Complaints filed with NHTSA, by model year. Bar colour is the FaultScore grade:
A
B
C
D
F
ungraded
What breaks on a 1984 Ford F250
Every complaint is filed against a part. Follow any row for the complaints about that part alone.
Electrical System
654.5%
0 crashes, 5 fires
Tires
327.3%
Median failure at 208,000 miles
Equipment & Accessories
19.1%
0 crashes, 1 fires
Fuel & Propulsion
19.1%
0 crashes, 1 fires
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.
Apr 1996peak 3Apr 2004
NHTSA investigations into the 1984 Ford F250
An investigation is the step before a recall: the agency has seen enough
complaints to look into a pattern itself. An open one means it thinks
something may be wrong and nothing has been fixed yet.
DP89005Opened 26 Jan 1989Closed 1 Aug 1989FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE
F-SERIES FUEL TANK FIRES
F-SERIES FUEL TANK FIRES
PE87017Opened 28 Jan 1987Closed 26 May 1987VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:LINKAGES
FUEL LEAKS/FIRES
SUMMARY OF INFORMATION FROM MANUFACTURER:INSTANCES WERE FOUND WHERESPRING LOCK COUPLINGS FAILED CAUSING GASOLINE TO BE RELEASED THROUGHOUTTHE ENGINE COMPARTMENT CAUSING FIRES.LEAKS FROM FUEL LINES MAY ALSO BE ACONTRIBUTING CAUSE TO THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRES.---------------------------------------------------------------------------ANALYSIS:DATA INDICATES THAT THE ALLEGED PROBLEM MAY BE CAUSED BY THESPRING LOCK QUICK CONNECT COUPLINGS WHICH CONNECT THE FUEL SUPPLY ANDRETURN LINES TO THE ENGINE AS WELL AS FUEL LEAKAGE FROM THE FUEL LINES.-------------------------------------------------------...
EA85031Opened 12 Jul 1985Closed 11 Oct 1988SUSPENSION
REAR WHEEL LOCKUP
SUMMARY: THE 6.9L DIESEL ENGINE WAS NOT UTILIZED IN THE SUBJECT VEHICLESPRIOR TO THE 1983 MODEL YEAR.A PROPORTIONING VALVE WAS ADDED AND THEFRONT BRAKE METERING VALVE (WHICH DELAYS FRONT BRAKE APPLICATION) WASDELETED ON 1984 MODELS.FORD ISSUED A SERVICE BULLETIN IN NOVEMBER 1983RECOMMENDING THAT A 275 PSI PROPORTIONING VALVE BE INSTALLED FOR OWNERSWHO COMPLAIN OF EXCESSIVE REAR BRAKE SENSITIVITY.ANALYSIS:THE 6.9L DIESEL ENGINE INCREASES VEHICLE WEIGHT BY ALMOST900 LBS. COMPARED TO A TRUCK WITH A SMALLER V-8 GASOLINE ENGINE. MOST OFTHE ADDITIONAL WEIGHT IS SUPPORTED BY THE FRONT WHEELS.THE DESI...
Complaints that involved harm
Reports where the owner recorded a crash, a fire, an injury or a death.
Dothan, ALFire
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH
IGNITION SWITCH FIRE.
NHTSA complaint #517532 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Whittier, CAFire
EQUIPMENT:APPLIANCE:AIR CONDITIONER
WHILE DRIVING, TURNED AIR-CONDITIONER, SMOKE STARTED COMING ENGINE/AIR CONDITIONER VENTS, SUBSEQUENTLY VEHICLE ENGULFED IN FLAMES.
NHTSA complaint #987130 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Barton, NYFire
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM
VEHICLE FIRE.
NHTSA complaint #503958 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Sayre, OKFire
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH
ELECTRICAL SHORT IN THE IGNITION SWITCH, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO CATCH FIRE IN THE STEERING COLUMN.
NHTSA complaint #984181 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Marlborogh, MAFire
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION
UPON STARTING THE VEHICLE IT MADE A LOUD THUMP, RESULTING IN A FIRE, BURNING ALL IGNITION CABLES.
NHTSA complaint #983054 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Oaklahoma CI, OKFire
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:INTERIOR/UNDER DASH
THE TRUCK BURNED UP FROM A FIRE THAT WAS STARTED AT THE FIR WALL OF THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. THE FIREMAN SAID IT WAS ELECTRICAL. PLEASE DESCRIBE.
NHTSA complaint #982959 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The most recent complaints
In the owners' own words, exactly as filed with NHTSA.
at 208,000 milesPerry, KS
TIRES:TREAD/BELT
WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE TIRE TREAD SEPARATED.
NHTSA complaint #10067465 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Jackson, MS
TIRES:TREAD/BELT
DAYTON BAJA WIDETRACK RADIAL TIRE TREAD SEPARATED WHILE DRIVING CAUSING MINOR VEHICLE DAMAGE. NLM
NHTSA complaint #554910 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Orlando, FL
TIRES:TREAD/BELT
TIRES WERE STARTING TO GET BUBBLES IN THE TREAD, AND PLIES WERE SEPARATING. VEHICLE WAS WOBBLING WITH THREE OF THE TIRES.ALL TIRES WERE EXPERIENCING THIS PROBLEM. THOSE TIRES WERE EXCHANGED. FOURTH TIRE EXPLODED. PROBLEMS HAPPENED WITH 1ST TIRE AT 10,000 MILES, 2ND AT 50,000 MILES, 3RD AT 72,000 MILES , AND 4TH AT 73,000 MILES.
NHTSA complaint #867973 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Dothan, ALFire
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH
IGNITION SWITCH FIRE.
NHTSA complaint #517532 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Pagosa Springs, CO
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FRONT UNDERHOOD
DURING OPERATION SMOKE WAS NOTICED COMING FROM UNDER THE DASH AND THE HOOD, RESULTING IN THE WIRING HARNESS BEING BURNED.
NHTSA complaint #800562 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Whittier, CAFire
EQUIPMENT:APPLIANCE:AIR CONDITIONER
WHILE DRIVING, TURNED AIR-CONDITIONER, SMOKE STARTED COMING ENGINE/AIR CONDITIONER VENTS, SUBSEQUENTLY VEHICLE ENGULFED IN FLAMES.
NHTSA complaint #987130 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Barton, NYFire
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM
VEHICLE FIRE.
NHTSA complaint #503958 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Sayre, OKFire
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH
ELECTRICAL SHORT IN THE IGNITION SWITCH, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO CATCH FIRE IN THE STEERING COLUMN.
NHTSA complaint #984181 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Marlborogh, MAFire
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION
UPON STARTING THE VEHICLE IT MADE A LOUD THUMP, RESULTING IN A FIRE, BURNING ALL IGNITION CABLES.
NHTSA complaint #983054 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Oaklahoma CI, OKFire
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:INTERIOR/UNDER DASH
THE TRUCK BURNED UP FROM A FIRE THAT WAS STARTED AT THE FIR WALL OF THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. THE FIREMAN SAID IT WAS ELECTRICAL. PLEASE DESCRIBE.
NHTSA complaint #982959 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Oaklahoma CI, OKFire
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:INTERIOR/UNDER DASH
THE TRUCK BURNED UP FROM A FIRE THAT WAS STARTED AT THE FIR WALL OF THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. THE FIREMAN SAID IT WAS ELECTRICAL. PLEASE DESCRIBE.
NHTSA complaint #982959 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.