1997 Ford F150 XL review from North America
"Keep Away from Children"
What things have gone wrong with the car?
Nothing major until a bolt in the steering assembly came undone (I'm still unsure as to how that happened) causing complete loss of steering during a right hand turn @ 108,000 miles.
She'll need completely new rear breaks @ 110,000 miles (problem with mechanic not servicing them the first time).
General comments?
This was a vehicle that my parents passed down to me at 98K miles, and I've since done what I could to keep it running. We've never had any problems with it, so I guess no one really questioned if handing it down was a good move or not. Well, I've made my stupid beginner's errors with this truck, and it's ended up causing very serious and costly problems.
It's a good truck if you stay on top of preventative maintenance, and bad as a high mileage first vehicle for your starving college student, no matter how reliable it's history.
I doubt many other people would have the same steering problem.
Recommended reviews
  | Ford has lost me as a customer due mostly to this truck, Do not buy one or you will regret it |
| 1996 - F150 XL 4.9 (300) 6 cylinder This truck is a very reliable workhorse |
| Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? | No |
| First year of ownership | 1997 |
| Most recent year of ownership | 2003 |
| Engine and transmission | 4.2 Automatic |
| Performance marks | 7/10 |
| Reliability marks | 6/10 |
| Comfort marks | 8/10 |
| Dealer Service marks | 5/10 |
| Running Costs (higher is cheaper) | 5/10 |
| Distance when acquired | 100 miles |
| Most recent distance | 110000 miles |
| Date of Entry | 7th January, 2003 |