Ford F-150 1997–2003
10th generation · PN96
NHTSA data through 13 August 202610,446 complaints, 5,060 with mileageMethod
- Reports with mileage
- 5,060
- Median of reported failures
- 100,000 mi
- Most-reported system
- Engine and its cooling system (15.5%)
- Recalls
- 1
Before-you-buy checklist ↓Check this VIN — NHTSA ↗
On this generation, failures are spread across the mileage range, with the middle half between 63,878 and 140,000 miles.
Figure 1 · Ford F-150 1997–2003 · 5,060 reports with mileage
Mileage at failure
Complaints per 5,000-mile bin, 0 to 200,000 miles, equal bins on a linear scale. Tallest bar = 341 complaints.
- Rest of the range
- Median
- 200,000+ — 341 complaints (6.7%), plotted separately
- 10%
- 35,000
- 25%
- 63,878
- Median
- 99,500
- 75%
- 140,000
- 90%
- 180,000
Show the numbers
| Mileage | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| 0–5,000 | 112 | 2.2% |
| 5,000–10,000 | 47 | 0.9% |
| 10,000–15,000 | 54 | 1.1% |
| 15,000–20,000 | 69 | 1.4% |
| 20,000–25,000 | 65 | 1.3% |
| 25,000–30,000 | 61 | 1.2% |
| 30,000–35,000 | 85 | 1.7% |
| 35,000–40,000 | 111 | 2.2% |
| 40,000–45,000 | 134 | 2.6% |
| 45,000–50,000 | 111 | 2.2% |
| 50,000–55,000 | 129 | 2.5% |
| 55,000–60,000 | 141 | 2.8% |
| 60,000–65,000 | 170 | 3.4% |
| 65,000–70,000 | 154 | 3.0% |
| 70,000–75,000 | 177 | 3.5% |
| 75,000–80,000 | 152 | 3.0% |
| 80,000–85,000 | 203 | 4.0% |
| 85,000–90,000 | 208 | 4.1% |
| 90,000–95,000 | 191 | 3.8% |
| 95,000–100,000 | 165 | 3.3% |
| 100,000–105,000 | 256 | 5.1% |
| 105,000–110,000 | 130 | 2.6% |
| 110,000–115,000 | 135 | 2.7% |
| 115,000–120,000 | 138 | 2.7% |
| 120,000–125,000 | 180 | 3.6% |
| 125,000–130,000 | 133 | 2.6% |
| 130,000–135,000 | 143 | 2.8% |
| 135,000–140,000 | 110 | 2.2% |
| 140,000–145,000 | 128 | 2.5% |
| 145,000–150,000 | 111 | 2.2% |
| 150,000–155,000 | 131 | 2.6% |
| 155,000–160,000 | 69 | 1.4% |
| 160,000–165,000 | 118 | 2.3% |
| 165,000–170,000 | 68 | 1.3% |
| 170,000–175,000 | 87 | 1.7% |
| 175,000–180,000 | 52 | 1.0% |
| 180,000–185,000 | 64 | 1.3% |
| 185,000–190,000 | 41 | 0.8% |
| 190,000–195,000 | 45 | 0.9% |
| 195,000–200,000 | 41 | 0.8% |
| 200,000+ | 341 | 6.7% |
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation, public domain. Complaint counts reflect what owners reported and are not a measure of failure rate per vehicle sold.
What this can and cannot tell you: these are complaints owners chose to file, not a failure rate. Popular models accumulate more of them simply by being common. How this is built.
Owners filed 10,446 complaints with NHTSA about the 1997–2003 Ford F-150, and 5,060 of them record the mileage at which the failure happened. That is enough to show not just what fails, but when.
Failures are spread across the mileage range, with the middle half between 63,878 and 140,000 miles. The median is 99,500 miles.
The most-reported areas are the engine and its cooling system (15.5% of complaints, typically around 91,000 miles), throttle and speed control (8.8% of complaints, typically around 104,000 miles), the fuel system (8.6% of complaints, typically around 132,000 miles).
1 recall campaign cover this generation.
If you arrived asking “is it reliable?” — this page answers the version of that question the data can support: which problems owners reported, and at what mileage.
How many miles does a 1997–2003 Ford F-150 last?
