1997 Ford F150 4x4 XLT Super-Cab from North America - Comments

I know that America sacrifices quality to maximize profit. With that said, my Ford has done pretty well with all of the sacrifices.

The "door ajar" light would stay on for extended periods of time. That turned out to be a faulty passenger side door switch.

My rear window leaks when I wash my truck. I've been planning on putting silicone around that gap to fix the problem.

I had a horrible squeak in my steering arm when I first got the truck. That was faulty.

Right now I am having a problem with my drive-line. Something is sticking or slacking. Ford tells me that it is my slip yoke sticking. But a professional drive-line shop tells me it is my universal joints. I'm inclined to lean toward the opinion of the drive-line shop.

The only ongoing problem that I have where it is obvious that Ford has made cuts in quality are my brakes. I tow my boat back and forth to the lake every summer. My brakes start shuddering with or without a load. I talked to Ford mechanics who know, and they told me that I could either get rid of the problem by having my brakes turned every year, or replace the entire brake system. I think I'll stick with shuddering brakes for now.

I enjoy the heck out of my truck. Yes, it has it's problems, but every car does.

A note for all of the unhappy Ford customers: You shouldn't be driving if you are going to be that picky. Have you ever thought that a problem with the vehicle could be caused by common wear? Many of the things that I have seen mentioned are not just a Ford problem, they are a car problem that has been going on since Henry Ford made the Model-T. Cars don't last forever. Things do wear out. That's why they call it "Maintenance". You should look that up. Old Mr. Webster sure knows what I'm talking about.

Now that I have made all of you think, lets get to how I feel about my truck.

I love my truck. It is my baby.

The cab is spacious, comfortable, and well set-up.

The power and handling are exceptional for a half-ton truck. As I mentioned before, I tow a boat back and forth to the lake. It just so happens that there are large hills between me and the lake. I would like a little more power for towing. What I really need is a One-ton if I want that kind of power.

The gas mileage vs power is amazing with Ford. I always like to compare Ford gas mileage & size to competitors and they never stack up.

This is just a comment on brakes shuttering. I think that Ford has a brake rotor problem. It is costly, but I would replace brake rotors with an aftermarket brand with a warranty.

It is possible to have a vehicle that has quality and acceptable price, of course you would have to purchase a product from Japan. They are still teaching us about quality. I bought my first foreign vehicle when I worked for a driveline supplier and saw the questionable quality. I own a Ford truck which is pretty good too. If I were to purchase a new one, I would look at a Toyota.

I wouldn't recommend Toyota or Dodge... very low quality!!!

Experience has shown that it is all but physically impossible for 'Toyota' and 'low quality' to exist in a manner where they have anything to do with each other.

I am very impressed with the 1997-2002 Expedition and F-150, and it should be noted that the two trucks are visually and most likely mechanically the same. The Ford Excursion and the Super Duty trucks are similar in the same ways. Ford knows very well how to make a good truck, but that can't count for everything if Ford wants to be around in sixty years.