FORD F350 · model year

1990 FORD F350

63 NHTSA complaints for this specific cohort.

NHTSA overall rating

Not crash-tested

New Car Assessment Program

The 1990FORDF350 carries 63 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, 6 injuries, and 1 fatality. 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 1990 F350 is service brakes, hydraulic:foundation components with 9 filings, followed by service brakes, hydraulic:antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip (5) and fuel system, gasoline:storage:auxillary tank:selector devices (4). 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 1990 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.

63
Complaints
0
Crashes
4
Fires
6
Injuries
1
Deaths

Total Complaints

63 filings

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

ComponentCount
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS9
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP5
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:AUXILLARY TANK:SELECTOR DEVICES4
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE4
SUSPENSION:FRONT2
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION2
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE2
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM2
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY2
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FRONT UNDERHOOD1
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION1
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:MASTER CYLINDER1
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:PADS1
VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER:MOTOR1
STRUCTURE:BODY:DOOR1

Recent Complaints

20050617FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:AUXILLARY TANK:SELECTOR DEVICES

DT: THE CROSS OVER OF THE FUEL IMPROPERLY OVERFILLS THE SECOND TANK, SPILLING FUEL OUT OF VEHICLE. THERE WERE 2 SAFETY RECALLS OF THIS ITEM. BUT FORD WAS SAYING THAT ONE RECALL WAS TAKEN CARE OF BY A PREVIOUS OWNER. THE SECOND RECALL EXPIRED, AND FORD WILL NOT FIX THIS PROBLEM. FORD HAS BEEN CONTACTED BY THE CUSTOMER AND THE REPAIR FACILITY. FORD WAS STILL NOT WILLING TO HELP. THIS HAS BEEN A PROBLEM FOR A COUPLE OF MONTHS. THE CUSTOMER WAS HAVING IT REPAIRED AT HIS OWN EXPENSE. IF THERE WAS A SAFETY ISSUE ON THIS PROBLEM IT SHOULD BE TAKEN CARE OFF BY DEALER NO MATTER HOW MANY TIMES IT COMES UP.*AK *JB

Mileage: 44,470

20040827FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:AUXILLARY TANK

VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO DEALER FOR RECALL REPAIRS ABOUT 5 YEARS AGO. VEHICLE HAD DUEL GAS TANKS. THE RECALL WAS ISSUED BECAUSE ONE TANK WOULD PUMP GAS INTO THE OTHER TANK, AND WHEN IT WAS FULL IT WOULD SPILL OVER, CREATING A FIRE HAZARD. AFTER RECALL REPAIRS WERE DONE THE PROBLEM RECURRED. CONSUMER FELT THAT THE PROPER WORK FOR THE RECALL WAS INSUFFICIENTLY DONE BECAUSE OF WHAT WAS HAPPENING CURRENTLY. *AK

Mileage: 180,000

20030618TIRES:TREAD/BELT

WHILE TRAVELING, THE CONSUMER HEARD A LOUD POPPING NOISE. THE CONSUMER PULLED OVER AND SAW THE RIGHT FRONT TIRE TREAD SEPARATED FROM THE WHEEL. FIRESTONE STEELTEX, LT 265/75R16. *AK *SCC *JB

Mileage: 1,500

20020211FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY

I AM SPEAKING ON BEHALF OF THE OWNER, I AM TED SCHORE OF OCALA,FL PINEYWOODS AUTOMOTIVE 352-629-6727 THE CUSTOMER HAD THE TRUCK TOWED IN BECAUSE OF A NO START (BATTERY WAS BAD) AND AFTER THE REPAIR AND RUNNING NOTICED A FUEL SMELL AND LARGE FUEL LEAK FROM THE BELL HOUSING AREA. THE LEAK WAS FROM THE FUEL RETURN LINE FROM THE PRESSURE REGULATOR TO THE CONNECTION TO THE LINE FROM THE TANK, APPROX 12 INCHES LONG AND METAL. THE PINCH WELD ABOVE THE BELL HOUSING RUBBED THE LINE THROUGH. I CHECK FOR SERVICE BULLETINS AND RECALLS AND FOUND A RECALL NUMBER 94S80, I CALLED THE LOCAL FORD DEALER TO ARRANGE TOWING AND FOR THE RECALL TO BE PERFORMED AND WAS TOLD THE RECALL HAD ALREADY BEEN DONE BY BAY HARBOR FORD IN ENGLEWOOD FLORIDA. I CALLED THE 1-800 NUMBER GIVEN TO ME BY THE LOCAL DEALER (DEARBORN?) AND WAS TOLD THE IT HAD INDEED BEEN DONE BUT THEY WERE NOT GOING TO DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT NOW, I INFORMED THEM THAT ALTHOUGH THEY SHOW IT BEING DONE THAT IT WAS NOT THEY PRETTY MUCH SAID IT WAS NOT

