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1987 Ford F Series

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Limited comparison data

There is not enough comparable history to draw a useful model-year comparison.

About this comparison →
2Owner complaints

Model-year median: 2

0Recall campaigns

View recall details →

3Investigations

View investigation details →

How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

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

What owners reported most

Electrical System
2

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: 1 of 2 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 2 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

0 crash reports1 fire reports0 injury reports

What owners actually said

2 reports
86,500 miles · Jun 27, 2011
Electrical System

FORD MOTOR COMPANY RECALLED 7.5 MILLION TRUCKS WITH DEFECTIVE IGNITION SWITCHES MADE FROM 1988-1996. THEIR LOGIC WAS THAT THE DEFECTIVE IGNITION SWITCHES BEGAN BEING USED IN 5/87, THUS NOT RECALLING 83-87 MODELS. MY COMPLAINT IS THAT I HAVE A LATE MODEL 87 PRODUCED 6/87, WHICH BY FORD'S OWN LOGIC, HAS A DEFECTIVE IGNITION SWIT…

Read full complaint

FORD MOTOR COMPANY RECALLED 7.5 MILLION TRUCKS WITH DEFECTIVE IGNITION SWITCHES MADE FROM 1988-1996. THEIR LOGIC WAS THAT THE DEFECTIVE IGNITION SWITCHES BEGAN BEING USED IN 5/87, THUS NOT RECALLING 83-87 MODELS. MY COMPLAINT IS THAT I HAVE A LATE MODEL 87 PRODUCED 6/87, WHICH BY FORD'S OWN LOGIC, HAS A DEFECTIVE IGNITION SWITCH, BUT NO RECALL ON 87 MODELS. I WOULD LIKE FOR THE NHTSA TO PETITION FORD TO STEP UP AND RECALL LATE MODEL 87 TRUCKS TO REPLACE THIS IGNITION SWITCH. MY TRUCK HASN'T CAUGHT FIRE YET, BUT IT HAS SMOKED FROM THE STEERING COLUMN ONCE BEFORE AND I DON'T SLEEP WELL AT NIGHT KNOWING I MIGHT WAKE UP TO A FLAMING TRUCK. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10409016

Mileage unknown · Feb 19, 1997
Electrical SystemFire

IGNITION SWITCH FIRE.

NHTSA ODI #514960

Official recalls

0

No recalls in this snapshot.

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

3

DP94002 · Defective Wiring

Opened Mar 10, 1994 · Closed Apr 25, 1994

Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Service Brakes, Air:antilock:interconnecting Assembly(wiring)

DEFECTIVE WIRING

PE90023 · Fire In Heater/ac Plenum

Opened Dec 5, 1989 · Closed Mar 1, 1990

Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Visibility:defroster/defogger/hvac System

There is no summary currently available

PE89130 · Firewall Fracture

Opened Jun 15, 1989 · Closed Nov 17, 1989

Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Power Train

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