The 1997 Ford E-Series has 1 safety recall and 16 owner complaints on file with NHTSA. The most-reported problem area is tires (12 complaints).
Recalls1safety recalls
Complaints16filed by owners
Crashes · fires0 · 1reported in complaints
Injuries · deaths0 · 0reported in complaints
Safety recalls
Engine and engine cooling › Engine › Diesel
NHTSA recall 07V553000 · Dec 5, 2007 · 1,176,000 vehicles · opened after NHTSA action (ODI)
Problem: ON CERTAIN HEAVY DUTY TRUCKS EQUIPPED WITH 7.3L DIESEL ENGINES, THE CAMSHAFT POSITION SENSOR LOCATED ON THE ENGINE OF THE VEHICLE MAY FUNCTION INTERMITTENTLY, POSSIBLY RESULTING IN AN ENGINE STALL.
Risk: IN THE EVENT OF AN ENGINE STALL, A CRASH COULD RESULT WITHOUT WARNING.
Fix: DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE SENSOR AND REPLACE IT WITH AN IMPROVED CAMSHAFT POSITION SENSOR FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON DECEMBER 29, 2007. OWNERS MAY CONTACT FORD AT 1-866-436-7332.
Recall repairs are free at any authorised dealer. A recall listed here may already have been fixed on a particular car: enter its 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see open recalls.
What owners report
Problem area
Complaints
Crashes
Fires
Injuries
Typical mileage*
Tires Tread/belt
12
0
0
0
—
Service brakes, hydraulic Foundation components; Brake fluid low warning › Lamp
2
0
0
0
—
Suspension
2
0
0
0
—
Wheels
1
0
0
0
—
Steering
1
0
0
0
—
Electrical system Wiring
1
0
1
0
—
Fuel system, gasoline Delivery › Hoses, lines/piping, and fittings
1
0
0
0
—
*Median odometer reading when the problem happened, where owners gave one. One complaint can name several problem areas.
Recent owner complaints
Sep 6, 2021Suspension This vehicle was made by Ford as a partially complete vehicle and converted to 4 wheel drive by Quigley Motor Company Inc. The Quigley torque arms installed appear to commonly fail from some of the earlier years and a design change has been made (from C-channel arms to tubular). The design and construction of the C-channel torque arm (connecting the front axle to the frame of the vehicle) is prone to failure from low cycle fatigue near the welds. Upon failure, the structural integrity of the vehicle is compromised which results could range from handling issues to loss of control of the vehicle (if more than one torque arm fails or failure of one leads to cascading failures in other…
Sep 28, 2005 · 28,650 milesFuel system, gasoline › Delivery › Hoses, lines/piping, and fittings DT: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE PUTTING FUEL IN THE VEHICLE IT WAS LEAKING. THE FIRST TIME THIS HAPPENED HE THOUGHT THE PUMP DID NOT CUT ITSELF OFF. THE NEXT TIME HE PUMPED FUEL IT CONTINUED TO LEAK. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A DEALERSHIP, AND THEY FOUND THE HOSE THAT CONNECTED TO THE TANK WAS DRY ROTTED. AT THAT TIME, HE HAD THE HOSE REPLACED.*AK UODATED 12/27/05. *JB
Jun 7, 2005 · 100,000 miles · fireElectrical system › Wiring DT: FORD EXPEDITION. NOTHING WAS APPARENT BEFORE THE FAILURE. TWO MINUTES AFTER ARRIVING HOME THERE WAS AN EXPLOSION IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. CONTACTED FORD, THE POLICE, AND THE FIRE DEPARTMENT. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT PUT THE FIRE OUT, AND SAID IT WAS IN THE ENGINE AREA WITH ELECTRICAL ARCING. FORD SAID THEY WERE GOING TO SEND AN INSPECTOR ON 3 DIFFERENT OCCASIONS, BUT NOW SAID THE CASE WAS CLOSED AND WILL NOT BE SEND AN INSPECTOR. *AK
Jun 8, 2005Service brakes, hydraulic › Brake fluid low warning › Lamp I WAS AWARE OF A PROBLEM WITH THE FORD BRAKE PRESSURE SWITCH STARTING FIRES IN EXPLORES AND RANGERS I BELIEVE. OUR COMPANY OWNS 17 ECONOLINE CHASSIS VEHICLES AT THIS DIVISION. I WAS JUST CONCERNED WHEN I FOUND A BLOWN FUSE IN THE 4-WAY FLASHER CIRCUIT OF OUR 97 E-SUPER DUTY VAN. WHICH THIS CIRCUIT ALSO CONTAINS THE BRAKE PRESSURE SWITCH. WHEN REINSTALLING THE FUSE THE BRAKE PRESSURE SWITCH STARTED TO SMOKE AND GET HOT ENOUGH TO GET THE BRAKE FLUID TO ITS FLASH POINT. THE BRAKE FLUID PROCEEDED TO SMOKE AND PUSH ITS WAY PAST THE SWITCH. NO DAMAGE WAS DONE OTHER THAN A NEW SWITCH. IWAS JUST CONCERNED THAT THE FUSE DID NOT BLOW AND IF I WAS NOT THE THE VEHICLE WOULD HAVE CAUGHT FIRE.
