1997 Ford Pickup 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 Pickup, 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
- Engine428.6%
- Tires & wheels321.4%
- Steering214.3%
- Body & structure214.3%
- Suspension17.1%
- Other / unspecified17.1%
- Visibility17.1%
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
Engine
Reports naming the engine itself — including stalling, misfires, oil consumption, cooling and internal engine components.
From owner reports, verbatim
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. *NM
CONSUMER STATES VEHICLE IS EXPERIENCING STALLING PROBLEMS, DEALER CAN NOT REMEDY THE PROBLEM. *SLC
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Tires & wheels
Reports naming tires, wheels, hubs, or the tire-pressure monitoring system.
From owner reports, verbatim
WHILE DRIVING 45-50 MPH AND WITHOUT WARNING LEFT REAR TIRE TREAD SEPARATED, RESULTING IN VEHICLE T FLIPPING OVER ABOUT 4 TIMES. DRIVER SUSTAINED MAJOR INJURIES, AND VEHICLE WAS TOTALED.*AK *MJ
WHILE TRAVELING AND WITHOUT ANY INDICATION FRONT END OF VEHICLE BECAME UNSTABLE DUE TO TIRE BLOWOUT. *AK THIS HAPPENED ON LEFT FRONT TIRE. ALSO THE ENTIRE TREAD PEELED OFF OF THE RIGHT REAR TIRE. *YH
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Steering
Reports naming the steering system — racks, columns, power-steering assist and steering linkage.
From owner reports, verbatim
WHILE TURNING STEERING WHEEL WOULD BE TOO LOOSE, CAUSING A DISTRACTION TO THE CONSUMER. DEALERSHIP WAS NOTIFIED, BUT DID NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM.*AK
THE STEERING WHEEL COLUMN JOINT BROKE, WHICH CAUSED THE TIRES NOT TO TURN WITH THE STEERING WHEEL.*JB
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Body & structure
Reports naming the vehicle structure, frame, body panels, doors, hood and trim.
From owner reports, verbatim
THE DRIVER DOOR AND PASSANGER DOOR HAVE SIMMILAR CRACKS BY THE MIDDLE DOOR THE DEALEAR KNOWS ABOUT THE DEFECT AND WON'T DO ANY THING ABOUT IT, IF THIS TRUCK IS INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT THE DOORS WILL BUCKLE AT THAT CRACK IT IS A DEFECT FROM FORD THE CRACK IS LOCATED ON THE MIDDLE DOOR BY THE LOCK IN OTHER WORDS WHEN YOU OPEN THE WINDOW AND YOU PUT YOUR ARM ON THE WINDOW EDGE RIGHT BEHINDYOUR ELBOE THATS WHERE IT IS LOCATED. *AK
DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR IS CRACKING, WILL WINDOW GO ACROSS TO OPENING.*AK
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
CONSUMER STATES THAT WHILE DRIVING AND NO WARNING THE REAR END WILL SWAY TO THE LEFT AND IT WILL BE HARD FOR THE CONSUMER TO CONTROL THE VEHICLE. DEALER NOTIFIED TS
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Other / unspecified
Reports whose component NHTSA recorded as unknown, or that do not map to one of the categories above.
From owner reports, verbatim
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. *AK
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Visibility
Reports naming windshields, glass, wipers, defrosters and mirrors.
From owner reports, verbatim
VENTILATION SYSTEM DRAWS EXHAUST FUMES INTO THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT WHEN VEHICLE IS AT IDLE.
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 .