Comments: 1-15, 16-23
Other than routine maintenance...
At 40,000 miles the transmission needed to be replaced ($2,200).
At 46,000 miles both front calipers needed to be replaced ($400).
At 51,000 miles the horn burned out and needed to be replaced ($56).
At 80,000 miles both front calipers needed to be replaced again ($400).
At 83,000 miles the timing cover gasket began leaking engine coolant and was replaced ($650).
Throughout my owner ship of this vehicle I have had problems with:
the check engine light repeatedly coming on,
the rear drum breaks locking up leaving me stranded in various locations,
diagnosis computer needed to be replaced,
the entire body is rusting away because Ford did not properly rust proof the undercarriage,
the engine makes all kinds of incredible noises,
the engine likes to occasionally stutter, and hesitate as if it were about to stall.
Items about to fail or in the process of failing...
The air conditioning
The upper and lower intake gaskets risking total destruction of the engine by allowing coolant into the combustion chambers.
This vehicle suffers from major design flaws. Ford should be embarrassed that their vehicle can't hold up to normal use. This vehicle was pampered, but continued to literally fall apart. The worst part is that Ford will not address these problems. A partial recall was issued about the gaskets, but owners were not properly notified and the recall did not address many of the vehicles that had the defective product. These are serious and expensive mechanical flaws.
I am not the only one with these problems (especially the gasket problems) here is a link: http://f150online.com/forums/showthread.php?s
=5c9b9b8e26d8094a4d90d6484d4b4d23&threadid=
94681
I own a 1997 Ford f-150 and have had numerous problems with it. Here is a brief list:
-Transmission $3,858 to get rebuilt at only 90,000Km
-Inner and outer tie rods (Almost causing serious accident)
-Rear axle seals
-O2 sensors (twice)
-Leaky rear Window
_Front Springs.
In My Opinion, Ford is not built Tough and I will never buy another Ford product again. Spend the extra money and, buy something better, but do yourself a favor and stay away from Ford.
I guess you guys either have gotten lemons or are just into trashing Ford's great name. I have over 150,000 miles on my F-150 (tough miles I might add) and no signs of stopping. I wish you the best of luck in the future. But to the response, spending extra money might make you feel better, but you can get a lemon in anything. I love my Ford, I had a Nissan truck once, but like driving a real truck better. Good Day...
I own a 1997 F-150 XL super cab 4 x 2. The body exterior skin is cracking around the lower rear portion of the door windows. The interior metal skin of the drivers side door was fixed once for metal fatigue at 35,000 miles under warranty. The repair didn't hold. The problem is now occurring on the passenger side door as well. The metal is cracking right where the curve in the lower rear window frame straighten out. Curious as to how many others have experienced the same problem.
Why do people go crazy and say they won't buy another ford again when in reality, what do you expect from a new model? I always try to buy the year before the new model change. For instance, I'd get the 1996 F150 (if the year was 1997) because ford had made that model the best it would ever be. In the end, why complain about a truck that you know will have problems due to the design change?
I have a 97 F150 4.2l flareside 4x4 offroad, the truck is almost 10 years old and the only problem I have had is I replaced the upper and lower ball joint and catalytic converters. I am in northen ontario canada, the truck see's winter were the snowbanks are deeper then the truck and it see's a lot of mud holes. it is usually covered head to toe in mud. So, if you do not think ford is a good truck then buy something else and do not complain, every make of truck comes with it own set of problems, as for me I will stick with my ford, built tough, canadian tough...
I'm just curious as to how many of your trucks wear the Detroit stamp. You can find this kind of info on the manufacturer plate on the inside of the driver's side door.
I actually love my F150 4x4 Long Bed despite having a leaking head gasket at 150K.
I will repair and keep this truck.
No body rust at all.
Antilock brakes work great.
Tranny stutters between gears somtimes at a certain RPM climbing alight grades, but have found that issue in other automatic trannys.
No wierd electronic issues.
Good Truck!
It's the 4.2L Essex engine that's bad! It's basically the 3.8L Essex (headgasket blowing engine) that was in Thunderbirds and Taurus's. (Tauri?). Get the V8 instead (a few choices.)
I have a 97 F150 4x4 with 196,000 miles. I am replacing the left side BJ today, the first real money I have had to spend on this truck! Love Ford's!!!
I own a 1997 Ford F150 with the 4.6 liter engine. Other than 3 factory recalls (which dealt with minor things) I have been pleased with the truck. It has been used strickley for pleasure & never abused, kept clean and serviced. I have 87000 miles on it. (in my part of the country is considered low mileage for a 97.) I have had no problems until now. Recently the upper & lower ball joints had to be replaced & now the ring gear & pinion has gone bad which is disappointing considering the mileage and it has always been pampered and never abused. I know the truck wasn't built to last forever and things do wear out. I will repair & keep the truck because I am not interested in trading, but I am guestioning the built Ford tough part.
I own a 1997 FORD F150, 4.6l with over 220,000 miles and it still runs perfect, Looks better than 90% of trucks out there and still smokes n/a imports. Most reliable and beautiful vehicle I ever owned.
I own a F150, 4.6L 1997 truck. Currently has 188,000 miles. ido primarily highway driving and have always got 18-19 mpg. The problems have been-
-5,000 miles the transmission was replaced under warranty (pinhole leak in the case).
-140,000 miles the power steering pump was replaced.
-150,000 miles the rear wheel seal was replaced and a tune up was done (the first one).
-Replaced the battery in 2006 (10 years old)
-Replaced the disk brakes twice, but don't remember the mileage.
Overall a great truck.
I have a 97 F150 4x4 ext cab with a 5.4 with 263,xxx miles on it and the only thing that was replaced on mine besides the normal wear and tear things is the trans at 211,xxx miles. and mine has a 7 inch lift and 37 in tires on it. The motor still runs strong and can spin the 37's.Oh not to mention I pulled my dads 2002 dodge ram quad cab home from alabama because his motor blew up at 106,xxx miles. I love my truck and I wouldn't ever get rid of it.
1997 F150 XL with the 4.6L
All I have to say is 284,000 miles and still runs strong. No rust and still looks good.
I think that's value!!!
Own a 1997 F-150 SuperCab 4.6, OffRoad pkg, manual tranny.
Both ignition coils needed to be replaced before 100k, and also the heater core. Now it looks like it is having cooling/head gasket issues. Having pampered this truck as much as I could, it has gone through normal wear, but seems like the issues were preventable.
Why? A friend of mine who has worked for Ford for many years has a plausible explanation. This was a redesigned truck, the model year it was also release alongside the pre-97 F-150. So Ford let engineering students do some of the design; BIG, BIG mistake. These are good trucks, but ask any Ford mechanic how much fun it is to take the dash apart.
If you were buying a house, would you let some architect-in-training design it for you? If so I think you would be as stupid as Ford, and you'd probably be stuck under your collapsed house anyway. I love this truck, but I am close to kicking it to the curb for something that someone cared enough about to let REAL engineers with REAL experience design it.
PS. The head gasket issue is becoming more and more common as these things age. That and the fact that I paid Ford $750 to diagnose and fix what was the ignition coil problem. They changed the sparkplugs and never got to the coil, raped me for it, and they expect me to be a loyal customer after that?!?