Jun 15, 2003Wheels WE PURCHASED A 1997 FORD E150 RAISED ROOF CONVERSION VAN FROM JIM O'NEAL FORD IN SELLERSBURG, INDIANA JUST ACROSS THE BORDER FROM LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY. THE CONVERSION WAS BY SUPERIOR IN LOUISVILLE. WE PURCHASED THAT PARTICULAR VAN BECAUSE IT WAS HIGHLY RATED BY FORD MOTOR COMPANY AS A CONVERSION COMPANY. WE DROVE THE VAN FOR SIX YEARS AND JUST RECENTLY TRADED IT IN. IT HAS 97,000 MILES ON IT. THE MAJOR PROBLEM WE HAD WITH THE VAN WAS WITH THE FRONT END. BOTH FORD AND OUR LOCAL TIRE DEALER HAVE TOLD US THAT BECAUSE THE VAN IS RAISED ROOF AND HEAVIER THAN NORMAL, WE SHOULD EXPECT EXCESSIVE TIRE AND BRAKE WEAR. HOWEVER, WE OFTEN WOULD HAVE TO PUT BRAKES ON THE VAN MORE THAN ONCE A YEAR AND…
Aug 17, 2003Tires AT 70 M.P.H. ON FLAT , DRY ROAD THE TREAD SEPERATED FROM THE INFLATED FIRESTONE TIRE AND CAUSED DAMAGE TO MOTORHOME.
Dec 19, 2003Tires › Tread/belt WHILE DRIVING 70 MPH AND WITHOUT WARNING REAR DRIVER'S OUTER TIRE BLEW OUT, WHICH RESULTED IN TREAD SEPARATION, FIRESTONE, MODEL LT225/75R16E DOT: UNKNOWN. FORD AND FIRESTONE WERE NOTIFIED. *AK
May 30, 2003Tires A TIRE BLEW OUT AND DAMAGED THE MOTOR HOME. FIRESTONE LT 225/75/16. PLEASE PROVIDE DETAILS.
Owner complaints are submitted to NHTSA by the public and are not verified. Shown as filed (NHTSA removes personal details); long reports are shortened.
NHTSA defect investigations
DP05005 · opened Sep 22, 2005 · closed Jan 4, 2006SPARK PLUG EJECTION FROM CYLINDER HEAD ON SEPTEMBER 6, 2005, ODI RECEIVED A PETITION REQUESTING THAT THE AGENCY INVESTIGATE ALLEGATIONS OF ENGINE SPARK PLUG EJECTION IN CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 1997 THROUGH 2004 FORD VEHICLES WITH TRITON V-8 AND V-10 ENGINES.ODI RECEIVED A TOTAL OF 474 NON-DUPLICATIVE COMPLAINTS ON THE SUBJECT VEHICLES WHERE THE COMPLAINANT, OR THE DEALER REPAIRING THE VEHICLE, REPORTED THAT A SPARK PLUG DETACHED FROM THE CYLINDER AND/OR EJECTED FROM THE ENGINE.AS OF DECEMBER 8, 2005, ODI IS NOT AWARE OF ANY ALLEGATIONS WHERE THE ALLEGED DEFECT RESULTED IN A LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL, A CRASH, AN INJURY, OR A FATALITY IN ANY OF THE 10,319,810 SUBJECT VEHICLES.IN ADDITION, ODI IS AWARE OF ONLY TWO INCIDENTS WHERE THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT RESTART.INFORMATION CONTAINED IN THE ODI CONSUMER COMPLAINTS AND OBTAINED FROM 72 TELEPHONE INTERVIEWS WITH COMPLAINANTS SHOWED THE FOLLOWING:(1) 99% OF THE COMPLAINTS WERE ON MY…