RoadVitals

1988 Ford Ford Truck Problems

Owner-reported complaints filed with NHTSA, grouped by component

Data refreshed

Owner complaintsComplaints 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.
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Latest Dec 10, 2001
Components namedHow many of our component categories appear on at least one report for this model year. One report can name several.
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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.
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What this page shows

Everything below is an owner-reported complaint submitted to NHTSA about the 1988 Ford Ford Truck, 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

  • Electrical342.9%
  • Brakes228.6%
  • Fuel system114.3%
  • Steering114.3%

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

Electrical

Reports naming the electrical system — wiring, battery, charging, control modules, infotainment and electrical accessories.

3
reports

From owner reports, verbatim

IGNITION SWITCH SHORTED CAUSING A FIRE UNDER THE DASH, RESULTED IN DAMAGE WIRING, SAME PROBLEM IS EXISTING AGAIN.

NHTSA ID 9003635 · filed Dec 10, 2001

AT 3:56 AM MY BROTHER CALLED FROM NEXT DOOR TO TELL ME A VEHICLE WAS ON FIRE IN FRONT OF MY HOUSE. I WENT OUT SIDE WITH A FIRE EXTINGUISHER TO PUT THE FIRE OUT. MY MOM CALLED THE LOCAL FIRE DEPARTMENT THEY ARRIVED AT 4:06 AM. *AK

NHTSA ID 720934 · filed Apr 3, 2000

Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.

Brakes

Reports naming service brakes, the antilock braking system, brake hoses, master cylinders or the parking brake.

2
reports

From owner reports, verbatim

SUMMARY: ZERO BRAKING EFFECTIVENESS, BRAKE PEDAL PRESSURE OKAY, SUDDEN SUSTAINED ABSOLUTE LOSS OF STOPPING ABILITY. YOUR RECALL CAMPAIGN 96V071000 MAY BE MISSING A MECHANISM FOR CATASTROPHIC BRAKE FAILURE ON THE FORD TRUCK. MY 1988 F250HD SUPERCAB 4X4 HAS EXHIBITED THREE DIFFERENT MECHANISMS FOR BRAKE LOSS. WHEN <1 YEAR OLD WITH <10K MILES ON IT, WE DROVE A DIRT ROAD WHICH AFTER LEVEL TRAVEL (I.E. ABSOLUTELY NOT OVERHEATED FROM MOUNTAIN DRIVING) WINDS DOWN A CLIFF. THE HAIRPIN SWITCH-BACKS REQUIRED ME TO JOCKEY THE LONG SUPERCAB AROUND THE CORNERS WITH REPEATED BRAKE APPLICATION, BUT ALL AT NEAR 0 MPH AND OVER ABOUT 15 MINUTES TIME. AT THE BOTTOM OF THE CLIFF @<10MPH TOWARD A CREEK I ATTEMPTED TO SLOW DOWN. THE BRAKE PEDAL STOPPED AT THE NORMAL POINT BUT THERE WAS NO BRAKING FORCE. THERE WAS A DOWNWARD SLOPE (LESS THAN 10 DEGREES PITCH). PUMPING THE BRAKES DID NOT HELP. I PRESSED THE BRAKE PEDAL WITH MAXIMUM FORCE WITH BOTH LEGS! AND COULD NOT EVEN SLOW THE VEHICLE! (THE VEHICLE HAD A FIBERGLASS TOPPER INSTALLED SO PAYLOAD EST. ~1,500 LBS). SUBSTANTIAL FORCE WAS APPLIED TO THE BRAKE PEDAL! IF WE HAD BEEN KILLED, THE BRAKES WOULD HAVE CHECKED OUT FINE AFTER THE FACT. I BELIEVE THERE PROBABLY HAVE BEEN OTHER INSTANCES THAT HAVE GONE UNREPORTED OR WHICH HAVE RESULTED IN ACCIDENTS AND/OR DEATHS IN WHICH THIS BRAKING PROBLEM HAS NOT BEEN IDENTIFIED. BELTS AND BRAKE FLUID WERE NOMINAL. THE FRONT DISKS AND REAR AXLES WERE NOT HOT TO THE TOUCH. MY WIFE APPLIED THE BRAKES WHILE I INSPECTED THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT AND NO ABNORMAL SOUNDS OR OTHER CUES TO THE CAUSE COULD BE OBSERVED. I TURNED THE VEHICLE OFF ANDRESTARTED A COUPLE OF TIMES WITH NO EFFECT. THIS PERSISTED >45 MINUTES WHILE WE TRIED TO DIAGNOSE THE PROBLEM. ON THE UPPER SIDE OF THE BRAKE BOOST CANISTER THERE IS A GROMMET/FITTING FOR THE VACUUM HOSE ATTACHMENT. I ROTATED THIS FITTING TO TENSION THE HOSE FLEXURE IN A DIFFERENT DIRECTION AND THE BRAKES STARTED OPERATING. I HAVE NOT EXPERIENCED A REPEAT OF THE SYMPTOMS.

NHTSA ID 721171 · filed Apr 8, 2000

BRAKES OVERHEATED, CAUSING DIFFICULTY PULLING TRAILER. (OTHER VEHICLE ON 479631) *AW

NHTSA ID 486028 · filed May 17, 1995

Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.

Fuel system

Reports naming fuel storage or delivery — tanks, pumps, lines, injectors and fuel leaks.

1
report

From owner reports, verbatim

FUEL LINE FIRE. *SD

NHTSA ID 501101 · filed Jan 22, 1996

Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.

Steering

Reports naming the steering system — racks, columns, power-steering assist and steering linkage.

1
report

From owner reports, verbatim

TILT STEERING WHEEL WILL NOT LOCK IN PLACE, MAKING STEERING DIFFICULT.

NHTSA ID 703103 · filed Feb 9, 1999

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

Data on this page last refreshed .