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.
42
Latest May 31, 2011
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.
30%
of 139 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.
27
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 1988 Ford F-150 submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 42 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
The 25 most recent of 42, in the owner's own words
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1988 FORD F-150. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS HESITANT TO START AND WOULD SPORADICALLY OVERHEAT. THE CONTACT CALLED THE DEALER WHO STATED THAT THEIR RECORDS ONLY WENT BACK AS FAR AS TEN YEARS AND THEY COULD NOT VERIFY WHETHER THE VEHICLE WAS PREVIOUSLY REPAIRED UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 96V071000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION). THE CONTACT CALLED THE MANUFACTURER WHO VERIFIED THE INFORMATION PROVIDED BY THE DEALER AND PROVIDED NO FURTHER ASSISTANCE. THE VEHICLE WAS NEITHER DIAGNOSED NOR REPAIRED FOR THE FAILURE. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE APPROXIMATELY 69,000.
NHTSA ID
10403857
Incident
May 20, 2011
Mileage
69,000 mi
Electrical
Filed Aug 18, 2004
VEHICLE FAILED TO START WHEN THE KEY WAS TURNED IN THE IGNITION TO THE ON POSITION. THE DEALERSHIP WAS CONTACTED. *AK
NHTSA ID
10089172
Incident
Aug 17, 2004
Mileage
45,000 mi
Electrical
Filed May 22, 2003
Fire reported
ALTERNATOR FIRE ON 1988 FORD F150. *NLM
NHTSA ID
10019139
Incident
May 22, 2003
Mileage
99,061 mi
Electrical
Filed May 13, 2003
Fire reported
2ND WIRE HARNESS FIRE ON THIS VEHICLE. 1ST WAS UNDER THE HOOD THE SECOND WAS UNDER THE VEHICLE WHEN IT WAS AT THE DEALER IN NEW PORT RICHEY FLORIDA. *JB
NHTSA ID
10018600
Incident
May 9, 2003
Mileage
166,000 mi
Electrical
Filed Jul 20, 2001
THIS IGNITION MODULE HAS BEEN IDENTIFIED AS BEING A PROBLEM IN FORD VEHICLES AND SHOULD BE RECALLED AS I JUST HAD TO PAY OVER $530 TO TROUBLE SHOOT AND REPLACE THIS COMPONENT ALONG WITH OTHER IGNITION PARTS. THIS IS MY SECOND REPLACEMENT IN TWO YEARS AND I'M NOT HAPPY ABOUT MAKING THE FORD DEALER RICHER FOR THEIR KNOWN DEFECTIVE PARTS.*AK
NHTSA ID
748833
Incident
Jul 10, 2001
Electrical
Filed Dec 1, 2000
MODULE THAT FITS ON DISTRIBUTOR USUALLY STALLED WHEN ENGINE GOT TO NORMAL TEMPERATURE. FIRST TIME IT HAPPENED WHILE CONSUMER WAS DRIVING 25-30MPH, AND ENGINE WAS AT NORMAL OPERATING TEMPERATURE. TOOK VEHICLE TO A PERSONAL MECHANIC, AND PROBLEM WAS FIXED, PROBLEM HAS NOT REOCCURRED YET. *AK
NHTSA ID
875821
Incident
Nov 1, 2000
Electrical
Filed Jun 9, 1999
Fire reported
PICK-UP WAS DRIVEN LESS THAN 2 MILES THAT DAY PARKED FOR ABOUT AN HOUR, THEN DRIVEN BACK HOME, AND PARKED IN FRONT OF MY HOUSE ON THE STREET I LOCKED IT AND WENT INSIDE . ABOUT 30 TO 45 MINUTES LATER MY NEIGHBOR INFORMED ME THAT MY PICK-UP WAS ON FIRE. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT ARRIVED AND PUT OUT THE FIRE WITHIN MINUTES. MY PICK-UP WAS A TOTAL LOSS I COULD NOT UNDERSTAND WHY IT CAUGHT FIRE BECAUSE IT WAS RUNNING FINE AND IT HAD BEEN RECENTLY SMOGED WITHOUT ANY LEAKS SHOWING. I WAS INSURED WITH AARP- HARTFORD (PL-PD ONLY) DID NOT COVER LOSSES. ALSO JUST WONDERING IF ANYBODY ELSE HAD THESE PROBLEMS. THANK- YOU FOR YOUR TIME --ERNIE. *AK
NHTSA ID
707375
Incident
Dec 26, 1998
Electrical
Filed Apr 30, 1998
Fire reported
VEHICLE WAS PARKED FOR ABOUT 30 TO 45 MINUTES WHEN IT CAUGHT ON FIRE AROUND THE STEERING COLUMN AREA, DESTROYING THE VEHICLE. ALSO RECALL REPAIRS ON IGNITION SWITCH WERE DONE PRIOR TO THE FIRE. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. (96V-071). *AK
NHTSA ID
822927
Incident
Sep 1, 1997
Electrical
Filed Mar 31, 1998
Fire reported
VEHICLE FIRE DUE TO IGNITION FAILURE.
