Most common 1997 Ford Pickup problems
Share of the 15 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
Ford Pickup complaints by model year
Best Pickup years: 1998, 2000. Years to avoid: 1997. Compare all years →
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal safety investigators have looked into a possible defect involving the 1997 Ford Pickup:
Propane vehicle conversion
The second-stage vehicle manufacturer, during the conversion process, installs the propane fuel tank on the left-outboard side of the vehicle cargo bed in an exposed position.this location appears to be contrary to the nfpa #152 guidelines and Ford's body builder layout book - alternative fuels guidelines.in a side-swipe type of collision, between one of the subject conversions and a 1988 internation truck, the…
What 1997 Ford Pickup owners say
Wheels & tires
Consumer's husband was driving home and heard something that sounded like a flat tire. He attempted to pull to shoulder to check. While doing this tire came off truck and continued to roll down the street. Husband was able to stop, but after tire was off. He was not injured.
While traveling and without any indication front end of vehicle became unstable due to tire blowout. This happened on left front tire. Also the entire tread peeled off of the right rear tire.
Engine & cooling
Pick up wont pass n.y.s. Inspection ,due to a false reading on computer that your stations use its cost me $350.00 so far everything safety wise works passes except a emission reading , all safety thing s pass . The truck don't smoke runs good except this stupid emission thing that reads not ready. It says go 60 MPH let cost, then speed it up , now you know 60 MPH is pretty fast for a truck. I'm a cdl license holder , and I'm sry I'm not going to speed on the rds in my area. I'm certified truck driver by the new york state department of transportation , who ever came up with this should use there own car for work and see the price we have to pay as a maintenance worker for new york, new york made this law now tell me what to do it s been to service stations ,dealers , and they cant find the problem, please help me with this since you made the law.
Vehicle would skip, miss, backfire, and had very little power, consumer would have to turn the ac off, put the transmission in neutral, and rev the engine, dealer replaced the mass air flow sensor due to a recall and stated this should take care of the problem, however it has not, possible engine problem.
1997 Ford Pickup engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2.3L 4-cyl | 5-speed manual | RWD | 21 / 24 / 22 |
| 2.3L 4-cyl | 4-speed automatic | RWD | 18 / 23 / 20 |
| 3.0L 6-cyl | 5-speed manual | RWD | 16 / 22 / 18 |
| 4.0L 6-cyl | 5-speed manual | RWD | 16 / 22 / 18 |
| 4.2L 6-cyl | 4-speed automatic | RWD | 15 / 20 / 17 |
| 4.2L 6-cyl | 5-speed manual | RWD | 15 / 20 / 17 |
| 3.0L 6-cyl | 4-speed automatic | RWD | 15 / 21 / 17 |
| 4.0L 6-cyl | 5-speed automatic | RWD | 15 / 20 / 17 |
| 3.0L 6-cyl | 5-speed manual | 4WD/AWD | 15 / 20 / 17 |
| 4.6L 8-cyl | 4-speed automatic | RWD | 14 / 20 / 16 |
| 4.6L 8-cyl | 5-speed manual | RWD | 14 / 20 / 16 |
| 4.2L 6-cyl | 5-speed manual | 4WD/AWD | 15 / 18 / 16 |
EPA ratings. Class: Full-size pickup.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 1997 Ford Pickup a good car?
Based on 15 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 1997 Pickup rates use caution: 2.4× as many complaints as a typical year of the Pickup at the same age. It is one of the Pickup 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 Pickup?
The wheels & tires — 4 complaints, 27% of all complaints for this model year, most often about rim. Next are the engine & cooling (4) and body & structure (2).
How many recalls does the 1997 Ford Pickup have?
NHTSA lists no recalls for the 1997 Ford Pickup. You can still confirm with your VIN using our VIN recall check.
What are the best and worst years of the Ford Pickup?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 1998 and 2000. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 1997. See the full Ford Pickup years comparison.
At what mileage do 1997 Ford Pickup problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 124,000 miles; 0% 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.