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1981 Ford F Super Duty

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Limited comparison data

There is not enough comparable history to draw a useful model-year comparison.

About this comparison →
1Owner complaints

Model-year median: 14

0Recall campaigns

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0Investigations

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How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

Other model years Selected year
1
1981
Compare all F Super Duty years →

Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.

What owners reported most

Engine
1

Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.

When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

Limited mileage data: 1 of 1 reports include usable mileage. There isn’t enough coverage to show a useful chart.

NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.

What to inspect

Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.

  • Engine. Review the 1 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

0 crash reports1 fire reports0 injury reports

Engine complaints

1 reports
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70,077 miles · Aug 20, 2018
EngineFire

THE SMALL EXHAUST MANIFOLD THERMALLY CONTROLLED VALVE USED TO PREHEAT INTAKE MANIFOLD WHEN COLD FAILED IN THE OPEN POSITION CAUSING SEVERAL ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRES PLUS EXHAUST GASSES ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THIS SIX(6) CYLINDER ENGINE RESULTING IN OVERHEATING OF FIREWALL AND PREMATURE FAILURE OF THE ALTERNATOR. EXHAUST NOISE IS E…

Read full complaint

THE SMALL EXHAUST MANIFOLD THERMALLY CONTROLLED VALVE USED TO PREHEAT INTAKE MANIFOLD WHEN COLD FAILED IN THE OPEN POSITION CAUSING SEVERAL ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRES PLUS EXHAUST GASSES ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THIS SIX(6) CYLINDER ENGINE RESULTING IN OVERHEATING OF FIREWALL AND PREMATURE FAILURE OF THE ALTERNATOR. EXHAUST NOISE IS EXCESSIVE. VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION IN BILLINGS, MT AT THE MOST RECENT FIRES.

NHTSA ODI #11121144

Official recalls

0

No recalls in this snapshot.

Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗

NHTSA investigations

0

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.