1997 Ford Econoline Problems

What owners report

Owners of this model year most often write in about brakes and tires, with the brakes side covering pad and rotor wear, pedal feel and ABS behavior, and the tire side dominated by tread separation and sidewall failures on original equipment tires, often on vans and motorhomes running near load limits. Reports arrive across a wide mileage range, from near-new vehicles to vans past 120,000 miles, and many describe repeated dealer visits without a lasting fix.

1. 1
   Brakes

   Brake pedal, rotor wear and ABS concerns

   • 12 complaints (15%)
   • median 89,400 mi at 12.7 yrs old (1 states mileage, few)
   • 2 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 1997–2010

   Complaints describe a pedal that needs hard pressure or travels toward the floor, grinding or scraping noises, and vibration through the steering wheel when braking. Some owners report that the ABS engages and then releases, leaving the vehicle rolling or slowing unpredictably at low speed. Dealers in these accounts replaced pads, rotors, calipers or the master cylinder, sometimes more than once, and in some cases told the owner the behavior was normal for this type of vehicle. Reports span the whole life of the vehicle, from under 15,000 miles to past 100,000, and several mention braking on hills, in icy conditions or in stop-and-go traffic.

   What to check: Drive the van and brake firmly from highway speed and at low speed, feeling for pedal travel, pulsation and any ABS cycling. Ask for brake service records and have a shop inspect rotor thickness, pad wear and ABS function before buying.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “This vehicle has had multiple brake failures. Before the warranty ran out at 36k, the dealer replaced the front brakes two times. Since then I have had the pads replaced and/or rotors turned at least three times more. Now, only 2k miles after the last rotor replacement, the brakes are failing again - I.e., the steering wheel vibrates when the brakes are applied, particularly from speeds greater than 45 MPH.”

   NHTSA complaint #725553, filed 2000-07

   “Since we've had the van. The brakes have given us problems, and the dealer worked on the vehicle multiple times. It is evident that they had no clue how to fix the problem! The first major repair was done on 1/28/98 and 12362 miles.. The dealer has now been bought out by classic, and they have been no help at all!!! I've talked to other people with e-150s who report similar problems! I've replaced the rotors/calipers, shoes ,and continue to have problems getting the vehicle antilock system to work properly!”

   NHTSA complaint #714854, filed 1999-11
2. 2
   Tires

   Tire tread separation and blowouts

   • 11 complaints (14%)
   • median 126,500 mi at 6.7 yrs old (1 states mileage, few)
   • filed 2000–2003

   Complaints describe the tread peeling away from the tire casing, sometimes with the tire staying inflated and sometimes with a blowout, often at highway speed. Several owners note the tires were kept at the recommended pressure and had not hit anything, and some say multiple tires on the same vehicle failed. Dealer responses in these accounts were mixed, with some owners told there was no problem and others seeking reimbursement after learning of a tire recall. Failures are reported from roughly 4,000 miles up to about 130,000 miles, frequently on dual rear wheels of vans and motorhomes under load at highway speeds.

   What to check: Record the tire brand, size and DOT date codes on all wheels, including the spare, and check for weather checking, bulges or uneven wear. Ask whether any tire recall applied and whether the tires were replaced.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “A firestone tire on the front of our company van delaminated. It was about 1 year old and is not on any recall list. I have pictures along with the damage done to the truck. Luckly no one was injured. The vehicle was doing 65 MPH at the time. The tire never went flat.”

   NHTSA complaint #10025319, filed 2003-07, 126,500 miles

   “I have lost 3 tires to tread separation one at 4000 miles and the others at about 12000 miles. I have had to replace 2 others due abnormal tread wear and vibration before the vehicle had 16000 miles on it. I thought it odd that these tire were going out at such low mileage, but the dealers said there was not problem. (DOT number: vd1l1xd tiresize: lt22575r16)”

   NHTSA complaint #733070, filed 2000-10
3. 3
   Seat belts

   Seat belts that do not retract or fit snugly

   • 6 complaints (8%)
   • typically at 1.5 yrs old
   • filed 1998–2001

   Complaints describe belts that will not retract on their own, leaving slack across the chest and shoulder, or buckles positioned so the lap belt rides up over the stomach. Some owners report that the belt does not lock when they lean forward, and a few mention belts that failed to restrain occupants in a rear-end collision. In one account the dealer replaced the belts and the problem remained. Reports are not tied to a clear mileage pattern; they involve both front and rear positions and appear on vehicles of varying age.

