RoadVitals

1985 Ford F-250 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.
21
Latest Feb 10, 2003
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.
8
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 Mar 30, 1995

What this page shows

Our database holds 21 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 1985 Ford F-250. 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 1–21 of 21

Body & structure
Filed Feb 10, 2003

THE FIREWALL CRACKED, WHICH REDUCED THE BRAKING CAPABILITY OF THE VEHICLE.*JB

NHTSA ID
10006837
Incident
Feb 9, 2003
Electrical
Filed Sep 20, 2001

THE HAULING CAMPER HAD NUMEROUS ENGINE SHUT OFFS AT VARIOUS SPEEDS DUE TO IGNITION MODULE FAILURE. THIS FAILURE CAUSED LOSS OF POWER STEERING AND BRAKES. THE CONSUMER STATES THAT THE MANUFACTURER SHOULD CORRECT THIS DESIGN DEFECT. *YH

NHTSA ID
785681
Incident
Jul 1, 1997
Tires & wheels
Filed Apr 23, 2001

WRANGLER LOADRANGE E LT 235/85R16, DOT UNKNOWN, REPLACEMENT TIRES WITH 70000 MILES ON A 1985 FORD, F250. ALL 4 TIRES SHOWED SIDEWALL CRACKS. *AK DOT MDOR 1 DOV 155, TIRES HAVE SIDEWALL CRACKS NEAR THE RIM ON BOTH THE INSIDE AND OUTSIDE. *SLC

NHTSA ID
886500
Incident
Mar 15, 2001
Tires & wheels
Filed Aug 16, 2000

FIRESTONE HAS HAD PROBLEMS WITH THESE TIRES FOR MORE THAN JUST THE PAST FEW YEARS BUT HAS ALWAYS REFUSED TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE PROBLEM. WHEN THE 1ST TIRE CAME APART, I WAS TRAVELING DOWN THE HIGHWAY WITH A CAB-OVER CAMPER ON THE TRUCK AND TOWING A MOTORCYCLE TRAILER. THE ONLY DAMAGE WAS TO THE RIM FROM RIDING ON THE PAVEMENT TO A STOP. WHEN THE 2ND TIRE CAME APART THE TRUCK WAS SITTING IN THE DRIVEWAY AND I WAS INSPECTING THE TIRE .HALF OF THE SKIN FROM THE LEFT SIDE OF MY FACE WAS REMOVED, MY LEFT EYE WAS SEVERLY ABRADED AND THE EYE SOCKET WAS BROKEN, BOTH EAR DRUMS WERE BLOWN OUT AND MY COCHLEA (THE PART OF THE INNER EAR THAT CONTROLS BALANCE) WAS PERMANENTLY DAMAGED, AND MY LEFT ARM AND LEFT SIDE OF MY CHEST WERE BADLY CUT. I HAVE PICTURES OF BOTH TIRE FAILURES AND OF MY INJURED SELF. I CONTACTED SEVERAL LAWYERS AT THE TIME AND WAS TOLD THAT I HAD NO CASE AGAINST FIRESTONE BECAUSE I HAD ACTUALLY USED THEIR OFF-ROAD TIRES OFF-ROAD. BOTH FAILURES OCCURRED WHEN THE TIRES WERE FAIRLY NEW AND LOW MILEAGE. ALL 4 TIRES DEVELOPED PROBLEMS WITHIN A MONTH OF PURCHASE.( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: 33X12R16.5 )

NHTSA ID
728124
Incident
Apr 15, 1985
Powertrain (other)
Filed Aug 7, 2000
Crash reported5 injuries reported

THE RIGHT REAR AXLE BROK.E, CAUSED US TO HIT THE BRIDGE ON THE RIGHT AND THEN RICHOCHETED US TO THE LEFT AND WE HIT A 5 TON TOW TRUCK. WHICH TOTALED THE PICKUP INTO A MILLION PIECES. WE HAVE PICTURES OF THE ACCIDENT SCENE. *AK

NHTSA ID
726849
Incident
May 31, 1999
Fuel system
Filed Jan 3, 2000

DUEL FUEL TANKS ARE LEAKING. PLEASE PROVIDE MORE DETAILS. *AK

NHTSA ID
854627
Visibility
Filed Dec 22, 1998
Fire reported

SMOKE POURED OUT OF ALL HEATING VENTS - SMELLED LIKE BURNING LEAVES. TRUCK WAS SHUT OFF AND SMOKE CEASED. TURNED HEATING LEVER TO OFF AND WENT TO DEALER .