Half of the failure reports on the 1997–2003 Ford F-150 were filed by 100,000 miles and 90% by 180,000 miles — figures drawn from 5,060 NHTSA complaints that record an odometer reading, so they time reported failures, not the cars whose owners never filed one.
341 reports (6.7%) came in past 200,000 miles — each one proof a F-150 reached that mileage, not that it died there.
Before you buy a 1997–2003 F-150: the 3-minute check
Generated from 5,060 mileage-tagged complaints, 1 recall campaign, 3 documented problem areas. Print this page — the checklist survives print.
- Run the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. 1 campaign cover this generation; an open recall is a free repair you can make the seller's problem.
- Check engine on 1997–2003 cars. Spark plug ejection from aluminum cylinder heads on 2-valve modular V8s (4.6L/5.4L). Only about four threads engage the plug in the head, so plugs back out under cylinder pressure and strip the head threads; failure is…
- Check engine on 1997–2003 cars. Cracked exhaust manifolds and broken manifold studs on Triton V8s producing a cold-start tick.
- Check fuel system on 1999–2003 cars. Fuel pump driver module (frame-mounted) corrodes and fails, causing stalling and no-start.
- Complaint reports are not spread evenly across model years here — see the by-model-year table below before you settle on a year.
- End with a pre-purchase inspection of this car. Aggregate data describes the population; the example in front of you has its own history.
For a buyer, failures on this generation are spread rather than concentrated: the middle half falls between 64,000 and 140,000 miles, with a median of 100,000. There is no single mileage threshold to watch, which means condition and maintenance records are more informative than the odometer.
On inspection, the engine and its cooling system and throttle and speed control are where this generation's reports concentrate, so those are the areas worth a specific look. The engine and its cooling system in particular shows a median failure mileage of 91,000, which gives a concrete number to compare against the odometer of any car you are considering.
None of this is a substitute for a pre-purchase inspection on the individual car. Aggregate patterns describe a population; the example in front of you has its own history.
What fails, and when
Figure 2 · Ford F-150 1997–2003
When each system fails
Bar spans the middle half of reports; the notch inside each bar is the median. Miles at failure on a proportional scale — equal distances are equal ratios, not equal miles.
- Hydraulic brake circuit652 reports68,00042,000–102,000Hydraulic brake circuit: 652 reports, median 68,000 miles, middle half 42,000 to 102,000 miles.
- Tyres684 reports74,00041,000–116,000Tyres: 684 reports, median 74,000 miles, middle half 41,000 to 116,000 miles.
- Body structure688 reports86,00060,000–133,000Body structure: 688 reports, median 86,000 miles, middle half 60,000 to 133,000 miles.
- Engine and its cooling system1,618 reports91,00067,000–120,000Engine and its cooling system: 1,618 reports, median 91,000 miles, middle half 67,000 to 120,000 miles.
- Electrical system876 reports92,00060,000–134,000Electrical system: 876 reports, median 92,000 miles, middle half 60,000 to 134,000 miles.
- Throttle and speed control920 reports104,00077,000–145,000Throttle and speed control: 920 reports, median 104,000 miles, middle half 77,000 to 145,000 miles.
- Fuel system896 reports132,000104,000–167,000Fuel system: 896 reports, median 132,000 miles, middle half 104,000 to 167,000 miles.
- Your odometer — appears after you enter it in “Where your car sits”
Ordered by median mileage, earliest first. The first 12,000 miles are shaded: that is the boundary this site uses between a manufacturing defect and ordinary wear, not a property of the world.
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation, public domain.
| System | Complaints | Share | Median | 25–75% |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Engine and its cooling system | 1,618 | 15.5% | 91,000 | 67,000–120,000 |
| Throttle and speed control | 920 | 8.8% | 104,000 | 77,000–145,000 |
| Fuel system | 896 | 8.6% | 132,000 | 104,000–167,000 |
| Electrical system | 876 | 8.4% | 92,000 | 60,000–134,000 |
| Body structure | 688 | 6.6% | 86,000 | 60,000–133,000 |
| Tyres | 684 | 6.5% | 74,000 | 41,000–116,000 |
| Hydraulic brake circuit | 652 | 6.2% | 68,000 | 42,000–102,000 |
| Transmission and driveline | 570 | 5.5% | 64,000 | 40,000–100,000 |
| Suspension | 526 | 5.0% | 70,000 | 39,000–120,000 |
| Steering | 513 | 4.9% | 80,000 | 52,000–117,000 |
Where your car sits
Failure reports by the odometer reading they were filed at. Pick the anchor nearest your car — or type the exact mileage: your marker lands on this curve and on the timing chart above.
