Air bagsPart report

1997 Ford E-350 Air bags Problems

Complaints: 3about this part
Share: 4%of 79 total for the year
Median mileage: 74,910miles
Trend: Not enough dataFewer than 15 complaints, too few for a reliable trend.

NHTSA recorded 3 complaints about the air bags of the 1997 Ford E-350, 4% of the 79 complaints for this model year. Where a mileage was given, the median is 74,910 miles.

Fewer than 15 complaints name this part, so treat the figures as a rough indication only.

Example complaints

Selected from NHTSA records; personal details are removed. They are consumer reports, not findings.

“This year both the airbags in my 1997 Ford e350 van have spontaneously deployed on two separate occasions--each occurring while the van was in 'park'. On 1/31/18 the driver's bag deployed when the van was warming up in a parking lot. My adult daughter started the van, plugged her phone into the top car adapter, and about a minute later (the van was still parked) there was a big 'boom' from under her seat and her seatbelt tightened. With the seatbelt still on, she leaned to her right to see what was causing the smoke from under her seat when suddenly the driver's steering wheel airbag deployed. …”

NHTSA complaint #11097778, filed 2018-05, 89,820 miles

“My vehicle had been parked for about three or four weeks and I went to start it up to run the engine and charge the batteries as I did not plan to use it for another few weeks. When I turned the key the driver side airbag deployed and hit me hard. Also the passenger side seat belt buckle pretensioner fired off breaking the housing. The vehicle was stationary before, during, and after the incident. There has never been an accident and I can see no damage to the outside at all. I have contacted Ford and they will not assign a case number until it is inspected and checked by a Ford dealer. …”

NHTSA complaint #11032600, filed 2017-10, 60,000 miles

Air bags: other model years

Year	Complaints	Share of year
2011	2	11%
2010	1	6%
2008	1	3%
2007	1	6%
2004	2	4%
2003	2	4%
1999	3	4%
1998	1	2%
1997	3	4%
1995	4	6%

Other parts of the 1997 Ford E-350

Tires
24 complaints Brakes
18 complaints Engine cooling
15 complaints Suspension
6 complaints Fuel system
5 complaints Electrical system
4 complaints Transmission and drivetrain
4 complaints Vehicle speed control
4 complaints Body and structure
3 complaints Seat belts
2 complaints Visibility (wipers, defrost, mirrors)
2 complaints Equipment
1 complaints

← All problems reported for the 1997 Ford E-350

About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 31, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.

To check a specific vehicle for open recalls, use its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. Methodology