FaultScore

Ford F150 electrical problems

244 of the 988 complaints filed about the Ford F150 are about the electrical system — 25% of everything owners reported. The worst model year for it is 1988.

244

Complaints

25%

Share of all complaints

1

Crashes

148

Fires

Electrical System complaints by model year

1968 F150 1 0.4%
1978 F150 2 0.8%
1982 F150 1 0.4%
1983 F150 3 1.2%
1984 F150 7 2.9%
1985 F150 12 4.9%
1986 F150 24 9.8%
1987 F150 43 17.6%

Median failure at 102,313 miles

1988 F150 56 23.0%

Median failure at 84,030 miles

1989 F150 54 22.1%
1990 F150 41 16.8%

Median failure at 89,000 miles

What owners said

1988 Ford F150 at 69,000 miles Telford, PA

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1988 FORD F-150. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS HESITANT TO START AND WOULD SPORADICALLY OVERHEAT. THE CONTACT CALLED THE DEALER WHO STATED THAT THEIR RECORDS ONLY WENT BACK AS FAR AS TEN YEARS AND THEY COULD NOT VERIFY WHETHER THE VEHICLE WAS PREVIOUSLY REPAIRED UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 96V071000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION). THE CONTACT CALLED THE MANUFACTURER WHO VERIFIED THE INFORMATION PROVIDED BY THE DEALER AND PROVIDED NO FURTHER ASSISTANCE. THE VEHICLE WAS NEITHER DIAGNOSED NOR REPAIRED FOR THE FAILURE. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE APPROXIMATELY 69,000.

NHTSA complaint #10403857 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

1990 Ford F150 at 89,000 miles Deluth, MN

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1990 FORD F150. WHEN THE ENGINE SHUT OFF, THE VEHICLE CONTINUED TO RUN. THE DEALER INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT HIS VEHICLE WAS NOT A PART OF RECALL NUMBER 96V071000 (FOR THE IGNITION) AND HE WOULD NOT INSPECT THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 89,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 90,000. THE PURCHASE DATE OF THE VEHICLE WAS UNKNOWN.

NHTSA complaint #10190774 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

1985 Ford F150 Smithville, OH Crash 1 injured

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

1985 FORD F-150 HEADLIGHTS FAILED AND VEHICLE SHUT OFF. *KB WHEN THE VEHICLE SHUT OFF, THE CONSUMER DRIFTED OFF TO THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE ROADWAY AND STRUCK A GUARD RAIL.

