1997 FORD E-350 — Problems, Recalls & Safety Data
N/A
Safety Rating
96
Owner Complaints
4
Recalls
6
Service Bulletins
1
Investigation
Overview of the 1997 FORD E-350
The 1997 FORD E-350 has received a total of 96 safety complaints filed with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). There have been 4 recall campaigns affecting this vehicle, covering issues with VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL, VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:CRUISE CONTROL. 6 technical service bulletins have been issued by Ford Motor Company for this model year. The most commonly reported problems involve the Tirestreadbelt (14 complaints), Tires (8 complaints), and Engine And Engine Coolingengine (7 complaints).
Recalls for the 1997 FORD E-350
NHTSA has recorded 4 recalls for the 1997 FORD E-350, potentially affecting up to 8,476,000 vehicles.
Recall 09V399000 — VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
| 4,500,000 vehicles affected
Defect: FORD IS RECALLING MODEL YEARS 1995-2003 WINDSTAR, 2000-2003 EXCURSION DIESEL, 1993-1997 AND 1999-2003 F-250 SD THROUGH F-550 SD DIESEL, 1992-2003 E-150 THROUGH E-550, 1995-2002 EXPLORER, 1997 AND 2002 MERCURY MOUNTAINEER, 1995-1997 AND 2001-2003 RANGER, AND 1994 F53 VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH THE TEXAS INSTRUMENTS SPEED CONTROL DEACTIVATION SWITCH (SCDS). THE SCDS MAY LEAK INTERNALLY AND THEN OVERHEAT, SMOKE, OR BURN.
Consequence: A VEHICLE FIRE COULD OCCUR WITH OR WITHOUT THE ENGINE RUNNING.
Remedy: FORD WILL NOTIFY OWNERS THAT DEALERS WILL INSTALL A FUSED WIRING HARNESS IN LINE WITH THE SCDS. ON 1999-2003 WINDSTAR VEHICLES WITH A LEAKING SCDS, DEALERS WILL ALSO INSPECT THE ABS CONTROL MODULE CONNECTOR AND REPAIR AS NECESSARY. REPAIRS WILL...
View full details →Recall 08V051000 — VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:CRUISE CONTROL
| 225,000 vehicles affected
Defect: 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.
Consequence: 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.
View full details →Recall 07V336000 — VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
| 3,600,000 vehicles affected
Defect: ON CERTAIN PICKUP TRUCKS, PASSENGER VEHICLES, SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES, AND MOTOR HOMES CHASSIS, THE SPEED CONTROL DEACTIVATION SWITCH MAY, UNDER CERTAIN CONDITIONS, LEAK INTERNALLY AND THEN OVERHEAT, SMOKE, OR BURN.
Consequence: THIS COULD RESULT IN AN UNDERHOOD FIRE.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSTALL A FUSED WIRING HARNESS. OWNERS OF THE PASSENGER CARS INCLUDED IN THIS CAMPAIGN WILL BE INSTRUCTED TO RETURN THEIR VEHICLES TO THEIR DEALERS TO HAVE THE SPEED CONTROL DEACTIVATION SWITCH DISCONNECTED AS AN INTERIM REPAIR. AS SOON...
View full details →Recall 01V114000 — FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY
| 151,000 vehicles affected
Defect: VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: ON CERTAIN VANS WITH AMBULANCE PREP PACKAGES OR OTHER SEVERE-DUTY APPLICATIONS INVOLVING OPERATION AT OR NEAR THE GROSS VEHICLE WEIGHT WITH FREQUENT TWISTING OF THE VEHICLE BODY, SUCH AS OFF-ROAD, ROUGH ROAD OR SPEED BUMP EVENTS, THE 35 GALLON MID-SHIP FUEL TANK COULD DEVELOP A CRACK WHERE IT CONTACTS THE FRAME CROSS MEMBER. IF THE FUEL TANK CRACKS,...
Consequence: FUEL LEAKAGE IN THE PRESENCE OF AN IGNITION SOURCE COULD RESULT IN A FIRE.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE FUEL TANK AND, IF CRACKED, WILL REPLACE THE TANK. INSULATOR PADS WILL BE INSTALLED ON ALL VEHICLES TO REDUCE THE STRESS LEVELS IN THE FUEL TANK. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN APRIL 19, 2001. OWNERS WHO TAKE THEIR...
View full details →Owner Complaints for the 1997 FORD E-350
96 complaints have been filed with NHTSA for the 1997 FORD E-350. Below is a breakdown by vehicle component.
Most Recent Complaints
The rear passenger compartment outside and inside door handles broke such that rear seating passengers cannot exit the vehicle and are trapped inside. In case of an accident, the emergency responders will have to resort to drastic time consuming measures such as ripping the doors off to save the trapped passengers. Apparently all years of Ford Econoline vans have this dangerous problem because there are numerous fix it videos all over the internet showing how to replace the cheap handle-latch failure prone plastic parts with non-breakable METAL parts.
