1997 Ford F-53 Problems
Owner-reported complaints filed with NHTSA, grouped by component
Data refreshed
What this page shows
Everything below is an owner-reported complaint submitted to NHTSA about the 1997 Ford F-53, grouped by the component NHTSA recorded on the report. These are not confirmed defects, and they are not recalls. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a category with more reports in it is not evidence that a part is defective.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Reports by component
Ranked by how many owner reports name each component category
- Driver assistance133.3%
- Powertrain (other)133.3%
- Suspension133.3%
Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.
Each component in detail
What the reports in each category say, in the owners' own words
Driver assistance
Reports naming forward-collision avoidance, lane keeping, back-over prevention, cruise control and related electronic driver-assistance systems.
From owner reports, verbatim
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 FORD F53 CHASSIS. IN AUGUST OF 2007, THE CONTACT RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE FOR NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 07V336000 (VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL: CRUISE CONTROL). HE RECEIVED THE SECOND NOTICE IN OCTOBER. HE CALLED THE DEALERS IN THE AREA AND THE PARTS FOR THE RECALL REPAIR WERE STILL UNAVAILABLE, EVEN THOUGH THE NOTICE STATED THAT THE PARTS WOULD BE AVAILABLE IN NOVEMBER/DECEMBER. THE CONTACT HAS BEEN UNABLE TO OPERATE THE VEHICLE DUE TO THE SEVERITY AND INSTRUCTIONS OF THE DEFECT. HE HAS BEEN UNABLE TO REACH THE MANUFACTURER. THE FORD RECALL NUMBER IS 05S28. THERE HAD BEEN NO FAILURE TO DATE. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 38,000. UPDATED 02-19-08 *BF UPDATED 02/14/08 *TR
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Powertrain (other)
Powertrain reports that are not specifically the engine or transmission — driveshafts, axles, transfer cases and differentials.
From owner reports, verbatim
THE SPEED CONTROL KEPT KICKING THE TRANSMISSION BACK INTO A LOWER GEAR GOING DOWN STATE ROAD 64 TO PATOKA LAKE, WHEN I FINALLY ARRIVED THE TRANSMISSION WAS SO HOT, IT HAD STARTED TO SLIP. I TRIED TO BACK INTO MY CAMP SITE, AND THE TRANSMISSION STARTED TO LEAK OIL ALL OVER THE PAD. AFTER IT COOLED OFF, WE PUT MORE TRANSMISSION FLUID IN THE SYSTEM, AND TRIED IT, IT MOVED, BUT STILL WASN'T FEELING RIGHT WHEN IT SHIFTED, I DROVE IT HOME, TO [XXX]AND WHEN I TRIED TO PUT IT IN REVERSE IT WOULD NOT BACK UP AT ALL, IT IS NOW PARKED ON THE SIDEWALK IN FRONT OF THE HOUSE. WHAT DO I DO??? INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Suspension
Reports naming suspension components — springs, struts, shocks, control arms and related hardware.
From owner reports, verbatim
THE FRONT AXLE ON THESE CHASSIS'S SHIFT AND WITHOUT WARNING PUTTING THE VEHICLE INTO A SEVERE FRONT END SHIMMY. THE ONLY WAY TO BRING THE VEHICLE UNDER CONTROL IS TO HIT THE BRAKES HARD AND SLOW THE VEHICLE TO APPROX. 20 MPH WHILE IN TRAFFIC USUALLY AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS CREATING A HAZARD TO THE OCCUPANTS OF THE VEHICLE AS WELL AS THE MOTORING PUBLIC. DT
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
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.
Elsewhere on this vehicle
Data sources
- NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation — owner-reported complaints and the components recorded on them
Data on this page last refreshed .