NHTSA complaint #10166908 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

1987 Ford F150 at 102,313 miles Acworth, GA Fire

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH

SHUT VEHICLE OFF, THEN, ON RESTART AND IGNITION SWITCH FAILED FOLLOWED BY SMOKE UNDER HOOD. FUSIBLE LINK CAUGHT FIRE BY SOLENOID. IF I HAD NOT BEEN NEAR THE VEHICLE AT THE TIME OF THE FIRE IT COULD HAVE CAUSED DAMAGE TO PROPERTY AROUND ME. IF I HAD BEEN DRIVING DOWN THE INTERSTATE WHEN THIS HAPPENED AND WAS NOT NOTICED IMMEDIATELY, IT COULD HAVE ENDANGERED MY LIFE OR OTHERS. MY VEHICLE WAS NOT MANUFACTURED UNTIL AUGUST OF 1987 WELL AFTER THE SWITCH REDESIGN THAT FROM WHAT I CAN COLLECT INFORMATION ON WAS REDESIGNED IN MAY OF 1987 SO THE SWITCH DESIGN ON MY VEHICLE APPEARS TO HAVE BEEN THE SAME PART BEING RECALLED. FIVE YEARS AGO I OWNED A 1990 F150 THAT HAD THE SAME EXACT IGNITION SWITCH AND THEY SENT ME A RECALL FOR THAT VEHICLE. I CHECKED FOR RECALL ON THIS ONE AND THEY DO NOT OFFER IT. I AM OUTRAGED CONSIDERING THAT THIS VEHICLE HAS THE SAME EXACT IGNITION SWITCH DESIGN AND DID FAIL AS THE RECALL MENTIONED SOME VEHICLES WOULD AND YET I AM LEFT HAVING TO PAY FOR THE DAMAGE. NOT ONLY THAT, HERE IS A PORTION OF INFORMATION TAKEN FROM "THEAUTOCHANNEL.COM" FORD MOTOR COMPANY IS DEFENDING THEIR STANCE ON THE RECALL. HERE ARE SOME FACTS COMPILED BY THE ASSOCIATED PRESS IN RELATION TO THE ISSUE: * THERE HAVE BEEN MORE THAN 900 REPORTS OF FIRES FROM THE SWITCHES IN THIS COUNTRY. IN SOME CASES, FIRES OCCURRED EVEN WHEN THE VEHICLES WERE PARKED AND SHUT OFF. * FORD HAS LONG SAID THE FIRE REPORTS FORD DISCLOSED TO NHTSA INCLUDED ALL THOSE THEY KNEW OF THAT COULD HAVE STARTED NEAR THE STEERING COLUMN _ MEANING UNVERIFIED REPORTS AS WELL AS FIRES THAT COULD HAVE BEEN CAUSED BY SOMETHING OTHER THAN THE IGNITION SWITCH. * FORD DID NOT RECALL ANY VEHICLES PRIOR TO 1988 BECAUSE THE AUTOMAKERS TIED THE SWITCH FIRES TO A FAULTY DESIGN CHANGE MADE BY A MANUFACTURER IN MAY 1987. THAT CHANGE REDUCED THE SPACE BETWEEN A BATTERY AND GROUND TERMINAL, CREATING THE POTENTIAL FOR A SHORT CIRCUIT AND FIRE, FORD OFFICIALS SAID.

NHTSA complaint #10139530 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

1987 Ford F150 Houston, TX Fire

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

SUDDEN AND SPONTANEOUS FIRE COMPLETELY DESTROYED CONSUMER 1987 F 150 FORD TRUCK. *BF THIS WAS FOUND TO BE AN ELECTRICAL PROBLEM. THE CONSUMER REQUESTED INFORMATION ABOUT OTHER SAME MAKE/MODEL VEHICLES WITH CRUISE CONTROL THAT MAY HAVE EXPERIENCED THE SAME PROBLEM.

NHTSA complaint #10112957 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

1989 Ford F150 Houston, TX Fire

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED IT CAUGHT ON FIRE. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE, AND THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION. THE CAUSE HAS NOT BEEN DETERMINED.

NHTSA complaint #10109107 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

1987 Ford F150 Baytown, TX Fire

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

WHILE BEING PARKED THE VEHICLE INADVERTENTLY CAUGHT ON FIRE. THE CAUSE OF THIS WAS UNDETERMINED.

NHTSA complaint #10109100 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

1988 Ford F150 at 45,000 miles Mondovi, WI

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION

VEHICLE FAILED TO START WHEN THE KEY WAS TURNED IN THE IGNITION TO THE ON POSITION. THE DEALERSHIP WAS CONTACTED.

NHTSA complaint #10089172 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

1988 Ford F150 at 99,061 miles Jupiter, FL Fire

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:ALTERNATOR/GENERATOR/REGULATOR

ALTERNATOR FIRE ON 1988 FORD F150. *NLM

NHTSA complaint #10019139 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

1988 Ford F150 at 166,000 miles Palm Harbor, FL Fire

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING

2ND WIRE HARNESS FIRE ON THIS VEHICLE. 1ST WAS UNDER THE HOOD THE SECOND WAS UNDER THE VEHICLE WHEN IT WAS AT THE DEALER IN NEW PORT RICHEY FLORIDA.

NHTSA complaint #10018600 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

1989 Ford F150 Casper, WY

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

THE FUSE BOX MELTED OVER THE BATTERY CABLE, WHICH ALMOST CAUSED A FIRE.

