1988 Ford F Series Problems
Owner-reported complaints filed with NHTSA, grouped by component
Data refreshed
What this page shows
Everything below is an owner-reported complaint submitted to NHTSA about the 1988 Ford F Series, grouped by the component NHTSA recorded on the report. These are not confirmed defects, and they are not recalls. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a category with more reports in it is not evidence that a part is defective.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Reports by component
Ranked by how many owner reports name each component category
- Seat belts360.0%
- Driver assistance120.0%
- Electrical120.0%
Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.
Each component in detail
What the reports in each category say, in the owners' own words
Seat belts
Reports naming seat belts, buckles, retractors and pretensioners.
From owner reports, verbatim
THE DRIVER'S SEATBELT BECOMES UNLATCHED. THE BUTTON ON THE LATCH SEEMS TO FAIL CAUSING THE SEAT BELT TO BECOME UNBUCKLED. BUCKLE WILL SEEM TO LOCK BUT WILL UNLOCK WITH A SLIGHT WIGGLE. *TR
THE DRIVER SIDE SEAT BELT BECAME UNLATCHED WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY. *NLM THE SEAT BELT HAS NOT WORKED SINCE THE ORIGINAL FAILURE. THE CONSUMER WAS TOLD BY FORD , THE SEAT BELT WAS ONLY WARRANTED FOR FIVE YEARS BUT SEEMED TO CONTRADICT THE INFORMATION ON FILING A COMPLAINT. *SCC *JB
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Driver assistance
Reports naming forward-collision avoidance, lane keeping, back-over prevention, cruise control and related electronic driver-assistance systems.
From owner reports, verbatim
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1988 FORD F150. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 10 MPH, THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED BUT THE VEHICLE DID NOT RESPOND. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE CONTACT'S RESIDENCE AND WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. THE MECHANIC DIAGNOSED THAT THE ACCELERATOR CABLE WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT BEEN MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 90,000.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Electrical
Reports naming the electrical system — wiring, battery, charging, control modules, infotainment and electrical accessories.
From owner reports, verbatim
THE TRUCK KEEPS TRYING TO START ON ITS OWN. IT JUMPED OUT OF GEAR AND HIT MY HUSBAND IN THE BACK. THEN HE MOVED FAST OR IT WOULD HAVE RAN OVER HIM. THE TRUCK STILL WOULDN'T QUIT TRYING TO CRANK, SO HE UNDONE THE BATTERY AND IT SHOCKED HIM. ITS A PROBLEM WITH THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM AND IGNITION. *NM
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
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.
Elsewhere on this vehicle
Data sources
- NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation — owner-reported complaints and the components recorded on them
Data on this page last refreshed .