RoadVitals

1986 Ford F-150 Owner Complaints

Reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers, shown in full

Data refreshed

Complaints on fileComplaints 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.
61
Latest Jul 18, 2008
Crash or fire reportedComplaints whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. These are the reporter's own answers on the NHTSA form, not verified findings.
17
Filed in the last 12 monthsReports filed with NHTSA in the trailing 365 days. Recent volume reflects attention and vehicle age as much as anything else.
0
Reports on file since Feb 9, 1995

What this page shows

Our database holds 61 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 1986 Ford F-150. Each one is a report filed by an owner or driver and published by NHTSA without most of them being verified. A complaint is not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. Narratives are shown exactly as filed.

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

Complaints, most recent first

Showing 1–25 of 61 · page 1 of 3

Driver assistance
Filed Jul 18, 2008
Fire reported

MY 1986 FORD F-150 WAS PURCHASED USED WITH 150,000 MILES AND WAS PARKED NEXT TO MY HOUSE, NOT RUNNING, WHEN A FIRE STARTED UNDER THE HOOD AND THE TRUCK BURNED NEARLY BURNING MY HOUSE AND TRAILER, AS WELL AS ALL INSIDE IT AND SCARED MY SON AND I TERRIBLY. *TR

NHTSA ID
10234872
Incident
Jun 19, 2008
Mileage
156,000 mi
Steering
Filed Jun 17, 2003

WHILE BACKING INTO THE GARAGE CONSUMER TURNED THE STEERING WHEEL TO THE LEFT AND HEARD A LOUD NOISE. CONSUMER GOT OUT OF THE VEHICLE, AND SAW THE STEERING BOX ON THE GROUND UNDER THE VEHICLE. *AK

NHTSA ID
10024223
Incident
May 27, 2003
Fuel system
Filed Jun 13, 2003

1986 FORD F150 WITH DUAL FUEL TANKS, FUEL SIPHONS FROM ONE TANK TO THE OTHER, TANK OVERFLOWS CAUSING SPILLAGE ON GROUND. SAME PROBLEM WITH CHECK VALVE ON FORD F150 MODELS DURING 1990 TO 1993 RESULTED IN A RECALL. DANGEROUS SITUATION COULD RESULT IN FIRE OR EXPLOSION. *NLM

NHTSA ID
10023051
Incident
Jun 13, 2003
Mileage
85,000 mi
Fuel system
Filed Feb 19, 2002

AFTER FILLING BOTH TANKS, FRONT TANK'S FUEL WOULD POUR INTO AND OUT OF REAR TANK. TOOK TO MECHANIC, AND PROBLEM COULD NOT BE RESOLVED. *AK CONSUMER WAS ADVISED BY MANUFACTURER TO GET TRUCK FIXED AS SOON AS POSSIBLE AS THIS IS A DANGEROUS PART FAILURE. *TT

NHTSA ID
8004155
Incident
Feb 1, 2002
Electrical
Filed Feb 2, 2002

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOV EVEHICLE. *AK

NHTSA ID
757674
Incident
Jun 15, 2000
Electrical
Filed Jan 10, 2002

WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED VEHICLE COMPLETELY SHUTS DOWN WITHOUT WARNING, CAUSE UNKNOWN. DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS.*AK

NHTSA ID
8001940
Incident
Jan 10, 1999
Brakes
Filed Dec 15, 2001

I HAVE OWNED THIS VEHICLE FOR APPROXIMATELY TEN YEARS AND HAVE REPLACED THE MASTER CYLINDER FOUR TIMES, ONCE WITH A REBUILT CYLINDER AND THREE TIMES WITH NEW CYLINDERS. IT IS BECOMING A HAZARD THAT RECURRS EVERY YEAR AND A HALF TO TWO YEARS, AND IS ALSO BECOMING EXPENSIVE. THE LAST INSTANCE COST $180 TO REPAIR.*AK

NHTSA ID
755685
Incident
Dec 12, 2001
Engine
Filed Oct 26, 2001

WHILE TRAVELING AT ANY SPEED VEHICLE WOULD STALL WITHOUT ANY INDICATION INTERMITTENTLY. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK

NHTSA ID
898280
ElectricalEngineSteering
Filed Sep 24, 2001

VEHICLE HAS EXPERIENCED 4 MODULAR REPLACEMENTS. TRUCK WOULD SHUT OFF COMPLETELY, WHICH RESULTED IN STEERING LOCK; INOPERABLE. REPAIRS WERE FROM ALAMEDA FORD, ALL STAR FOD, WINNER FORD; ALAMEDA FORD INDICATED THE PART THAT WEN INTO MODULATOR HA TO BE RE-INVENTED AS PREVIOUS PART NO LONGER MADE. 6/01/99 PICKED UP VEHICLE FROM REPAIR, LOUD CLINK IN ENGINE. TRUCK DELIVERED TO BROADWAY MOTORS FOR REPAIR, CONTACTED B.A.R. TO HAVE MATTER REVIEWED; 4/01 BROADWAY FORD CALLED TO INFORM TRUCK WAS BEING AUCTIONED OFF. OWNER HAD TO REPURCHASE TRUCK, REPAY FOR REPAIRS, APPLY FOR A NEW LISCENCE W/SMOG CERTIFICATE, ETC. IN 6/01 RETURNED VEHICLE TO BROADWAY FORD FOR GEAR BOX REPAIR. ALL REPLACE PARTS AND INVOICES ARE IN OWNER'S HANDS @ 9/24/01.*AK

