RoadVitals

1985 Ford F-150 Electrical Problems

Owner-reported complaints naming the electrical system, filed with NHTSA

Data refreshed

Electrical reportsComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
9
Latest Aug 22, 2006
Share of all reportsThis category as a share of every owner report on file for this model year. One report can name more than one component, so the categories overlap.
32%
of 28 total
Crash or fire reportedReports in this category whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. The reporter's own answer on the NHTSA form, not a verified finding.
2
Injuries or deaths reportedTotals the submitters entered on their own reports in this category. Not verified by NHTSA and not a casualty statistic.
1

What this page shows

Reports naming the electrical system — wiring, battery, charging, control modules, infotainment and electrical accessories. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 1985 Ford F-150 submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 9 reports on file name it.

Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.

Owner reports naming electrical

Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed

Electrical
Filed Aug 22, 2006
Crash reported1 injury reported

1985 FORD F-150 HEADLIGHTS FAILED AND VEHICLE SHUT OFF. *KB WHEN THE VEHICLE SHUT OFF, THE CONSUMER DRIFTED OFF TO THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE ROADWAY AND STRUCK A GUARD RAIL. *JB

NHTSA ID
10166908
Incident
Jul 18, 2006
Electrical
Filed Aug 20, 2001

IGNITION CONTROL MODULE FAILED INTERMITTENTLY NUMEROUS TIMES BEFORE THE PROBLEM COULD BE IDENTIFIED. ENGINE STALL WAS INSTANTANEOUS AND WITHOUT WARNING; DANGEROUS TRAFFIC SITUATIONS RESULTED. HOT AMBIENT TEMPERATURE AGGRAVATED THE PROBLEM, BUT THE HEAT FACTOR WAS NOT KNOWN UNTIL THE PROBLEM WAS FINALLY ISOLATED. TWO FORD DEALERS WERE ABSOLUTELY NO HELP IN DIAGNOSING THE PROBLEM.

NHTSA ID
750826
Incident
Jun 20, 1998
Electrical
Filed Aug 14, 2001

IGNITION FAILURE - REPLACED IGNITION MODULE AT DISTRIBUTOR - NOT IN WARRENTY - PAID $225.32. *AK

NHTSA ID
750481
Incident
Jan 31, 1992
Electrical
Filed Oct 3, 2000

I AM REPORTING THE FAILURE OF TWO (2) TFI MODULES ON MY 1985 F-150. I STILL OWN AND USE THIS TRUCK. I HAVE SEEN THE NEW YORK TIMES ARTICLE ABOUT FOMOCO KNOWING ABOUT THE PROBLEM AND I WANTED TO PASS THIS INFORMATION ON. ALSO, I HAVE PETITIONED FOMOCO FOR A REIMBURSEMENT FOR THE $694.74 THAT THE DEALERS CHARGED ME TO REPLACE THE TFI MODULES. FOMOCO REFUSED. THANK YOU. *AK

NHTSA ID
733327
Incident
May 29, 1987
Electrical
Filed Sep 12, 2000

I HAVE JUST SEEN THE TIMES ARTICLE ABOUT THE TFI MODULES AND I THOUGHT THAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO KNOW ABOUT MY FORD. IT IS A 85 F-150 THAT I STILL USE. IT HAS HAD TWO TFI MODULES REPLACED. THE TRUCK IS AT HOME AND THE PAPERWORK, VIN, ETC ARE THERE. IF YOU WISH MORE INFO, PLEASE CONTACT ME AND I WILL BE GLAD TO SUPPLY IT.*AK

NHTSA ID
731183
Electrical
Filed May 12, 1998

IGNITION CONTROL MODULE OVERHEATED, CAUSING STALLING.

NHTSA ID
535300
Electrical
Filed May 15, 1996
Fire reported

IGNITION SWITCH FIRE. *SD

NHTSA ID
504826
Incident
Mar 16, 1996
Electrical
Filed Apr 18, 1996

IGNITION SWITCH SMOKES. *AK

NHTSA ID
982923
Incident
Apr 15, 1996
ElectricalSeat belts
Filed Jun 21, 1995

THE HORN BUTTONS ARE NOT LARGE ENOUGH , THE SEAT SHOULDER BELT IS TOO HIGH UP, IT IS EXTREMELY HARD TO REMOVE SPARE FROM UNDER THE VEHICLE. TT

NHTSA ID
967390

Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.

Elsewhere on this vehicle

Data sources

Data on this page last refreshed .