Total Complaints
3 filings
FORD E150 · model year
1985 FORD E150
3 NHTSA complaints. A VIN lookup is required to determine whether a specific vehicle has an unrepaired recall.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1985FORDE150 carries 3 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 fatalities. No NCAP 5-star crash-test rating is available for this model year in the federal database.
The most frequently selected component label in reports for the 1985 E150 is seats:front assembly:recliner with 1 filings, followed by fuel system, other:fuel injection system (1) and tires (1). Complaint categories reflect owner reports and intake categorization; they do not establish a defect pattern or cause.
NHTSA currently has 179 investigation files overlapping the 1985 E150, and 6 remain open. Owners comparing this cohort against neighboring years should read the complaint-by-year trend as report volume, not a causal diagnosis. Use the related-complaint feed and the official recall lookup when researching a specific vehicle.
3
Complaints
0
Crashes
0
Fires
0
Injuries
0
Deaths
Crashes Reported
0 reports
Source
NHTSA ODI
Federal complaints database
Complaints vs. fleet median (215)
At or below the fleet median complaint volume.
Complaints by Component
| Component | Count |
|---|---|
| SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:RECLINER | 1 |
| FUEL SYSTEM, OTHER:FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM | 1 |
| TIRES | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20000322TIRES
WINSTON (COOPER) (V9HLWBE) TIRES DELAMINATED ON SIX TIRES, ONE INCIDENT CAUSED DAMAGE TO VAN REAR CORNER PANEL. MJS
19980424FUEL SYSTEM, OTHER:FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM
CARBURETOR STALLS CONTINUOUSLY AND WILL NOT RUN IN COLD WEATHER.
19961216SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:RECLINER
DRIVER GOT INTO VEHICLE & SAT DOWN, DRIVER'S SEAT BACK JUST GAVE WAY, BENT TOWARDS THE REAR, AN "L" SHAPE METAL ON BACK OF SEAT BENT & WAS OUT OF PLACE, OWNER WILL NOT TOUCH IT. *AK
Compare 1985FORDE150 to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations 6 Open
EA26004Engineering AnalysisOpen
Timing Belt Failure
DP26004Defect PetitionOpen
Anti-lock brake system (ABS) Malfunction Indicator Lamp (MIL) illuminated
EA26001Engineering AnalysisOpen
Unintended Transmission Downshift and Rear Wheel Lock-up
PE25020Preliminary EvaluationClosed
Timing Belt Failure
DP25001Defect PetitionClosed
Underbody shields detachment
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 1985 FORD E150 have?▼
The 1985 FORD E150 has 3 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1985 FORD E150?▼
The most-complained component for the 1985 FORD E150 is SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:RECLINER with 1 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include FUEL SYSTEM, OTHER:FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM and TIRES.
Is the 1985 FORD E150 safe to buy?▼
Review the complaint history, crash and fire reports, safety ratings, and recall status on this page to make an informed decision. No NHTSA crash test rating is available for this model year. Compare with other model years using the links above.
Where does this data come from?▼
All complaint, recall, and safety rating data is sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Complaints are filed by vehicle owners through NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation.
Vehicle Safety Guides
Data vintage: August 2026. Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) complaints database, NHTSA recall campaign API, NHTSA NCAP crash-test ratings, and NHTSA FARS for fatality cross-reference.
Every figure on PlainCars is rendered directly from NHTSA complaint and safety data, no number is typed in by an editor. This year-specific record is rendered from NHTSA ODI, recall, and NCAP rows for the 1985 FORD E150; no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of August 2026.
Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.