Total Complaints
2 filings
Ford F-53 · model year
1991 Ford F-53
2 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
- Complaints
- 2
- Recalls
- 0
The verdict
The 1991 Ford F-53 posts top-quartile complaint standing among its own model-year siblings.
- Top 19%
- fewest complaints, own model years
- 0
- recall campaigns
The 1991FordF-53 carries 2 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 1991 F-53 is service brakes, hydraulic with 1 filings, followed by service brakes (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 1991 F-53, 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.
2
Complaints
0
Crashes
0
Fires
0
Injuries
0
Deaths
F
PlainCars Safety Score
0/100
1991 Ford F-53
PlainCars' own composite of NHTSA NCAP crash-test ratings and rollover-risk assessment, each dimension normalized against the federal scale or the full national model-year corpus. Not an official NHTSA figure, and not a substitute for a specific vehicle's VIN-level recall check.
NHTSA Overall Rating N/A
Not rated
NHTSA New Car Assessment Program overall crash-test rating.
Front Crash N/A
Not rated
Frontal barrier crash-test rating.
Side Crash N/A
Not rated
Side barrier and pole crash-test rating.
Rollover Resistance N/A
Not rated
Static stability factor + dynamic rollover test rating.
Rollover Risk N/A
Not reported
NHTSA single-vehicle rollover probability, dynamic test.
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 |
|---|---|
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC | 1 |
| SERVICE BRAKES | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20140922SERVICE BRAKES
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1991 FORD WINNEBAGO F-53 CHASSIS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH ATTEMPTING TO ENGAGED THE BRAKES, THE VEHICLE DELAYED TO STOP AND ALMOST RESULTED IN A CRASH. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 60,542.
Mileage: 60,542
20030424SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC
I HAVE A SEVERE BREAK FADING PROBLEM. I HAPPENS AFTER YOU HAVE DESCENDED A STEEP DOWNGRADE AND STOP. AT THAT POINT THE BREAK PEDAL GOES COMPLETELY TO THE FLOOR. AFTER A RESTING PERIOD THE PEDAL COMES BACK AGAIN. FORD HAS TOLD ME THE ONLY WAY TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM WITH MY 1991 M53, 50,000 MILES, IS TO DO A $2,500.00 TO $3,000.00 OVERHAUL OF THE BREAK SYSTEM USING PHONELIC PARTS. I FEEL IF AN EXTENSIVE OVERHAUL IS REQUIRED AT THIS POINT, IT WAS A SYSTEM DESIGNED TO FAIL. A SYSTEM DEFECT. THIS PROBLEM COULD HAVE COST THE LIFE OF MY WIFE AND TWO OF MY GRANDCHILDREN AND MYSELF. I HAVE BEEN RESTRICTED TO DRIVING ON FLATLAND EVER SINCE THIS INSTANCE ABOUT 2 YEARS AGO. I HAVE ATTEMPTED TO GET AN ANSWER OR A CORRECTION BUT NO ONE SEEMS TO HAVE ONE EXCEPT $2,500- $3,000. I FEEL FORD HAS A RESPONSIBILITY HERE AND SHOULD PAY ALL OR A SUBSTANTIAL PART OF THE CORRECTION OF THEIR DESIGN ERROR. *NLM
Mileage: 49,100
Compare 1991FordF-53 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
Vehicle Safety Guides
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 1991 Ford F-53 have?▼
The 1991 Ford F-53 has 2 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1991 Ford F-53?▼
The most-complained component for the 1991 Ford F-53 is SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC with 1 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include SERVICE BRAKES.
Is the 1991 Ford F-53 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.
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 1991 Ford F-53; 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.