1997 Ford L Series 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 L Series, 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
- Body & structure1100.0%
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
Body & structure
Reports naming the vehicle structure, frame, body panels, doors, hood and trim.
From owner reports, verbatim
DT: J-CRAFT MANUF. COMPANY IN KIMBALL, MN CONSTRUCTED AND INSTALLED A DUMP BOX AND RELATED EQUIPMENT ON CONSUMER'S NEW FORD LT8513 TRUCK CHASSIS, PURCHASED IN 5-1997 FROM LAKELAND TRUCKS (NOW BOYER TRUCKS), 740 SOUTH CONCORD ST. SOUTH, ST PAUL , MN 55075. A HALF MOON SHAPED AREA WAS TORCHED OUT OF THE LOWER SECTION OF THE FRAME WELL APPROX. UNDER THE DRIVERS' SEAT IN ORDER TO ALLOW THE PTO ROOM FOR INSTALLATION. IN THE INTERVENING YEARS, NEITHER CONSUMER NOR THE MECHANICS WHO SERVICED THE VEHICLE NOTICED THIS FACT. ON MAY 26, 2005, WHILE THE TRUCK WAS IN THE SHOP FOR SERVICE, AND YEARLY DOT CERTIFICATION, THE MECHANIC NOTICED THE TORCHED CUT OUT AND ALSO SAW THAT A CRACK EXTENDED FROM THE CENTER OF THE CUT OUT UP THROUGH THE WEAKENED FRAME WELL, PREVENTING BOTH THE MECHANIC FROM CERTIFYING CONSUMER'S LOW MILEAGE TRUCK AND THE CONSUMER FROM PUTTING THE TRUCK TO WORK. AS OF MAY 26, 2005, CONSUMER HAS HAD WORK AVAILABLE BUT THE DAMAGE CAUSED BY J-CRAFT TO THE CONSUMER'S TRUCK PREVENTS HIM FROM DOING SO, A COST TO CONSUMER OF $500.00 A DAY. *TT
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 .