IllustrationTRUCK HAS DUEL TANKS AND PUMPS GAS OUT FILLER SPOUT OF FRONT TANK WHEN DRIVING ON REAR TANK AND OUT REAR FILLER TUBE WHILE DRIVING ON FRONT TANK IS THERE A RECALL ON THE SWITCHING VALVE ON THIS TRUCK THEIR SHOULD BE. *AK
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 →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: 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
What owners actually said
89 reportsFAULTY EXHAUST MANIFOLD; VEHICLE HAD SEVEN MANIFOLD REPLACMENT SINCE OWNING THE VEHICLE. ASKING NHTSA TO LOOK INTO THIS MATTER.
STARTED AS UNDER HOOD FIRE - TOTALLY BURNED THE TRUCK - BURNED ALL PLASTIC, MELTED ALUMINUM BRACKETS. *AK
STARTED VEHICLE & EVERYTHING CAME ON. HAD CHECKED TRAFFIC & THEN SHIFTED INTO GEAR. THE VEHICLE WENT INTO FULL THROTTLE & TOOK OFF. HAD AVOIDED HITTING INDIVIDUAL. HIT STEEL CRASH COLUMN. VEHICLE COMPLETELY TOTALED. *AK
IGNITION SWITCH FIRE. THERE IS A RECALL ON THIS VEHICLE FOR THIS PARTICULAR PROBLEM.(96V-071) (MJS) (ATTORNEY FOR CONSUMER).
LEFT FRONT FRAME BROKE IN TWO SPOTS UNDER STEERING BOX AND BEHIND FRONT CROSS MEMBER.
KEY STICKS IN THE "START" POSITION, NEEDS TO BE MANUALLY RETURNED TO THE "ON" POSITION. KEY DOES NOT SETTLE INTO "ON" POSITION, IT CAN BE SLID EASILY BETWEEN "OFF" "ON" AND "START" POSITIONS. SECOND COMPLAINT: WHILE DRIVING, THE ENGINE OCCASIONALLY LOSES SPARK AND ENGINE DIES, CAN SMELL GASOLINE, I SUSPECT THE IGNITION COIL O…
Read full complaint
KEY STICKS IN THE "START" POSITION, NEEDS TO BE MANUALLY RETURNED TO THE "ON" POSITION. KEY DOES NOT SETTLE INTO "ON" POSITION, IT CAN BE SLID EASILY BETWEEN "OFF" "ON" AND "START" POSITIONS. SECOND COMPLAINT: WHILE DRIVING, THE ENGINE OCCASIONALLY LOSES SPARK AND ENGINE DIES, CAN SMELL GASOLINE, I SUSPECT THE IGNITION COIL OR RELATED WIRING MALFUNCTIONED. *AK
WHILE DRIVING THE GAS GAUGE WILL SAY THERE IS GAS IN THE VEHICLE, BUT THERE ISN'T ANY GAS, CAUSING THE CONSUMER TO RUN OUT OF GAS. HOWEVER, WHEN THE GAS GAUGE STATES EMPTY THERE WILL BE GAS IN THE VEHICLE. THE DEALER CAN'T DETERMINE THE PROBLEM. *AK
WATER PUMP AND TIMING CHAIN AND GEAR FAILED.
WAS DRIVING VEHICLE WHEN ENGINE MISSED & THEN DIED OUT. THEN ENGINE RESTARTED BY ITSELF. ARRIVED AT STOP SIGN WHEN OCCUPANT IN OTHER VEHICLE NOTICED FLAMES & NOTIFIED DRIVER. DRIVER TURNED & NOTICED FLAMES BEHIND HIM & GOT OUT. FLAMES COMING FROM BETWEEN THE DUAL FUEL TANK AREA. VEHICLE WAS TOTALED. *AK
Official recalls
387V139000 · 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
2DP89005 · 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