NHTSA ID
752536
Incident
Jun 18, 2001
Fuel system
Filed Aug 2, 2001

FUEL IS LEAKING FROM ONE TANK TO ANOTHER TANK, CAUSING AN OVERFLOW, AND ALLOWING EXCESSIVE AMOUNT OF FUEL TO LEAK ONTO GROUND DUE TO CROSSFLOW CONDITION, CHECK VALVE FAILUIRE.*AK *SLC

NHTSA ID
893289
Incident
Jul 5, 2001
Engine
Filed May 17, 2001

ONGOING PROBLEM WITH ENGINE STALLING WHILE TRAVELING FROM 50 OR MORE MPH. VEHICLE BEEN IN DEALER SHOP ON THREE OCCASIONS, AND WAS UNABLE TO LOCATE CAUSE. *AK

NHTSA ID
888542
Incident
Jul 15, 1987
Electrical
Filed Oct 25, 2000

WHEN DRIVING DOWN HIGHWAY AT ANY GIVEN TIME VEHICLE WILL JUST SHUTDOWN, LOSING ALL POWER. FORD HAS BEEN CONTACTED.*AK

NHTSA ID
873781
Incident
Aug 1, 1999
Engine
Filed Oct 16, 2000

CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING 60MPH ON HIGHWAY AND VEHICLE SHUT OFF WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING. VEHICLE DROVE ROUGH/SLOW AND FAST SPEED. DEALERSHIP WAS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM.*AK

NHTSA ID
873097
Incident
Oct 1, 2000
Engine
Filed Oct 11, 2000

I BOUGHT THE TRUCK USED AND HAD THE ENGINE REBUILT DUE TO LOW COMPRESSION, OIL CONSUMPTION AND LOW FUEL MILEAGE. THE TRUCK RUNS FINE, BUT WHEN IT GETS HOT IT HAS A TENDENCY TO STALL AND WILL NOT RESTART FOR QUITE A WHILE. I WAS IN OMAHA AND STOPPED, THE VEHICLE STALLED AND WOULD NOT RESTART, OVER THE RADIO CAME A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING, WITH MY FAMILY WITH ME THERE WAS NO PLACE I COULD TAKE THEM. THERE WAS HAIL BUT AND LUCKILY NO HAIL.. I LEFT MY FAMILY AND WENT TO GET OUR OTHER VEHICLE AND LEFT THE TRUCK. . I AM CURRENTLY OVERSEAS IN KOSOVO, SO I CAN NOT IMMEDIATELY RETURN THE VEHICLE TO A DEALER AT THIS TIME. IS THERE A TIME LIMIT ON THIS RECALL?*AK

NHTSA ID
734072
Incident
Jun 16, 2000
Filed Sep 29, 2000

PAINT IS PEELING DUE TO A LEAD BASE PAINT. OVER THE TIRE WELLS IS RUSTING OUT BECAUSE OF PAINT PEELING OFF.NO SAFETY DEFECT. *AK

NHTSA ID
732786
Incident
Feb 10, 1998
Body & structure
Filed Jun 30, 2000

INSIDE HANDLE ON DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR KEEPS BREAKING OFF. CONSUMER HAS REPLACED HANDLE 3 TIMES, BUT IT KEEPS BREAKING OFF. *AK

NHTSA ID
864573
Body & structure
Filed Apr 21, 2000

THE PAINT ON THE HOOD COWLING&THECAB HAVE FADED OUT DO TO POOR PRIMER &PAINT. NO SAFETY DEFECT LISTED IN THE SUMMARY. *AK

NHTSA ID
721751
Incident
Oct 16, 1998
Body & structure
Filed Apr 21, 2000

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOV EVEHICLE. *AK

NHTSA ID
721750
Incident
Oct 16, 1998
Body & structure
Filed Apr 12, 2000

THE DRIVER SIDE REAR FRAME RAIL AND REAR CROSS MEMBER BETWEEN FRAME RAILS ARE RUSTED DUE TO MATERIAL DEFECT. YH

NHTSA ID
551840
Incident
Mar 1, 2000
Brakes
Filed Jul 19, 1999

MASTER CYLINDER FAILED CAUSING LOSS OF BRAKE ABILITY, RESULTING IN VEHICLE COLLISION. (OHIO TRAFFIC CRASH REPORT) MJS

NHTSA ID
547433
Incident
Jun 17, 1999
Brakes
Filed Apr 5, 1999

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR THIS VEHICLE. *AK

NHTSA ID
705290
Incident
Sep 23, 1997
Engine
Filed Jan 20, 1999
Fire reported

ALTERNATOR BELT REPLACED, AFTER REPLACEMENT ENGINE FIRE OCCURRED. (OHIO TRAFFIC CRASH REPORT).

NHTSA ID
543440
Incident
Dec 23, 1998
Engine
Filed Dec 1, 1998
Fire reported

THE CONSUMER HAS EXPERIENCED AN UNKNOWN PROBLEM WITH VEHICLE. VEHICLE WAS SITTING ALONE AND IT CAUGHT ON FIRE. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT CAME OUT AND INVESTIGATED. HOWEVER, A REPORT WAS NOT FINISHED. THE MANUFACTURER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. THIS IS IN ACCORDANCE WITH INVESTIGATION NUMBER PE9020. *AK

NHTSA ID
831532
Incident
Nov 30, 1998
Fuel system
Filed Apr 13, 1998

THE TRUCK HAS DUEL FUEL TANKS AND THE FUEL DOES NOT SWITCH OVER FROM ONE TANK TO ANOTHER. THE DEALER IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. THE PROBLEM HAS NOT BEEN CORRECTED.

NHTSA ID
822386
Incident
Jan 15, 1998
Body & structureBrakesEngine+3 more
Filed Mar 3, 1998

CRACKED REAR AXLE PLATE.

NHTSA ID
531667
Incident
Nov 1, 1993

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.

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Data sources

Data on this page last refreshed .