1990 Ford F-150 Fuel system Problems
- Complaints
- 146about this part
- Share
- 53%of 275 total for the year
- Median mileage
- 102,000miles
- Trend
- FallingComplaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are at least 25% lower than in the 3 years before.
NHTSA recorded 146 complaints about the fuel system of the 1990 Ford F-150, 53% of the 275 complaints for this model year. Where a mileage was given, the median is 102,000 miles. 1 of these say a crash was involved and 5 a fire, according to the filers. 2 recall campaigns on record are filed under a similar system.
Example complaints
Selected from NHTSA records; personal details are removed. They are consumer reports, not findings.
“I had filled my truck up and fuel started to pour out from somewhere out of the gas tank I didn't know what was going on I stop this guy & he had a jug he caught some of the gas I was hoping didn't no one throw a cig. Cause we would have been threw this was march 14, 2015 & it also happened in 2012 I was riding then someone told me my truck was leaking.”
NHTSA complaint #10836254, filed 2016-02, 52,000 miles“Replace front fuel pump, and have been using that tank exclusively as it starts and runs better than the rear. This morning I noticed fuel leaking from the rear tank, which was half full when I started using the front tank. I opened the filler neck and gas was spilling out. I turned the key to start position and the rear tank showed completely full. The return line from the front tank has been return unused fuel to the rear tank, causing it to overflow.”
NHTSA complaint #11376845, filed 2020-11, 71,000 miles“The fuel started to run out of the front fuel tank. I lost most of the fuel out of the rear tank that spilled on the road. I think that this is a fire waiting to happen. Now I do not use the rear tank to stop the problem. I have not fixed the problem because Ford has had this problem with many of there trucks and they should fix a fuel problem. That has happened in many of there trucks no matter of the mileage or age.”
NHTSA complaint #10155113, filed 2006-04, 189,000 miles“I was on my way home smelled gas coming from the truck. I have duel tanks on my truck. I just filled the front tank, and only went 10 miles and notice the tank was on little over half full. So I switch to the back tank and it was way over full and gas coming out of the filler tube. I have owned this truck from new and have never received a notice to bring in the truck for problems with the tanks running over. Ford did put out a fix for this problem by adding outside check valves to the tanks f3ta-9j274-aa, I could have been burned or blown up and my family. …”
NHTSA complaint #10625850, filed 2014-08, 100,800 miles“I have a 1990 Ford f150 truck. On 3 different occasions fuel from the back tank has flowed over into the front tank. On all three occasions, I have gone to my truck to find gasoline all over the ground. I still had to put a bucket under the tanks fillers to allow the excess gas in the front tank to flow down.on two occasions I had the truck parked in the garage. The gas that flowed out covered almost my entire garage floor. On the third occasion, enough gas had flowed from the tank to reach my lawn. …”
NHTSA complaint #10124401, filed 2005-06, 149,993 milesRelated recalls
- 93V125000Aug 2, 1993A malfunctioning check valve within the fuel pump assembly causes a portion of the unused fuel from one tank to be returned to the second tank. When this…Covers: Ford F-150 1990–1993, F-250 1990–1993, F-350 1990–1993 +1 more
- 89V141000Aug 15, 1989Incorrectly installed fuel line connectors have fuel supply and return lines crossed.Covers: Ford F-150 1990, F-250 1990, F-350 1990
Fuel system: other model years
| Year | Complaints | Share of year |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 4 | 4% |
| 2024 | 6 | 3% |
| 2023 | 10 | 2% |
| 2022 | 92 | 15% |
| 2021 | 94 | 9% |
| 2020 | 14 | 2% |
| 2019 | 24 | 2% |
| 2018 | 64 | 3% |
| 2017 | 28 | 2% |
| 2016 | 95 | 5% |
| 2015 | 81 | 5% |
| 2014 | 72 | 5% |
| 2013 | 159 | 5% |
| 2012 | 119 | 7% |
| 2011 | 117 | 5% |
| 2010 | 58 | 7% |
| 2009 | 22 | 7% |
| 2008 | 27 | 7% |
| 2007 | 54 | 11% |
| 2006 | 59 | 10% |
| 2005 | 82 | 7% |
| 2004 | 74 | 4% |
| 2003 | 46 | 11% |
| 2002 | 86 | 10% |
| 2001 | 132 | 11% |
| 2000 | 152 | 14% |
| 1999 | 132 | 13% |
| 1998 | 201 | 15% |
| 1997 | 246 | 9% |
| 1996 | 53 | 16% |
| 1995 | 65 | 10% |
| 1994 | 113 | 17% |
| 1993 | 288 | 49% |
| 1992 | 245 | 52% |
| 1991 | 154 | 51% |
| 1990 | 146 | 53% |
| 1989 | 95 | 42% |
| 1988 | 28 | 20% |
| 1987 | 23 | 25% |
| 1986 | 10 | 16% |
| 1985 | 1 | 4% |
| 1984 | 1 | 7% |
Other parts of the 1990 Ford F-150
37 complaintsEngine cooling
21 complaintsTires
19 complaintsBrakes
18 complaintsTransmission and drivetrain
13 complaintsSteering
7 complaintsSuspension
6 complaintsOther or unknown
5 complaintsVehicle speed control
5 complaintsBody and structure
4 complaintsVisibility (wipers, defrost, mirrors)
3 complaintsExterior lighting
2 complaints
← All problems reported for the 1990 Ford F-150
About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 31, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.
To check a specific vehicle for open recalls, use its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. Methodology