RoadVitals

1997 Ford F-350 Suspension Problems

Owner-reported complaints naming the suspension system, filed with NHTSA

Data refreshed

Suspension reportsComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
9
Latest Jun 28, 2005
Share of all reportsThis category as a share of every owner report on file for this model year. One report can name more than one component, so the categories overlap.
6%
of 155 total
Crash or fire reportedReports in this category whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. The reporter's own answer on the NHTSA form, not a verified finding.
0
Injuries or deaths reportedTotals the submitters entered on their own reports in this category. Not verified by NHTSA and not a casualty statistic.
0

What this page shows

Reports naming suspension components — springs, struts, shocks, control arms and related hardware. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 1997 Ford F-350 submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 9 reports on file name it.

Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.

Owner reports naming suspension

Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed

Suspension
Filed Jun 28, 2005

DT: CONSUMER WAS CONCERNED OF ABOUT REAR LEAF SPRINGS SPRING HANGER AND SHACKLE. CONSUMERS VEHICLE HAS EXTENSIVE RUST ON THE SPRING HANGER CONSUMER WAS TOLD BY MECHANIC THAT IT WOULD NOT BE SAFE TO HAUL ANY AMOUNT OF WEIGHT UNTIL PROBLEM WAS FIXED. CONSUMER PURCHASED THE PARTS TO FIX THE VEHICLE TODAY. FORD DEALER TOLD CONSUMER THAT THEY SELL A LARGE AMOUNT OF THESE PARTS, THIS WAS A COMMON PROBLEM ACCORDING TO THE FORD DEALER PARTS DEPARTMENT. CONSUMER STATED THAT THIS WAS A MAJOR STRUCTURAL ITEM, IT WAS RIVETED ON, NOT BOLTED. CONSUMER LOOKED AT SEVERAL OTHER VEHICLES LIKE HIS OWN, AND THEY HAD THE SAME PROBLEM. CONSUMER CALLED FORD TO ISSUE A COMPLAINT WITH THEM. CONSUMER ESTIMATED THAT IT WAS TO COST $500 TO FIX PROBLEM.*AK

NHTSA ID
10126833
Incident
Jun 28, 2005
Mileage
125,000 mi
Suspension
Filed Jul 11, 2001

VEHICLE GOES FROM SIDE TO SIDE AFTER HITTING A BUMP, VIBRATES, AND IS HARD TO CONTROL. DEALER INFORMED CONSUMER VEHICLE NEEDS A STABILIZER BAR, DID NOT COME EQUIPPED WITH ONE.*AK

NHTSA ID
892477
Incident
Jun 10, 2001
Suspension
Filed Jan 31, 2001

STEERING WHEEL SHAKES AND MAKES NOISE WHEN TURNING IT. *AK BEARINGS FAILURE CAUSED STEERING WHEEL HARD TO TURN AND ON OCCASSION LOCKS IT. *YH

NHTSA ID
879465
Incident
Jan 28, 2001
BrakesSuspension
Filed Nov 20, 2000

CONSUMER WAS SLOWING DOWN FOR SHARP CURB & APPLIED BRAKES, FRONT WHEEL LOCKED UP. VEHICLE WENT OVER BANK OF HILL, HEADING TOWARD A LAKE & EVENTUALLY STOPPED SLIDING. DEALER AND CERTIFIED MECHANIC STATED THAT NOTHING WAS WRONG WITH IT. ROTORS SEEM TO BE WARPED. *AK FRONT WHEELS SQUEAL AND GRAB WHEN BRAKES ARE APPLIED, EXCESS DUST WAS FOUND IN REAR BRAKE DRUMS. DEALER STATED THAT FRONT END COULD NOT BE ALIGNED, AFTER MARKET COMBER BUSHINGS WERE INSTALLED ON VEHICLE WHICH WAS ABLE TO BE ALIGNED. *SLC

NHTSA ID
875222
Incident
Apr 1, 1999
SuspensionTires & wheels
Filed Oct 3, 2000

AT 15000 MILES, FIRESTONE TIRES WERE REPLACED DUE TO A RECALL, NOW, 30000 MILES LATER CONSUMER HAD TO REPLACED THE FIRESTONE STEELTEX TIRES P235/85R16 DUE TO TIRES CAUSING FRONT END TO WOBBLE AND EXPERIENCE VIBRATION, DEALER STATED THE BELTS WERE COMING APART. CONSUMER HAD REPLACED THE LEFT UPPER AND LOWER BALL JOINTS DUE TO FROND END SNAPPING SOUDN AND WOBBLE, CONSUMER WONDERS IF THE PROBLEM THE WHOLE TIME WAS WITH THE TIRES. *SLC

NHTSA ID
872143
Incident
Sep 1, 2000
Suspension
Filed Sep 28, 2000

STEERING WHEEL SHAKES VIOLENTLY WHILE DRIVING, MANUFACTURER SENT NOTICE INDICATING A DESIGN ERROR IN THE FRONT END STEERING AND CORRECTION OF THE FRONT END COMPONENTS TO REMEDY PROBLEM. *SLC

NHTSA ID
555239
Incident
Feb 4, 2000
Suspension
Filed Aug 11, 1999

WHEN DRIVING AT ANY SPEED THERE IS A GRINDING NOISE COMING FROM THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE. *AK

NHTSA ID
844870
Incident
Jul 1, 1999
Suspension
Filed Aug 26, 1998

VEHICLE WILL DRIFT AND WILL NOT STAY ALIGNED PROPERLY. VEHICLE HAS BEEN IN FOR ALIGNMENT 6 TIMNES FOR PROBLEM. *AK

NHTSA ID
827239
Suspension
Filed Apr 2, 1998

WHILE DRIVING A NOISE IS HEARD THAT COMES FROM THE FRONT END. DEALERSHIP UNABLE TO LOCATE PROLBEM.. PLEASE DESCRIBE DETAILS. *AK

NHTSA ID
822219
Incident
Mar 3, 1998

Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.

Other components reported on this vehicle

Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own

Elsewhere on this vehicle

Data sources

Data on this page last refreshed .