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1987 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 →
89Owner complaints

Model-year median: 3.5

3Recall campaigns

View recall details →

2Investigations

View investigation details →

How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

Other model years Selected year
13
198428
198561
198689
1987139
1988210
1989254
1990
Compare all F150 years →

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

What owners reported most

Electrical System
37Fuel System, Gasoline
21Engine And Engine Cooling
9Structure
5Tires
4
All reported categories
Vehicle Speed Control
4Seat Belts
3Service Brakes, Hydraulic
3Power Train
2Steering
2Unknown Or Other
2Wheels
2Equipment
1Trailer Hitches
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: 5 of 89 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 37 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Fuel System, Gasoline. Review the 21 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.

3 crash reports43 fire reports3 injury reports

Fuel System, Gasoline complaints

21 reports
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Mileage unknown · Jan 26, 2006
Fuel System, Gasoline

MY 1987' FORD F150 HAS DUAL FUEL TANKS, WITH THE TANK SELECTOR SWITCH ON THE DASHBOARD TO THE LEFT OF THE STEERING COLUMN. I WAS DRIVING HOME ON 01/25/06 AND NOTICED A STRONG FUEL SMELL WHEN I PULLING INTO DRIVEWAY BEFORE SHUTTING IT OFF. I LEFT IT RUNNING WITH THE TRANSMISSION IN NEUTRAL, STEPPED OUT OF THE TRUCK, AND GA…

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MY 1987' FORD F150 HAS DUAL FUEL TANKS, WITH THE TANK SELECTOR SWITCH ON THE DASHBOARD TO THE LEFT OF THE STEERING COLUMN. I WAS DRIVING HOME ON 01/25/06 AND NOTICED A STRONG FUEL SMELL WHEN I PULLING INTO DRIVEWAY BEFORE SHUTTING IT OFF. I LEFT IT RUNNING WITH THE TRANSMISSION IN NEUTRAL, STEPPED OUT OF THE TRUCK, AND GAS WAS SPILLING OUT OF THE FILLER HOLE FOR THE FRONT TANK. I ONLY RAN OFF THE REAR TANK. EVIDENTLY, THE FUEL SWITCHING VALVE WAS PUTTING THE UNUSED FUEL IN THE FRONT TANK INSTEAD OF THE REAR TAN, , CAUSING THE FRONT TANK TO OVERFLOW. IT WAS A POSSIBLE FIRE RISK. ! I CONTACTED THE LOCAL FORD DEALER & THE SVC/PARTS MANAGER WHO WAS WELL AWARE OF THIS EXISTING PROBLEM. HE SAID IT WOULD BE $400 TO FIX IT. FORD CHANGED THE DESIGN OF THE DUAL FUEL TANK SYSTEM IN 1990 , BUT DIDN'T ISSUE A RECALL TO CORRECT THE TRUCKS PRIOR TO THE CHANGE. *AK

NHTSA ODI #10148773

119,000 miles · Nov 14, 2005
Fuel System, GasolineFire

DT: THE CONTACT STATES THERE IS NHTSA RECALL 87V139000 CONCERNING THE FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE: DELIVERY: HOSES, LINES/PIPING, AND FITTINGS. THIS VEHICLE IS EXPERIENCING THE SAME PROBLEMS AS INDICATED IN THE RECALL, BUT IT IS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL DUE TO VIN. THE CONTACT HAS NOT REPAIRED THE VEHICLE AT THIS TIME. *AK

NHTSA ODI #10142620

185,000 miles · Dec 22, 2004
Fuel System, GasolineFire

WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED WITH A PASSENGER SITTING IN THE VEHICLE, A FIRE STARTED NEAR THE FRONT FUEL TANK. THE FIRE MARSHALL COULD NOT DETERMINE THE ORIGIN OF THE FIRE. *JB

NHTSA ODI #10105231

Mileage unknown · Sep 6, 2001
Fuel System, Gasoline

I DO BELIEVE THAY HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THERE GAS TANK'S ON FORD PICK UP TRUCKS I OWN 1 MY DAD OWN'S 1MY BROTHER OWN'S 1 MY SON N LAW OWNED 1 AND MY NEPHEW OWN'S1 AND THAY ALL HAVE THE SAME PRBLEM GAS TANK'S ON ALL OF THEM LEAK TRUCK'S RANGE FROM 1987THROUGH1996 I DO THINK FORD MOTOR SHOULD BE HELD RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS PROBLEM.*AK