Figure 3 · Ford F-150 1997–2003 · 5,060 reports with mileage
Share of reports below each mileage
Share of mileage-tagged reports filed at or below each odometer reading. Steps rise only at bin edges, by exact counted shares.
- 60,000 mi — 22% of reports below
- 90,000 mi — 43% of reports below
- 120,000 mi — 63% of reports below
- Median — the staircase crosses the 50% line here
- Your odometer — appears after you enter it below
The staircase tops out at 93%: the remaining 6.7% of reports (341) came above 200,000 miles.
Nothing is smoothed or interpolated. Linear axis, same as Figure 1.
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation, public domain.
At 60,000 miles
22% of the failure reports on this generation came below this mileage. That describes reports, not your odds.
In the reporting window
- Electrical system — middle half 60,000–134,000 mi
- Body structure — middle half 60,000–133,000 mi
- Tyres — middle half 41,000–116,000 mi
- Hydraulic brake circuit — middle half 42,000–102,000 mi
Mostly reported later
- Engine and its cooling system — middle half 67,000–120,000 mi
- Throttle and speed control — middle half 77,000–145,000 mi
- Fuel system — middle half 104,000–167,000 mi
At 90,000 miles
43% of the failure reports on this generation came below this mileage. That describes reports, not your odds.
In the reporting window
- Engine and its cooling system — middle half 67,000–120,000 mi
- Throttle and speed control — middle half 77,000–145,000 mi
- Electrical system — middle half 60,000–134,000 mi
- Body structure — middle half 60,000–133,000 mi
- Tyres — middle half 41,000–116,000 mi
- Hydraulic brake circuit — middle half 42,000–102,000 mi
Mostly reported later
- Fuel system — middle half 104,000–167,000 mi
At 120,000 miles
63% of the failure reports on this generation came below this mileage. That describes reports, not your odds.
Reported earlier than this mileage — ask for repair records
- Engine and its cooling system — median 91,000 mi
- Tyres — median 74,000 mi
- Hydraulic brake circuit — median 68,000 mi
In the reporting window
- Throttle and speed control — middle half 77,000–145,000 mi
- Fuel system — middle half 104,000–167,000 mi
- Electrical system — middle half 60,000–134,000 mi
- Body structure — middle half 60,000–133,000 mi
Which systems, and when
Complaints about this generation are not spread evenly across the vehicle, and the systems that generate the most of them do not all fail at the same point in a car's life. The median failure across all systems here is 99,500 miles; the figures below show which parts of the car run ahead of that and which run behind.
The engine and its cooling system accounts for 15.5% of complaints (1,618 reports, 1,051 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 91,000 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 67,000 and 120,000 miles.
Throttle and speed control accounts for 8.8% of complaints (920 reports, 527 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 104,000 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 77,000 and 145,000 miles.
The fuel system accounts for 8.6% of complaints (896 reports, 753 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 132,000 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 104,000 and 167,000 miles.
The electrical system accounts for 8.4% of complaints (876 reports, 561 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 92,000 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 60,000 and 134,000 miles.
Body structure accounts for 6.6% of complaints (688 reports, 233 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 86,000 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 60,000 and 133,000 miles.
The tyres account for 6.5% of complaints (684 reports, 129 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 74,000 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 41,000 and 116,000 miles.
Differences between model years
Within this generation, complaint volume is not constant across model years. The 1997 model year drew the most — 3,285 complaints — while 2003 drew the fewest at 524. The median year sits at 1,323.
That makes 1997 an outlier: roughly 2.5 times the median year of this generation. A single year standing that far apart usually reflects either a first-year issue that was later corrected, or a component change introduced for that year. Anyone shopping this generation has a straightforward reason to prefer a different year, all else being equal.
Recalls and what they cover
NHTSA records 1 recall campaign covering vehicles in this generation. A recall means the manufacturer or the regulator concluded there was a safety defect or a standard was not met, and that a free remedy is owed to owners — including second and later owners.
