IllustrationON THE RECEIVING END OF THE DRIVER'S SEAT BELT THE SPRING INSIDE THE BUCKLE BROKE, CAUSING BUCKLE NOT TO LOCK WHEN LATCHING, HAD TO REPLACE TWICE. PLEASE DESCRIBE DETAILS. *AK
1986 Ford F150
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Limited comparison data
There is not enough comparable history to draw a useful model-year comparison.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all F150 years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
All reported categories
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: 2 of 61 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.
- Electrical System. Review the 22 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Fuel System, Gasoline. Review the 10 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 9 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
1 crash reports16 fire reports1 injury reports
What owners actually said
61 reportsWHILE DRIVING VEHICLE, CATALYTIC CONVERTER CAUGHT ON FIRE DUE TO CONTROL MODULE ON DISTRIBUTOR MALFUNCTIONING, FUEL PUMPED INTO EXHAUST SYSTEM, PUT FLAMES OUT W/EXTINGUISHER. *AK
THE WIRE HARNESS BY THE FUEL BOX HAS MELTED DOWN . PLEASE DESCRIBE . *AK
THE REAR FUEL TANK IS DEFECTIVE DUE TO DESIGN, POTENTIALLY EXPLOSIVE . *AK CONSUMER STATES HE PULLED THE PUMP OUT OF THE TANK AND SAW THAT IT HAD BURNED THE CENTER OUT OF THE PUMP. *SLC
WEAK FIREWALL/FAILED CLUTCH WASHER PREVENTED GEARS FROM SHIFTING.
FUSIBLE LINK SHORTED TWICE, CAUSING LOSS OF POWER TO HEADLIGHTS/POWER STEERING.
UPON STARTING NOTICED SMOKE COMING FROM STEERING COLUMN, PULLED FUSES TO STOP, FOUND IGNITION SWITCH MELTED ON STEERING COLUMN.*AK
EXPERIENCED ENGINE HOOD HYDRAULIC CYLINDER SUPPORT ROD FAILURE,WHEN WON'T STAY UP, ABRUPTLY DESCENDING.*AK
DRIVING VECHILE SAW SMOKE UNDER THE STEERING COLUMN, ELECTRICIAL SHORT , WIRING BURNING, VEHICLE BURNED. *AK *SLC
THE IINGITION SWITCH CAUGHT ON FIRE WHILE DRIVING, CAUSING THE TRUCK TO CUT OFF. WHILE DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY, THERE WAS A LOUD POP, THE HEADLIGHTS DIMMED( NIGHT DRIVING) AND THE CAB OF THE PICKUP FILLED WITH SMOKE, IMMEDIATELY PULLED OVER AND SHUT OFF ENGINE, WAITED A FEW MINUTES ATTEMPTED TO START VEHICLE, WOULD NOT START, CO…
Read full complaint
THE IINGITION SWITCH CAUGHT ON FIRE WHILE DRIVING, CAUSING THE TRUCK TO CUT OFF. WHILE DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY, THERE WAS A LOUD POP, THE HEADLIGHTS DIMMED( NIGHT DRIVING) AND THE CAB OF THE PICKUP FILLED WITH SMOKE, IMMEDIATELY PULLED OVER AND SHUT OFF ENGINE, WAITED A FEW MINUTES ATTEMPTED TO START VEHICLE, WOULD NOT START, CONSUMER HAD VEHICLE TOWED HOME, THE NEXT DAY UPON VIEWING VISIBLE DAMAGE SEVERAL BURNED SPOTS ALL ALONG THE WIRE HARNESS COULD BE SEEN FROM JUST OUTSIDE THE FIREWALL OF THE PICK UP ALL THE WAY UP TO THE ALTERNATOR, AT THIS POINT VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN FIXED.*JB
Official recalls
187V139000 · Fuel System, Gasoline:delivery:hoses, Lines/piping, And Fittings
Sep 4, 1987
SPRING LOCK FUEL LINE COUPLING MAY NOT BE PROPERLY ENGAGED.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: COUPLING COULD DISENGAGE DUE TO FUEL PRESSURE,VIBRATION, AND ENGINE MOVEMENTS; THIS WOULD CAUSE LOSS OF FUEL WHICH, INPRESENCE OF AN IGNITION SOURCE, CREATES A FIRE RISK.
