1997 Ford F-450 SD

Routine

Owners filed 4 complaints about this vehicle with federal regulators, most often about the suspension › rear. It has been recalled 4 times.

What fails
ComponentReportsCrashesFiresInjuries
Suspension › Rear2
000
Tires › Tread/Belt1
000
Engine and Engine Cooling › Engine1
000

4 safety recalls

Part 573 reports
Vehicle Speed Control09V399000
Filed Oct 13, 20094,500,000 vehiclesFord Motor Company

Defect. FORD IS RECALLING MODEL YEARS 1995-2003 WINDSTAR, 2000-2003 EXCURSION DIESEL, 1993-1997 AND 1999-2003 F-250 SD THROUGH F-550 SD DIESEL, 1992-2003 E-150 THROUGH E-550, 1995-2002 EXPLORER, 1997 AND 2002 MERCURY MOUNTAINEER, 1995-1997 AND 2001-2003 RANGER, AND 1994 F53 VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH THE TEXAS INSTRUMENTS SPEED CONTROL DEACTIVATION SWITCH (SCDS). THE SCDS MAY LEAK INTERNALLY AND THEN OVERHEAT, SMOKE, OR BURN.

Risk. A VEHICLE FIRE COULD OCCUR WITH OR WITHOUT THE ENGINE RUNNING.

Remedy. FORD WILL NOTIFY OWNERS THAT DEALERS WILL INSTALL A FUSED WIRING HARNESS IN LINE WITH THE SCDS. ON 1999-2003 WINDSTAR VEHICLES WITH A LEAKING SCDS, DEALERS WILL ALSO INSPECT THE ABS CONTROL MODULE CONNECTOR AND REPAIR AS NECESSARY. REPAIRS WILL BE COMPLETED FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON OCTOBER 27, 2009. OWNERS MAY CONTACT FORD AT 1-888-222-2751.

Engine and Engine Cooling › Engine › Diesel07V553000
Filed Dec 5, 20071,176,000 vehiclesFord Motor Company

Defect. 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.

Remedy. 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.

Vehicle Speed Control06V286000
Filed Aug 1, 20061,200,000 vehiclesFord Motor Company

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

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

Remedy. 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)

Tires › Tread/Belt01X001000
Filed May 22, 200113,000,000 vehiclesFord Motor Company

Defect. 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.

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

Remedy. 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.

What owners reported

Newest filings
Tires › Tread/Belt
Filed May 18, 2001TX

WHILE TRAVELING AT APPROXIMATELY 55 MPH THERE WAS A LOUD BOOMING NOISE THAT CAME FROM VEHICLE. CONSUMER PULLED OVER, AND NOTICED THAT RIGHT REAR INSIDE FIRESTONE, STEELTEX RADIAL R4S TIRE EXPERIENCED COMPLETE TREAD SEPARATION. TIRE SIZE IS LT225/75R16E, FORD, F450HD. *AK DOT NUMBER VD1L1XA456. *SLC

Suspension › Rear
Filed Feb 9, 2000FL

THE VEHICLE REAR END SNAPS VIOLENTLY JERKING THE BACK OF THE TRUCK SIDEWAYS. IT DOES THIS 2-3 TIMES A WEEK. IT HAS NEVER DONE IT WHEN THE DEALER TEST DRIVES. THEY TELL ME THEY HAVE NO IDEA WHAT CAUSES THIS AND WILL NOT ATTEMPT TO FIX THE PROBLEM.

Engine and Engine Cooling › Engine
Filed Aug 30, 1999AL

THE FLYWHEEL ON THIS VEHICLE CONTINUES TO TEAR UP. I HAVE BEEN TOLD THAT THIS IS A PROBLEM WITH THIS FLYWHEEL, BUT ONCE MY WARRANTY IS UP THE DEALER WILL NO LONGER REPAIR IT UNDER WARRANTY. I HAVE HAD TO PAY $100 EACH TIME THIS HAS HAPPENED. THE FLYWHEEL HAS ACTAULLY NEEDED REPLACING MORE TIMES, BUT THIS IS WORK TRUCK & IT IS VERY HARD FOR ME TO PARK FOR ANY LENGTH OF TIME.

Suspension › Rear
Filed May 5, 1998UN

OWNER HAVING PROBLEMS WITH THE REAR END, OIL LEAKS, AND TRANSMISSIONS ON THREE OF VEHICLES OF THIS MAKE.

4 of 4 complaints, reproduced as filed.

Across model years

Worst on record: 2008
YearComplaintsRecallsFiresDeathsAssessment
20261200Routine
20252400Do not drive
20248330Routine
202351310Do not drive
2022241430Do not drive
2021181210Do not drive
202001000Routine
20193900Routine
20180700Routine
201711100Routine
20161300Routine
20151400Routine
20141400Routine
20132800Routine
20123700Routine
20116810Routine
20103600Routine
20093500Routine
200868330Routine
200716200Routine
200635200Routine
200540500Routine
200433310Routine
200316600Routine
200214600Routine
200123920Routine
200043720Routine
1999661110Routine
19981200Routine
1997 — this page4400Routine
19962200Routine
19952210Routine
19943310Routine
19935400Routine
19923200Routine
19916100Routine

Compare every F-450 SD year →

Reading this record

No unusual pattern of severe incidents in the complaint record.

Complaint counts track how many cars were sold and how long they have been on the road as much as they track quality. A common model from 2013 has had a decade to accumulate reports; a rare one from last year has not. The signal worth weighing is in the severity columns, in whether the same component keeps appearing, and in whether the manufacturer eventually opened a recall for it.

Recall repairs are free for as long as the recall stands. Check whether a specific car still has open work at NHTSA's VIN lookup.

Most recent recall on file: Oct 13, 2009. Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation.