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1978 Ford F150

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Limited comparison data

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

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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

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: 0 of 4 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 →
  • Power Train. Review the 2 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Steering. 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.

1 crash reports0 fire reports0 injury reports

Power Train complaints

2 reports
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Mileage unknown · Mar 1, 1999
Power TrainCrash

VEHICLE AT INSPECTION STATION. VEHICLE WAS PARKED & MECHANIC WAS CHECKING BRAKE FLUID. VEHICLE SUDDENLY JUMPED OUT OF PARK AND WENT INTO REVERSE. DOOR WAS BENT TOWARDS THE FRONT OF VEHICLE & THEN SWUNG BACK & CLOSED. VEHICLE WENT ACROSS THE STREET & STRUCK LIGHT POST. NO INJURIES. DRIVER'S DOOR COULD NOT OPEN. RECALLS 78V09600…

Read full complaint

VEHICLE AT INSPECTION STATION. VEHICLE WAS PARKED & MECHANIC WAS CHECKING BRAKE FLUID. VEHICLE SUDDENLY JUMPED OUT OF PARK AND WENT INTO REVERSE. DOOR WAS BENT TOWARDS THE FRONT OF VEHICLE & THEN SWUNG BACK & CLOSED. VEHICLE WENT ACROSS THE STREET & STRUCK LIGHT POST. NO INJURIES. DRIVER'S DOOR COULD NOT OPEN. RECALLS 78V096000; 78V035000; 77V185000.

NHTSA ODI #835342

Mileage unknown · Oct 7, 1996
Electrical SystemFuel System, GasolinePower Train

TIE ROD LINK IMPROPERLY INSTALLED.

NHTSA ODI #509537

Official recalls

9

78V168000 · Seat Belts:front:retractor

Aug 7, 1978

THE DRIVER"S SIDE SHOULDER BELT RETRACTOR MOUNTING BRACKET ASSEMBLY CONTAINS A WELD NUT WHICH WAS IMPROPERLY ATTACHED TO THE BRACKET. THIS FAILS TO COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 210, "SEAT BELT ASSEMBLY ANCHORAGES".

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: Not supplied

Remedy: THE DEALER WILL REPAIR THE LEFT SIDE SHOULDER BELT RETRACTOR MOUNTING BRACKET ON THE INVOLVED VEHICLES FREE OF CHARGE.

78V109000 · Steering:linkages

May 15, 1978

THESE VEHICLES MAY BE EQUIPPED WITH STEERING LINKAGES ON WHICH COTTER PINS MAY NOT HAVE BEEN INSTALLED ON CASTELLATED NUTS TO SECURE THE STEERING DRAG LINK AND TIE-ROD CONNECTIONS. ALSO, THESE ATTACHING NUTS MAY NOT HAVE BEEN TIGHTENED TO SPECIFICATIONS. THIS COULD ALLOW LINKAGE SEPARATION.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: Not supplied

Remedy: THE DEALER WILL PERFORM NECESSARY CORRECTIONS TO THE STEERING LINKAGE ATTACHMENTS.

78V096000 · Power Train:automatic Transmission

Apr 28, 1978

SOME OF THESE VEHICLES MAY BE EQUIPPED WITH AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSIONS THAT WERE ASSEMBLED WITH IMPROPERLY MANUFACTURED CAST IRON EXTENSION HOUSINGS. THE HOUSINGS HAVE MISLOCATED CAST CAM PLATE STOPS. A MISLOCATED STOP MAY PREVENT THE TRANSMISSION FROM LOCKING IN THE PARK POSITION WHEN THE GEAR SHIFT SELECTOR LEVER IS PLACED IN THE "P" (PARK) POSITION. IF THIS OCCURS A DRIVER MAY RELY UPON THE READING ON THE GEARSHIFT SELECTOR LEVER INDICATOR AND MAY ASSUME THAT THE TRANSMISSION PARKING GEAR IS ENGAGED.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: Not supplied

Remedy: DEALER WILL INSPECT AND, IF NECESSARY, REPLACE THE TRANSMISSION EXTENSION HOUSING WITHOUT CHARGE TO OWNER.

78V035000 · Power Train:automatic Transmission:lever And Linkage:column Shift

Feb 16, 1978

THE SHIFT SELECTOR REACTION SPRINGS MAY BE DEFORMED AS A RESULT OF IMPROPER INSTALLATION OF SELECTOR LEVERS DURING COLUMN BUILDUP. THUS THE LEVER MAY NOT BE ABLE TO BE MOVED INTO THE INSERT DETENTS LOCATED IN THE STEERING COLUMN ASSEMBLY. THIS COULD PREVENT THE "PARK" GEAR FROM BEING ENGAGED.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: Not supplied

Remedy: DEALER WILL INSPECT AND, IF NECESSARY, REPLACE THE SHIFT SELECTOR REACTION SPRING WITHOUT CHARGE TO OWNER.

78V023000 · Wheels

Jan 30, 1978

SOME OF THE STEEL WHEELS ON THE INVOLVED VEHICLES MAY HAVE BEEN IMPROPERLY MANUFACTURED. THESE WHEELS, OVER A PERIOD OF TIME, COULD CRACK IN THE WHEEL RIM AREA THROUGH NORMAL OPERATION, WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: Not supplied

Remedy: DEALER WILL INSPECT AND, IF NECESSARY, REPLACE THE WHEELS ON THE INVOLVED VEHICLES.

77V198000 · Fuel System, Gasoline:carburetor System

Nov 15, 1977

ON THE INVOLVED VEHICLES, LEAKAGE MAY OCCUR AT THE THREADED CARBURETOR-TO-FUEL FILTER CONNECTION ON THE SUSPECT CARBURETORS. THIS IS DUE TO AN IMPROPERLY MACHINED CARBURETOR FUEL INLET CONNECTION.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: Not supplied

Remedy: DEALER WILL INSPECT AND, IF NECESSARY, WILL REPLACE THE CARBURETOR WITHOUT CHARGE TO OWNER.

77V185000 · Power Train:automatic Transmission:lever And Linkage:column Shift

Oct 25, 1977

ON THE INVOLVED VEHICLES, THE PARK ACTUATION SUPPORT PLATES ARE DEFECTIVE DUE TO THEIR SUSCEPTIBILITY TO CRACKING DUE TO IMPROPER HEAT TREATMENT DURING MANUFACTURE. AS A RESULT, FRAGMENTS FROM A BROKEN PLATE CAN BECOME LODGED IN THE TRANSMISSION PARKING PAWL MECHANISM. THIS COULD PREVENT THE TRANSMISSION PARKING PAWL FROM ENGAGING WHEN THE SELECTOR LEVER IS PLACED IN THE "PARK" POSITION, OR PREVENT THE PAWL FROM BEING DISENGAGED FROM THE PARK GEAR.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: Not supplied

Remedy: THE DEALER WILL REPLACE THE PARK ACTUATION CAM SUPPORT PLATES, FREE OF CHARGE, ON ALL AFFECTED VEHICLES.

77V169000 · Steering:linkages

Oct 12, 1977

THE PITMAN ARM TO STEERING GEAR ATTACHMENT NUTS MAY NOT HAVE BEEN PROPERLY TIGHTENED ON THE INVOLVED VEHICLES. THE NUT COULD COME OFF DURING VEHICLE OPERATION.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: Not supplied

Remedy: DEALER WILL TIGHTEN THE PITMAN ARM ATTACHING NUT TO THE CORRECT SPECIFICATIONS WITHOUT CHARGE TO OWNER.

77V161000 · Vehicle Speed Control

Sep 23, 1977

SOME OF THE INVOLVED VEHICLES MAY HAVE DEFECTIVE CARBURETORS IN WHICH, UNDER CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES, THE SECONDARY THROTTLE PLATES MAY STICK OPEN.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: Not supplied

Remedy: DEALER WILL INSPECT AND, IF NECESSARY, REPLACE THE CARBURETOR AT NO CHARGE TO OWNER.

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

0

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.