AIR BAG LIGHT CAME ON AND BRAKE LIGHT CAME ON
12/11/2019
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. THANKFULLY SHE WAS SPARED ANY INJURY. SHE HAD THE VAN TOWED TO A FORD DEALERSHIP, BUT THEY COULD NOT DIAGNOSE THE ROOT OF THE PROBLEM SO I DID NOT HAVE THEM DO ANY WORK ON IT [THEY WANTED TO REPLACE THE AIRBAG AND A FEW OTHER THINGS WHICH I FELT WAS A 'BAND-AID' SOLUTION SINCE THEY ADMITTED THEY WERE GUESSING]. WE DROVE THE CAR HOME. ON 4/13/18 MY ADULT DAUGHTER WAS SITTING IN THE FIRST BENCH ROW IN THE VAN TO HAVE A QUIET PLACE TO TALK ON THE PHONE. AFTER A WHILE ON THE PHONE, SHE PLUGGED HER PHONE INTO THE SAME CHARGER AND LESS THAN A MINUTE LATER THE PASSENGER AIRBAG EXPLODED. THIS OCCURRED IN MY DRIVEWAY WHEN THERE WAS NO KEY IN THE IGNITION AND NO ONE WAS SITTING IN EITHER FRONT SEAT! AGAIN, MY DAUGHTER ESCAPED INJURY, BUT NOW THE VAN WILL NOT EVEN START. AT THIS POINT, MY LOCAL FORD DEALERSHIP (A DIFFERENT ONE) AND MY PERSONAL REPAIR SHOP ARE REFUSING TO TOUCH THE VAN BECAUSE OF POTENTIAL LIABILITY REGARDING THIS KIND OF MALFUNCTION. MY INSURANCE CAN'T HELP BECAUSE THE VAN WAS NOT IN AN ACCIDENT WHEN THE AIRBAGS DEPLOYED AND "ELECTRICAL AND MECHANICAL MALFUNCTIONS ARE EXCLUDED FROM COMPREHENSIVE COVERAGE." FORD CUSTOMER CARE SERVICE HAS TOLD ME REPEATEDLY THAT THEY DON'T HAVE A PROTOCOL FOR THIS AND THERE IS NOTHING THEY CAN DO TO HELP ME.
Safety Rating for the 1997 FORD E-350
NHTSA has not yet tested the 1997 FORD E-350 in its New Car Assessment Program.
Technical Service Bulletins for the 1997 FORD E-350
Ford Motor Company has issued 6 technical service bulletins (TSBs) for the 1997 FORD E-350. TSBs are notices sent by manufacturers to their dealers describing a known issue and the recommended repair procedure.
032120 — ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
7.3L DIT GLOW PLUG START-UP ON-TIME DURING COLD TEMPERATURE - SERVICE TIP. *TT
6417 — SUSPENSION
ADDRESSING TIRE BALANCE HINTS. *TT
99E01 — ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:MODULE
SUBJECT REGARDING ON-BOARD DIAGNOSTIC (OBD) SYSTEM UPGRADES. *TT
98-4734 — ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE:TURBO/SUPERCHARGER
LACK OF POWER DUE TO FAILURE OF ENGINE TURBO BOOST
985A26 — SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS
EXPERIENCING VIBRATION DURING LIGHT BRAKE APPLICATIONS AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. *YC
BC5219961001 — UNKNOWN OR OTHER
INCORRECT INFORMATION IN 1997 EVTM MANUAL. PIN CALL-OUTS ILLUSTRATIONS FOR C224 & C225 ARE IN REVERSE ORDER. *TT
NHTSA Investigations for the 1997 FORD E-350
NHTSA has opened 1 investigation into potential safety defects in the 1997 FORD E-350.
Investigation PE09055 — ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:INTERIOR/UNDER DASH Closed
Opened:
HVAC Switch Failures
Other Model Years of the FORD E-350
- 1992 FORD E-350 — 51 complaints
- 1993 FORD E-350 — 53 complaints
- 1994 FORD E-350 — 60 complaints
- 1995 FORD E-350 — 93 complaints
- 1996 FORD E-350 — 59 complaints
- 1997 FORD E-350 (current)
- 1998 FORD E-350 — 70 complaints
- 1999 FORD E-350 — 77 complaints
- 2000 FORD E-350 — 63 complaints
- 2001 FORD E-350 — 59 complaints
- 2002 FORD E-350 — 61 complaints
Other FORD Models
- FORD F-150 — 45,660 total complaints
- FORD EXPLORER — 42,140 total complaints
- FORD ESCAPE — 34,654 total complaints
- FORD FOCUS — 29,539 total complaints
- FORD FUSION — 28,243 total complaints
- FORD TAURUS — 23,867 total complaints
- FORD WINDSTAR — 19,456 total complaints
- FORD EDGE — 17,247 total complaints