507 complaints reported

1997 Ford F-150 Engine

Owner-reported problems and safety issues filed with NHTSA. Review common failures, severity levels, and complaint trends over time.

Reports
507
Crashes
1
Fires
42
Injuries
2

Complaint Timeline

Chronological view of owner reports

Sep 2001

VEHICLE HAS HAD TWO ENGINES REPLACED.*AK CONSUMER STATED VEHICLE OVERHEATED, WATER POURING OUT AND VEHICLE STALLED AND WOULD NOT RESTART.*JB

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 1997 FORD F-150, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Jun 1999
Aug 2001

WE HAVE HAD OVER 5 , NOW 6 RECALL'S WITHIN THE LAST YEAR.THERE IS NO MODIFICATIONS TO THIS TRUCK, AND HAD BEEN GETTING VIBRATION'S IN THE REAR,BUT FORD SAID THEY SAW NO PROBLEM WITH THIS,NOW THE ENGINE HAS BLOWN AND THEY CANNOT GIVE ME AN EXPLANATION FOR THIS.. LUCKILY I WAS NOT DRIVING AT THE TIME.*AK

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 1997 FORD F-150, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Aug 2001
Aug 2001

WHENEVER VEHICLE HAS BEEN STARTED IT WOULD IT SMOKE BADLY. AFTER DRIVING FOR AWHILE, BLUE SMOKE DISAPPEARED. TAKEN TO MECHANIC., AND SMELLED BURNING OIL. CHECKED UNDER HOOD, AND FOUND HEAD GASKETS HAD BLOWN, CAUSING DAMAGE TO MOTOR. MOTOR HAD TO BE REPLACED.*AK *JB

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 1997 FORD F-150, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Aug 2001

ENGINE FAILED, THERE WAS A RECALL ON THE THIS PARTICULAR ENGINE BUT ONLY ON THE CARS. NLM

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 1997 FORD F-150, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Jul 2001

THE FRONT COVER GASKET FAILED , THE CONSUMER IS REQUESTING REIMBURSEMENT PER RECALL 99B29. NLM *TT

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 1997 FORD F-150, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Jan 1997
Jul 2001

STARTED THE MOTOR IN THE MORNING TO GO TO WORK, KNOCKING NOISE FROM EITHER BACK OF MOTOR OR FRONT OF TRANSMISSION. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER WHERE I PURCHASED IT FROM. WAS TOLD BY TECHNICIAN THAT HE ALSO HEARD NKOCKING NOISE. TECHNICIAN PUT STETHOSCOPE ON MOTOR SAYS OIL PUMP MIGHT BE BAD. HIS SUGESSTION ON THE WORK ORDER WAS TO PULL THE OIL PAN AND INSPECT BEARINGS. THIS WAS NOT PERFORMED DUE TO THE FACT THAT I WAS NEVER INFORMED OF THERE RECOMENDATION. TECHNICIANS FINAL RECOMENDATION WAS FOR ME TO PURCHASE A BRAND NEW MOTOR FROM THE DEALER AND ALLOW THEM TO PUT IT IN FOR A LOW LOW PRICE OF $3000.00 OUT THE DOOR. THIS SEEMS TO ME TO BE VERY DECEITFUL DUE TO THE FACT THAT NOT HARDLY ANYTHING WAS DONE TO FIND THE SOURCE OF THE KNOCK BUT YET THERE FINAL DECISION IS FOR ME TO PAY $3000.00 FOR A NEW MOTOR AND INSTALLATION. WHEN THEY DO NOT EVEN KNOW IF THIS IS THE PROBLEM. COST ME $35.00 FOR THERE DECEITFUL RECOMENDATION. I HAVE BEEN SEARCHING THE INTERNET FOR OTHER 1997 FORD F-150 MOTOR PROBLEMS THAT INCLUDE KNOCKING NOISES AND THEY ARE EVERY WHERE ON THE WEB. ALL MOTOR PROBLEMS WITH THE SAME SYMPTOMS AS MINE ARE ALL LOW MILEAGE MOTORS. MINE ONLY HAS 67951 MILES ON IT. I HAVE RELIGOUSLY MAINTAINED ALL ASPECTS OF MY VEHICLE. FORD SELLS LOW QAULITY PRODUCTS AND THERE DEALERS ARE DECEITFUL!*AK

