Total Complaints
20 filings
FORD E150 · model year
1987 FORD E150
20 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 1987FORDE150 carries 20 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 0 crashes, 8 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 1987 E150 is electrical system:wiring with 4 filings, followed by fuel system, gasoline:storage:auxillary tank:selector devices (3) and electrical system:ignition:switch (2). 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 1987 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.
20
Complaints
0
Crashes
8
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:WIRING | 4 |
| FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:AUXILLARY TANK:SELECTOR DEVICES | 3 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH | 2 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:MANIFOLD/HEADER/MUFFLER/TAIL PIPE | 2 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE | 2 |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC | 1 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:MODULE | 1 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FRONT UNDERHOOD | 1 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | 1 |
| STEERING:GEAR BOX (OTHER THAN RACK AND PINION) | 1 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION | 1 |
| TIRES:TREAD/BELT | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20030714ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:MANIFOLD/HEADER/MUFFLER/TAIL PIPE
THE EXHAUST MANIFOLD IS CRACKED ON THE RIGHT SIDE. THE EXHAUST FUMES LEAK. THE CONSUMER FEELS THIS A MANUFACTURER'S DEFECT. *AK *TS
Mileage: 70,000
20011127ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
VEHICLE STALLS AT ANY TIME/ ANY SPEED. MECHANIC CANNOT FIND CAUSE. *AK
20010424TIRES:TREAD/BELT
TIRE TREAD SEPARATION WITH NEAR LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL AT 65 MPH IN A STRAIGHT LINE. TIRE PRESSURE ABOUT 30 PSI. VEHICLE WAS EMPTY EXCEPT FOR DRIVER. AN IDENTICAL TIRE ON THIS VEHICLE ALSO HAD TREAD SEPARATION, BUT FAILURE WAS NOT DRAMATIC.*AK (DOT NUMBER: VDHH1LH416 TIRESIZE: P225/75R15)
20001109ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION
VEHICLE STALLS AT ANY SPEED. MECHANIC REPLACED COIL, IGNITION MODULE AND OUTPUT WIRE. *AK
20000926STEERING:GEAR BOX (OTHER THAN RACK AND PINION)
CONSUMER WAS BACKING UP WHEN THE THREE BOLTS SECURING THE STEERING GEARBOX TO THE FRAME OF THE VEHICLE FRACTURES AT THE FACE OF THE GEARBOX RENDERING THE VEHICLE UNSTEERABLE. NLM
20000814FireENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
VEHICLE EXPERIENCED ENGINE FIRE WHILE DRIVING (OHIO TRAFFIC CRASH REPORT). *MJS
19981210FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:AUXILLARY TANK:SELECTOR DEVICES
PE88050, THE DUAL TANKS SELECTOR VALVE MALFUNCTIONED, CAUSING THE TANKS TO GET OVERPRESSURIZED, WHICH CAUSED THE FUEL SPILL OVER. MAY CAUSE A FIRE. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK
19980616FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:AUXILLARY TANK:SELECTOR DEVICES
EXPERIENCING AN OVERFILL IN ONE TANK, RESULTING IN AN OVERFLOW IN THE SECOND TANK, CAUSING A FUEL LEAK AT THE FILLER NECK. ALSO THERE IS A RECALL FOR THE PROBLEM 91V146000, MFR 91S39. VEHICLE NOT INCLUDED. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK
19980522ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:MANIFOLD/HEADER/MUFFLER/TAIL PIPE
THE EXHAUST MANIFOLD HAD CRACKED. STARTED TO LEAK CARBON MONOXIDE INTO PASSENGER'S COMPARMENT. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER & WAS INFORMED BY THE MECHANIC THAT THE COMPUTER IS NOT SHOWING ANYTHING WRONG WITH MANIFOLD. *AK
19960827FireELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH
ELECTRICAL SHORT, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO CATCH ON FIRE. *AK *SLC
19960827FireELECTRICAL SYSTEM
ELECTRICAL SHORT, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO CATCH ON FIRE. *AK *SLC
19960701FireELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FRONT UNDERHOOD
THE TRUCK CAUGHT ON FIRE FROM UNDER THE HOOD, CLOSEST TO THE WINDOW. THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED. PLEASE DESCRIBE. *AK
19960529FireELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING
THE VEHICLE HAS CAUGHT ON FIRE TWICE DUE TO THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM. PLEASE DESCRIBE. *AK
19960528FireELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:MODULE
VEHICLE WAS PARKED, UNDER THE HOOD COMPARTMENT FIRE, ELECTRICAL SHORT, IGNITION SWITCH, WIRING STARTED TO BURN. *AK
19960506ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH
HAD IGNITION SWITCH REPLACED BECAUSE IT STOP WWORKING. PLEASE DESCRIBE. *AK
19960502ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING
THE TRUCK WIRING SYSTEM BURNED UP WHILE ON THE FORD CAR DEALESHIP LOT. NOW IT IS POPPING AND CRACKING AND IS BURNING AGAIN. PLEASE DESCRIBE. *AK
19960502ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING
THE TRUCK WIRING SYSTEM BURNED UP WHILE ON THE FORD CAR DEALESHIP LOT. NOW IT IS POPPING AND CRACKING AND IS BURNING AGAIN. PLEASE DESCRIBE. *AK
19960422FireELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING
ELECTRICAL WIRES BURNT ON (2) OCCASIONS.AK CONSUMER STATES EXHAUST LEAKED BUT DEALER COULD NOT FIND THE LEAK, CLAMP WAS MISSING , FRONT BRAKES WOLD VIBRATE DEALER SAID THERE WAS NO PROBLEM, RIGHT FRONT ROTOR AND CALIPER WAS REPLACED, ON TWO OCCASIONS, THE PROBLEM WAS THE PISTON IN CALIPER OT WOULD GRIND.*JB
19960422FireSERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC
ELECTRICAL WIRES BURNT ON (2) OCCASIONS.AK CONSUMER STATES EXHAUST LEAKED BUT DEALER COULD NOT FIND THE LEAK, CLAMP WAS MISSING , FRONT BRAKES WOLD VIBRATE DEALER SAID THERE WAS NO PROBLEM, RIGHT FRONT ROTOR AND CALIPER WAS REPLACED, ON TWO OCCASIONS, THE PROBLEM WAS THE PISTON IN CALIPER OT WOULD GRIND.*JB
19950314FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:AUXILLARY TANK:SELECTOR DEVICES
WHEN FRONT TANK SELECTED, TRANSFER VALVE FILLS UP REAR TANK. WHEN REAR IS FULL, VALVE LEAKS. TT
Compare 1987FORDE150 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 1987 FORD E150 have?▼
The 1987 FORD E150 has 20 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 8 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1987 FORD E150?▼
The most-complained component for the 1987 FORD E150 is ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING with 4 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:AUXILLARY TANK:SELECTOR DEVICES and ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH.
Is the 1987 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 1987 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.