1997 Ford F-350 reliability record
Every consumer complaint and recall the U.S. government (NHTSA) has on file for the 1997 Ford F-350 — the repair risk behind the ownership cost.
- NHTSA complaints
- 188
- on record
- Top problem area
- SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP
- 16 complaints
- Recalls on record
- 0
- none on record
- Reported harm
- 14 reported crashes · 3 injuries · 15 fires
How this record compares
raw NHTSA counts, not defect ratesComplaint rank
#2,710
of 4,194 vehicle records
Vs Ford median
-149
median 338 across 514 Ford records
Vs 1995-1999
-69
median 257 complaints in 591 records
Top component share
14%
Tires: 27 complaints
What owners report fails — 1997 Ford F-350
- SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP 16
- ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE 14
- TIRES:TREAD/BELT 14
- TIRES 13
- POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION 11
Estimate the 5-year cost to own a 1997 Ford F-350
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-350 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-350 reliable?
NHTSA has 188 consumer complaints on record for the 1997 Ford F-350. The most-reported problem area is service brakes, hydraulic:antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip (16 reports). These are unverified consumer reports filed with the government, not validated failure rates, and are not adjusted for how many 1997 Ford F-350 units were produced — popular vehicles naturally accumulate more reports.
What are the most common problems with the 1997 Ford F-350?
Owners most often report problems with: service brakes, hydraulic:antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip (16), engine and engine cooling:engine:gasoline (14), tires:tread/belt (14), tires (13). 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-350?
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.