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#BS-1997-FORF35-1F41

1997 Ford F 350

Based on reports from 188 owners and 4 recalls for this exact model.

Complaints

188

Crashes

Fires

Recalls

TSBs

152

🟡

Preliminary Verdict

Think Twice

Based on 188 complaints, 14 crashes, 15 fires, and 4 recalls.

See full verdict with buy/skip conditions

Preview: What's in your full report

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Mechanic Inspection Checklist

!Check the Service Brakes, Hydraulic:antilock/traction Control/electronic Limited SlipHIGH

16 owners reported service brakes, hydraulic:antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip issues — failures commonly reported around 117K miles.

!Inspect the Engine And Engine Cooling:engine:gasolineMED

Look for symptoms of wear and premature failure

+ 6 more items in full checklistUnlock

Failure Timeline by Mileage

0–30K

30–60K

60–90K

90–120K

120–150K

150K+

Peak failure range: 150K+ miles (12 reports) • Median: 117K miles

Full report: which components fail at each mileageUnlock

30,000-Mile Cost Projection

Best Case

$X,XXX

Most Likely

$X,XXX

Worst Case

$X,XXX

Top cost driver: Service Brakes, Hydraulic:antilock/traction Control/electronic Limited Slip (16 reports).

Includes fuel costs, common repairs, and recall riskUnlock

Also in your report

Owner Intelligence

AI-synthesized themes from real complaints

Buyer Lot Checklist

Questions, test drive checks, walk-away triggers

Negotiation Talking Points

Data-backed dollar deductions

Buy / Skip Verdict

Final recommendation with conditions

10 sections total in the full reportUnlock all

Where the complaints fall

Service Brakes, Hydraulic:antilock/traction Control/electronic Limited Slip16 (9%)

Engine And Engine Cooling:engine:gasoline14 (7%)

Tires:tread/belt14 (7%)

Wheels & Tires14 (7%)

Power Train:automatic Transmission11 (6%)

Speed Control6 (3%)

Engine6 (3%)

Suspension:front5 (3%)

1997 Ford F 350: Known Issues & Problem Areas

Service Brakes, Hydraulic:antilock/traction Control/electronic Limited Slip Issues

Service Brakes, Hydraulic:antilock/traction Control/electronic Limited Slip complaints account for 9% of all reports filed for the 1997 Ford F 350, with 16 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. The median mileage at time of complaint is 117,000 miles, suggesting issues tend to surface around the 117K-mile mark.

Engine And Engine Cooling:engine:gasoline Issues

Engine And Engine Cooling:engine:gasoline complaints account for 7% of all reports filed for the 1997 Ford F 350, with 14 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. Owners should pay attention to engine and engine cooling:engine:gasoline-related symptoms during test drives and pre-purchase inspections.

Tires:tread/belt Issues

Tires:tread/belt complaints account for 7% of all reports filed for the 1997 Ford F 350, with 14 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. Owners should pay attention to tires:tread/belt-related symptoms during test drives and pre-purchase inspections.

Wheels & Tires Issues

Wheels & Tires complaints account for 7% of all reports filed for the 1997 Ford F 350, with 14 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. Owners should pay attention to wheels & tires-related symptoms during test drives and pre-purchase inspections.

Data sourced from NHTSA owner complaints and community reports. The full report analyzes severity, repair costs, and failure patterns for each category.

Complaint trend by year

Complaints filed with NHTSA by year for the 1997 Ford F 350. Recent trend: increasing.

Don't negotiate blind — know what this car costs to own

Repair costs • Negotiation scripts • Mechanic checklist • Buy/skip verdict

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Recall History (4 recalls)

01X001000Jun 2001

TIRES:TREAD/BELT

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.

06V286000Aug 2006

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

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

96V184000Sep 1996

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:MASTER CYLINDER

THE RETAINER CLIP THAT HOLDS THE MASTER CYLINDER PUSH ROD TO THE BRAKE PEDAL ARM IS MISSING.

97V187000Dec 1997

TIRES:BEAD

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: LIGHT DUTY PICKUP TRUCKS AND CHASSIS. THE TIRES ON THESE VEHICLES WERE DAMAGED DURING MOUNTING ONTO THE WHEELS. ONLY TRUCKS PRODUCED AT THE CUAUTITLAN, MEXICO PLANT BETWEEN SEPTEMBER 1, 1996, AND JULY 17, 1997, WERE AFFECTED BY THE DEFECT.

Recall severity analysis & seller scripts

The full report rates each recall's severity and gives you scripts for asking the seller about recall completion.

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The worst model year for the Ford F 350 is the 2008 — worth knowing if you're cross-shopping years. The biggest problem area is engine.

About this data

NHTSA Complaints

Federal database of owner-filed safety complaints. 188 records for this vehicle.

NHTSA Recalls

Manufacturer-issued safety recalls. 4 recalls found for this vehicle.

Repair Cost Data

Real-world repair costs from owner reports and independent databases.

Other Ford F 350 Model Years

2021 2020 2019 2018 2017 2016 2015 2014 2013 2012 2011 2010 2009 2008 2007 2006 2005 2004 2003 2002 2001 2000 1999 1998 1997 1996 1995 1994 1993 1992 1991 1989

View all Ford F 350 years →

1997 Ford F 350: Frequently Asked Questions

What is the most common problem with the 1997 Ford F 350?

The most commonly reported issue with the 1997 Ford F 350 is related to the service brakes, hydraulic:antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip, with 16 complaints filed with NHTSA.

Is the 1997 Ford F 350 reliable?

The 1997 Ford F 350 has 188 complaints, 14 crash reports, and 15 fire reports filed with NHTSA. The full report analyzes whether these numbers indicate real risk or are proportional to the vehicle’s popularity.

How much does it cost to fix 1997 Ford F 350 problems?

Repair costs vary by issue. The full BumperScan report includes detailed repair cost estimates (low/median/high) for every major issue, plus a 30,000-mile total cost of ownership projection.

Does the 1997 Ford F 350 have any recalls?

Yes, the 1997 Ford F 350 has 4 recalls on record. The full report includes recall severity analysis and scripts for asking the seller about recall completion.

What mileage do Ford F 350 problems start?

Based on 37 complaints with mileage data, the median mileage at time of complaint is 117,000 miles. The highest concentration of reported issues occurs in the 150K+ mile range. The full report breaks down exactly which components fail at each mileage bracket.

What’s in the full report?

10 sections of AI analysis: severity-ranked issues, component scores (0-100), 30K-mile cost projection, failure timeline by mileage, recall details with seller scripts, owner sentiment analysis, mechanic checklist, buyer lot checklist, negotiation ammo with dollar figures, and a buy/skip verdict.

How is this different from free NHTSA data?

NHTSA gives you raw complaint text. BumperScan cross-references 2.1M+ complaints with community repair cost data, EPA fuel data, and recall records — then uses AI to synthesize it into actionable advice with dollar figures.

How is this different from Carfax?

Carfax is VIN-specific history ($45/report). BumperScan is model-level reliability intelligence — what problems this car is known for, what they cost, and whether you should buy it. Complementary, not competing.

What if the report isn’t useful?

100% money-back guarantee. If the report doesn’t help you make a more informed decision, we’ll refund you — no questions asked.