NHTSA ID
533446
Electrical
Filed Nov 12, 1997
Fire reported
CAR IGNITION WAS ON AND THE CAR WAS PARKED AND SMOKE CAME FROM THE CAR AND CAUGHT FIRE. *AK
NHTSA ID
818843
Electrical
Filed Nov 3, 1997
Fire reported
RECALL 96V071000. THE VEHICLE CAUGHT FIRE 35 DAYS AFTER BEING SERVICED FOR THE RECALL. *AK RECALL WAS FOR THE IGNITION, CONSUMER STATED FIRE WAS COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD AND AROUND THE STEERING COLUMN, VEHICLE WAS TOTALLY DESTROYED. *SLC
NHTSA ID
818143
Incident
Oct 31, 1997
ElectricalEngine
Filed Sep 11, 1997
Fire reported
RECEIVED RECALL FOR THE IGNITION SWITCH AND HAD RECALL REPAIRED IN SEPTEMBER OF 96. A YEAR LATER THE VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE AND WAS BURNED BEYOND RECOGNITION. CONSUMER HAD JUST LEFT THE VEHICLE PARKED FOR AN HOUR WHEN HE RETURNED AND FOUND THAT THE VEHICLE WAS ON FIRE.THE ENGINEER SAID THERE WAS NO DEFECT FOUND ON THE VEHICLE. CONSUMER THINKS IT WAS A RESULT FROM THE IGNITION RECALL. *AK FORD STATED THAT THEY WERE UNABLE TO VERIFY A MANUFACTURER DEFECT THAT MAY HAVE CAUSED THE FIRE, CONSUMER FEELS IT'S RELATED TO THE IGNITION SWITH, COULD ALSO HAVE BEEN ENGINE FAILURE. *SLC
NHTSA ID
816279
Incident
Aug 23, 1997
Electrical
Filed Dec 19, 1996
Fire reported
VEHICLE CAUGHT FIRE IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT DUE TO A FAULTY IGNITION SWITCH.
NHTSA ID
513122
Electrical
Filed Dec 12, 1996
Fire reported
IGNITION SWITCH FIRE.
NHTSA ID
512579
Incident
Nov 27, 1996
Electrical
Filed Sep 26, 1996
DEALERSHIP DID NOT CORRECT RECALL PROBLEM, THEY ARE TRYING TO MAKE THE CONSUMER PAY FOR THE SERVICE THAT WAS PERFORMED AFTER TRYING TO CORRECT THE RECALL PROBLEM AFTER 3 TRIES. *AK
NHTSA ID
802932
Incident
Sep 24, 1996
Electrical
Filed Sep 9, 1996
AFTER HAVING THE RECALL REPAIR WORK DONE, THE VEHICLE WILL NOT START AND IS LOCKED IN PARK POSITION. *AK CONSUMER STATES THAT WHEN PUTTING THE KEY IN THE IGNITION, THE KEY ALMOST TURNS ALL THE WAY AROUND, RECALL NUMBER WAS 96V071. *SLC
NHTSA ID
802039
Electrical
Filed Aug 12, 1996
CONSUMER HAD THE IGNITION SWITCH FIXED ON 7-29-96. TWO WEEKS LATER THE SWITH DID NOT WORK, AND FORD REFUSED TO FIX IT AT NO CHARGE.*AK
NHTSA ID
800782
Incident
Jul 29, 1996
Electrical
Filed Aug 12, 1996
Fire reported1 death reported
IGNITION SWITCH SHORTED, CAUSING FIRE. *DH
NHTSA ID
507282
Incident
Jul 25, 1996
Electrical
Filed Jul 29, 1996
Fire reported
FIRE STARTED IN THE IGNITION SWITCH AREA. *AK
NHTSA ID
986410
Incident
Jun 6, 1996
Electrical
Filed Jul 25, 1996
Fire reported
TRUCK WAS PARKED AND CAUGHT ON FIRE.*AK CONSUMER STATES VEHICLE HAD BEEN PARKED FOR 20 MINUTES WHEN ALL OF A SUDDEN IT BEGAN TO SMOKE, FIRE WAS CONCENTRATED ON DRIVER'S SIDE INTERIOR, CONSUMER WAS RECENTLY INFORMED THAT MANUFACTURER THAT TERE WAS A FAULTY IGNITION SWITCH AND THEY WOULD REPLACE IT,CONSUMER NOTIFIED MANUFACTURER AND ADVISED HAD ALREADY BEEN REPLACED AND HE IS REQUESTING REIMBURSEMENTCONSUMER HAS NOT HEARD FROM MANUFACTURER.*JB
NHTSA ID
987342
Incident
Jun 6, 1994
Electrical
Filed Jul 11, 1996
THE DEALERSHIP SAYS HIS RECALL LETTER SAYS IT IS FOR THE IGNITION SWITCH BUT THE DEALER SAYS ITS FOR SOMETHING ELSE AND HAS TO PAY FOR THE IGNITION SWITCH. *AK
NHTSA ID
986769
Incident
Jul 6, 1996
ElectricalFuel system
Filed Jul 9, 1996
AUTO STALLS OUT ALL THE TIME, AFRAID OF HAVING SOMEONE HIT HER BECAUSE OF IT. *AK CONSUMER STATES VEHICLE WILL RESTART AFTER IT SITS FOR A FEW MINUTES, CONSUMER STATES VEHICLE ACTS LIKE IT IS NOT GETTING GAS WHILE DRIVING. *SLC
NHTSA ID
986670
Electrical
Filed Jul 8, 1996
Fire reported
ALTERNATOR CAUGHT ON FIRE, POSSIBLY DUE TO DEFECT IN THE PLUG. *AK *JB
NHTSA ID
986572
Incident
Jul 5, 1996
Electrical
Filed May 13, 1996
Fire reported
AN ELECTRICAL SHORT IN THE IGNITION SWITCH, CAUSED THE STEERING COLUMN TO CATCH ON FIRE WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE. PLEASE DESCRIBE. *AK
NHTSA ID
984342
Incident
Apr 27, 1996
Electrical
Filed May 8, 1996
Fire reported
IGNIITION SWITCH FIRE. *SD
NHTSA ID
504371
Incident
May 18, 1995
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