Total Complaints
3 filings
Ford F-350 SD · model year
1997 Ford F-350 SD
3 NHTSA complaints. A VIN lookup is required to determine whether a specific vehicle has an unrepaired recall.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
- Complaints
- 3
- Recalls
- 0
The verdict
The 1997 Ford F-350 SD posts top-5% complaint standing among its own model-year siblings.
- Top 3%
- fewest complaints, own model years
- 0
- recall campaigns
The 1997FordF-350 SD 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, 1 fire, 0 injuries, and 0 fatalities. No NCAP 5-star crash-test rating is available for this model year in the federal database.
The most frequently selected component label in reports for the 1997 F-350 SD is vehicle speed control with 1 filings, followed by engine and engine cooling:engine:diesel (1) and wheels (1). Complaint categories reflect owner reports and intake categorization; they do not establish a defect pattern or cause.
NHTSA currently has 179 investigation files overlapping the 1997 F-350 SD, and 6 remain open. Owners comparing this cohort against neighboring years should read the complaint-by-year trend as report volume, not a causal diagnosis. Use the related-complaint feed and the official recall lookup when researching a specific vehicle.
3
Complaints
0
Crashes
1
Fires
0
Injuries
0
Deaths
F
PlainCars Safety Score
0/100
1997 Ford F-350 SD
PlainCars' own composite of NHTSA NCAP crash-test ratings and rollover-risk assessment, each dimension normalized against the federal scale or the full national model-year corpus. Not an official NHTSA figure, and not a substitute for a specific vehicle's VIN-level recall check.
NHTSA Overall Rating N/A
Not rated
NHTSA New Car Assessment Program overall crash-test rating.
Front Crash N/A
Not rated
Frontal barrier crash-test rating.
Side Crash N/A
Not rated
Side barrier and pole crash-test rating.
Rollover Resistance N/A
Not rated
Static stability factor + dynamic rollover test rating.
Rollover Risk N/A
Not reported
NHTSA single-vehicle rollover probability, dynamic test.
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 |
|---|---|
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL | 1 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:DIESEL | 1 |
| WHEELS | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20110131WHEELS
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 *CN
Mileage: 65,850
20080911FireENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:DIESEL
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? *TR
Mileage: 150,000
20071013VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
RECEIVED RECALL NOTICE FROM FORD FOR DEFECTIVE SPEED CONTROL DEACTIVATION SWITCH. LOCAL DEALERSHIPS HAVE NO PARTS TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM. *JB
Compare 1997FordF-350 SD to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations 6 Open
EA26004Engineering AnalysisOpen
Timing Belt Failure
DP26004Defect PetitionOpen
Anti-lock brake system (ABS) Malfunction Indicator Lamp (MIL) illuminated
EA26001Engineering AnalysisOpen
Unintended Transmission Downshift and Rear Wheel Lock-up
PE25020Preliminary EvaluationClosed
Timing Belt Failure
DP25001Defect PetitionClosed
Underbody shields detachment
Vehicle Safety Guides
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 1997 Ford F-350 SD have?▼
The 1997 Ford F-350 SD has 3 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 1 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1997 Ford F-350 SD?▼
The most-complained component for the 1997 Ford F-350 SD is VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL with 1 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:DIESEL and WHEELS.
Is the 1997 Ford F-350 SD 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.
Data vintage: August 2026. 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.
Every figure on PlainCars is rendered directly from NHTSA complaint and safety data, no number is typed in by an editor. This year-specific record is rendered from NHTSA ODI, recall, and NCAP rows for the 1997 Ford F-350 SD; no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of August 2026.
Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.