Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (accessories, trailer hitches and other equipment).
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).
On January 8, 2011, 1997 Ford f150 xlt lariat burned and totally destroyed our home and Toyota tacoma in carport.fire marshall and firemen stated appeared to originate from f150 in carport. Forensic investigator from state farm (representatives from Ford present after demand from state farm) stated fire started by defective cruise control component (confirmed by x-ray) after locating in debri under vehicle. Ford acted as if they could care less - guess not since not even an appology for our loss as much cannot be replaced. State farm now in the process of suing Ford to recoop their loss. We were never notified by Ford of this defect and nearly lost our lives.
Tl* the contact owns a 1997 Ford f-150. The contact stated that the vehicle emitted a loud, abnormal noise when driving at various speeds 5 MPH and above. After inspecting the vehicle, he noticed that the spare tire was fractured from the harness and a cable was also fractured. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by a dealer. The manufacturer was contacted and they offered no assistance. The failure and he current mileages were approximately 84,000. The consumer stated the cable holding the spare tire broke while driving. The spare tire fell to the ground. Updated 01/19/12
Tl contact owns a 1997 Ford f-150. While driving 30 MPH, the rear of the vehicle bounced off the ground for approximately three seconds. The contact pulled over and noticed that the spare tire detached from the vehicle. The dealer stated that the cable to the spare tire holder was corroded and caused the failure. The spare tire holder was replaced. There were no damages. The VIN, engine size, and number of cylinders were unknown. The failure mileage was 156,000 and current mileage was 176,000.
I saw the notice on the f-150's. I just called Ford last week re: this same thing. They told me due to age and miles on vehicle they could do nothing. It became loose and hanging while pouring gas all over the expressway on sept 3rd. I was very dissatisfied with their response, as I don't feel this should be an issue anyone needs to worry about. My case number with them is [redacted].
Consumer was at a stop light & there was a thump. Making a left turn vehicle was swaying left & right. Consumer got out and found that trailer had hit the ground at a 45 degree angle on passengr's side. Rear had both arms closest to the bumper completely broken off. Manufacturer never measured the parts to fix trailer. They would not replace it since it was not on recall, and it was not under warranty.
Gas pedal is sticking wide open even if not pressed to full throttle when you tap brake pedal or the off switch for the cruise control it releases the accelerator. Does this no matter if cruise control is off or on. Truck has been in and repaired for the cruise control starting fires. But now cruise control is not deactivating. Has done this 11 times so far.
The spare tire mount in the 1997-1999 model f-150s suffers damage from the crossframe mount. The frame cuts grooves into the tire sidewalls over a period of time and can cause the tire to fail if used. This can also result in a person being stranded if the tire fails completely, or can cause an accident if the damage was not noticed and the tire failed while in use. This affects all 1997 to 1999 model f-150s, and the damage worsens with time, usually becoming noticeable after 10-15K miles. Ford motor has received several complaints about the situation but has not fixed the problem.( dot number: tire size: 255/70r16 )
Under moderate acceleration on I-29 on-ramp from gateway drive, swedge holding tire cradle piece to cable let go releasing tire cradle piece and spare tire from vehicle. Spare tire bounced to the left side of the on-ramp into the grass. Tire cradle piece fell to the right side of the traffic lane. Although there was no damage to other vehicles following at the time and no personal injuries, the potential existed for a catastrophic accident. If this had happened on the interstate highway at higher speeds, serious injury or death May have resulted from impact with the tire.
I had an electrical short under the dash caused by moister in the fuse box , which was caused by water leaking around the windshield. I was not to concerned until I took it to the shop and found out that there is 13 pages of service bulletin about moisture get into the fuse box. It does thing as wiper not working while in drive or reverse but will work any other time. Radio not turning off, blower motor not shutting off. Trying to engage the starter while the vehicle is running.
1st service at 3000 mileage-A/C leaked twice; later - alignment at the back (bed) area was croocked due to shocks; built-in floor mats almost caused an accident when the gas pedal became stuck to the the floor mat while driving; lastly,power steering wheel locked itself while driving on the road and was unable to manuever/control the pick-up's steering wheels; joeten representatives concluded that power steering pump failed/broke.
Related recalls
Equipment › Other › Labels
The certification labels on the involved vehicles has incorrect rear tire inflation pressure designations. This does not comply with FMVSS no. 120, "tire selection and rims for motor vehicles other than passenger cars."
Remedy: Owners will be provided with correct certification labels and instructions for installing these labels. Dealers can install this label if the owner so desires.
Equipment complaints in other F-150 years
Frequently asked questions
How common are equipment problems on the 1997 Ford F-150?
NHTSA has 33 complaints about the equipment & accessories of the 1997 Ford F-150, 1% of the model year's 2,758 complaints. The component named most often is mechanical › carrier/rack (14 mentions).
Is there a recall for 1997 Ford F-150 equipment problems?
Yes — NHTSA recall 96V-161 (labels, Aug 29, 1996). Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.
At what mileage do 1997 Ford F-150 equipment problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 125,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 1 crash, 1 fire and 0 injuries to equipment & accessories 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.