NHTSA ID
701535
Incident
Dec 22, 1998
Brakes
Filed Oct 21, 1997

APPLIES PRESSURE, DOES NOT APPEAR BACK BRAKES ARE WORKING PROPERLY, CHANGED BRAKE SHOES/VACCUUM PUMP, STILL HAVING PROBLEM. *AK

NHTSA ID
817354
Incident
Oct 12, 1997
Seat belts
Filed Sep 30, 1997

WHEN TRYING TO PUT THE DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT BELT INTO THE BELT BUCKLE, THE SEAT BELT WILL NOT LATCH INTO TO THE BUCKLE PROPERLY. *AK

NHTSA ID
816762
BrakesElectricalEngine+2 more
Filed Apr 1, 1997
Fire reported

ELECTRICAL FIRE.

NHTSA ID
516068
Incident
Jan 5, 1996
Electrical
Filed Dec 10, 1996

GLOW PLUG TIMING MODULE FAILED. *AK

NHTSA ID
512155
Steering
Filed May 6, 1996

STEERING COLUMN BECOMES VERY WARM TO THE TOUCH WHEN DRIVING FOR A LENGTH OF TIME. *DSH

NHTSA ID
504135
Incident
Aug 1, 1985
Electrical
Filed May 2, 1996
Fire reported

WHILE DRIVING, NOTICED SMOKE COMING FROM UNDERHOOD;INVESTIGATED, WIRES BURNING;PULLED WIRES AWAY SOURCE OF POWER;RESTARTED IGNITION, VEHICLE CAUGHT 0N FIRE. *AK

NHTSA ID
983944
Incident
Dec 2, 1995
Electrical
Filed May 1, 1996
Fire reported

ELECTRICAL SHORT IN THE IGNITION SWITCH, CONSUMER SMELLED BURNING WIRING IN THE VEHICLE. *AK

NHTSA ID
983900
Incident
Apr 21, 1996
Engine
Filed Apr 29, 1996
Fire reported

ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRE. *SD

NHTSA ID
504345
Incident
Apr 29, 1996
Electrical
Filed Apr 26, 1996
Fire reported

ABOUT 2:00 A.M. HEARD NOISES OUTSIDE OF HOUSE, LOOKED OUTSIDE, THE VEHICLE CAB WAS ENGULFED IN FLAMES, COMPLETELY DESTROYED WITH CAMPER SHELL. *AK

NHTSA ID
983565
Incident
Apr 8, 1996
Brakes
Filed Oct 26, 1995

BRAKE PEDAL IS INCONSISTENT WHEN APPLYING W/POOR RESPONSE. FAILURE UNKNOWN W/ALMOST ENTIRE SYSTEM REPLACED. PLEASE DESCRIBE DETAILS. TT

NHTSA ID
973974
Heating & air conditioning
Filed Oct 24, 1995

PURCHASE USED WAS DRIVING TURN ON THE AIR CONDITIONER AND TRUCK START TO SMOKE IT WAS LEAF THAT CAME FROM THE VENT . TT

NHTSA ID
973934
Engine
Filed Oct 22, 1995

HEAD GASKETS CRACKED. *SD

NHTSA ID
488327
Incident
Oct 22, 1995
Brakes
Filed Oct 3, 1995

BRAKE LINE RUSTED OUT AND PEDAL FADED TO THE FLOOR. TT

NHTSA ID
501477
Incident
Oct 2, 1995
Fuel system
Filed Mar 30, 1995
Fire reported1 injury reported

VEHICLE CAUGHT FIRE WHILE DRIVING, UNDER THE HOOD, FLAMES NEAR THE FUEL TANK, WILL PROVIDE MORE INFORMATION. TT

NHTSA ID
962808
Incident
Mar 16, 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.

Data sources

Data on this page last refreshed .