20020205FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY

THERE HAS BEEN MULTIPLE RECALL NOTICES FOR THE FORD F-SERIES DUAL FUEL TANK DESIGN FLAW. WHEN BOTH TANKS ON MY TRUCK ARE FILLED TO CAPACITY, ONE TANK WILL EMPTY ITS CONTENTS INTO THE OTHER FULL FUEL TANK AND WILL SPRAY OUT FUEL ON TO THE ROAD AND OTHER VEHICLES POSING A GREAT FIRE HAZARD. EACH TIME I HAVE TAKEN MY TRUCK IN TO HAVE THE RECALL PERFORMED ON MY TRUCK BY THE LOCAL DEALER (MCCULLOM FORD IN SPOKANE WA) THEY HAVE RETURNED MY TRUCK WITHOUT FIXING THE PROBLEM. THEY HAVE INDICATED THAT THEY HAVE PERFORMED FORDS RECOMMENDED FIX AND THAT IT HAS NOT SOLVED THE PROBLEM. THIS IS A FORD MOTOR CO. DESIGN FLAW. I WOULD LIKE MORE INFORMATION ON HOW I CAN HAVE THIS UNSAFE CONDITION ADDRESSED. THANK YOU.*AK

20011015FireENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:MANIFOLD/HEADER/MUFFLER/TAIL PIPE

WHILE DRIVING EMERGENCY SPARE TIRE UNDERNEATH VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE. FIRE WAS CAUSED BY EXHAUST PIPE BEING TOO CLOSE. MANUFACTURER NOTIFIED. FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK

20010220FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:AUXILLARY TANK:SELECTOR DEVICES

93 V 125 000/FUEL TANK ASSEMBLY: VEHICLE EXPERIENCED A PORTION OF UNUSED FUEL FROM ONE TANK TO BE RETURNED TO SECOND TANK. WHEN THIS OCCURRED SECOND TANK EXCEEDED, CAUSING FUEL SPILLAGES. SPILLED FUEL COULD RESULT IN A FIRE WHEN EXPOSED TO A SOURCE OF IGNITION. DEALER NOTIFIED, AND INFORMED CONSUMER THAT VIN SHOWED THAT RECALL REPAIRS WERE DONE ON THIS VEHICLE. BUT PROBLEM HAS REOCCURRED, AND DEALER REFUSED TO HELP IN THIS MATTER. PLEASE FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS ON THIS MATTER: *AK

20001127TIRES

THIS PARTICULAR TIRE EXPLODED @ ABOUT 60 MPH ON MY TRUCK .I HAD A 5TH WHEEL TRAILER ON BEHIND AT THE TIME . IT CAUSED 1150.00 DOLLARS DAMAGE TO THE TRUCK. THIS IS THE 7TH OR EIGHTH TIRE OF THE SAME BRAND &TYPE THAT I HAD GO BAD. THE OTHERS HAD THE BELTS COME LOOSE AND START VIBERATING. I WOULD TAKE THEM BACK TO A SEARS STORE AND THEY WOULD GIVE ME AN ADJUSTMENT AND CHARGE ME 75% OF A NEW TIRE AND PUT THE SAME TYPE BACK ON. I WOULD QUESTION THEM ABOUT THE SAFTY OF THE TIRE & THEY WOULD JUST SHAKE THEIR HEADS. THE FIRST TWO TIRES WERE BOUGHT IN FARMINGTON NM. ON THE28TH OF JULY 1998.THE LAST TWO WERE BOUGHT THE 19 OF OCT.1999 . TWO MORE WERE REMOVED THE 6TH OF SEPT. 2000 BUT WERE REPLACED WITH DIFFERENT TYPE . IWAS TOLD THE QUIT MAKING IT IN MY SIZE. I STILL HAVE THREE IN MY POSESSION . ONE IS BLOWN AND THEY WANT ME TO SEND IT TO PIRELLI FOR EVAUATION. SEARS WANTS TO PASS THE BUCK TO PIRELLI . IT IS MY CONTENTION THE TIRES ARE DIFFENETLY DANGEROUS TO THE PUBLIC. I WAS VERY LUCK

