RoadVitals

1992 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.
44
Latest Mar 23, 2008
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.
9%
of 470 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.
24
Injuries or deaths reportedTotals the submitters entered on their own reports in this category. Not verified by NHTSA and not a casualty statistic.
5

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 1992 Ford F-150 submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 44 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 44, in the owner's own words

Electrical
Filed Mar 23, 2008

ATTEMPTING TO START TRUCK, CLICKING NOISE, RUSTED CONNECTION FOR SOLENOID WIRE LUG. MUST CLEAN EVERY OTHER MONTH TO START VEHICLE. *TR

NHTSA ID
10222059
Incident
Mar 14, 2008
Mileage
91,633 mi
Electrical
Filed Aug 12, 2006
Fire reported

I WAS DRIVING MY FORD F-150 1992 AND I STOPPED AT LOWES. I CUT MY TRUCK OFF AND PROCEEDED INTO THE STORE. I COME BACK OUTSIDE AND MY TRUCK WAS ON FIRE. SEVERAL EMPLOYEES ATTEMPTED TO PUT OUT THE FIRE BUT IT DID NOT WORK. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT HAD TO COME AND PUT IT OUT. THEY THEN STATED THAT IT WAS DUE TO AN ELECTRICAL PROBLEM AND FILLED IT AS THAT. MY WORK IS NOW GONE DUE TO THAT AND I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO. IF POSSIBLE PLEASE HELP ME BECAUSE I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO. MY TRUCK IS MY MONEY MAKER AND NOW IT IS GONE. *JB

NHTSA ID
10165321
Incident
Jul 14, 2006
Mileage
145,000 mi
Electrical
Filed Jun 3, 2005
Fire reported

WHILE PARKED FOR APPROXIMATELY 5 MINUTES WITH THE ENGINE RUNNING, THE VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE FROM ENGINE. THE CAUSE OF WHY THIS HAPPENDED WAS UNDETERMINED.*AK *SB *NM

NHTSA ID
10117397
Incident
Mar 31, 2005
Electrical
Filed Aug 26, 2002
Fire reported

WIRNG HARNESS AND VOLTAGE REGULATOR SHORTED OUT,CAUSING MY ALTERNATOR TO CATCH ON FIRE ,AND WERE ALL MOTORCRAFT PARTS. AUTO PARTS STORE CLAIMS THAT ALOT OF THESE FIRES REPORTED IN FORD TRUCK ALTERNATOR ELECTRICAL SYSTEMS TO ALTERNATOR. *AK

NHTSA ID
766229
Incident
Aug 24, 2002
ElectricalTransmission
Filed Aug 20, 2002

ENGINE DIES AT SPEEDS OF UNDER 10MILES PER HOUR. HAVE JUST REPLACED THE ALTERNATOR IN THE LAST 5 DAYS AND NOW I'M HAVING ALL OF THIS TROUBLE. IS IT TRUE THAT THERE IS A RECALL ON THIS MODEL TRUCK BECAUSE OF THE PRESSURE REGULATOR ? THE TRANSMISSION SLAMS INTO GEAR RATHER THAN SMOOTHLY SHIFTING, ALSO ACTS LIKE IT IS TRYING TO GET INTO TWO OR MORE GEARS AT THE SAME TIME. IF YOU CAN HELP PLEASE DO SO. THANKS.*AK

NHTSA ID
765953
Electrical
Filed Jul 17, 2002
Fire reported

WHILE DRIVING SMELLED A BURNING ODOR. ENGINE CHECK LIGHT CAME ON. THERE WAS A LARGE UNDERHOOD FIRE.*AK

NHTSA ID
8014161
Incident
Jul 12, 2002
Driver assistanceElectrical
Filed Jul 9, 2002
Crash reported