Remedy: INSTALL RETAINER CLIPS OVER THE COUPLINGS TO PREVENT COUPLING SEPARATION AND FUEL LEAKAGE.
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
4DP89005 · F-SERIES Fuel Tank Fires
Opened Jan 26, 1989 · Closed Aug 1, 1989
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Fuel System, Gasoline
F-SERIES FUEL TANK FIRES
PE89020 · Fires
Opened Dec 7, 1988 · Closed Jun 1, 1989
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Vehicle Speed Control:linkages
There is no summary currently available
EA87020 · Engine Compartment Fires
Opened May 7, 1987 · Closed Sep 24, 1987
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Vehicle Speed Control:linkages
ANALYSIS:A REVIEW OF FORD MOTOR COMPANY'S RESPONSES TO ODI INFORMATIONREQUESTS ISSUED UNDER PRELIMINARY EVALUATIONS PE 87-012, PE 87-017, ANDPE 87-020, INDICATED THAT THE FAILURE AND/OR MALFUNCTION OF THE SPRING-LOCKFUEL LINE COUPLINGS APPEARED TO BE THE MAJOR SOURCE OR CAUSE OF ENGINECOMPARTMENT FIRES IN THE SUBJECT VEHICLES.BASED UPON THIS, AN ENGINEERINGANALYSIS WAS INITIATED WHICH INCORPORATED ALL THREE OF THE ABOVE REFERENCEDPRELIMINARY EVALUATIONS.ADDITIONAL REPORTS WERE RECEIVED WHICH INDICATEDTHAT SPRING LOCK FUEL-LINE COUPLING SEPARATION HAD BEEN RESPONSIBLE FORENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRES IN OTHER FORD VEHICLES.THE EA WAS THEN EXPANDEDON AUGUST 18TH TO INCLUDE ALL FORD VEHICLES WHICH USE OR DID USE SPRINGLOCK COUPLINGS IN THE FUEL DELIVERY AND/OR THE FUEL RETURN SYSTEM.STATUS:BY LETTER DATED SEPTEMBER 1, 1987, FORD AGREED TO RECALL 3,600,0001986 THROUGH 1988 PASSENGER CARS AND LIGHT TRUCKS EQUIPPED WITH ELECTRONICFUEL-INJECTION (EFI) AND CENTRAL FUEL-INJECTION (CFI) ENGINES THAT WEREPRODUCED WITH A SPECIFIC TYPEOF SPRING LOCK FUEL-LINE COUPLING.IF THESPRING LOCK FUEL-LINE COUPLING WERE IMPROPERLY ENGAGED OR DAMAGED DURINGASSEMBLY OR SERVICING, THEN FUEL PRESSURE, VIBRATION, OR ENGINE MOVEMENTCOULD RESULT IN FUEL LINE SEPARATION AND THE SUBSEQUENT RISK OF A VEHICLEFIRE.TO PREVENT THIS POTENTIAL SEPARATION, THE RECALLED VEHICLES WILLHAVE RETAINER CLIPS INSTALLED OVER THE SPRING LOCK COUPLINGS.THE RECALLNUMBER IS 87V-139.PROPOSED ACTION:BASED UPON THE NATURE AND SCOPE OF THE RECALL, EA 87-020SHOULD BE CLOSED AND THE RECALL'S EFFECTIVENESS MONITORED.===
PE87017 · Fuel Leaks/fires
Opened Jan 28, 1987 · Closed May 26, 1987
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Vehicle Speed Control:linkages
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.---------------------------------------------------------------------------PROPOSED ACTION: UPGRADE THIS PE TO AN EA.(EA87-020)===