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 1997 FORD F-150, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Jul 2001
Jun 2001

WHEN TRAVELING 10 TO 15 MPH VEHICLE STALLS WHEN SHIFTING GEARS.VEHICLE LOSES ALL POWER. WHEN SITTING AT A STAND STILL VEHICLE STALLS. CONTACTED DEALER. PLEASE PROVIDE VIN. *AK

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 1997 FORD PICKUP, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Jun 2001

AFTER VEHICLE WAS EXAMINED FOR A MANUFACTURER SERVICE PROGRAM ON INGITION,VEHICLE DID NOT OPERATE PROPERLY. WHEN DEALERSHIP EXAMINED VEHICLE, A HOLE IN ENGINE HEAD WAS DISCOVERED. DEALER INFORMED CONSUMER THAT COMPONENT NEEDED TO REPAIR WAS NO LONGER AVAILABLE, WHICH REQUIRED THAT ENTIRE ENGINE BE REPLACED AT CONSUMER'S EXPENSE. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION/ATTACHMENTS.*AK

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 1997 FORD F-150, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Nov 2000
Jun 2001

THE ENGINE IS KNOCKING; WE PARK IT AND WE FEEL THAT IT IS A DEFECT IN THE MOTOR WE HAD IT PUT ON THE MACHINE AND THE PERSON WHOM CHECKED IT. SAID IT WAS NOT SOMETHING THAT COULD HVE BEEN HELPED. WE TOOK IT TO A FORD PLACE AND HAD IT CHECKED THERE . WE HAVE DONE REGULAR MAINTENANCE ON IT . WHEN WE GOT IT WE HAD TO TAKE IT IN FOR LEAKING OIL AND THEY SAID THEY REPLACED THE SEAL ON IT IT WENT IN TWICE FOR THIS I FEEL THIS PROBLEM MAY HAVE RESULTED IN THE LEAKING, AND I FEEL I SHOULD NOT HAVE TO REPLACE IT IF IT IS A POSSIBLE DEFECT IN THE MOTOR THANK YOU FOR TAKING THE TIME TO READ THIS. PLEASE LET ME KNOW WHAT I NEED TO DO IN THIS MATTER THANK YOU AGAIN FOR YOUR TIME AND TROUBLE *AK. SINCERELY [XXX]. *AK PARTS OF THIS DOCUMENT HAVE BEEN REDACTED TO PROTECT PERSONALLY IDENTIFIABLE INFORMATION PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 1997 FORD F-150, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Jan 2001
May 2001

I PURCHASED A USED 1997 F-150 (4.2L V-6) IN JULY OF 2000. JUST AFTER I HAD PURCHASED IT A BEARING IN THE MOTOR WENT OUT. THERE WAS 68,000 MILES ON THE VEHICLE AT THAT TIME. THERE WAS AN EXTENDED WARRANTY ON THE VEHICLE BUT FORD COVERED IT 100%. THEY INSTALLED A NEW LONG BLOCK ENGINE FREE OF CHARGE. THE NEW ENGINE HAD A 12 MONTH 12,000 MILE WARRANTY. I RECENTLY BROUGHT THE VEHICLE IN FOR A CHECK ENGINE LIGHT AND THEY FOUND OUT THAT THE #4 CYLINDER WAS BURNING RADIATOR FLUID. THE DEALERSHIP DISASSEMBLED THE MOTOR AND SAID THE ONLY CAUSE FOR THE WATER COULD BE PINHOLES IN THE CYLINDER HEAD. WHICH WAS CAUSED DURING THE CASTING PROCESS. NOW THE ENGINE IS 8 MONTHS OLD WITH 24,000 MILES ON IT. FORD WILL NOT COVER ANY OF THE WORK. THE PROBABLE CAUSE OF THE FIRST ENGINE GOING OUT WAS A LEAKY WATER SEAL GASKET THAT WAS REPLACED. NOW ENGINE NUMBER TWO IS GOING BAD BECAUSE OF WATER. THE VEHICLE NOW HAS 92,000 MILES ON IT, BUT IT TOOK TWO ENGINES TO GET IT THERE. KNOWING THAT THE FIRST SCHEDULED SERVICE IS SET FOR 100,000 MILES. I THINK FORD SHOULD STAND BEHIND THIS SECOND ENGINE AND COVER THE COST. THIS WASNT CAUSED BY ANY ABUSE, IT WAS CAUSED FROM A FAULTY PART FROM THE FACTORY. THIS ENGINE WAS BAD FROM THE START. I JUST FIND IT DIFFICULT TO PAY THE 1,500 DOLLARS TO REPLACE A FAULTY PART ON A BRAND NEW ENGINE. THIS IS A PROBLEM FORD IS AWARE OF, THEY JUST WON'T ADMIT IT.*AK