CONSUMER STATES WHIILE DRIVING, THE VEHICLE SURGED FORWARD, STEERING WHEEL WAS TURNED TO RIGHT AND THEN IT LOCKED. CONSUMER HAD APPLIED BRAKES BUT COULD NOT SLOW DOWN VEHICLE. IT KEPT GOING IN CIRCLES. PASSENGER'S DOOR OPENED, VEHICLE HIT ANOTHER VEHICLE. KEY CAME OUT OFF IGNITION AT THE BEGINNING, CONSUMER WAS ABLE TO PUT KEY BACK IN IGNITION AND SHUT OFF VEHICLE. *AK ALSO THE IGNITION KEY CYLINDER WAS REPLACED.*YH

NHTSA ID
8013503
Incident
Jun 12, 2002
Electrical
Filed Jul 9, 2002

AFTER PARKING VEHICLE WITHIN 15 -20 MINUTES A FIRE STARTED IN ENGINE COMPARTMENT. DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOT NOTIFIED AT THIS TIME. FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK

NHTSA ID
8013477
Incident
Jun 30, 2002
ElectricalEngine
Filed Jun 20, 2002
Fire reported

WHILE DRIVING SMELLED SMOKE, PULLED OVER AND LIFTED HOOD AND SAW FLAMES. CAUSE WAS UNKNOWN. *AK CONSUMER STATES THAT THERE IS A SHORT WITHIN THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM CAUSING THE ALTERNATOR TO FAIL, IN THE WINTER WHEN TURNING ON THE HEATER, THE HEATER FAN, LIGHTS AND OTHER ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS DIE, THE DEALER HAS REPLACED MANY ALTERNATORS, A STARTER, 2 BATTERIES AND A U BELT. *SLC

NHTSA ID
8012273
Electrical
Filed Mar 20, 2002
Fire reported

ALTERNATOR ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR PLUG FAILED, RESULTING IN HIGH RESISTANCE HEAT AND CAUGHT FIRE.*AK

NHTSA ID
759574
Incident
Mar 10, 2002
Electrical
Filed Jul 30, 2001
Fire reported5 deaths reported

WE ARRIVE IN THE CAR FROM A CHURT ACTIVITY AT 1130 PM .PARKED TRUCK AND GET TO THE HOUSE IN ORDER TO SLEEP. THE SMELL TO BURN RUBBER ALERT US AT 1200PM .THE CAR IGNITION BEEN OFF AND IN THE GARRAGE. *AK

NHTSA ID
749449
Incident
Jul 14, 2001
Electrical
Filed Jun 12, 2001
Fire reported

THIS IS THE SECOND FORD F-150 THAT WE HAVE IN WHICH THE ALTERNATOR HAS CAUGHT ON FIRE IN THE LAST TWO WEEKS. THE OTHER ONE WAS A 1991 FORD F-150. VIN [XXX]. THE 1992 F-150 CAUGHT FIRE IN A PARKING LOT AND BURNED UP THE WIRING HARNESS ALONG WITH HOSES, ALTERNATOR, ETC. THE TRUCK IS PROBABLY A TOTAL LOSS. THE OTHER ONE CAUGHT FIRE WHILE TRAVELING DOWN THE HIGHWAY. WE WERE ABLE TO PUT THIS ONE OUT BEFORE MAJOR DAMAGED OCCURRED. I AM VERY DISTRESSED TO HAVE HAD TWO TRUCKS CATCH FIRE IN TWO WEEKS AND FORD MOTOR COMPANY WILL ONLY TRANSFER ME FROM DEPARTMENT TO DEPARTMENT. ANY HELP WOULD BE APPRECIATED. *AK INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

NHTSA ID
746735
Incident
Jun 12, 2001
Electrical
Filed Oct 17, 2000

IGNITION LOCKS UP AND WE ARE UNABLE TO OPERATE, THIS HAS HAPPENED AT 3 TIMES SINCE WE PURCHASED THIS AUTO.*AK

NHTSA ID
734528
Incident
Sep 27, 2000
Electrical
Filed Aug 30, 2000

I DID NOT KNOW THIS WAS A PROBLEM WITH THOUSANDS OF FORDS UNTIL THE NEWS REPORTS. THIS HAS ALWAYS BEEN A SAFETY ISSUE FOR US.

