Tl*the contact owns a 1997 ford f-350 superduty. The contact stated that while driving 25 MPH, the front passenger wheel broke in half. The vehicle was taken to a local repair shop who stated that the wheel was defective. The contact called the manufacturer who offered no assistance. The vehicle was repaired. The failure mileage was 65,850 and the current mileage was 66,070. Updated 03/07/11*lj updated 12/20/11
The worst 1997 Ford F-350 SD problems
Ranked by number of owner complaints. Mileage and cost come from what owners wrote.
- Acceleration1
- Engine1
- Wheels1
Problems by type
Tap a problem to see which part fails, at what mileage and in which other years.
- Acceleration1
- Engine1
- Wheels1
Recalls 2
Vehicle speed control
- What is wrong
- 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.
Recall number 09V399000 · Recall details
Engine and engine cooling: engine: diesel
- What is wrong
- 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.
Recall number 07V553000 · Recall details
See all 2 recalls for the 1997 Ford F-350 SD
Defect investigations
Engine compartment fires
Ea05-005 is closed with ford?s actions in recalls 05v‑017, 05v‑388, and 06v‑286, recalling approximately 6.7 million vehicles equipped with texas instruments speed control deactivation switches (scds).the brake systems in these recalled vehicles generate a vacuum that can potentially cause the scds to fail and, in certain switch installation orientations, catch fire.ford is also including the entire population of 1998 explorers.ford has informed odi that testing to determine the cause of failures in the 1998 explorers will continue after this investigation is closed.odi believes that the vehicles exhibiting the factors causing scds failure described in this report correlate well with the observed failure rates on these vehicles by model and model year.the closing of this investigation does not constitute a finding by the federal safety agency that a safety-related defect does not exist in the non-recalled vehicles manufactured with scds that are not included in ford?s recalls.odi will continue to monitor the non-recalled population for incidence of engine compartment fires.the agency reserves the right to take further action if warranted by the circumstances.see attached closing report for details.
EA05005
Technical service bulletins for the 1997 Ford F-350 SD 1
Bulletins tell dealers how to fix known problems. A warranty extension means the manufacturer pays for that repair for longer.
What 1997 Ford F-350 SD owners say
Most recent owner complaints, unedited.
Ford f-350 diesel dually caught on fire under the hood while sitting in a parking lot. The vehicle was just finished being driven. The engine was shut off and the key was removed from the ignition. The fire dept came and extinguished the fire. Vehicle is a total loss. Insurance will not cover the loss. Is ford responsible for covering the loss?
Received recall notice from ford for defective speed control deactivation switch. Local dealerships have no parts to correct the problem.
Compare the 1997 Ford F-350 SD
Other model years
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Questions about the 1997 Ford F-350 SD
Is the 1997 Ford F-350 SD reliable?
Owners have filed 3 complaints about the 1997 Ford F-350 SD, fewer than a typical F-350 SD model year.
What is the most common problem with the 1997 Ford F-350 SD?
Acceleration and speed control, with 1 complaint. Next is engine (1).
How many recalls does the 1997 Ford F-350 SD have?
2 recalls, covering vehicle speed control and engine and engine cooling.
Was there a recall on the 1997 Ford F-350 SD acceleration?
Yes, 1 recall: 09V399000. Check your VIN to see if your car still needs the free repair.
VIN decoder
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Buying a used 1997 Ford F-350 SD?
Check the exact car before you pay: accidents, salvage or flood titles, odometer readings and previous owners.
Check its historyFord F-350 SD in the news
- Ford recalls 2026-2027 F-150, 2026 F-250 SD and 2026 F-350 SD and other models over hinge and attachments problem (30,123 vehicles)
- Ford recalls 2026 F-150, 2025-2026 F-250 SD and 2025-2026 F-350 SD and other models over instrument cluster/panel problem (102,159 vehicles)
- Ford recalls 2025-2027 Expedition, 2026 F-250 SD and 2026 F-350 SD and other models over exterior lighting headlights problem (41,748 vehicles)