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 1997 FORD F-150, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Jul 2001
May 2001

I DID NOT CAUSE THE ENGINE TO FAIL. THE DEFECTIVE PARTS DID, HOWEVER CAUSE ME TO HAVE THE ENGINE COMPLETLY OVERHAULED. THERE WAS A "CHEWED" UP ROD. I HAVE THE MANIFOLD GASKET AND THE BAD ROD IN MY POSSESSION AND WOULD BE GLAD TO SHOW ANY REPRESENTATIVE INTERESTED.*AK

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 1997 FORD F-150, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Jun 2001
May 2001

TIMING GASKET FAILURE FOLLOWED BY ENGINE FAILURE. GOOD RUNNING TRUCK BROUGHT TO FIRESTONE SHOP FOR DIAGNOSIS & REPAIR OF WATER LEAK. TIMING GASKET AND WATER PUMP REPLACED. WATER PUMP WAS NOT LEAKING, BUT HAD 100K MILES. AFTER LEAK REPAIR SEVERE HESITATION NOTED ON ACCELERATION FROM STOP. WHILE RETURNING TO FIRESTONE OIL PRESSURE DROP AT RED LIGHT AFTER PASSING OTHER VEHICLE. CAM SHAFT SENSOR NOW BAD AND CHANGED; HESITATION FIXED, PRESSURE OK. DROVE < 5 MILES; ACCELERATED ONTO INTERSTATE & DROVE 4 MI. AT 1ST STOP AFTER EXITING INTERSTATE OIL PRESSURE DROP. RETURNED TO FIRESTONE. NOW I NEED A NEW ENGINE--$3000!

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 1997 FORD F-150, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Apr 2001
May 2001

ENGINE FAILED. YD

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 1997 FORD F-150, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Nov 2001
May 2001

WE PURCHASED THIS FORD VEHICLE FROM A FORD DEALER EIGHT MONTHS AGO. WE JUST LEARNED IT HAS A BLOWN ENGINE PROBABLY RESULTING FROM COOLANT LEAKING INTO THE ENGINE. WE'VE LEARNED FORD HAS REPLACED OTHER '97 F150 ENGINES WITH THIS DEFECT. OUR DEALER INDICATES THERE HAVE BEEN NO SUCH SERVICE BULLETINS. WE PAID $12,000 EIGHT MONTHS AGO. *AK

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 1997 FORD F-150, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Mar 2001
May 2001

CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING ABOUT 40 MPH ON HIGHWAY AND HEAT LEVEL LINE STAYED IN RED ZONE. HE ADDED COOLANT INTO ENGINE. VEHICLE WAS OKAY. *AK THE VEHICLE WAS LEAKING DUE TO TIMING CHAIN COVER FAILURE. *YH

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 1997 FORD F-150, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Nov 2000
Apr 2001

CONSUMER RECEIVED NOTIFICATION FROM FORD , IN SERVICE PROGRAM #99B29, THAT ENGINE GASKET FRONT COVER WAS DEFECTIVE AND WOULD BE REPLACED WITH A REDESIGNED MODEL. CONSUMER COMPLAINED THAT THERE WAS AN EXPIRATION DATE OF MARCH 31, 2001 FOR THIS SERVICE PROGRAM, AND FORD WAS NOT GOING TO REPLACE THIS DEFECTIVE COMPONENT FOR FREE WHEN THIS DEFECT COULD CAUSE ENGINE COOLANT LEAKS. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION/ATTACHMENTS.*AK