   What to check: Pull each belt out fully and let it retract, checking for slack and slow or failed retraction, and confirm the buckle sits low across the hips. Test that the belt locks with a sharp tug.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “Belt buckle too long & can not lock properly. Buckle stock comes to middle of driver's stomach. This causes shoulder belt to pull lap belt over stomach area & not rest on lap properly.”

   NHTSA complaint #825343, filed 1998-07

   “When putting seat belt on it is not close to body, and seat belt is loose. If consumer leans forward seat belt will not catch, and belt does not adjust to body. Please add VIN .”

   NHTSA complaint #6900707, filed 2001-12
4. 4
   Vehicle speed control

   Cruise control recall parts not available

   • 7 complaints (9%)
   • typically at 10.9 yrs old
   • 2 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 1999–2008

   Several owners write that they received recall notices for the cruise control speed control switch but were repeatedly told by dealers that parts were unavailable, in some cases for many months. Owners report being offered disconnection of the switch instead of a repair, and one describes sudden acceleration while driving. No failure had occurred in most of these accounts at the time of filing. These reports cluster in 2007 and 2008 and cover vehicles from about 36,000 to 123,000 miles.

   Recall 08V051000

   What to check: Ask for documentation that the speed control recall work was completed and whether the switch was repaired or simply disconnected. Confirm the cruise control works as expected on a test drive.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “Consumer was driving approximately 4-5 MPH, made a u-turn and pressed hand brake and van accelerated to high speed, consumer rearended vehicle in front. Also, had to replace master cylinder/ heater core/premature worn out tires, and starter.”

   NHTSA complaint #836841, filed 1999-04

   “1997 Ford Econoline with speed control recall. Consumer states that the dealer did not have any parts in september. He states that they still had no parts in december. As of april they still have no parts to repair this problem.”

   NHTSA complaint #10226273, filed 2008-05
5. 5
   Visibility (wipers, defrost, mirrors)

   Heater and defroster not blowing or not warming

   • 11 complaints (14%)
   • typically at 1.7 yrs old
   • 1 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 1997–2002

   Owners report that the blower does not run when the defroster is selected, or that a broken air flap keeps heat from reaching the windshield, so the glass does not clear. Coolant loss from the front engine cover or heater core is described in some cases, and one fleet owner notes the repair cost repeated across many vans. Dealers were contacted in most of these accounts. Reports appear across a range of ages and mileages, with several tied to coolant leaks or heater repairs rather than a specific mileage.

   What to check: With the engine cold, run the blower on every speed and switch to defrost to confirm airflow and heat reach the windshield. Check the coolant level and look for residue or staining around the front engine cover and heater core.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “Company owns 23 vans. 14 of them are Ford econolines. Almost all of them have the same problem with the defroster which costs abour $600.00 to fix. Also, the rear hubcaps on this van keeps falling off because the clips to keep them in place are plastic.”

   NHTSA complaint #9001942, filed 2001-08

   “Front engine timing cover is leaking coolant. Heater was not working, causing consumer to have it inspected. Coolant is leaking into engine, and slowly damaging engine. Dealer was contacted. Consumer states that the vehicle now needs a new engine.”

   NHTSA complaint #8004956, filed 2002-03

Buying note. Brake and tire condition matter most on this model year, so budget for a thorough brake and tire inspection and check recall status on the speed control switch before purchase. Service records showing completed recall work and consistent brake maintenance are worth asking for.

Summary written with AI from a sample of 58 NHTSA complaints for this model year (picked at random, with complaints that state a mileage and recent ones taken first), then checked automatically against the source records. Where a problem shows a complaint count, every complaint for this model year was matched with fixed keyword rules (written with AI and tested against the sample), and the mileage, age and repair figures are calculated from those complaints; owners' figures are as stated, not verified. Other counts refer to the sample. The excerpts come from NHTSA's public complaint records and are unverified; capitalisation is normalised, NHTSA staff notes are removed, and shortened text ends with “…”. Something wrong? Request a correction.