Total Complaints
1 filings
FORD L SERIES · model year
1997 FORD L SERIES
1 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
The 1997FORDL SERIES 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.
The most frequently selected component label in reports for the 1997 L SERIES is structure with 1 filings. 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 L SERIES, 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.
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 |
|---|---|
| STRUCTURE | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20050603STRUCTURE
DT: J-CRAFT MANUF. COMPANY IN KIMBALL, MN CONSTRUCTED AND INSTALLED A DUMP BOX AND RELATED EQUIPMENT ON CONSUMER'S NEW FORD LT8513 TRUCK CHASSIS, PURCHASED IN 5-1997 FROM LAKELAND TRUCKS (NOW BOYER TRUCKS), 740 SOUTH CONCORD ST. SOUTH, ST PAUL , MN 55075. A HALF MOON SHAPED AREA WAS TORCHED OUT OF THE LOWER SECTION OF THE FRAME WELL APPROX. UNDER THE DRIVERS' SEAT IN ORDER TO ALLOW THE PTO ROOM FOR INSTALLATION. IN THE INTERVENING YEARS, NEITHER CONSUMER NOR THE MECHANICS WHO SERVICED THE VEHICLE NOTICED THIS FACT. ON MAY 26, 2005, WHILE THE TRUCK WAS IN THE SHOP FOR SERVICE, AND YEARLY DOT CERTIFICATION, THE MECHANIC NOTICED THE TORCHED CUT OUT AND ALSO SAW THAT A CRACK EXTENDED FROM THE CENTER OF THE CUT OUT UP THROUGH THE WEAKENED FRAME WELL, PREVENTING BOTH THE MECHANIC FROM CERTIFYING CONSUMER'S LOW MILEAGE TRUCK AND THE CONSUMER FROM PUTTING THE TRUCK TO WORK. AS OF MAY 26, 2005, CONSUMER HAS HAD WORK AVAILABLE BUT THE DAMAGE CAUSED BY J-CRAFT TO THE CONSUMER'S TRUCK PREV
Mileage: 179,000
Compare 1997FORDL SERIES 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
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 1997 FORD L SERIES have?▼
The 1997 FORD L SERIES has 1 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1997 FORD L SERIES?▼
The most-complained component for the 1997 FORD L SERIES is STRUCTURE with 1 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include various components.
Is the 1997 FORD L SERIES 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 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 L SERIES; 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.