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 1997 FORD F-150, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Mar 2001
Apr 2001

AFTER RECALL WORK WAS PERFORMED FOR THE TIMING COVER, WHEN DRIVING VEHICLE AND GOING TO APPLY BRAKES, OIL LIGHT WOULD COME ON. OIL PRESSURE WOULD DROP, AND ENGINE WOULD OPERATE ERRATICALLY. CONSUMER FORMED BY ANOTHER DEALERSHIP STATED THAT IF ENGINE COOLANT WAS ENTERED INTO OIL SYSTEM AND/OR OIL PAN, AND VEHICLE HAS BEEN DRIVEN FOR APPROXIMATELY 250 MILES, ENGINE WILL BECOME DAMAGED, AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. DEALERSHIP THAT PERFORMED RECALL WORK STATED THE ENGINE WAS RUNNING NORMALLY WHEN TURNED OVER TO CONSUMER, AND THEY WERE NOT RESPONSIBLE BECAUSE REGULAR OIL CHANGES WERE NOT PERFORMED ON VEHICLE. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION/ATTACHMENTS.*AK

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 1997 FORD F-150, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Jan 2001
Apr 2001

WHILE DRIVING THERES A SKIP IN ENGINE. TOOK TO DEALER, AND THEY STATED THAT ENGINE IS KNOCKING AND GOING BAD. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 1997 FORD F-150, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Jan 2000
Mar 2001

NOTICED IN EARLY 11/2000 THAT ENGINE MADE A "TICKING" SOUND ON STARTUP. STARTED USING HIGHER OCTANE GAS AND USED AN OIL TREATMENT. "TICK" WENT AWAY. DROVE HOME ON THE EVENING OF 11/17/2000 AND PARKED THE TRUCK. GOT IN THE TRUCK ON THE MORNING OF 11/20/2000 AND THE ENGINE WOULD NOT TURN. I HAD THE BATTERY CHECKED OUT - IT WAS GOOD. I HAD THE TRUCK TOWED TO A REPAIR SHOP (NON-DEALER) AND WAS TOLD THAT THE ENGINE HAD LOCKED UP. THE TRUCK IN CURRENTLY IN THE PROCESS OF HAVE THE ENGINE REPLACED.*AK

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 1997 FORD F-150, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Nov 2000
Mar 2001

TIMING COVER GASKET IS LEAKING WHICH CAN CAUSE ANTI-FREEZE TO LEAK ONTO ENGINE AND SEIZE UP. *AK

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 1997 FORD F-150, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Mar 2001

AFTER SEVERAL RECALLS WERE REPAIRED THERE WAS NO OIL PRESSURE IN ENGINE. DEALERSHIP HAS INFORMED CONSUMER THAT VEHICLE NEEDED A NEW ENGINE. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION/ATTACHMENTS.*AK

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 1997 FORD F-150, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Jan 2000
Mar 2001 Fire Injury

WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD, ANOTHER VEHCILE HIT CONSUMER'S BUMPER. CONSUMER PROCEEDED TO DRIVE AND WAS NFORMED BY ANOTHER CONSUMER THAT FIRE WAS COMING FROM BOTTOM OF VEHICLE. WHILE WALKING AWAYFROM THE VEHICLE, IT BLEW UP. DEALER HAS NOT BEEN CONTACTED. *AK ONE PERSON WAS INJURED. *SLC

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 1997 FORD F-150, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Jun 2001
Mar 2001

WITH ONLY 1200 MILES OVER WARRANTIES ENGINE SHOULD HAVE BEEN REPLACED BY FORD MOTROR .HEAD GASKET AND FRONT COVER SEAL SHOULD NOT OF LEAKED /100,000 MILES OR MORE. *AK

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 1997 FORD F-150, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Mar 2001
Mar 2001

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 1997 FORD F-150, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Mar 2001
Feb 2001

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 1997 FORD F-150, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Jan 2001

Trend Over Time

Complaints by year

Quick Summary

The 1997 Ford F-150 has 507 Engine complaints on file. 1 crashes have been reported. Review the timeline above for detailed owner experiences.