Total Complaints
1 filings
FORD L SERIES (HEAVY) · model year
1978 FORD L SERIES (HEAVY)
1 NHTSA complaints for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1978FORDL SERIES (HEAVY) carries 1 consumer safety complaint 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.
Component-level analysis is where model-year complaints become actionable: the top complaint category for the 1978 L SERIES (HEAVY) is tires with 1 filings. 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 1978 L SERIES (HEAVY), 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.
1
Complaints
0
Crashes
0
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 | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20050802TIRES
DT: CONTACT BOUGHT A SET OF BRAND NEW TIRES ON 6-9-05. ON 7-8-05 THE DRIVER'S LEFT FRONT TIRE BLEW OUT. THE TIRE HAD 136 MILES ON IT. THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE TIRE WAS BIAS PLY NYLON. IT IWASA 14 PLY RATING. THE ROAD CONDITION ON FREEWAY WAS VERY GOOD CONDITION. THE PSI ON THE TIRE WAS 85. THERE WAS A SLIGHT VIBRATION, AND THE DRIVER STARTED TO CHANGE LANES WHEN THE TIRE BLEWOUT. THE DOT # I IM0305. *AK
Mileage: 79,052
Compare 1978FORDL SERIES (HEAVY) 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 1978 FORD L SERIES (HEAVY) have?▼
The 1978 FORD L SERIES (HEAVY) has 1 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1978 FORD L SERIES (HEAVY)?▼
The most-complained component for the 1978 FORD L SERIES (HEAVY) is TIRES with 1 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include various components.
Is the 1978 FORD L SERIES (HEAVY) 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.