Total Complaints
1 filings
FORD CVPI · model year
1997 FORD CVPI
1 NHTSA complaints for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1997FORDCVPI carries 1 consumer safety complaint in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, 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 CVPI is steering with 1 filings. 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 CVPI, 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.
1
Complaints
0
Crashes
0
Fires
0
Injuries
0
Deaths
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
| Component | Count |
|---|---|
| STEERING | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20130904STEERING
DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD MY STEERING GOT REALLY STIFF. I COULD NOT KEEP CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. I SLOWED DOWN AND PULLED OVER. I HAD IT TOWED IN AND THE MECHANIC TOLD ME IT WAS THE LOWER INTERMEDIATE SHAFT ON THE STEERING COLUMN. I CAN NOT DRIVE THE CAR CAUSE IT WILL NOT LET ME CONTROL THE VEHICLE. I SEE WHERE FORD HAS RECALLED 2005-2011 MODELS SHOULD BE ON BACK. THE MECHANIC SAID IT ITS NOT THE FIRST ONE HE HAS CHANGED AND THEY ARE VERY PRICEY. *JB
Mileage: 207,403
Compare 1997FORDCVPI to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations 8 Open
EA26001Engineering AnalysisOpen
Unintended Transmission Downshift and Rear Wheel Lock-up
PE25020Preliminary EvaluationOpen
Timing Belt Failure
DP25001Defect PetitionOpen
Underbody shields detachment
PE25007Preliminary EvaluationOpen
B-Pillar Trim Detachment
PE25002Preliminary EvaluationClosed
Unintended Transmission Downshift and Rear Wheel Lock-up
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 1997 FORD CVPI have?▼
The 1997 FORD CVPI has 1 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1997 FORD CVPI?▼
The most-complained component for the 1997 FORD CVPI is STEERING with 1 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include various components.
Is the 1997 FORD CVPI 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.
Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.