Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (front, side and curtain air bags, sensors and inflators).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 1997 Ford F-150 owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
I was on my way to work the morning before thanksgiving. I shifted from 2nd to 3rd gear and the back tires hit a patch of water and I started fishtailing. I went off the road and hit a patch of oak trees. One head on. On impact, the seatbelt did not retract and I hit the steering wheel, the dash broke apart and the entire steering column moved with me and I hit the windshield. After hitting the windshield, then the airbag deployed. When the dash broke apart from the steering column moving, it cut my shin which required stitches. My knee hit around the emergency brake release which drove my femur into my hip fracturing it in 3 places which required 3 titanium plates and screws. I had an open fracture on my arm which was the head of my radius (elbow) broken off which had to be replaced with more titanium plates and screws. I broke the orbit over my left eye and sinus cavities behind it. …
Tl* the contact owned a 1997 Ford f-150. While driving at an unknown speed at night, another vehicle crashed into the driver side of the contact's vehicle. The air bags did not deploy. The vehicle was destroyed. A police report was filed and no injuries were reported. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was approximately 300,000. Updated 09/21/15 updated 11/27/2017
I was in a wreck traveling 25 mo making a turn to head west and I collided with a simi and my air bags did not deploy at all I was told but emts that the were shock that the air bags did not deply they told me that they should have.
Dt: on July 2 2005 while driving down the road the throttle cable broke. The owner was coming down a two lane highway. The consumer noticed that the accelerator wasn't being pushed, the cruise control wasn't on, and the vehicle was speeding on its own. The consumer engaged the parking brake, while going 50-55 MPH. After engaging the parking brake, the truck took about 3/4 of a mile to come a stop. The vehicle finally hit an oak tree and stopped and no air bags deployed. The owner's wife was injured with upper neck and back. Injuries. The owner''s daughter was bruised on the face. The vehicle didn't come in contact with any other vehicles. There was no other problems with the vehicle accelerator sticking before. Ford reported that there was no recalls about this. The owner has contacted the dealership. The vehicle has not been deemed a total loss. …
I was driving about 55 MPH on 15-501 highway on route to unc hospital. When all of a sudden, my truck went totally out of control for no reason and my then 4 yr old and I had a terrible accident. The truck was totaled. We were both in seat belts. She was belted in her car seat in the back and I in the front drivers side upside down the airbags never deployed! We were thought to be dead at first until my daughter started crying. We were rushed to unc hospital in chapel hill for cuts and contusions. At that time, I had no major pain, but now, I can hardly walk sometimes because of the way the truck landed in the embankment upside down hanging twisted in my seat belt .we were lucky not to have died but now after 3 years I am in constant leg, hip and back pain that I know was due to this accident. Now what? …
Tl* the contact owns a 1997 Ford f-150. The contact was driving approximately 55 MPH when he turned the steering wheel to avoid a crash and crashed into a ditch. The air bags failed to deploy with the impact. The contact suffered from two fractured vertebrates. The vehicle was destroyed and towed to an independent mechanic but had not been inspected to determine the cause of the air bag failure. The manufacturer was not notified of the problem. The approximate failure mileage was 180,000. The VIN was not available.
Tl* the contact owns a 1997 Ford f-150. The contact stated that while driving 8 MPH, another vehicle crashed into the front passenger's side of the contact's vehicle. Neither the driver's side nor the front passenger's side airbag deployed. The driver of the vehicle sustained unknown injuries. A police report was not filed. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The failure mileage was 170,000.
Tl* the contact owns a 1997 Ford f-150. The contact stated that the horn on the vehicle did not sound and the air bag light remained illuminated. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The VIN was unknown. The failure mileage was 186,000.
Tl contact owns a 1997 Ford f-150. While driving 65 MPH in a rainstorm, the windshield wipers stopped working. The contact pulled the vehicle over to the side of the road. He was able to drive the vehicle after the rain stopped. A mechanic stated that the gem module was defective and reinstalled the gem module, as well as installed a new ignition switch. The wipers failed again while driving in normal conditions. The mechanic stated that the gem module he installed from Ford was defective. After the repair, the warning lights illuminated, including the air bag light. The mechanic cannot diagnose the cause of the failure and determine if the air bags work. Prior to the gem module failure, several components were replaced on the vehicle. At 30,000 miles, the engine was rebuilt. The current and failure mileages were 125,000.
1. The front engine cover gasket on my 1997 Ford f-150 was defective. There was a recall at one time on this problem but was checked by a Ford dealer and nothing was found to be wrong. Approximately 6 months later it had to be replaced. Because the recall had expired Ford would not replace it for free and so I had to have it replaced at my cost of $600.00. 2. Air bags and seat belt restraints. My wife had a wreck in the same vehicle and the air bags did not deploy or did the seat belts lock up like they are supposed to. I tried to get Ford to explain to me why that would happen and they said the insurance company would have to handle it. The problem was still not solved. Also the ABS did not work.
Airbag complaints in other F-150 years
Frequently asked questions
How common are airbag problems on the 1997 Ford F-150?
NHTSA has 99 complaints about the air bags of the 1997 Ford F-150, 4% of the model year's 2,758 complaints. The component named most often is frontal (69 mentions).
Is there a recall for 1997 Ford F-150 airbag problems?
No. NHTSA lists no air bags recall for the 1997 Ford F-150, though it has 14 recalls for other components. If the problem is widespread, a repair may still be covered by an extended warranty or a manufacturer service bulletin — ask a dealer.
At what mileage do 1997 Ford F-150 airbag problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 147,000 miles, and 7% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 82 crashes, 0 fires and 58 injuries and 2 deaths to air bags problems on this model year. If you notice symptoms, have the car checked before driving further.
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.