AI Damage1997 Ford Motor Home reliability: common problems
Owners of the 1997 Ford Motor Home filed 13 complaints with NHTSA, most often about tires and electrical system. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 13
What fails most often
- 1 Tires 46% of all complaints
- 2 Electrical system 15% of all complaints
- 3 Engine and cooling 15% of all complaints
- 4 Vehicle speed control 15% of all complaints
- 5 Service brakes 8% of all complaints
- Tires: 6 complaints (46% of all).
- Electrical system: 2 complaints (15% of all).
- Engine and cooling: 2 complaints (15% of all).
- Vehicle speed control: 2 complaints (15% of all).
- Service brakes: 1 complaints (8% of all).
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 13 NHTSA complaints mention each symptom (automatic count from complaint text; one complaint can mention several).
Components owners complain about
| Component | Owner complaints | involving a crash | Technical service bulletins (TSB) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tires | 6 | 0 | 0 |
| Electrical system | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Engine and cooling | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Vehicle speed control | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Service brakes | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Other | 1 | 0 | 0 |
What owners report
Short excerpts of NHTSA complaints in the original wording. These are owner statements not verified by NHTSA; personal data removed.
Tl contact owns a 1997 ford motor home. The contact received a recall notice for the vehicle speed control: cruise control. He is dissatisfied that the replacement parts are not available. Ford stated that the parts would be ready in december of 2007, but the contact has yet to receive anything.
We received a recall notice on our 1997 ford rv for a wiring harness in sept. 2007. We called the authorized dealer immediately and was told the parts were "on back order." we have still not received repairs. Five (5) months is ample time to correct this problem.
2.may 6, 2004: started engine - terrible clunking & knocking noise. White smoking out of tail pipe. Determined by ford mechanic: rod was bent & the cylinder scored. The head was examined: head gasket & intake gasket normal. No cracks in head - it was sent out for inspection; no visual or non-visual cracks in the head.
Vehicle experienced fire which started under the hood, possibly engine related.
While driving front left tire separated and the left rear tire blew out. Size lt2252/r75, r16 m/s steeltex r4s original equipment. This is a motorhome on a 1997 ford e super duty chassis.
Traveling 55mph when front end began to bounce & shake. Pulled over & checked. Noticed the left front tire had a wide tread separation in tire. It was not flat. Took vehicle to tire retailer & had all six tires changed on the motorhome. Do not have the tires.
The entire tread separated from the tire (looked like a retread). It was an inside tire on a dual wheel camper. We were not aware of the problem for about a 1/2 mile when the tire blew. When we stopped we looked back and saw the tread from the tire in the road.
The design of the brake pedal is soft or spongy but the consumer has had no trouble in stopping. Yh
When owners complained
NHTSA complaints by filing year. The peak shows at what age the problems show up most.
Comparison
By complaint count this model year ranks 9,260 of 32,257 model years in the NHTSA data (top 29% most complained about).
On average one model year of the Motor Home has 10 complaints (13 years in the data). This year has 13, above average.
What to check before buying
- Tires. Tire age by DOT code, bulges, wear pattern.
- Electrical system. Scan all modules, test the battery and alternator, inspect connectors near the impact zone.
- Engine and cooling. Radiator and fan after a frontal hit, coolant level and condition, overheating.
- Vehicle speed control. Accelerator pedal, cruise control, throttle codes.
Other years of this model
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 1997 Ford Motor Home?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: tires, electrical system, engine and cooling. Total complaints: 13. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: smoke, burning smell, fire (23%), knocking, grinding or other noise (8%), unintended acceleration (8%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 1997 Ford Motor Home?
NHTSA lists 0 manufacturer service bulletins for this year. A bulletin tells dealers how to diagnose or fix a known issue; it is not a recall.
Should I buy a 1997 Ford Motor Home from a US auction?
Owner complaints describe defects, not crash damage. Before bidding, check the components listed above and review the lot photos: VinWind builds a report of visible and hidden damage by VIN.
Other 1997 models
Read also
Sources: public NHTSA data (USA): service bulletins and owner complaints; YouTube: links to videos credited to their authors. Complaints are owner statements not verified by NHTSA, and describe defects rather than crash damage. Data updated 2026-11-06.