20001115ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE

CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING 60 MPH & VEHICLE STALLED. REAR FUEL TANK SPILLED GAS ALL OVER HIGHWAY. WHEN VEHICLE WAS BEING TOWED TO FORD DEALER FUEL TANK FELL OFF. SHIELD THAT GUARDS THE TANK DROPPED & GAS LINES WERE DISCONNECTED. *AK

20001115FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY

CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING 60 MPH & VEHICLE STALLED. REAR FUEL TANK SPILLED GAS ALL OVER HIGHWAY. WHEN VEHICLE WAS BEING TOWED TO FORD DEALER FUEL TANK FELL OFF. SHIELD THAT GUARDS THE TANK DROPPED & GAS LINES WERE DISCONNECTED. *AK

20000426ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE

CONSUMER RECEIVED LETTER OF CONCERN (98C01) WHICH DISCUSSES ENGINE PROBLEMS, HOWEVER VEHICLE EXPERIENCED SEVERE ENGINE FAILURE DUE TO LACK OF PRIOR NOTIFICATION, DENIED REIMBURSEMENT COSTS OF REPAIR. *MJS

20000413ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FUSES AND CIRCUIT BREAKERS

BACK OF THE FUSE BOX MELTED, AND CONSUMER LOST ELECTRICAL POWER. *AK

19991001FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:AUXILLARY TANK:SELECTOR DEVICES

WHEN FILLING UP BOTH DUAL TANKS FUEL SPITS BACK OUT AND THAT COULD CAUSE A FIRE. *AK

19990505ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE

ENGINE WAS LOSING RAW FUEL FROM A LEAK WHICH WAS GOING INTO THE EXHAUST SYSTEM. THIS CAUSED THE CATALYTIC CONVERTOR TO BURN. HAVE BEEN TO SERVICE CENTER. *AK

19990505ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:EMISSION CONTROL:CATALYTIC CONVERTOR

ENGINE WAS LOSING RAW FUEL FROM A LEAK WHICH WAS GOING INTO THE EXHAUST SYSTEM. THIS CAUSED THE CATALYTIC CONVERTOR TO BURN. HAVE BEEN TO SERVICE CENTER. *AK

19990308ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM

NUMBER 8 CYLINDER BECAME POROUS CAUSING THE ANTIFREEZE TO ENTER THE COMBUSTION CHAMBER WHICH CAUSED VAPOR AND HYDRO-LOCK (EMIT WHITE VAPOR FROM EXHAUST).

19981014ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE

OIL PRESSURE SENDING UNIT FAILED.

19981014FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMP

FUEL PUMP FAILED.

19981014FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM:INJECTORS

FUEL INJECTORS FAILED.

19981014ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE

ENGINE FAILED TWO TIMES DUE TO CONTAMINATION AS PER RECALL NOTICE.

Compare 1990FORDF350 to Similar Vehicles

NHTSA Investigations 8 Open

View all investigations

Frequently Asked Questions

How many complaints does the 1990 FORD F350 have?
The 1990 FORD F350 has 63 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 4 fires, 6 injuries, and 1 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1990 FORD F350?
The most-complained component for the 1990 FORD F350 is SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS with 9 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP and FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:AUXILLARY TANK:SELECTOR DEVICES.
Is the 1990 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.