1997 Ford F SERIES (LIGHT) problems and owner complaints
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
15 owner complaints analyzed
0 distinct recall campaigns
105,250 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 1997 model year. Data snapshot: . 14 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Fuel System, Gasoline is the most frequently named component, appearing in 3 of 15 complaints (20.0%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Fuel system concerns | 3 | 20.0% |
| Braking behavior | 2 | 13.3% |
| Electrical and battery issues | 2 | 13.3% |
| Transmission and shifting | 1 | 6.7% |
Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.
Component breakdown
Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 3 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine | 2 |
| Electrical System | 1 |
| Electrical System:Ignition | 1 |
| Electrical System:Wiring:Front Underhood | 1 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling | 1 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling:Cooling System | 1 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Gasoline | 1 |
Fuel System, Gasoline: 3; Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine: 2; Electrical System: 1; Electrical System:Ignition: 1; Electrical System:Wiring:Front Underhood: 1; Engine And Engine Cooling: 1; Engine And Engine Cooling:Cooling System: 1; Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Gasoline: 1
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 1 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 0 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 3 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 2 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 4 |
| 150,000 and above | 4 |
Under 25,000: 1; 25,000 to 49,999: 0; 50,000 to 74,999: 3; 75,000 to 99,999: 2; 100,000 to 149,999: 4; 150,000 and above: 4
100,000 to 149,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (4). 1 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.
Complaints over time
Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 2003 | 1 |
| 2004 | 2 |
| 2005 | 3 |
| 2006 | 3 |
| 2007 | 2 |
| 2010 | 1 |
| 2011 | 3 |
2003: 1; 2004: 2; 2005: 3; 2006: 3; 2007: 2; 2010: 1; 2011: 3
Pattern summary
Fuel System, Gasoline leads the component reports. Fuel system concerns appears in 3 complaint narratives. Braking behavior appears in 2 complaint narratives. Electrical and battery issues appears in 2 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.
Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.
Complaint evidence
Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.
Owner report 10363019 · 2010-10-30 (October 30, 2010)
ONE GAS TANK STRAP BROKE ON MY 97 FORD F150 A FEW MONTHS LATER THE OTHER ONE BROKE. I DROPPED AND DRAGGED THE GAS TANK WHICH BEGAN TO LEAK. I DON'T DRIVE THAT VEHICLE TOO MUCH. I WAS VERY LUCKY THERE WAS NO FIRE OR EXPLOSION. *TR
Owner-reported narrative. 72,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10363019 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10399962 · 2011-05-11 (May 11, 2011)
1997 FORD F-150 . THE GAS TANK STRAPS HAVE BEGUN TO ROT AND HAVE CHAFFED THE GAS TANK TO THE POINT THERE ARE SOME GAS VAPORS ESCAPING. NOT A FULL BLOWN LEAK AT THIS POINT. I WILL BEGIN THE PROCESS OF REPAIRING TO AVOID FIRE/EXPLOSION. *TR
Owner-reported narrative. 159,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10399962 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10122263 · 2005-05-26 (May 26, 2005)
MY 1997 FORD F-150 TRUCK WAS PARKED IN THE DRIVE WAY IN FRONT OF MY HOUSE.THE KEYS WERE NOT IN THE VEHICLE, AND NO LIGHTS WERE ON. I STEPED OUT THE FRONT DOOR OF MY HOUSE, AND SMELLED SOMETHING BURNING. I LOOKED OVER AT MY TRUCK, AND SAW FLAMES IN THE LEFT FRONT WHEEL WELL, AND SMOKE COMING OUT OF THE HOOD SIDE AND BACK EDGES. I GOT THE FIRE EXTENGUISHER FROM THE HOUSE, SHOT UP IN THE WHEEL WELL, THEN OPENED THE HOOD AND PUT OUT THE REST OF THE FIRE. THE FIRE SEEMED TO START IN THE BRAKE MASTER CYLINDER AREA, AND I BELIEVE AS A RESULT OF A DEF…
Owner-reported narrative. 147,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10122263 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10199481 · 2007-08-14 (August 14, 2007)
THE FRONT BRAKES ON MY 1997 FORD F150 LOCK UP. WHILE DRIVING THE BRAKES GRADUALLY OVERHEAT FROM A FAILURE OF THE CALIPERS TO RETURN TO THEIR NON-BRAKING POSITION. I HAVE REPLACED THE RUBBER BRAKE LINES, REPLACED THE DISK BRAKE PADS. TURNED THE ROTORS, LUBRICATED THE SLIDING PORTIONS OF THE CALIPERS WITH HIGH-TEMPERATURE GREASE AND TAKEN THE VEHICLE TO MY NEAREST FORD DEALERSHIP TO HAVE THE BRAKES COMPUTER CHECKED AND REPAIRED. NEVER-THE-LESS, THE BRAKES CONTINUE TO LOCK UP DURING NORMAL DRIVING CONDITIONS. THIS PRESENTS AN EXTREME SAFETY RI…
Owner-reported narrative. 50,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10199481 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10165178 · 2006-08-10 (August 10, 2006)
THE TRUCK STARTED HAVING ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS, WHICH WOULD COME AND GO. THESE PROBLEMS BECAME MORE SEVERE AND NUMEROUS AS TIME WENT BY. AT FIRST IT WAS JUST THE WARNING LIGHTS COMING ON AND THEN THINGS LIKE THE RADIO COMING ON IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT AND NO ONE HAD THE KEY EVEN IN. IT WOULD ALSO SHIFT INTO 4-WHEEL FOR NO REASON. THESE WOULD ONLY HAPPEN ONCE IN A WHILE. THEN ONE DAY WHEN I WENT TO GO TO WORK I OPENED THE DOOR AND EVERYTHING CAME ON JUST OPENING THE DOOR. I GOT IN AND PUT THE KEY IN AND TRIED TO START THE TRUCK BUT THERE WAS NO…
Owner-reported narrative. 164,745 miles reported. Look up ODI 10165178 at NHTSA ↗