Recalls (2)
NHTSA lists 2 recall campaigns for the 1997 Ford Econoline. Check whether yours was repaired with NHTSA's free VIN lookup ↗
Only NHTSA and your automaker know whether your specific car was repaired. PlainVIN shows every recall campaign listed for a model year, with the official text and how many cars have been fixed so far.
Check on NHTSA ↗SPEED CONTROL DEACTIVATION SWITCH
- Summary
- 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.
FORD/BATTERY CABLE HARNESS
- Summary
- THE BATTERY CABLE HARNESS DOES NOT HAVE ADEQUATE PROTECTION FROM CONTACTING AND BEING DAMAGED BY THE RIGHT ENGINE MOUNT.
- Consequence
- 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.
PlainVIN shows public government records for education. It isn't a vehicle inspection or legal advice. Check your own VIN with NHTSA or your dealer.
Owner complaints (79)
79 complaints filed with NHTSA (owner reports, not verified findings). The service brakes is mentioned most often.
As reported by owners in their complaints. These are reports, not NHTSA findings.
Most-reported components
| Component | Complaints | % of 79 |
|---|---|---|
| Service brakes | 20 | 25.3% |
| Tires | 13 | 16.5% |
| Engine and engine cooling | 11 | 13.9% |
| Visibility | 9 | 11.4% |
| Seat belts | 7 | 8.9% |
| Vehicle speed control | 7 | 8.9% |
| Suspension | 5 | 6.3% |
| Steering | 4 | 5.1% |
| Electrical system | 3 | 3.8% |
| Fuel system | 3 | 3.8% |
How 1997 compares with other Econoline years
Best and worst Econoline years →| Model year | Complaints | Recall campaigns |
|---|---|---|
| 1993 | 65 | 3 |
| 1994 | 124 | 4 |
| 1995 | 73 | 4 |
| 1996 | 81 | 3 |
| 1997 | 79 | 2 |
| 1998 | 46 | 2 |
| 1999 | 84 | 5 |
| 2000 | 39 | 3 |
| 2001 | 28 | 3 |
| 2002 | 23 | 2 |
Counts are owner reports, not failure rates. Higher sales years tend to draw more reports. Owners are still filing reports for recent model years, so these counts will grow. Source: NHTSA ODI, retrieved Oct 6, 2026.
Looking at a 1997 Econoline for sale?
Print a one-page buyer's checklist: each recall campaign with a box to tick when the seller shows proof of repair, the top complaint areas to inspect, crash stars, MPG, and a link back to this page.
Where to next
1997 Ford Econoline FAQ
How many recalls does the 1997 Ford Econoline have?
NHTSA lists 2 recall campaigns: 08V051000 (vehicle speed control), 96V193000 (electrical). Use NHTSA's VIN lookup to see whether a specific car was repaired.
What are the most common 1997 Ford Econoline problems?
Owners filed 79 complaints with NHTSA. Service brakes (20), Tires (13), Engine and engine cooling (11) are mentioned most. These are owner reports, not verified findings.
How does the 1997 Econoline compare with other years?
Among the 1993–2002 Ford Econoline model years at least five years old, the 2002 drew the fewest complaints (23) and the 1994 the most (124). The 1997 drew 79. Counts are owner reports, not failure rates.
How this page was madeSources, processing, limits, review and changes
Data sources
- NHTSA recalls by vehicle
Retrieved Oct 6, 2026 - US DOT recall completion rates (data.transportation.gov)
Retrieved Oct 6, 2026 - NHTSA ODI owner complaints
Retrieved Oct 6, 2026 - NHTSA NCAP 5-Star Safety Ratings
Retrieved Oct 6, 2026 - EPA fuel economy data (licence confirmation pending)
Retrieved Oct 6, 2026 - EIA weekly retail gasoline prices
Weekly, all taxes included
Processing
- Complaints are counted per component. One complaint can list several, so component totals add up to more than the total.
- Fuel cost = miles per year ÷ EPA combined mpg × EIA weekly price for your region.
Limitations
- Complaint counts are owner reports, not verified findings or failure rates. There is no sales denominator.
- Recall campaigns are listed for the model year. Only NHTSA and the automaker know whether a specific car was repaired.
- Recent model years are still collecting reports.
Review
Data compiled automatically from the official files listed here.
Changelog
- 2026-10-06 Data refreshed from the official files.