Total Complaints
12 filings
FORD E150 · model year
1986 FORD E150
12 NHTSA complaints for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1986FORDE150 carries 12 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 0 crashes, 5 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 fatalities. No NCAP 5-star crash-test rating is available for this model year in the federal database.
Component-level analysis is where model-year complaints become actionable: the top complaint category for the 1986 E150 is electrical system:ignition:switch with 3 filings, followed by steering:linkages (1) and electrical system:alternator/generator/regulator (1). Concentration in one or two component groups is the classic signature of a systemic defect; a flat distribution usually reflects normal aging, warranty complaints, or isolated build-plant variability.
NHTSA currently has 177 investigation files overlapping the 1986 E150, and 8 remain open. Owners comparing this cohort against neighboring years should pair the counters above with the complaint-by-year trend on the parent model page — a spike in a single year often tracks to a platform refresh, a new transmission supplier, or an updated ECU calibration. Use the related-complaint feed below to read raw owner narratives before deciding whether any pattern here affects your specific use case.
12
Complaints
0
Crashes
5
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 |
|---|---|
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH | 3 |
| STEERING:LINKAGES | 1 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:ALTERNATOR/GENERATOR/REGULATOR | 1 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FUSES AND CIRCUIT BREAKERS | 1 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FRONT UNDERHOOD | 1 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:INTERIOR/UNDER DASH | 1 |
| TIRES | 1 |
| TIRES:TREAD/BELT | 1 |
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:CRUISE CONTROL | 1 |
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20030307VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
THE THROTTLE STUCK, WHICH CAUSED UNWANTED SUDDEN ACCELERATION. ON ONE OCCASION THE THROTTLE BODY WAS DIRTY AND ON ANOTHER OCCASION, WITH THE CRUISE CONTROL ON, THE VACUUM LINE MALFUNCTIONED. IN EITHER CASE, PRESSING DOWN ON THE BRAKE PEDAL DID NOT STOP THE VEHICLE. THE ONLY WAY TO STOP THE VEHICLE WAS TO TURN OFF THE IGNITION. *TT *JB
20030228VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:CRUISE CONTROL
THE CRUISE CONTROL VACUUM LINE HAD KINKED WHILE THR CRUISE WAS ON, THE THROTTLE BODY HAD STUCK, AND THE BRAKE PEDAL HAD BECOME INOPERATIVE. SCC *JB
20001010TIRES:TREAD/BELT
DURING TEXAS TRIP, 1 TIRE WENT FLAT. UPON INSPECTION AND REPLACEMENT, IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE CAUSE WAS TREAD SEPARATION. FOLLOWING SUMMER, OTHER TIRES WERE SHOWING SIMILAR BREAKDOWN (NOTELABLY DEEP CRACKS IN THE SIDEWALLS). I WENT BACK TO THE TIRE DEALER THAT HAD SOLD ME THE FIRESTONES AND BOUGHT NEW TIRES (NOT FIRESTONES). I ASKED THE DEALER TO INQUIRE ABOUT THE CRACKS WITH A FIRESTONE REP. I WAS NEVER APPRAISED AS TO THE REPS. ANSWER BUT WAS TOLD BY THE DEALER THAT NEXT TIME I NEEDED TIRES I WOULD GET A GOOD DEAL ON THEM. SEEING AS THE TIRES WERE OLD, I FELT THIS WAS ABOUT THE BEST I COULD EXPECT. I DIDN'T THINK MUCH OF IT UNTIL I HEARD ABOUT THE PROBLEM WITH FIRESTONE LIGHT TRUCK TIRES ON THE RADIO TODAY. I STILL HAVE MY ORIGINAL RECEIPT FOR THE TIRES AND MAY STILL HAVE A PHOTOGRAPH OF THE TIRE THAT WAS REPLACED IT TEXAS. OBVIOUSLY, I NO LONGER HAVE THE TIRES. THEY WERE ORIGINALLY PURCHASED IN 1993. *AK (TIRESIZE: LTP235R15)( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: LTP235R15 )
19971003TIRES
RIGHT REAR WHEEL FELL OFF, DAMAGING VEHICLE.
19961231ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FRONT UNDERHOOD
WIRING HARNESSES BURNT OUT.
19961231ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:INTERIOR/UNDER DASH
WIRING HARNESSES BURNT OUT.
19960923FireELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FUSES AND CIRCUIT BREAKERS
IGNITION SWITCH SHORTED, CAUSING FIRE, BURNING WIRING HARNESS UNDER THE HOOD.
19960923FireELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH
IGNITION SWITCH SHORTED, CAUSING FIRE, BURNING WIRING HARNESS UNDER THE HOOD.
19960628FireELECTRICAL SYSTEM:ALTERNATOR/GENERATOR/REGULATOR
ELECTRICAL CIRCUIT TO IAR ALTERNATOR GETS TOO HOT START TO ARC AND SHORTS OUT. RESULTING IN VEHCILE FIRE. *AK
19960418FireELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH
AFTER PARKING CAR, NOTICED WHITE SMOKING COMING FROM THE FRONT END OF THE CAR, THEN NOTICED FIRE, POSSIBILE ELECTRICAL SHORT. *AK
19960418FireELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH
AFTER PARKING CAR, NOTICED WHITE SMOKING COMING FROM THE FRONT END OF THE CAR, THEN NOTICED FIRE, POSSIBILE ELECTRICAL SHORT. *AK
19960201STEERING:LINKAGES
WORN BUSHINGS, CAUSING STEERING TO BECOME LOOSE. *DSH
Compare 1986FORDE150 to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations 8 Open
EA26001Engineering AnalysisOpen
Unintended Transmission Downshift and Rear Wheel Lock-up
PE25020Preliminary EvaluationOpen
Timing Belt Failure
DP25001Defect PetitionOpen
Underbody shields detachment
PE25007Preliminary EvaluationOpen
B-Pillar Trim Detachment
PE25002Preliminary EvaluationClosed
Unintended Transmission Downshift and Rear Wheel Lock-up
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 1986 FORD E150 have?▼
The 1986 FORD E150 has 12 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 5 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1986 FORD E150?▼
The most-complained component for the 1986 FORD E150 is ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH with 3 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include STEERING:LINKAGES and ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:ALTERNATOR/GENERATOR/REGULATOR.
Is the 1986 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 as of 2025. 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.
Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.