NHTSA complaint #10015810 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

1990 Ford F150 Wapwallopen, PA

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION

BROUGHT THIS TRUCK USED WAS ADVISED OF RECALL, NEED TO GET COPY OF TSB TO TAKE TO DEALER TO GET FIXED. DT

NHTSA complaint #769835 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

1989 Ford F150 Street, MD Fire

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FRONT UNDERHOOD

I AM AFRAID TO FIX THE TRUCK THIS TIME BECAUSE IT COULD BURN DOWN MY HOUSE OR CAUSE A ACCIDENT. MR

NHTSA complaint #767901 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

1990 Ford F150 Chesapeake, VA Fire 1 injured

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:ALTERNATOR/GENERATOR/REGULATOR

VEHICLE DRIVEN APPROXIMATELY 10 MILES AND PARKED AT WHICH TIME SMOKE WAS OBSERVED FROM ENGINE COMPARTMENT. WHEN HOOD WAS OPENED, ALTERNATOR AND ASSOCIATED WIRING BURST INTO FLAMES. OPERATOR SUSTAINED MINOR BURNS ON HAND.*AKI

NHTSA complaint #764203 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

1989 Ford F150 Fort Pierce, FL Fire

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:ALTERNATOR/GENERATOR/REGULATOR

VEHICLE HAS HAD FOUR ALTERNATORS REPLACED, AND TWICE ALTERNATOR HAD CAUGHT ON FIRE. CONTACTED DEALER, AND THE DEALER WILL BE REPLACED, BUT REMEDY WAS NOT WORKING.*AKI

NHTSA complaint #8010492 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

1968 Ford F150 Mount Morris, MI Fire

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FRONT UNDERHOOD

AFTER PARKING VEHICLE WIRES IN DASHBOARD CAUGHT ON FIRE.

NHTSA complaint #8009750 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

1990 Ford F150 Bellflower, CA

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION

HAVE BEEN TO FORD DEALER FOR TWO RECALLS, IGNITION AND FUEL REGULATOR. NO CHARGE TO ME. GAS IS STILL COMING OUT OF THE FILLER NECK OF THE TANK "I AM NOT USING, I SWITCH TO THAT TANK AND GAS COMES OUT OF THE OTHER TANK--THAT I AM NOT USING. THE DEALER SAYS THIS IS NOT A RECALL AND I NEED TO PAY FOR NEW FUEL PUMPS IN EACH TANK. I DON'T UNDERSTAND THAT SINCE THE TRUCK IS GETTING GAS FINE, JUST TO MUCH AND BEING RETURNED TO THE WRONG TANK. NOT BEING RETURNED TO THE TANK THAT IS BEING USED. I FEEL THAT THIS SHOULD BE A RECALL AND SHOULD NOT COST ME $1000.00. HOPE SOMEONE CAN HELP ME.

NHTSA complaint #761107 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

1986 Ford F150 Amarillo, TX

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOV EVEHICLE.

NHTSA complaint #757674 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

1986 Ford F150 SAN Fransico, CA

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION

WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED VEHICLE COMPLETELY SHUTS DOWN WITHOUT WARNING, CAUSE UNKNOWN. DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS.

NHTSA complaint #8001940 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

1987 Ford F150 Stillwater, OK Fire

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:STARTER ASSEMBLY

I HAVE HAD MANY PROBLEMS WITH RUNNING MY TRUCK AND ONCE THE ENGINE IS HOT, WHEN YOU TRY TO START IT UP WITHOUT LETTING IT SET FOR ABOUT 20 MINUTES IT RUINS THE STARTER AND BATTERY CABLES. IT HAS SMOKED 4 TIMES AND I HAD TO USE MY FIRE EXTINQUISHER ONCE. I HAVE HAD 8 STARTERS IN LESS THAN 1 YEAR, 1 NEW BATTERY, AND THREE SETS OF BATTERY CABLES. I HAVE SPENT A FORTUNE TRYING TO FIND OUT WHAT THE PROBLEM IS AND NOT EVEN FORD'S MASTER MECHANICS HAVE HAD AN ANSWER.

NHTSA complaint #754633 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Other Ford F150 problems