FORD AEROMAX · model year

1997 FORD AEROMAX

3 NHTSA complaints for this specific cohort.

NHTSA overall rating

Not crash-tested

New Car Assessment Program

The 1997FORDAEROMAX carries 3 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 0 crashes, 0 fires, 1 injury, and 0 fatalities. No NCAP 5-star crash-test rating is available for this model year in the federal database.

Component-level analysis is where model-year complaints become actionable: the top complaint category for the 1997 AEROMAX is steering with 1 filings, followed by power train:driveline:universal joint (1) and seat belts: rear/other:buckle assembly (1). Concentration in one or two component groups is the classic signature of a systemic defect; a flat distribution usually reflects normal aging, warranty complaints, or isolated build-plant variability.

NHTSA currently has 177 investigation files overlapping the 1997 AEROMAX, and 8 remain open. Owners comparing this cohort against neighboring years should pair the counters above with the complaint-by-year trend on the parent model page — a spike in a single year often tracks to a platform refresh, a new transmission supplier, or an updated ECU calibration. Use the related-complaint feed below to read raw owner narratives before deciding whether any pattern here affects your specific use case.

3
Complaints
0
Crashes
0
Fires
1
Injuries
0
Deaths

Total Complaints

3 filings

Crashes Reported

0 reports

Source

NHTSA ODI

Federal complaints database

Complaints vs. fleet median (215)

At or below the fleet median complaint volume.

Complaints by Component

ComponentCount
STEERING1
POWER TRAIN:DRIVELINE:UNIVERSAL JOINT1
SEAT BELTS: REAR/OTHER:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY1

Recent Complaints

20060918SEAT BELTS: REAR/OTHER:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE DRIVER SEAT TURNED SLIGHTLY TO THE LEFT. AFTER DRIVING LONG DISTANCES, SLIGHTLY ALTERED VISIBILITY THROUGH THE WINDSHIELD WAS OBSERVED RESULTING IN MINOR BACK PAIN. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN .

Mileage: 53,717

20000911POWER TRAIN:DRIVELINE:UNIVERSAL JOINT

DRIVER LOST STEERING CONTROL RESULTING IN ACCIDENT, BECAUSE LOWER SHAFT FELL OUT OF U -JOINT FROM BOLT FAILURE. *ET

19980419STEERING

VEHICLE IS UNABLE TO HAVE FRONT STEERING AXLEWEIGH THAN 11000 LBS, EVEN WHEN EMPTY. THIS PLACES UNDUE STRESS ON STEERING AXLE AND TIRES. WHEN LOADED/1 HOUSEHOLD GOODS, STEERING AXLE WEIGHS BETWEEN 11500 TO OVER 12000 LBS. LEGAL WEIGHT LIMIT IS 12000 LBS.

Compare 1997FORDAEROMAX to Similar Vehicles

NHTSA Investigations 8 Open

View all investigations

Frequently Asked Questions

How many complaints does the 1997 FORD AEROMAX have?
The 1997 FORD AEROMAX has 3 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 0 fires, 1 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1997 FORD AEROMAX?
The most-complained component for the 1997 FORD AEROMAX is STEERING with 1 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include POWER TRAIN:DRIVELINE:UNIVERSAL JOINT and SEAT BELTS: REAR/OTHER:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY.
Is the 1997 FORD AEROMAX safe to buy?
Review the complaint history, crash and fire reports, safety ratings, and recall status on this page to make an informed decision. No NHTSA crash test rating is available for this model year. Compare with other model years using the links above.
Where does this data come from?
All complaint, recall, and safety rating data is sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Complaints are filed by vehicle owners through NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation.

Vehicle Safety Guides

Data as of 2025. Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) complaints database, NHTSA recall campaign API, NHTSA NCAP crash-test ratings, and NHTSA FARS for fatality cross-reference.