1997 Ford F-550 SD

Routine

Owners filed 2 complaints about this vehicle with federal regulators, most often about the tires › tread/belt. It has been recalled 3 times.

What fails
ComponentReportsCrashesFiresInjuries
Tires › Tread/Belt1
000
Service Brakes1
000

3 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)

What owners reported

Newest filings
Service Brakes
Filed Apr 11, 201432,000 milesMA

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 COACHMEN MIRADA RV EQUIPPED WITH A 1997 FORD F-530 SD CHASSIS. (NA) THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING DOWN AN INCLINE APPROXIMATELY 20 MPH, THE BRAKE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR WHEN DEPRESSED. AFTER DOWN SHIFTING, THE VEHICLE REDUCED SPEED AND RESUMED NORMALLY. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE DEFECT. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 32,000.

Tires › Tread/Belt
Filed Dec 9, 200250,000 milesCA

P22570/19.5. ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT. CONSUMER STATED THAT THE INNER RIGHT REAR TIRE TREAD SEPARATED. TS GENERAL LMT460. P22570/19.5. DOT # A39Y1HC168, DOT # A39Y1HC158. TWO FAILURES BLEW OUT WHILE TOWING A TRAVEL TRAILER AND THE THIRD HAD A BULGE IN THE SIDEWALL. THE TIRES APPEARED TO BE IN GOOD CONDITION WITH NO VISIBLE CRACKS OR DEFECTS WITH 50% TREAD REMAINING WITH 95 PSI. *TT

2 of 2 complaints, reproduced as filed.

Across model years

Worst on record: 2000
YearComplaintsRecallsFiresDeathsAssessment
20261200Routine
20251300Do not drive
20242200Routine
20231900Do not drive
202291210Do not drive
202112920Do not drive
20204800Routine
20194520Routine
20180300Routine
20172800Routine
20163300Routine
201511320Routine
20149620Routine
20132900Routine
201261000Routine
201131200Routine
20101700Routine
20091500Routine
200826400Routine
200723220Routine
200644211Fatalities reported
200532500Routine
200449350Routine
200333550Routine
200222530Routine
200129730Routine
200072620Routine
199961930Routine
19980200Routine
1997 — this page2300Routine
19960200Routine
19950200Routine
19940200Routine
19930100Routine

Compare every F-550 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.