1997 Ford F-250 reliability record
Every consumer complaint and recall the U.S. government (NHTSA) has on file for the 1997 Ford F-250 — the repair risk behind the ownership cost.
- NHTSA complaints
- 348
- 1 in the last 5 years
- Top problem area
- TIRES
- 24 complaints
- Recalls on record
- 1
- see below
- Reported harm
- 21 reported crashes · 12 injuries · 20 fires
How this record compares
raw NHTSA counts, not defect ratesComplaint rank
#1,508
of 4,194 vehicle records
Vs Ford median
+11
median 338 across 514 Ford records
Vs 1995-1999
+91
median 257 complaints in 591 records
Top component share
12%
Tires: 42 complaints
What owners report fails — 1997 Ford F-250
- TIRES 24
- POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION 19
- TIRES:TREAD/BELT 18
- FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE 14
- SUSPENSION:FRONT 12
1 recall on record for the 1997 Ford F-250
- NHTSA 11V385000 · 2011 · FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:TANK ASSEM AS A RESULT OF THE CORROSION, ONE OR BOTH STRAPS MAY FAIL ALLOWING THE FUEL LINES TO SEPARATE FROM THE TANK, OR IN SOME
Estimate the 5-year cost to own a 1997 Ford F-250
A vehicle's complaint record hints at the repair and maintenance budget you'll need. Add your state, purchase price, and mileage to the TCO calculator for the full picture.
Open TCO calculatorThese are unverified consumer reports and manufacturer recalls filed with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration — not validated defect rates, and not adjusted for how many 1997 Ford F-250 units were produced or sold. High-volume and older vehicles naturally accumulate more complaints. Use this as one research signal, not a verdict on any individual vehicle. Data as of 2026. Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (public domain).
Frequently asked questions
Is the 1997 Ford F-250 reliable?
NHTSA has 348 consumer complaints on record for the 1997 Ford F-250 and 1 recall. The most-reported problem area is tires (24 reports). These are unverified consumer reports filed with the government, not validated failure rates, and are not adjusted for how many 1997 Ford F-250 units were produced — popular vehicles naturally accumulate more reports.
What are the most common problems with the 1997 Ford F-250?
Owners most often report problems with: tires (24), power train:automatic transmission (19), tires:tread/belt (18), fuel system, gasoline (14). Each figure is the number of complaints filed with NHTSA for this exact model year.
How much does it cost to own a 1997 Ford F-250?
Ownership cost depends on your state taxes, insurance, fuel, and the maintenance the vehicle's reliability record implies. Use the CarOutlay 5-year TCO calculator to estimate the full cost including the repair risk this complaint record suggests.