Your vehicle report
1997 Ford Econoline
The problems owners report. The recalls to check. The evidence behind each.
Your vehicle at a glance
Complaint patterns and official recall records, kept distinct.
- Owner complaints
- 79
- Received Jan 1997 to Nov 2014
Owner reports
Most reported problems
- 1Tires blow out or tread separates13 complaints · 16% of this vehicle’s complaints
- 2Seat belt fails to latch or retract9 complaints · 11% of this vehicle’s complaints
- 3Anti-lock brakes fail or lock up7 complaints · 8.9% of this vehicle’s complaints
Official NHTSA records
Recalls to check
- Recall #08V051000Ford is recalling 225,000 my 1992-2003 econoline, my 1993-1995 taurus sho, my 1992-1998 crown victoria, my 1993 bronco, f-series, my 1995-1997 f-series super duty stripped chassis, my 1992-1998 mercury grand marquis, and my 1992-1995 lincoln town car vehicles. The affected vehicles were previously repaired using a wiring harness that is not compatible with the vehicle circuit polarity.
- Recall #96V193000The battery cable harness does not have adequate protection from contacting and being damaged by the right engine mount.
BrakeNews signals
Flagged complaint patterns
Unusual complaint patterns with no matched recall yet. A flag does not mean a recall will happen.
No problems currently meet BrakeNews’s flagging criteria. This is not a safety rating.
How flags are identifiedComplaint counts reflect reports submitted to NHTSA, not failure rates or a reliability ranking. Reported in these complaints: 8 crashes, 2 fires, 2 people injured, 2 deaths.
Explore by system
Where do owners report problems?
Choose an area on the car or a system below to explore the reported problems.
Illustrative only; not this vehicle’s exact design. Areas represent complaint categories, not confirmed defective parts.
Showing all 7 listed problems by system.
Engine & powertrain
Brakes
Electrical & lights
No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.
Airbags, belts & seats
Steering, suspension & tires
Body, doors & glass
Driver assistance
No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.
Other
No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.
Complaint history
When NHTSA received these reports. Changes in reporting alone do not establish a change in failure rates.
Show as a table
| Year | Complaints |
|---|---|
| 1997 | 5 |
| 1998 | 16 |
| 1999 | 10 |
| 2000 | 16 |
| 2001 | 12 |
| 2002 | 2 |
| 2003 | 7 |
| 2004 | 1 |
| 2005 | 0 |
| 2006 | 1 |
| 2007 | 1 |
| 2008 | 4 |
| 2009 | 0 |
| 2010 | 2 |
| 2011 | 1 |
| 2012 | 0 |
| 2013 | 0 |
| 2014 | 1 |
| 2015 | 0 |
| 2016 | 0 |
| 2017 | 0 |
| 2018 | 0 |
| 2019 | 0 |
| 2020 | 0 |
| 2021 | 0 |
| 2022 | 0 |
| 2023 | 0 |
| 2024 | 0 |
| 2025 | 0 |
| 2026 (to Oct 2026) | 0 |
| Total | 79 |
Problems owners report
Listed groups have at least 3 complaints. The page includes the 20 largest groups plus any additional flagged groups; some complaints are not assigned to a group.
| Problem | Complaints | Share | Share ratio | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tires blow out or tread separates | 13 | 16% | – | |
| Seat belt fails to latch or retract | 9 | 11% | – | |
| Anti-lock brakes fail or lock up | 7 | 8.9% | – | |
| Heater blows cold air, defroster fails | 5 | 6.3% | – | |
| Brake pedal sinks due to leaking lines | 4 | 5.1% | – | |
| Steering wheel shakes violently at highway speed | 3 | 3.8% | – | |
| Engine knocking from rod or main bearings | 3 | 3.8% | – |
AI groups complaints by meaning; the groups are approximate. Share ratio compares the problem’s share of this vehicle’s complaints with its share on other vehicles over the last 24 months (shown from 3 recent complaints). A 2× ratio means twice the complaint share, not twice the failure risk. Flags mark unusual shares or recent surges after an AI review of the complaint content. “First signal” does not mean the pattern has persisted continuously.How recall estimates are calculated.
Recalls
NHTSA recall #08V051000February 4, 2008225,000 vehicles affected
vehicle speed control: cruise control
Ford is recalling 225,000 my 1992-2003 Econoline, my 1993-1995 taurus sho, my 1992-1998 crown victoria, my 1993 bronco, f-series, my 1995-1997 f-series super duty stripped chassis, my 1992-1998 mercury grand marquis, and my 1992-1995 Lincoln town car vehicles. The affected vehicles were previously repaired using a wiring harness that is not compatible with the vehicle circuit polarity.
As a result, the fuse is located in the output circuit rather than in the intended input power feed circuit, and may not offer the intended protection in the event of an electrical short to ground.
Remedy
Dealers will install a new wiring harness, or replace the mating electrical component. The recall began on february 18, 2008. Owners may contact Ford at 1-800-392-3673.
NHTSA recall #96V193000October 2, 19965,000 vehicles affected
electrical system: 12v/24v/48v battery: cables
The battery cable harness does not have adequate protection from contacting and being damaged by the right engine mount.
If the battery cable or starter wire insulation is damaged by such contact, a short to ground Can occur resulting in overheating of the wiring and possible ignition of surrounding components.
Remedy
Dealers will inspect for chafing of the cable and will add insulation and a tie strap to the battery cable harness.
Other model years
About this data
NHTSA complaints and recalls through October 2026. Complaints are counted once each, however many components they name. Original complaints are on NHTSA's page for the 1997 Ford Econoline.
Problem groups are formed by AI and may be approximate. BrakeNews flags unusual complaint patterns; they are not official defect findings. Investigation reports are written and checked by AI, with no human review. Owner reports do not establish that a defect exists.
Read the methodology and track record · Check current recalls by VIN