NHTSA recalls & complaints · 1995–2002
Ford F Series (Light) complaints and VIN decoding
NHTSA lists 51 owner complaints for the Ford F Series (Light) from model years 1995 to 2002, and no vehicle recall campaigns filed under this model name. The 1997 model year drew the most complaints (15), and Engine and Engine Cooling is the component owners name most often.
Source: NHTSA recall and complaint flat files, updated September 25, 2026.
See the model year, plant and build details of one vehicle, then the recalls for its exact year.
- 51 owner complaints (unverified reports to NHTSA)
- 8 model years with data (1995–2002)
- most complaints: 1997 (15 for that model year)
- top component: Engine and Engine Cooling (18 complaints)
- 3 complaints reporting a crash (5.9%)
- 5 complaints reporting a fire (9.8%)
- 3 complaints reporting an injury (5.9%)
- 0 complaints reporting a death (0.0%)
The 1997 model year has the most complaints: 15 of 51, or 29.4%. Next come 2002 (13) and 2001 (10). The fewest are for 1998, with 1 complaint.
| Model year | Complaints | Reporting a crash | Reporting a fire | Reporting an injury | Reporting a death |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1995 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1996 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1997 | 15 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 1998 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1999 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| 2000 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| 2001 | 10 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| 2002 | 13 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| All model years | 51 | 3 | 5 | 3 | 0 |
Crash, fire, injury and death columns count complaints that report at least one of them, not people.
Engine and Engine Cooling is the component named most often, in 18 complaints (35.3% of all 51), followed by Electrical System (7) and Engine (5).
| Component | Complaints | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 18 | 35.3% |
| Electrical System | 7 | 13.7% |
| Engine | 5 | 9.8% |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 5 | 9.8% |
| Tires | 4 | 7.8% |
| Structure | 3 | 5.9% |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 3 | 5.9% |
| Air Bags | 2 | 3.9% |
| Fuel/Propulsion System | 2 | 3.9% |
| Seat Belts | 2 | 3.9% |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 2 | 3.9% |
| Suspension | 2 | 3.9% |
| Power Train | 1 | 2.0% |
| Service Brakes | 1 | 2.0% |
| Visibility/Wiper | 1 | 2.0% |
One complaint can name several components, so the shares add up to more than 100%. Component names are NHTSA’s top-level categories.
What NHTSA owner complaints mean
These figures count complaints that vehicle owners and other members of the public have submitted to NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation. NHTSA uses complaints, together with other data, to spot safety issues that may warrant an investigation and to check whether existing recalls go far enough.
- They are reports, not findings. Each complaint is the submitter's own account. Its presence in the database does not mean NHTSA has confirmed a defect.
- Counts are not defect rates. The data doesn't say how many vehicles were sold, so a raw count can't tell you what share of vehicles had a problem.
- Popular models collect more complaints. A model sold in large numbers will usually gather more complaints than a rare one, simply because more people own it.
- One complaint can name several components. Totals by component can therefore add up to more than the number of complaints.
- Coverage starts in 1995. NHTSA's complaint file contains complaints received since January 1, 1995.
Use complaint patterns as a prompt for questions: whether a recall covers the issue, whether the vehicle you are considering has had the fix, and what a mechanic finds on inspection. For confirmed safety defects, see the recall list for this model.
Are there any recalls for the Ford F Series (Light)?
NHTSA lists no vehicle recall campaigns filed under the model name F Series (Light). NHTSA sometimes files versions of a model under other names, so check the brand’s other models too, and use NHTSA’s VIN lookup (opens in a new tab) for any particular vehicle.
Which Ford F Series (Light) model year has the most complaints?
The 1997 model year, with 15 of the 51 complaints in NHTSA’s file (29.4%). The next are 2002 (13) and 2001 (10). Complaint counts also reflect how many vehicles of each year were sold and how long they have been on the road, so they are not a reliability ranking.
What is the most common Ford F Series (Light) complaint?
Engine and Engine Cooling is the component named most often: 18 complaints, or 35.3% of all 51. Electrical System (7) and Engine (5) follow. Complaints are unverified reports from owners, not confirmed defects, and one complaint can name several components.
How many Ford F Series (Light) complaints report a crash, fire, injury or death?
Of the 51 complaints, 3 report a crash, 5 a fire, 3 at least one injury and 0 at least one death. These figures count complaints, not people, and each complaint is the submitter’s own unverified account.
The Ford models with the most NHTSA complaints, and the Ford VIN decoder with every Ford model page, WMI code and VIN note.
- Ford F-150 1995–2027 · 158 recalls · 35,790 complaints
- Ford Explorer 1995–2027 · 131 recalls · 31,089 complaints
- Ford Escape 2000–2026 · 95 recalls · 27,343 complaints
- Ford Fusion 2006–2020 · 46 recalls · 22,383 complaints
- Ford Focus 1999–2018 · 36 recalls · 22,086 complaints
- Ford Windstar 1995–2005 · 33 recalls · 14,108 complaints
- Ford Edge 2004–2024 · 43 recalls · 14,009 complaints
- Ford Taurus 1995–2019 · 52 recalls · 12,702 complaints
All Ford models and WMI codesLook up recalls by year
Data: NHTSA recalls and complaints flat files, updated September 25, 2026. Recall campaigns are vehicle (V) campaigns listed for this model name; complaints are counted once per NHTSA ODI number and model year.