 2001-2003 ranger, and 1994 f53 vehicles equipped with the texas instruments speed control…
Remedy: Ford will notify owners that dealers will install a fused wiring harness in line with the scds. On 1999-2003 windstar vehicles with a leaking scds, dealers will also inspect the ABS control module connector and repair…
Vehicle speed control › Cruise control
Ford is recalling 225,000 my 1992-2003 econoline, my 1993-1995 taurus sho, my 1992-1998 crown victoria, my 1993 bronco, f-series, my 1995-1997 f-series super duty stripped chassis, my 1992-1998 Mercury grand marquis, and my 1992-1995 Lincoln town car vehicles.
Remedy: Dealers will install a new wiring harness, or replace the mating electrical component. The recall began on February 18, 2008. Owners May contact Ford at 1-800-392-3673.
Vehicle speed control
On certain pickup trucks, passenger vehicles, sport utility vehicles, and motor homes chassis, the speed control deactivation switch May, under certain conditions, leak internally and then overheat, smoke, or burn.
Remedy: Dealers will install a fused wiring harness. Owners of the passenger cars included in this campaign will be instructed to return their vehicles to their dealers to have the speed control deactivation switch disconnected…
Fuel system, gasoline › Storage › Tank assembly
Vehicle description: on certain vans with ambulance prep packages or other severe-duty applications involving operation at or near the gross vehicle weight with frequent twisting of the vehicle body, such as off-road, rough road or speed bump events, the 35 gallon mid-ship fuel tank could develop a crack where it contacts the…
Remedy: Dealers will inspect the fuel tank and, if cracked, will replace the tank. Insulator pads will be installed on all vehicles to reduce the stress levels in the fuel tank. Owner notification began April 19, 2001.
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal safety investigators have looked into a possible defect involving the 1997 Ford E-150:
Spark plug ejection from cylinder head
On September 6, 2005, odi received a petition requesting that the agency investigate allegations of engine spark plug ejection in certain model year 1997 through 2004 Ford vehicles with triton v-8 and v-10 engines.odi received a total of 474 non-duplicative complaints on the subject vehicles where the complainant, or the dealer repairing the vehicle, reported that a spark plug detached from the cylinder and/or…
What 1997 Ford E-150 owners say
Fuel & propulsion system all 22 →
While driving my vehicle caught on fire in the rear end of the vehicle. We pulled over and immediately got the children out of the car. Less than a minute later, the entire vehicle was blazing.
I had a fuel tank leak on my Ford e150 conversion van in 2001. The van had 85000 miles on it. Had the tank replaced at a dealer; originally he ordered the wrong tank, thinking I had the smaller one, but I have the 35 gal. Midship tank listed in 01V114000. They replace the tank about the time this recall was issued. Then, 85000 miles later, I have the same leak, exact same problem. I have visited two dealerships, even spoken to the original service manager who handled the repair in 2001; all deny that the recall applies to this vehicle. I called Ford at the number listed in 01v11400; they deny that I have this fuel tank, even though they installed it specifically, although obviously not according to the recall instructions. I figure because it was a conversion van they May not think it was the "original equipment". I have now had this problem twice, and paid for it the first time. …
Engine & cooling all 21 →
While traveling on vacation 600 miles from home I experienced a well known failure to Ford triton engine owners known as a spark plug ejection failure. I was traveling @ 65 MPH and up to the failure the engine was running normal there were no abnormal sounds. At the time of the failure it sounded as if the exhaust or the intake was coming apart. I pulled over on the side of the highway and removed the doghouse at the rear of the engine to discover the right bank and 2nd cylinder from the rear had ejected the spark plug and destroyed the ignition coil. I unplugged the ignition coil and the power cable from the fuel injector from that cylinder and nursed the van to a friends house 40 miles away which took over 3 hours. …
I experienced the same symptoms described in the camshaft position sensor recall which affects e-series vans. On 05nov07 my engine light came on and my engine began to hesitate, as if it would stall. I took the van to the Ford dealer on 06nov07. They said they could not find anything wrong. They reset the codes and the engine light went off. On 09nov07 the engine light came on again and the engine began to run sluggishly. I did not drive the van over the weekend because I was afraid it would stall while I was driving. On 12nov07 the dealer replaced the dpfe sensor at a cost to me of $364.04. I contacted Ford corporation on 06dec07 requesting reimbursement for the repair. My request was denied. Failure of dpfe sensor has the same results and the same safety implications as the failure of the camshaft position sensor. …
Brakes
Approximately every 15,000 to 20,000 miles I need to replace the front rotors and pads. The rotors are badly warpped. The dealer replaced the calipers, but that did not help. The rear drums are original equipment and has little wear. I have paid to have the rear drums adjusted regularly, in an attempt to improve the longevity of the front breaks. I have about 140,000 miles on the car and replace the front brakes 7 or 8 times. I did have one accident due to poor breaking, and the next day needed to replace the front pads and rotors.
Tl* the contact owns a 1997 Ford e-150. The contact was driving 5 MPH when the brakes were depressed and the vehicle failed to stop properly, causing the contact to crash into another vehicle. The vehicle was not destroyed and the crash caused no injuries. The vehicle was taken to a private mechanic. The mechanic confirmed that the ABS controller failed and needed to be replaced. The manufacturer was not contacted. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure and current mileages were 172,000.
1997 Ford E-150 engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4.2L 6-cyl | 4-speed automatic | RWD | 14 / 18 / 15 |
| 4.6L 8-cyl | 4-speed automatic | RWD | 14 / 18 / 15 |
| 5.4L 8-cyl | 4-speed automatic | RWD | 11 / 17 / 13 |
EPA ratings. Class: Van.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 1997 Ford E-150 a good car?
Based on 102 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 1997 E-150 rates avoid: 3.4× as many complaints as a typical year of the E-150 at the same age. It is one of the E-150 years we suggest avoiding. Complaint counts don't account for sales volume or individual maintenance, so have any used car inspected before buying.
What is the most common problem with the 1997 Ford E-150?
The fuel & propulsion system — 22 complaints, 22% of all complaints for this model year, most often about storage › tank assembly. Next are the engine & cooling (21) and brakes (18).
How many recalls does the 1997 Ford E-150 have?
There are 5 recalls for the 1997 Ford E-150, the most recent from June 15, 2010 (equipment adaptive/mobility). Recall repairs are free at any authorized dealer — check whether yours has been done with the VIN recall check.
What are the best and worst years of the Ford E-150?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2009, 2014 and 2015. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 2001, 1997, 1999, 1995 and 1996. See the full Ford E-150 years comparison.
At what mileage do 1997 Ford E-150 problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 103,000 miles; 16% of problems with a recorded mileage started before 50,000 miles.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.