Total Complaints
9 filings
FORD F-450 SD · model year
1997 FORD F-450 SD
9 NHTSA complaints for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1997FORDF-450 SD carries 9 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, 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 F-450 SD is suspension:rear with 2 filings, followed by power train:manual transmission (2) and engine and engine cooling:engine (2). 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 F-450 SD, 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.
9
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 |
|---|---|
| SUSPENSION:REAR | 2 |
| POWER TRAIN:MANUAL TRANSMISSION | 2 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE | 2 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE | 1 |
| PARKING BRAKE | 1 |
| TIRES:TREAD/BELT | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20010518TIRES:TREAD/BELT
WHILE TRAVELING AT APPROXIMATELY 55 MPH THERE WAS A LOUD BOOMING NOISE THAT CAME FROM VEHICLE. CONSUMER PULLED OVER, AND NOTICED THAT RIGHT REAR INSIDE FIRESTONE, STEELTEX RADIAL R4S TIRE EXPERIENCED COMPLETE TREAD SEPARATION. TIRE SIZE IS LT225/75R16E, FORD, F450HD. *AK DOT NUMBER VD1L1XA456. *SLC
20000209SUSPENSION:REAR
THE VEHICLE REAR END SNAPS VIOLENTLY JERKING THE BACK OF THE TRUCK SIDEWAYS. IT DOES THIS 2-3 TIMES A WEEK. IT HAS NEVER DONE IT WHEN THE DEALER TEST DRIVES. THEY TELL ME THEY HAVE NO IDEA WHAT CAUSES THIS AND WILL NOT ATTEMPT TO FIX THE PROBLEM.
19990908POWER TRAIN:MANUAL TRANSMISSION
VEHICLE #1: BROKE DOWN AT 17 MILES. NEW TRANSMISSION AT 900 MILES. EMERGENCY BRAKE PROBLEMS. VEHICLE #2: TURBO WAS MALFUNCTIONING. OIL LEAK. SHAKES VIOLENTLY. TRANSMISSION JUMPS OUT OF GEAR--BROKEN FLYWHEEL AND CONNECTING SPLINE CAUSED SHAKING. TWO OTHER VEHICLES OF THIS TYPE THAT THEY OWN HAVE SIMILAR PROBLEMS.
19990908PARKING BRAKE
VEHICLE #1: BROKE DOWN AT 17 MILES. NEW TRANSMISSION AT 900 MILES. EMERGENCY BRAKE PROBLEMS. VEHICLE #2: TURBO WAS MALFUNCTIONING. OIL LEAK. SHAKES VIOLENTLY. TRANSMISSION JUMPS OUT OF GEAR--BROKEN FLYWHEEL AND CONNECTING SPLINE CAUSED SHAKING. TWO OTHER VEHICLES OF THIS TYPE THAT THEY OWN HAVE SIMILAR PROBLEMS.
19990908ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
VEHICLE #1: BROKE DOWN AT 17 MILES. NEW TRANSMISSION AT 900 MILES. EMERGENCY BRAKE PROBLEMS. VEHICLE #2: TURBO WAS MALFUNCTIONING. OIL LEAK. SHAKES VIOLENTLY. TRANSMISSION JUMPS OUT OF GEAR--BROKEN FLYWHEEL AND CONNECTING SPLINE CAUSED SHAKING. TWO OTHER VEHICLES OF THIS TYPE THAT THEY OWN HAVE SIMILAR PROBLEMS.
19990830ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
THE FLYWHEEL ON THIS VEHICLE CONTINUES TO TEAR UP. I HAVE BEEN TOLD THAT THIS IS A PROBLEM WITH THIS FLYWHEEL, BUT ONCE MY WARRANTY IS UP THE DEALER WILL NO LONGER REPAIR IT UNDER WARRANTY. I HAVE HAD TO PAY $100 EACH TIME THIS HAS HAPPENED. THE FLYWHEEL HAS ACTAULLY NEEDED REPLACING MORE TIMES, BUT THIS IS WORK TRUCK & IT IS VERY HARD FOR ME TO PARK FOR ANY LENGTH OF TIME.
19980505SUSPENSION:REAR
OWNER HAVING PROBLEMS WITH THE REAR END, OIL LEAKS, AND TRANSMISSIONS ON THREE OF VEHICLES OF THIS MAKE.
19980505POWER TRAIN:MANUAL TRANSMISSION
OWNER HAVING PROBLEMS WITH THE REAR END, OIL LEAKS, AND TRANSMISSIONS ON THREE OF VEHICLES OF THIS MAKE.
19980505ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
OWNER HAVING PROBLEMS WITH THE REAR END, OIL LEAKS, AND TRANSMISSIONS ON THREE OF VEHICLES OF THIS MAKE.
Compare 1997FORDF-450 SD 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 F-450 SD have?▼
The 1997 FORD F-450 SD has 9 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1997 FORD F-450 SD?▼
The most-complained component for the 1997 FORD F-450 SD is SUSPENSION:REAR with 2 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include POWER TRAIN:MANUAL TRANSMISSION and ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE.
Is the 1997 FORD F-450 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.
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.