NHTSA ID
729582
Electrical
Filed Aug 29, 2000

IGNITION SWITCH FAILURE DUE TO BROKEN SHIFT TUBE AND DAMAGE TO ASSOCIATE PARTS. DEALER NOTIFIED, AND MADE REPAIRS AT CONSUMER'S COST. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

NHTSA ID
869069
Incident
Jun 30, 2000
Electrical
Filed Jun 9, 2000
Fire reported

VEHICLE HAD AN ONGOING PROBLEM WITH FAULTY ALTERATORS. THREE ALTERATORS WERE REPLACED, AND ALL HAD CAUGHT ON FIRE. DEALER/MANUFACTURER WERE NOT NOTIFIED AT THIS TIME. FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

NHTSA ID
863350
Incident
Jun 9, 2000
Electrical
Filed Mar 28, 2000
Fire reported

WHILE DRIVING ALTERNATOR OVERHEATED, CAUSING AN UNDERHOOD FIRE. CONSUMER PUT THE FIRE OUT. DEALER HAS NOT BEEN CONTACTED. *AK

NHTSA ID
859291
ElectricalTransmission
Filed Mar 10, 2000

WHEN DRIVING FROM A STOPPED POSITION VEHICLE WILL SHIFT INTO NEUTRAL. COMPUTER IS RESPONSABLE FOR THIS. TO RESET THE BATTERY CABLE, IT HAS TO BE UNHOOKED. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. *AK

NHTSA ID
858288
Electrical
Filed Jan 28, 2000
Fire reported

VEHICLE WAS PARKED FOR OVER AN HOUR WHEN IT CAUGHT FIRE AROUND THE DASH OR WITHIN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. VEHICLE WAS TOTALED. CONTACTED FORD, BUT THEY WERE UNWILLING TO HELP PAY FOR COST OF NEW VEHICLE. *AK *ML

NHTSA ID
855718
Electrical
Filed Jan 11, 2000
Fire reported

WHILE DRIVING BATTERY LIGHT CAME ON. OWNER PULLED OVER AND OPENED THE HOOD, AND FLAMES WERE COMING FROM IT DUE TO ALTERNATOR CATCHING ON FIRE. DEALER HAS VEHICLE CURRENTLY. *AK *ML

NHTSA ID
854876
Incident
Jan 10, 2000
Electrical
Filed Nov 17, 1999
Fire reported

CONNECTION WITHIN THE WIRNING HARNESS WHICH IS ATTACHED TO THE ALTERNATOR TYPE IAR, THE PLASTIC CONNECTION SHORTED OUT, CAUSING AN ELECTRICAL FIRE. *AK

NHTSA ID
851088
Incident
Oct 6, 1999
Electrical
Filed Oct 7, 1999

IGNITION SWITCH BECAME LOOSE, REPAIRED ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS HOWEVER CONTINUES TO BE LOOSE AND ABLE TO BE STARTED WITHOUT THE KEY. MJS

NHTSA ID
548920
BrakesElectricalFuel system
Filed Apr 14, 1999

NO SUMMARY.

NHTSA ID
705612
Electrical
Filed Mar 15, 1999

WHILE DRIVING STARTER OVERHEATED. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION AND VIN#. *AK

NHTSA ID
835853
Incident
Jan 1, 1999
ElectricalFuel system
Filed Dec 16, 1998

FRONT FUEL TANK PUMP MAKING WHINING NOISE AFTER ONLY 35000 MILES OF SHARED SERVICE.NOTIFIED DEALER AND WAS TOLD THAT PROBLEM IS A COMMON ONE. PREMATURE FAILURE COULD CAUSE VEHICLE TO STALL IN DANGEROUS SITUATION. IGNITION SWITCH SWITCH ASSEMBLY MALFUNCTION MADE IT DIFFICULT TO REMOVE KEY OR TO PUT KEY BACK INTO IGNITION. ALSO KEY WILL NOT GO INTO ACCESSORY POSITION.

NHTSA ID
701389
Incident
Nov 18, 1998

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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Elsewhere on this vehicle

Data sources

Data on this page last refreshed .