Dt: the contact stated the right front steering linkage and tie rod broke, resulting in total loss of steering. The dealer provided a solution at the contact's expense. *ak updated 01/25/06.
1997 Ford F-150: ball joint or control arm failure
69 of the 2,746 complaints about the 1997 Ford F-150 describe ball joint or control arm failure.
- owner complaints
- 69
- of this car's complaints
- 3%
- typical mileage
- 95,000
- recalls
- 0
Is there a fix? 13 service bulletins cover this area of the car. See below
Ball joint or control arm failure by model year
What owners say
1997 ford f150 tie rods are extremely loose.***no answer required***. *mr it was demonstrated to the consumer that the ball end could be pulled out of the socket with bare hands. The socket was made of rubber.
1997 ford f150 driver side inner tie rod end became completely seperated during operation ot the vehicle, resulting in a sudden loss of control.
1997 ford f-150 truck possible defect of "tie rod ends". *bf the consumer received a notice from the manufacturer, however the consumer believes they should pay for all repairs.
Ford f150 1997 defect gaskets and cooling system leaked. *bf the consumer was aware of another vehicle with the same make/model that had the same problem. The consumer requested reimbursement. *sc the ball joints were replaced.
Tie rod broke at a very gently used 40,000 miles.
The consumer made a left turn at 10 MPH and tie rod came out of the socket. Consumer pulled over, and had the vehicle towed. Dealership was notified, but did not resolve the problem. *ak
Ball joints.
I am sending in a full letter to explain the "failures". It centers around tsb 99b29 and lack of owner notification of a bad front cover design that can lead to engine failure, which occurred in this case. Additionally, I had a tie rod failure that was not addressed under warranty, but later broke while driving. Also, my crank shaft pulley / dampener assembly fell off while highway driving (70 MPH). There are other issues including door lock / key sticking.*ak campaign id number : 03v196000 component: steering:gear box:shaft sector. The engine cover gasket failed. *tc the serpentine failed, the transmission had an akward shift, the wipers operated periodically by themselves on high speed, there was little heat coming from the vents through the floor.
While backing out of the drive way the driver lost control of the front wheels. The driver feels lucky he wasn't driving in traffic or on highway. The driver says, "tie rod ends are failing." please provide any further information.
During an oil change mechanic informed the consumer that lower ball joints were severely worn. Dealer was aware of the problem.
While leaving a gas station the passenger side tie rod came out of it's socket. The consumer lost control of the vehicle for a short time but was able to stop safely. The consumer repaired the tie rod. The ball joint was dry and rusted. The ball joint was worn due to no grease. There is no way to grease it or to check to see if it needs to be lubricated. *ak
Service bulletins that may apply
- Rear axle noise repair
- Rear leaf spring noise
- Some vehicles may exhibit a squeak, snap, rattle, or clunk in the front end when turning or going over bumps
- Subject regarding rear spring rattle
- Some vehicles built with 3-LEAF or 4-LEAF rear springs may exhibit a rear spring rattle
- Subject regarding rear spring clip kits for vehicles exhibiting a rear spring rattle
- Subject regarding the availability of rear spring clip kits for vehicles exhibiting rear spring rattle
- Vehicles built with 3-LEAF rear springs may exhibit a rear spring rattle mjs
Related recalls
No recalls on record for this model year.
Questions about the 1997 Ford F-150 ball joint
Is ball joint or control arm failure a common problem on the 1997 Ford F-150?
69 of 2,746 owner complaints about the 1997 Ford F-150 (3%) mention ball joint or control arm failure. The model year with the most reports is 1997.
Is there a recall or service bulletin for this on the 1997 Ford F-150?
There are 0 recalls and 13 service bulletins for the same area of the car. Check them below with your VIN.
Other symptoms on the 1997 Ford F-150
Fire or smoke 210Tire blowout 127Engine failure 121Adaptive cruise 118Knocking 81Overheating 71Wipers 62No deployment 60ABS 53Brake failure 51Fuel leak 51Power steering loss 36Stalling 32Check engine light 31Grinding brakes 21Misfire 20Sudden acceleration 18Water leak 18Door locks 17Won't start 17Pulling 16Hesitation 14Won't shift 14Headlights 13Fuel smell 12Seat belt 12Airbag light 11Harsh shifting 11Transmission failure 11Coil spring 10Jerking 10Steering noise 10Steering lock-up 9Loss of power 8Premature wear 8Rollaway 5
VIN decoder
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