1987 Ford F-150 Problems

What owners report

Owners of this model year most often describe electrical problems, particularly fires and smoke traced to the ignition switch, wiring under the dash, and the ignition module, plus fuel leaks on dual-tank trucks where fuel returns to or spills from the tank not in use. Complaints span the truck's whole life, and many are filed on high-mileage examples, so the reported problems appear both as gradual wear and as sudden events while driving or shortly after shutdown.

1. 1
   Fuel system

   Dual-tank fuel crossflow and spillage

   • 19 complaints (21%)
   • median 123,506 mi at 22.8 yrs old (4 state mileage, few)
   • 5 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 1995–2017

   Owners of trucks with dual tanks describe fuel being returned to or drawn from the tank not selected, so the front tank fills and overflows out of the filler neck while the engine is running on the rear tank. Reported effects include a strong fuel smell, fuel on the ground, flooding and stalling, and in some cases fire near the tank area. Complaints mention dealers being unable to identify the cause or quoting a substantial repair cost. Typically reported on trucks with well over 100,000 miles, and often noticed while driving on one tank after filling the other.

   Recall 87V139000

   What to check: On a dual-tank truck, fill one tank and run on the other while watching the unselected tank's filler neck for overflow or a fuel smell; also check lines and fittings for seepage.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “Driving home, engine started sputtering, strong smell of gasoline. Gas spilling from front gas cap. I have had this in for repairs and no one seems to know what is wrong with the vehicle. Vehicle starts at times but seems to be flooding itself out and gas continues to spill from front tank. I believe this to be a rather significant safety issue but Ford wants $900 to fix. Note: they have already charges me $200 for a repair that the vehicle did not require.”

   NHTSA complaint #10521761, filed 2013-06, 128,013 miles

   “Problem with the duel fuel tanks, after filling the rear fuel tank I started smelling gas fumes while driving on city streets. I pulled over to check and gas was leaking from beneath the truck . When I opened the front tank gas cap , fuel spewed out as if it was under pressure. At that time I was operating on the rear tank. I opened the rear gas tank cap and nothing happened. I understand that this issue has happened before and an extended safety recall was issued by the manufacturer. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10947867, filed 2017-01, 114,450 miles
2. 2
   Electrical system

   Ignition switch and dash wiring fires

   • 27 complaints (30%)
   • median 102,313 mi at 19.0 yrs old (1 states mileage, few)
   • 23 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 1995–2006

   Complaints describe smoke or flames coming from the steering column or under the dashboard, sometimes while driving and sometimes shortly after the engine was shut off. Several owners report the vehicle was destroyed or heavily damaged, and one attributes the origin to the ignition switch. Others describe melted or bare wiring causing shorts, loss of lights and turn signals, and a burned fusible link near the solenoid. Reported across a wide mileage range, including trucks past 100,000 miles, and often shortly after starting or shutting the engine off.

   What to check: Inspect the wiring under the dash and around the steering column for cracked or bare insulation and signs of heat, and ask whether the ignition switch or any wiring has been replaced. Keep a fire extinguisher in the cab.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “Shut vehicle off, then, on restart and ignition switch failed followed by smoke under hood. Fusible link caught fire by solenoid. If I had not been near the vehicle at the time of the fire it could have caused damage to property around me. If I had been driving down the interstate when this happened and was not noticed immediately, it could have endangered my life or others. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10139530, filed 2005-10, 102,313 miles

   “Sudden and spontaneous fire completely destroyed consumer 1987 f 150 Ford truck. This was found to be an electrical problem. The consumer requested information about other same make/model vehicles with cruise control that may have experienced the same problem.”

   NHTSA complaint #10112957, filed 2005-02
3. 3
   Electrical system

   Engine stalling from ignition module failure

   • 11 complaints (12%)
   • median 102,313 mi at 19.0 yrs old (1 states mileage, few)
   • 3 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 1995–2005

   Complaints describe the engine cutting out without warning while driving, sometimes at speed and sometimes in hot weather, and restarting only after a wait. Owners report replacing the ignition module (TFI) and, in one case, repeated starter and cable replacements with intermittent smoke. Several describe the truck stalling in traffic and needing to be pushed or towed off the road. Reported at mixed mileages, with several owners noting the stalls happen once the engine is hot or in warm weather.

   What to check: Ask whether the ignition module has been replaced and whether a spare is carried; a test drive long enough to reach full operating temperature can reveal a hot-stall pattern.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “I have had two tfi modules fail on my truck.both times I was stuck in the middle of a six lane road.the first time I was almost rearended and had to push the truck off to the side of the road.I was still blocking the right lane until a tow truck arrived.I was not injured but I was put in a very dangerous situation.the second time the module failed I was still underway and was able to pull to the side of the street but still blocking one lane.e”

   NHTSA complaint #734178, filed 2000-10

   “I have had many problems with running my truck and once the engine is hot, when you try to start it up without letting it set for about 20 minutes it ruins the starter and battery cables. It has smoked 4 times and I had to use my fire extinquisher once. I have had 8 starters in less than 1 year, 1 new battery, and three sets of battery cables. I have spent a fortune trying to find out what the problem is and not even Ford's master mechanics have had an answer.”

   NHTSA complaint #754633, filed 2001-11
4. 4
   Tires

   Tire tread separation at highway speed

   Mentioned in 5 of 46 sampled complaints

   Owners describe tread separating from tires at highway speeds, with the tread striking and damaging body panels, exhaust, and wheels, and in one case causing a brief loss of control. Some complaints note the affected tire was not covered by a then-current recall, and one attributes damage to wheel nuts being over-torqued during a tire change. Reported on trucks around 150,000 miles and up, typically at highway speeds.

   Recall 87V140000

   What to check: Check tire age and sidewall condition rather than tread depth alone, and confirm lug nuts were torqued to the spec in the owner's manual after any wheel work.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “When driving on the expressway going approx 55-70 in the fall there was a tread separation of the above firestone tire, on the right front. The tread flew up and hit the right side of the truck, leaving black marks on the paint and knoeking off a portion of the chrome. The tire did not go flat but we were riding on the steel belt. We pulled off at the next exit and replaced the tire. …”

   NHTSA complaint #732217, filed 2000-09

   “Firestone radial baja widetrack p235/75r15, DOT vdhlf0x115, right rear tire experienced tread separation, causing damage to the quarter panel and muffler system, tire failure caused vehicle to swerve and jerk to the side of the road.”

   NHTSA complaint #877936, filed 2001-01

Buying note. These are old trucks, so condition and maintenance history matter more than the model year itself. Prioritize a thorough look at the dash and steering-column wiring, the dual-tank fuel plumbing, and the pedal bracket, and treat any fuel smell as something to resolve before regular use.

Summary written with AI from a sample of 46 NHTSA complaints for this model year (picked at random, with complaints that state a mileage and recent ones taken first), then checked automatically against the source records. Where a problem shows a complaint count, every complaint for this model year was matched with fixed keyword rules (written with AI and tested against the sample), and the mileage, age and repair figures are calculated from those complaints; owners' figures are as stated, not verified. Other counts refer to the sample. The excerpts come from NHTSA's public complaint records and are unverified; capitalisation is normalised, NHTSA staff notes are removed, and shortened text ends with “…”. Something wrong? Request a correction.