RecallRadar

HomeFordF-350 → 1997

1997 Ford F-350 Recalls & Complaints

4

open safety recalls on record

Critical

188 owner complaints filed · Severity Index 0.45 · updated 2026-08-07

The recalls

Critical06V286000

Vehicle Speed Control

OVERHEATING COULD RESULT IN SMOKE OR BURN AND AN UNDERHOOD FIRE.

Remedy & full details

DEALERS WILL INSTALL A FUSED WIRING HARNESS INTO THE SPEED CONTROL SYSTEM FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON AUGUST 7, 2006. OWNERS MAY CONTACT FORD AT 1-866-436-7332. (NOTE: ALSO SEE RECALLS 05V017 AND 05V388)

ON CERTAIN TRUCKS EQUIPPED WITH SPEED CONTROL, GASOLINE OR NATURAL GAS ENGINES, THE SPEED CONTROL DEACTIVATION SWITCH MAY OVERHEAT.

Serious01X001000

Tires:Tread/Belt

SHOULD THE TREAD SEPARATE AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS, A VEHICLE CRASH COULD OCCUR, POSSIBLY RESULTING IN PERSONAL INJURY OR DEATH.

Remedy & full details

THE REPLACEMENT/REIMBURSEMENT PROGRAM FOR THIS CAMPAIGN EXPIRED ON MARCH 31, 2002. HOWEVER, CUSTOMERS CAN CONTACT FORD AT 1-877-917-3673 OR GO ON-LINE TO WWW.FORD.COM FOR POSSIBLE ASSISTANCE.

THIS IS NOT A SAFETY RECALL IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE SAFETY ACT. HOWEVER, IT IS DEEMED A SAFETY IMPROVEMENT CAMPAIGN BY THE AGENCY. EQUIPMENT DESCRIPTION: FORD IS REPLACING ALL FIRESTONE WILDERNESS AT 15, 16, AND 17 INCH TIRES MOUNTED ON FORD TRUCKS AND SUVS. FORD REPORTS TREAD SEPARATION CAN OCCUR DUE TO A COMBINATION OF THE SENSITIVITY OF THE TIRE DESIGN TO STRESS, AGING, AND MANUFACTURING DIFFERENCES BETWEEN PLANTS. FORD IS REPLACING THESE TIRES TO PREVENT POSSIBLE PREMATURE TIRE FAILURE. VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: THE VEHICLES LISTED BELOW MAY HAVE BEEN ORIGINALLY EQUIPPED WITH FIRESTONE WILDERNESS AT TIRES OR MAY HAVE HAD WILDERNESS AT TIRES INSTALLED DURING THE FIRESTONE RECALL LAUNCHED IN AUGUST 2000. CERTAIN 1991 THROUGHT 2002 FORD EXPLORER CERTAIN 2001 THROUGHT 2002 EXPLORER SPORT, AND SPORT TRAC CERTAIN 1997 THROUGH 2002 MERCURY MOUNTAINEER CERTAIN 1991 THROUGH 2001 RANGER CERTAIN 1999 THROUGH 2001 EXPEDITION CERTAIN 1991 THROUGH 1994, AND 1997 MODEL YEAR F-SERIES CERTAIN 1991 THROUGH 1994 BRONCO NOTE: BOTH ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT AND REPLACEMENT TIRES ARE AFFECTED.

Moderate97V187000

Tires:Bead

THE BEAD AREA OF THE TIRE WAS CUT WHICH COULD RESULT IN AIR LOSS.

Remedy & full details

DUE TO THE AGE OF THE VEHICLES AND THIS RECALL AFFECTING ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT TIRES ONLY, FORD WILL NO LONGER ACCEPT CLAIMS FOR THIS CAMPAIGN.

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: LIGHT DUTY PICKUP TRUCKS AND CHASSIS. THE TIRES ON THESE VEHICLES WERE DAMAGED DURING MOUNTING ONTO THE WHEELS. ONLY TRUCKS PRODUCED AT THE CUAUTITLAN, MEXICO PLANT BETWEEN SEPTEMBER 1, 1996, AND JULY 17, 1997, WERE AFFECTED BY THE DEFECT.

Moderate96V184000

Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Foundation Components:Master Cylinder

LOSS OF SERVICE BRAKING CAN OCCUR raises the risk of A VEHICLE ACCIDENT.

Remedy & full details

DEALERS WILL INSPECT TO VERIFY THAT THE RETAINER CLIPS ARE INSTALLED AND IF CLIPS ARE MISSING WILL INSTALL CLIPS.

THE RETAINER CLIP THAT HOLDS THE MASTER CYLINDER PUSH ROD TO THE BRAKE PEDAL ARM IS MISSING.

Complaint volume

188 this model-year 8 median, same year

Volume alone is not a fault rate — popular vehicles attract more reports. Read it next to the severity mix below.

What owners reported happened

14Crashes
15Fires
3Injuries
0Deaths

Across 188 complaints. Severity Index 0.45.

Severity Index weights each complaint's reported outcome (death ×10, injury ×4, fire ×3, crash ×2) and divides by total complaints. It measures how severe reports are, not how often faults occur.

What owners report most

Service Brakes, Hydraulic…16 · 9%Engine And Engine Cooling…14 · 7%Tires · Tread/Belt14 · 7%Tires13 · 7%Power Train · Automatic T…11 · 6%Vehicle Speed Control6 · 3%Suspension · Front5 · 3%Steering · Hydraulic Powe…5 · 3%
  1. Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip — 16 reports
  2. Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Gasoline — 14 reports
  3. Tires:Tread/Belt — 14 reports
  4. Tires — 13 reports
  5. Power Train:Automatic Transmission — 11 reports
  6. Vehicle Speed Control — 6 reports
  7. Suspension:Front — 5 reports
  8. Steering:Hydraulic Power Assist System — 5 reports
  9. Electrical System — 5 reports
  10. Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Diesel — 5 reports

What to do

  1. Find your 17-character VIN on the driver's door jamb or the base of the windscreen.
  2. Check it against NHTSA's official lookup at nhtsa.gov/recalls — the authoritative record for your exact car.
  3. Book the repair with any franchised dealer. Safety recall work is free, with no time limit and regardless of who owns the car now.

Other model years

1995 (3) · 1996 (4) · 1997 · 1998 (1) · 1999 (13) · 2000 (5) · 2001 (6) · 2002 (3) · 2003 (3) · 2004 (3) · 2005 (3) · 2006 (4) · 2007 (3) · 2008 (7) · 2009 (3) · 2011 (4) · 2012 (4) · 2013 (1) · 2014

Numbers in brackets are open recall campaigns for that year.

Questions

Does an open recall mean the car is unsafe to drive?

Not usually. NHTSA issues a "do not drive" or "park outside" advisory when a defect is dangerous enough to keep you out of the car — those are flagged Critical above. Everything else should be repaired promptly but is not an immediate stop-driving order.

Do I pay for recall repairs?

No. Federal law requires the manufacturer to fix a safety recall free of charge, including parts and labour, whether or not you are the original owner.

Why are there complaints but no recalls?

Complaints are unverified reports filed by owners. They can prompt an investigation, but many never become recalls — either the fault isn't safety-related or it isn't widespread.