NHTSA ODI #751809

Mileage unknown · Aug 23, 2001
Fuel System, Gasoline

THE VEHICLE HAS DUEL GAS TANKS. THE FULE RETURN FLOW ALWAYS GOES TO THE FRONT TANK. THIS CAUSES GAS TO SPILL OUT FROM THE FRONT TANK WHEN IT IS FULL AND YOU ARE RUNNING OFF THE REAR TANK, CAUSING AN EXTREME FIRE HAZARD.*AK

NHTSA ODI #751013

Mileage unknown · Aug 15, 2001
Fuel System, Gasoline

VEHICLES HAS DUALTANKS. WHEN BACK TANK IS FILLED AND SWITCHES TO FRONT TANK GAS FLOWS TO FRONT AND SPILLS OUT. CONSUMER SPUN OUT FROM A RED LIGHT THINKING IT WAS OIL. GOT TO WORK AND NOTICED GAS WAS SPILLING FROM GAS TANK. CONSUMER RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE FOR 1990, F150. *AK THE GAS WAS SPILLING DUE TO MANUFACTURER DEF…

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VEHICLES HAS DUALTANKS. WHEN BACK TANK IS FILLED AND SWITCHES TO FRONT TANK GAS FLOWS TO FRONT AND SPILLS OUT. CONSUMER SPUN OUT FROM A RED LIGHT THINKING IT WAS OIL. GOT TO WORK AND NOTICED GAS WAS SPILLING FROM GAS TANK. CONSUMER RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE FOR 1990, F150. *AK THE GAS WAS SPILLING DUE TO MANUFACTURER DEFECT OF THE GAS TANK. *YH

NHTSA ODI #894454

Mileage unknown · Apr 30, 2001
Fuel System, GasolineFire

THE VEHICLES ENGINE CAUGHT FIRE WHILE DRIVING AND WITH OTHER VEHICLES IN TOW, THE FIRE APPARENTLY STARTED WHEN FUEL ESCAPED UNDER PRESSURE FROM BREACH IN THE FUEL SYSTEM WHICH CAUSED THE TRUCK, THE TRAILER AND CONTENTS TO CATCH ON FIRE, THE CONSUMER BELIEVES THE VEHICLE MAY HAVE BEEN AFFECTED BY RECALL 87V-139. NLM

NHTSA ODI #560964

Mileage unknown · Feb 20, 2001
Fuel System, Gasoline

FUEL IS COMING FROM FRONT TANK BECAUSE OF PRESSURE.*AK

NHTSA ODI #880840

Mileage unknown · Jan 11, 2001
Electrical SystemFuel System, GasolineFire

DROVE VEHICLE HOME. NEXT DAY HOOD HAD BURNED FROM INSIDE DUE TO A DEFECTIVE FUEL INJECTOR WIRING WHICH MELTED AND BURNED. FORD NOT WILLING TO ASSIST CONSUMER. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK

NHTSA ODI #877994

Mileage unknown · Jun 29, 2000
Fuel System, GasolineStructure

THERE IS A CRACK LOCATED AT THE LEFT FRONT PORTION BEHIND THE STEERING BOX THAT GOES INTO THE FRAME BREAKING THE FRAME OFF. BOTH OF THE GAS TANKS ARE LEAKING AND A POSSIBLE FIRE CAN OCCUR.

NHTSA ODI #724762

Official recalls

3

87V139000 · 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.

87V140000 · Wheels:lugs/nuts/bolts/studs

Sep 4, 1987

WHEEL LUG NUT CONE ANGLES DO NOT MATCH LUG NUT SEATING ANGLES.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: NUTS COULD LOOSEN IN SERVICE CREATING POTENTIAL FORWHEELS TO SEPARATE FROM TRUCK.

Remedy: REPAIR TO PREVENT LOOSENING OF LUG NUTS.

87V077000 · Suspension:front:wheel Bearing

May 26, 1987

FRONT INNER WHEEL BEARINGS MAY NOT HAVE BEEN LUBRICATED ADEQUATELY AT TIME OF ASSEMBLY.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: IF THIS CONDITION WERE TO OCCUR, FRICTION WILL CAUSEPREMATURE DETERIORATION OF THE WHEEL BEARINGS AND STEERING CONTROL COULD BEAFFECTED ADVERSELY.

Remedy: INSPECT AND REPLACE ANY BEARING OR RACE SHOWING SIGNS OF GALLING OR HEAT SPOTS.

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

2

DP89005 · 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