Total Complaints
8 filings
FORD F350 · model year
1987 FORD F350
8 NHTSA complaints for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1987FORDF350 carries 8 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 0 crashes, 1 fire, 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 1987 F350 is tires with 3 filings, followed by electrical system:ignition (1) and power train:automatic transmission:lever and linkage:column shift (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 1987 F350, 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.
8
Complaints
0
Crashes
1
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 |
|---|---|
| TIRES | 3 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION | 1 |
| POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:LEVER AND LINKAGE:COLUMN SHIFT | 1 |
| EXTERIOR LIGHTING:TURN SIGNAL | 1 |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP | 1 |
| SUSPENSION | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20050121SUSPENSION
RECALL CAMPAIGN; MY TRUCK WAS PART OF THE RECALL, WHICH HAD BEEN COMPLETED. UNFORTUNATES NEITHER DEALER OR MY RECORDS SUPPORT THAT MY TRUCK WAS SERVED. *BF RECALL CAMPAIGN THE CONSUMERS STEERING FAILED IN HER VEHICLE. NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER : 88V015000 *TC
20020529TIRES
THE VEHICLES LEFT REAR TIRE BROKE OFF WHILE THE CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING AND CAUSED REAR BRAKE DRUMS TO CRACK,(NO TIRE INFOR GIVEN). (OHIO TRAFFIC CRASH REPORT)*YH
20020429TIRES
SERIAL # ANOR LT U460. TIRE HAS 10/32" TREAD, TREAD PEELED OFF LIKE A RECAP RIPPING OUT FRONT AND REAR SIDE PANELS, HAD TO BE TOWED FROM SCENE. WE HAVE THE TIRE AND THE PEELED OFF TREAD FOR INSPECTION. IT LOOKS AS THOUGH RUBBER WAS NOT PROPERLY BONDED TO CASING. WE CONTACTED U.S.ROYAL WHO DENIED RESPONSIBILITY. THIS COULD HAS BEEN A DISASTEROUS ACCIDENT HAD THE VEHICLE BEEN GOING FASTER, VEHICLE HAD JUST STARTED FROM STOP SIGN, TURNED RIGHT AND STARTED GOING UPHILL WHENN TREAD PEELED OFF WITH TREMENDOUS NOISE DAMAGING SIDE OF VEHICLE. TIRE WAS PROPERLY INFLATED AND VEHICLE WAS NOT LOADED WITH MORE THAN 150 LBS PLUS DRIVER. WE FEEL THAT MANUFACTURER IS TURNING AWAY FROM A POSSIBLE RECALL SITUATION. WE HAVE TIRE CASING STILL MOUNTED ON RIM AND THE TREAD COMPLETE WHICH SEPERATED FROM CASING. PLEASE COMMENT. *AK
20010208SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP
VEHICLE HAS AN UNUSUAL LONG BRAKING DISTANCE WHEN APPLYING BRAKES HARD, THIS HAPPENS INTERMITTENTLY.*AK
19980729EXTERIOR LIGHTING:TURN SIGNAL
WHEN PUSHING DOWN ON THE TURN SIGNAL TO TURN LEFT AND STEERING WHEEL IS A LITTLE TO RIGHT, THE TURN SIGNAL WILL NOT GO DOWN OR STAY DOWN. THE DEALER IS NOT ABLE TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM. *AK
19971106TIRES
TRUCK LOST TWO RIGHT REAR TIRES, THE TIRES COLLIDED WITH VEHICLE.
19971027POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:LEVER AND LINKAGE:COLUMN SHIFT
THE TRANSFER CASE GETS STUCK IN THE WRONG GEAR. THE PROBLEM HAS OCCURRED 3 TIMES. *AK
19970213FireELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION
ELECTRICAL SHORT, UNDER THE DASH COMPARTMENT FIRE, THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED, VEHICLE INTERIOR BURNED
Compare 1987FORDF350 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 1987 FORD F350 have?▼
The 1987 FORD F350 has 8 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 1 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1987 FORD F350?▼
The most-complained component for the 1987 FORD F350 is TIRES with 3 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION and POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:LEVER AND LINKAGE:COLUMN SHIFT.
Is the 1987 FORD F350 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.