RoadVitals

1986 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.
19
Latest Feb 2, 2002
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.
31%
of 61 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.
7
Injuries or deaths reportedTotals the submitters entered on their own reports in this category. Not verified by NHTSA and not a casualty statistic.
0

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 1986 Ford F-150 submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 19 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 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
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
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
Electrical
Filed Dec 16, 1996
Fire reported

WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE, CATALYTIC CONVERTER CAUGHT ON FIRE DUE TO CONTROL MODULE ON DISTRIBUTOR MALFUNCTIONING, FUEL PUMPED INTO EXHAUST SYSTEM, PUT FLAMES OUT W/EXTINGUISHER. *AK

NHTSA ID
805555
Incident
Nov 9, 1996
Electrical
Filed Nov 4, 1996

THE WIRE HARNESS BY THE FUEL BOX HAS MELTED DOWN . PLEASE DESCRIBE . *AK

NHTSA ID
804462
Body & structureElectricalSteering+1 more
Filed Oct 8, 1996

IGNITION SWITCH LOCKED UP WITH KEY IN IT, WOULD NOT RELEASE KEY. (SECOND VEHICLE ON 509613, 601627)

NHTSA ID
601624
Incident
Oct 8, 1996
Electrical
Filed Sep 18, 1996

FUSIBLE LINK SHORTED TWICE, CAUSING LOSS OF POWER TO HEADLIGHTS/POWER STEERING.

NHTSA ID
508856
Incident
Jan 1, 1995
Electrical
Filed Sep 9, 1996

UPON STARTING NOTICED SMOKE COMING FROM STEERING COLUMN, PULLED FUSES TO STOP, FOUND IGNITION SWITCH MELTED ON STEERING COLUMN.*AK

NHTSA ID
802090
Electrical
Filed Aug 15, 1996
Fire reported

DRIVING VECHILE SAW SMOKE UNDER THE STEERING COLUMN, ELECTRICIAL SHORT , WIRING BURNING, VEHICLE BURNED. *AK *SLC

NHTSA ID
800894
Incident
Jul 11, 1996
Electrical
Filed Jun 18, 1996
Fire reported

THE IINGITION SWITCH CAUGHT ON FIRE WHILE DRIVING, CAUSING THE TRUCK TO CUT OFF. WHILE DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY, THERE WAS A LOUD POP, THE HEADLIGHTS DIMMED( NIGHT DRIVING) AND THE CAB OF THE PICKUP FILLED WITH SMOKE, IMMEDIATELY PULLED OVER AND SHUT OFF ENGINE, WAITED A FEW MINUTES ATTEMPTED TO START VEHICLE, WOULD NOT START, CONSUMER HAD VEHICLE TOWED HOME, THE NEXT DAY UPON VIEWING VISIBLE DAMAGE SEVERAL BURNED SPOTS ALL ALONG THE WIRE HARNESS COULD BE SEEN FROM JUST OUTSIDE THE FIREWALL OF THE PICK UP ALL THE WAY UP TO THE ALTERNATOR, AT THIS POINT VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN FIXED.*JB

NHTSA ID
985810
Incident
Jun 13, 1996
Electrical
Filed May 14, 1996
Fire reported

STOPPED AT STOP SIGN, WINDSHIELD WIPERS CAME ON VOLUNTARILY, STARTED SMOKING, FIRE STARTED COMING FROM UNDERHOOD;VEHICLE BURNT COMPLETELY WITHIN 8 MINUTES. *AK

NHTSA ID
984480
Incident
Apr 15, 1996
Electrical
Filed May 13, 1996

TURNED ON IGNITION, SMOKE STARTED COMING FROM UNDER DASH, CHECKED UNDERHOOD, ALL WIRING BURNT; CAUSED BY MAIN WIRES RUBBING AGAINST STEEL FRAME OF DASH. *AK

NHTSA ID
984338
Incident
Aug 12, 1992
Electrical
Filed Apr 23, 1996
Fire reported

PULLED INTO GAS STATION DRIVER GOT OUT AND SAW SMOKE IN THE WIRING HARNESS. THEN INSIDE AREA BURST INTO FLAMES. PLEASE DESCRIBE DETAILS. *AK

NHTSA ID
983378
Incident
Apr 8, 1996
Electrical
Filed Apr 22, 1996

THE STEERING COLUMN STARTED SMOKING. PLEASE DESCRIBE. *AK

NHTSA ID
983172
Electrical
Filed Apr 18, 1996
Fire reported

IGNITION SWITCH CAUGHT ON FIRE, TRUCK WAS BURNED DOWN .PLEASE DESCRIBE. *AK

NHTSA ID
982929
Incident
Jan 5, 1996
Electrical
Filed Apr 8, 1996

VEHICLE INTERMITTENTLY STALLS WHILE TURNING DUE TO IGNITION MODULE FAILURE. *DSH

NHTSA ID
503370
Incident
Dec 20, 1995
Electrical
Filed Dec 31, 1995

STARTER FAILED TO DISENGAGE, CAUSING THE STARTER AND STARTER SOLENOID TO BURN UP. *DSH

NHTSA ID
501561
Incident
Aug 21, 1995
Electrical
Filed Oct 24, 1995
Fire reported

CONSUMER WAS DRIVING AND THE TRUCK CAUGHT ON FIRE . TT

NHTSA ID
973823

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.

Other components reported on this vehicle

Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own

Fuel system10Body & structure9Engine9

Elsewhere on this vehicle

Data sources

Data on this page last refreshed .