Most common 1997 Ford F Series problems
Share of the 47 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
Ford F Series complaints by model year
Best F Series years: 1995, 1996, 2004. Years to avoid: 2000, 1997, 2001, 1999, 2002. Compare all years →
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal safety investigators have looked into 2 possible defects involving the 1997 Ford F Series:
Undercarriage fires
Alleged subject vehicles driven through tall grass experience fires caused by grass clippings collecting on vehicle exhaust system components.
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 F Series owners say
Engine & cooling all 22 →
The truck was parked in a strip mall parking lot. A few minutes later someone said that there were flames coming from the hood. The car was a total in 10 minutes. Four off duty firemen were there and could not put the flames out. Near by fire station was called. Its response was with in a few minutes. Truck was totaled.
Upon starting my truck, a loud banging or rattling noise could be heard. The noise was not present prior to that day. I shut it down and upon doing research on the internet, found numerous people who claim that a faulty gasket design caused water to leak into one of the cylinders inspection of the cylinders showed coolant to be pooled in the front, passenger-side cylinder. Certified mechanics attribute coolant in the cylinder to be due to a premature gasket failure. If not corrected, the problem leads to major engine destruction. Documented effects of the coolant leak are worn out bearings and surfaces, and broken or bent connecting rods, necessitating an engine rebuild. Ford sent a TSB to some owners of these engines to replace the faulty gasket but not to other owners. The knowledge of a faulty gasket design was withheld from some 1997 4.2l f150 owners. …
Electrical system
June 5, 2005- about 1:30 am, my wife and I were awaken by the neighbors and the fire dept. They informed us that our truck was on fire in the driveway. The hood was melted away and the front half of the truck was engulfed in flames. The fire dept. Deemed the source in the area of the master cylinder switch and or relay box. Normally we park in the garage, but thank god I didn't that night. Prior to this, the cruise control had been acting funny and my park brake switch blew a fuse. The tech at duthler Ford here in gr told me to just replace the fuse. So I removed the 15amp fuse and replace it with same. That night it burned.
On August 1, 2010, our Ford f150 (VIN [redacted]) started on fire and burned from the engine on out. The hood is totally burned through and the windshield also burned. The entire engine compartment is ruined. The truck was in our driveway at the time and we were alerted my neighbors who saw flames shooting 10' into the sky. We believe this engine fire was due to one of the recalls of Ford's faulty switches or wiring that ignited the spark into a full burn.
Fuel & propulsion system
On August 1, 2010, our Ford f150 (VIN [redacted]) started on fire and burned from the engine on out. The hood is totally burned through and the windshield also burned. The entire engine compartment is ruined. The truck was in our driveway at the time and we were alerted my neighbors who saw flames shooting 10' into the sky. We believe this engine fire was due to one of the recalls of Ford's faulty switches or wiring that ignited the spark into a full burn.
Recall correction turns to explosion danger! Ford issued recall #11 s 21 on the replacement of the fuel tank straps. Best Ford of nashua performed the service to install new straps on October 7, 2011. In conjunction with the recall work, a vehicle report on best Ford letterhead was provided showing all systems were in good working order. On October 21, 2011, during a regular oil change the service person advised me that my fuel tank was leaking. I immediately reported it to best Ford on October 21, 2011 to which they refused to correct the leak. They insisted that Ford would not cover any other repairs. I informed the best Ford service manager that fault was theirs and did file a written complaint. I have returned to best Ford on three additional occasions and sent not less than five emails to request a face to face meeting. …
Frequently asked questions
Is the 1997 Ford F Series a good car?
Based on 47 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 1997 F Series rates avoid: 2.4× as many complaints as a typical year of the F Series at the same age. It is one of the F Series 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 F Series?
The engine & cooling — 22 complaints, 47% of all complaints for this model year, most often about engine. Next are the electrical system (7) and fuel & propulsion system (6).
How many recalls does the 1997 Ford F Series have?
NHTSA lists no recalls for the 1997 Ford F Series. You can still confirm with your VIN using our VIN recall check.
What are the best and worst years of the Ford F Series?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 1995, 1996 and 2004. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 2000, 1997, 2001, 1999 and 2002. See the full Ford F Series years comparison.
At what mileage do 1997 Ford F Series problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 120,000 miles; 3% 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.