Recall status is specific to the individual vehicle, not the model. Checking a VIN against NHTSA's lookup is free and takes under a minute, and it is the only way to know whether a particular car has had the work done.
Reported severity
What owners reported alongside the failure itself, out of 10,446 complaints against this generation:
- Crashes
- 752 (7.2%)
- Fires
- 1,326
- Injury reports
- 502
- Fatality reports
- 20
These flags are self-reported by complainants and unverified by NHTSA; one report can carry several flags, so the counts overlap and do not sum to a total. They are not adjusted for how many of these vehicles are on the road. No chart is drawn here on purpose: overlapping counts spanning very different magnitudes cannot be honestly encoded as lengths.
Documented problems
Engine 1997–2003
Spark plug ejection from aluminum cylinder heads on 2-valve modular V8s (4.6L/5.4L). Only about four threads engage the plug in the head, so plugs back out under cylinder pressure and strip the head threads; failure is sudden and requires thread inserts to repair.
Engine 1997–2003
Cracked exhaust manifolds and broken manifold studs on Triton V8s producing a cold-start tick.
Fuel System 1999–2003
Fuel pump driver module (frame-mounted) corrodes and fails, causing stalling and no-start.
By model year
| Year | Complaints | With mileage |
|---|---|---|
| 1997 | 3,285 | 976 |
| 1998 | 1,624 | 658 |
| 1999 | 1,323 | 595 |
| 2000 | 1,274 | 779 |
| 2001 | 1,451 | 907 |
| 2002 | 965 | 754 |
| 2003 | 524 | 391 |
Recalls (1) — is your car included?
Sep 2011 · 1997–2003 · Fuel System, GasolineAs a result of the corrosion, one or both straps may fail allowing the fuel lines to separate from the tank…
The defect. Ford is recalling certain 1997 through 2003 model year Ford F-150, 2004 model year Ford F-150 heritage, 1997 through 1999 model year F-250 less than 8,500 lbs. Gross vehicle weight rating (gvwr), and 2002 and 2003 Lincoln blackwood vehicles manufactured from june 20, 1995, through august 4, 2004, originally sold, or currently registered in, connecticut, delaware, illinois, indiana, iowa, kentucky, maine, maryland, massachusetts, michigan, minnesota, missouri, new hampshire, new jersey, new york, ohio, pennsylvania, rhode island, vermont, west virginia, wisconsin, and the district of columbia.
What can happen. As a result of the corrosion, one or both straps may fail allowing the fuel lines to separate from the tank, or in some cases, causing the tank to contact the ground. Either scenario may result in a fuel leak presenting a fire hazard.
The free fix. Ford will notify owners and instruct them to take their vehicles to a Ford or Lincoln dealer to have the fuel tank straps replaced with straps that have increased corrosion protection. Early in this campaign, if replacement straps are not available, dealers may install a cable support under the strap as an interim repair or a steel reinforcement over the existing strap as a permanent repair. Any repairs will be performed free of charge. The safety recall began on september 16, 2011. Owners may contact Ford motor company customer relationship center at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's recall campai
What owners reported
the contact owns a 1997 Ford f150. The contact stated that while driving at approximately 35 MPH the air bag warning light illuminated. Within a couple of weeks the cruise control was not operating while driving at approximately 65 MPH. The dealer was contact who stated that the vehicle was not under a recall. The…
1997 · 35 miles · Airbag system
An explosion woke us up at approx 4:00 am on july 06. Our 1997 Ford f150 pick up was on fire and destroyed a 2001 4 runner, 2001 larson boat, carport etc.*Ak the vehicle had been parked for 2 days and moved once a very short distabce during that time. The fire seemed to come from the engine compartment. Prior to the…
1997 · 150 miles · Electrical system
the contact owns a 1997 Ford f150. The contact was driving approximately 30 MPH when the brakes were applied and the vehicle began to surge. The failure recurred intermittently. The vehicle was taken to an authorized dealer for diagnosis on several occassions yet, the dealer was unable to duplicate the problem. The…
1997 · 1,000 miles · Throttle and speed control
Built from 5,060 NHTSA complaints with mileage · snapshot 2026-08-18 · open data · reproduce this page