Complaints filed with NHTSA, by model year. Bar colour is the FaultScore grade:
A
B
C
D
F
ungraded
What breaks on a 1978 Ford F150
Every complaint is filed against a part. Follow any row for the complaints about that part alone.
Steering
323.1%
Fuel & Propulsion
215.4%
Electrical System
215.4%
Transmission & Drivetrain
215.4%
1 crashes, 0 fires
Engine & Cooling
215.4%
Lights
17.7%
Suspension
17.7%
When owners complained
A spike years after the car went on sale usually means a part wearing
out on schedule across the whole fleet — the kind of pattern no single
owner can see from inside their own car.
Nov 1996peak 6Dec 2002
Complaints that involved harm
Reports where the owner recorded a crash, a fire, an injury or a death.
Bedford, VACrash
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:LEVER AND LINKAGE:COLUMN SHIFT
VEHICLE AT INSPECTION STATION. VEHICLE WAS PARKED & MECHANIC WAS CHECKING BRAKE FLUID. VEHICLE SUDDENLY JUMPED OUT OF PARK AND WENT INTO REVERSE. DOOR WAS BENT TOWARDS THE FRONT OF VEHICLE & THEN SWUNG BACK & CLOSED. VEHICLE WENT ACROSS THE STREET & STRUCK LIGHT POST. NO INJURIES. DRIVER'S DOOR COULD NOT OPEN. RECALLS 78V096000; 78V035000; 77V185000.
NHTSA complaint #835342 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The most recent complaints
In the owners' own words, exactly as filed with NHTSA.
Renton, WA
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS:CONCEALMENT DEVICES
CONSUMER STATES THAT WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED AND WITHOUT WARNING THE HEADLIGHTS WILL FLICKER CAUSING A DISTRACTION TO THE CONSUMER VIEW DURING NIGHTTIME. DEALER NOTIFIED. TS
NHTSA complaint #8023634 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Bridgman, MI
STEERING:HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST SYSTEM
POWER STEERING PUMP AND SYSTEM HAS FAILED SEVERAL TIMES RESULTING IN LEAKAGE AND STEERING DIFFCULTY. MJS
NHTSA complaint #545499 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Bridgman, MI
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
FLYWHEEL DESIGN RESULTS IN DAMAGE TO COMPONENTS. MJS
NHTSA complaint #545499 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Bridgman, MI
SUSPENSION
SUSPENSION SYSTEM HAS EXPERIENCED CONTINUED PROBLEMS WITH STABILITY AND WEAR. MJS
NHTSA complaint #545499 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Bridgman, MI
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
ENGINE REPLACE. MJS
NHTSA complaint #545499 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Bridgman, MI
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:STARTER ASSEMBLY
FUEL SENDING UNIT AND STARTER FAILED. MJS
NHTSA complaint #545499 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Bridgman, MI
FUEL SYSTEM, OTHER:STORAGE:FUEL GAUGE SYSTEM
FUEL SENDING UNIT AND STARTER FAILED. MJS
NHTSA complaint #545499 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Bedford, VACrash
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:LEVER AND LINKAGE:COLUMN SHIFT
VEHICLE AT INSPECTION STATION. VEHICLE WAS PARKED & MECHANIC WAS CHECKING BRAKE FLUID. VEHICLE SUDDENLY JUMPED OUT OF PARK AND WENT INTO REVERSE. DOOR WAS BENT TOWARDS THE FRONT OF VEHICLE & THEN SWUNG BACK & CLOSED. VEHICLE WENT ACROSS THE STREET & STRUCK LIGHT POST. NO INJURIES. DRIVER'S DOOR COULD NOT OPEN. RECALLS 78V096000; 78V035000; 77V185000.
NHTSA complaint #835342 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Sulphur, LA
STEERING:HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST SYSTEM
POWER STEERING FAILURE.
NHTSA complaint #509537 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Sulphur, LA
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION
DISTRIBUTOR CAP REPLACED.
NHTSA complaint #509537 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Sulphur, LA
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:GEAR POSITION INDICATION (PRNDL)
PARKING GEAR DOES NOT ALWAYS HOLD WHEN ENGAGED.
NHTSA complaint #509537 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Sulphur, LA
STEERING:LINKAGES:TIE ROD ASSEMBLY
TIE ROD LINK IMPROPERLY INSTALLED.
NHTSA complaint #509537 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Sulphur, LA
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:CARBURETOR SYSTEM
DEFECTIVE CARBURETOR.
NHTSA complaint #509537 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.