The 1997 Ford E-150 is a van that came with a choice of 4.2L 6-cyl, 4.6L 8-cyl and 5.4L 8-cyl engines. At 29 years old, many are reaching the point where repairs cost more than the car is worth. Running or not, we'll make you an offer and tow it away for free.
| Body style | Vans |
|---|---|
| Engines | 4.2L 6-cyl, 4.6L 8-cyl, 5.4L 8-cyl |
| Transmissions | Automatic 4-spd |
| Drive | Rear-Wheel Drive |
| Fuel | Regular Gasoline |
| Fuel economy | 11–14 city / 16–18 highway / 13–15 combined MPG |
| EPA annual fuel cost | $4,450–$5,150 a year (EPA estimate at current fuel prices, 15,000 miles) |
| Tailpipe CO₂ | 592–684 grams per mile |
| Versions tested by EPA | 6 configurations: E150 Econoline 2WD, E150 Club Wagon |
| Age | 29 years |
Specs, fuel cost and emissions from the EPA's fueleconomy.gov data. Your car's exact equipment may differ.
NHTSA lists 6 safety recalls covering the 1997 Ford E-150. Open recalls don't stop you from selling or junking the car, but check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see which apply to yours.
All in one mobility is recalling certain model year 1997 through 2008 conversion vans equipped with vmi/ricon 6-way power seat bases. There is a possibility of a defective weld at the joint between the pivoting plate and the pivoting plate pin.
Risk: The seat occupant may be injured if the seat base pin were to break.
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…
Risk: A vehicle fire could occur with or without the engine running.
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…
Risk: 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.
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.
Risk: This could result in an underhood fire.
On certain vans equipped with sure-lok wheelchair securement systems, the sprocket teeth of the retractor assembly is out of alignment.
Risk: In the event of a vehicle crash, the wheelchair may not be adequately secured possibly resulting in injuries to a wheelchair occupant.
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…
Risk: Fuel leakage in the presence of an ignition source could result in a fire.
Owners have filed 102 complaints about the 1997 Ford E-150 with NHTSA. 3 reports involved a crash and 4 reports involved a fire. Owners reported 2 injuries.
Complaints are reports from owners and aren't verified by NHTSA. One complaint can list several components. Mileage is the median odometer reading owners reported for that component.
Manufacturers have filed 36 technical service bulletins and communications with NHTSA covering the 1997 Ford E-150. These are repair instructions for known issues, not recalls.
Vibration/harshness above 45 mph (72 km/h) after tire balance. *tt
Front brake pad wear. *tt
Some vehicles equipped with 4r70w transmission (driveshaft >70 inch) may exhibit a vibration / roughness on acceleration or under load at about 50-55 mph. *tt
Subject regarding exaggerated engine braking on deceleration. *yd
Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications (technical service bulletins).
NHTSA opened 1 defect investigation covering the 1997 Ford E-150.
Spark plug ejection from cylinder head
On september 6, 2005, odi received a petition requesting that the agency investigate allegations of engine spark plug ejection in certain model year 1997 through 2004 Ford vehicles with triton v-8 and v-10 engines.odi received a total of 474 non-duplicative complaints on the subject vehicles where the complainant, or t
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It depends on its condition, whether major parts like the engine, transmission and catalytic converter are still there, and current scrap and parts prices where you live. As a heavier vehicle, its scrap weight adds to the offer. Enter your ZIP code above for a free offer on your specific car.
Yes. We buy 1997 E-150s that don't start, were in an accident, failed inspection or have a blown engine or transmission. Towing is always free.
Yes. Open recalls don't prevent a junk sale. NHTSA lists 6 recalls for the 1997 Ford E-150; you can check whether any are still open on yours with the VIN lookup at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Usually the title and a photo ID. Rules differ by state, including what to do with your plates and whether to file a notice of sale. Check our state-by-state car title guides for the official forms.
Data retrieved October 2026.
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