Total Complaints
12 filings
FORD F150 · model year
1983 FORD F150
12 NHTSA complaints for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1983FORDF150 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, 4 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 1983 F150 is engine and engine cooling:engine:gasoline with 2 filings, followed by tires:tread/belt (2) and tires (2). 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 2 investigation files overlapping the 1983 F150. 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
4
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 |
|---|---|
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE | 2 |
| TIRES:TREAD/BELT | 2 |
| TIRES | 2 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:INTERIOR/UNDER DASH | 1 |
| VISIBILITY:DEFROSTER/DEFOGGER/HVAC SYSTEM:FAN/MOTOR | 1 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH | 1 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:EMISSION CONTROL | 1 |
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:LINKAGES | 1 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:STARTER ASSEMBLY | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20021016TIRES
THESE TIRES ARE SEPARATING AND CLOSE TO BLOWING OUT!! UNFORTUNATELY I CANT AFFORD A NEW SET. THEY ONLY HAVE 15000 MILES ON THEM. I CONTACTED UNIROYAL AND THEY WERE VERY DEFIANT AND BRASH!! SOMEONE IS GOING TO BE KILLED USING THIS TIRE, IF THEY HAVENT ALREADY!! THIS TIRE IS ROTTED AND FALLING APART. IT WAS OBVIOUSLY MADE WITH FAULTY COMPONENTS!! DO YOUR JOD AND GET THIS TIRE OFF THE ROAD!!!!!!! MR
20021016TIRES
THESE TIRES ARE SEPARATING AND CLOSE TO BLOWING OUT!! UNFORTUNATELY I CANT AFFORD A NEW SET. THEY ONLY HAVE 15000 MILES ON THEM. I CONTACTED UNIROYAL AND THEY WERE VERY DEFIANT AND BRASH!! SOMEONE IS GOING TO BE KILLED USING THIS TIRE, IF THEY HAVENT ALREADY!! THIS TIRE IS ROTTED AND FALLING APART. IT WAS OBVIOUSLY MADE WITH FAULTY COMPONENTS!! DO YOUR JOD AND GET THIS TIRE OFF THE ROAD!!!!!!! MR
20010827ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
ENGINE STOPS WHILE DRIVING.STARTER STICKS. *AK
20010827ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:STARTER ASSEMBLY
ENGINE STOPS WHILE DRIVING.STARTER STICKS. *AK
20001019TIRES:TREAD/BELT
TIRE FAILURE-FIRESTONE TOWN & COUNTRY 235/75/R15-TREAD SEPARATION WHILE DRIVING DOWN HIGHWAY. TIRES PURCHASED ON 1/99. INSURED SAVED TIRES. (CLAIM# 48-5136-721) *MW
20001017TIRES:TREAD/BELT
FIRESTONE TIRES EXPERIENCED TREAD SEPARATION. *SLC
19990217VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:LINKAGES
INTERMITTENTLY WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE STALLS UNEXPECTEDLY WHICH ALMOST CAUSED AN ACCIDENT. TOOK DEALER SEVERAL TIMES AND REPLACED CARBURETOR 3 TIMES. DEALER CANNOT DETERMINE PROBLEM. *AK
19981117FireENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:EMISSION CONTROL
VEHICLE DOES NOT HAVE SAFETY CHECK VALVE TO STOP THE FLOW OF FUEL OF VEHICLE WHEN ITS NOT RUNNING .THIS CAUSED A FIRE THAT DESTROYED CONSUMERS HOUSE. COULD HAVE RESULTED IN INJURIES. *AK *SB
19961231FireENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRE.(OHIO STATE POLICE REPORT)
19960516FireELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH
DROVE VEHICLE TO STORE, GOT MIRROR, ARRIVED HOME & PARKED, DAUGHTER G0T PURSE, NOTICED SMOKE, PULLED UP HOOD; FLAMES SHOT UP; VEHICLE BURNED COMPLETELY. *AK
19960213VISIBILITY:DEFROSTER/DEFOGGER/HVAC SYSTEM:FAN/MOTOR
LEAVES GOT INTO THE FRONT BLOWER MOTOR AND CAUSED A FIRE. PLEASE DESCRIBE. TT
19960209FireELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:INTERIOR/UNDER DASH
VEHICLE WAS PARKED TURNED SWITCH SAW SMOKE, AND CONSOLE CAUGHT ON FIRE. TT
Compare 1983FORDF150 to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 1983 FORD F150 have?▼
The 1983 FORD F150 has 12 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 4 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1983 FORD F150?▼
The most-complained component for the 1983 FORD F150 is ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE with 2 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include TIRES:TREAD/BELT and TIRES.
Is the 1983 FORD F150 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.