1978 Ford F150: complaints, problems and recalls
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
1 owner complaints analyzed
9 distinct recall campaigns
Not available median reported failure mileage
Scope: 1978 model year. Data snapshot: . 0 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Exterior Lighting:Headlights:Concealment Devices is the most frequently named component, appearing in 1 of 1 complaints (100.0%). A complaint can name multiple components.
Component breakdown
Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Exterior Lighting:Headlights:Concealment Devices | 1 |
Exterior Lighting:Headlights:Concealment Devices: 1
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 0 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 0 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 0 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 0 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 0 |
| 150,000 and above | 0 |
Under 25,000: 0; 25,000 to 49,999: 0; 50,000 to 74,999: 0; 75,000 to 99,999: 0; 100,000 to 149,999: 0; 150,000 and above: 0
No usable failure mileage is recorded. 1 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.
Complaints over time
Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 2002 | 1 |
2002: 1
Pattern summary
Exterior Lighting:Headlights:Concealment Devices leads the component reports. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.
Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.
Examples from the source records
Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.
Owner report 8023634 · 2002-12-03 (December 3, 2002)
CONSUMER STATES THAT WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED AND WITHOUT WARNING THE HEADLIGHTS WILL FLICKER CAUSING A DISTRACTION TO THE CONSUMER VIEW DURING NIGHTTIME. DEALER NOTIFIED. TS *DT
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 8023634 at NHTSA ↗
Recall history
9 distinct campaigns affect this selection. Announcement dates below are different from vehicle model years. A campaign may cover multiple years.
77V161000 · Vehicle Speed Control
Reported: 1977-09-23 (September 23, 1977)
SOME OF THE INVOLVED VEHICLES MAY HAVE DEFECTIVE CARBURETORS IN WHICH, UNDER CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES, THE SECONDARY THROTTLE PLATES MAY STICK OPEN.
Remedy: DEALER WILL INSPECT AND, IF NECESSARY, REPLACE THE CARBURETOR AT NO CHARGE TO OWNER.
NHTSA campaign record ↗77V169000 · Steering:Linkages
Reported: 1977-10-12 (October 12, 1977)
THE PITMAN ARM TO STEERING GEAR ATTACHMENT NUTS MAY NOT HAVE BEEN PROPERLY TIGHTENED ON THE INVOLVED VEHICLES. THE NUT COULD COME OFF DURING VEHICLE OPERATION.
Remedy: DEALER WILL TIGHTEN THE PITMAN ARM ATTACHING NUT TO THE CORRECT SPECIFICATIONS WITHOUT CHARGE TO OWNER.
NHTSA campaign record ↗77V185000 · Power Train:Automatic Transmission:Lever And Linkage:Column Shift
Reported: 1977-10-25 (October 25, 1977)
ON THE INVOLVED VEHICLES, THE PARK ACTUATION SUPPORT PLATES ARE DEFECTIVE DUE TO THEIR SUSCEPTIBILITY TO CRACKING DUE TO IMPROPER HEAT TREATMENT DURING MANUFACTURE. AS A RESULT, FRAGMENTS FROM A BROKEN PLATE CAN BECOME LODGED IN THE TRANSMISSION PARKING PAWL MECHANISM. THIS COULD PREVENT THE TRANSMISSION PARKING PAWL FROM ENGAGING WHEN THE SELECTOR LEVER IS PLACED IN THE "PARK" POSITION, OR PREVENT THE PAWL FROM BEING DISENGAGED FROM THE PARK GEAR.
Remedy: THE DEALER WILL REPLACE THE PARK ACTUATION CAM SUPPORT PLATES, FREE OF CHARGE, ON ALL AFFECTED VEHICLES.
NHTSA campaign record ↗77V198000 · Fuel System, Gasoline:Carburetor System
Reported: 1977-11-15 (November 15, 1977)
ON THE INVOLVED VEHICLES, LEAKAGE MAY OCCUR AT THE THREADED CARBURETOR-TO-FUEL FILTER CONNECTION ON THE SUSPECT CARBURETORS. THIS IS DUE TO AN IMPROPERLY MACHINED CARBURETOR FUEL INLET CONNECTION.
Remedy: DEALER WILL INSPECT AND, IF NECESSARY, WILL REPLACE THE CARBURETOR WITHOUT CHARGE TO OWNER.
NHTSA campaign record ↗78V023000 · Wheels
Reported: 1978-01-30 (January 30, 1978)
SOME OF THE STEEL WHEELS ON THE INVOLVED VEHICLES MAY HAVE BEEN IMPROPERLY MANUFACTURED. THESE WHEELS, OVER A PERIOD OF TIME, COULD CRACK IN THE WHEEL RIM AREA THROUGH NORMAL OPERATION, WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING.
Remedy: DEALER WILL INSPECT AND, IF NECESSARY, REPLACE THE WHEELS ON THE INVOLVED VEHICLES.
NHTSA campaign record ↗78V035000 · Power Train:Automatic Transmission:Lever And Linkage:Column Shift
Reported: 1978-02-16 (February 16, 1978)
THE SHIFT SELECTOR REACTION SPRINGS MAY BE DEFORMED AS A RESULT OF IMPROPER INSTALLATION OF SELECTOR LEVERS DURING COLUMN BUILDUP. THUS THE LEVER MAY NOT BE ABLE TO BE MOVED INTO THE INSERT DETENTS LOCATED IN THE STEERING COLUMN ASSEMBLY. THIS COULD PREVENT THE "PARK" GEAR FROM BEING ENGAGED.
Remedy: DEALER WILL INSPECT AND, IF NECESSARY, REPLACE THE SHIFT SELECTOR REACTION SPRING WITHOUT CHARGE TO OWNER.
NHTSA campaign record ↗78V096000 · Power Train:Automatic Transmission
Reported: 1978-04-28 (April 28, 1978)
SOME OF THESE VEHICLES MAY BE EQUIPPED WITH AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSIONS THAT WERE ASSEMBLED WITH IMPROPERLY MANUFACTURED CAST IRON EXTENSION HOUSINGS. THE HOUSINGS HAVE MISLOCATED CAST CAM PLATE STOPS. A MISLOCATED STOP MAY PREVENT THE TRANSMISSION FROM LOCKING IN THE PARK POSITION WHEN THE GEAR SHIFT SELECTOR LEVER IS PLACED IN THE "P" (PARK) POSITION. IF THIS OCCURS A DRIVER MAY RELY UPON THE READING ON THE GEARSHIFT SELECTOR LEVER INDICATOR AND MAY ASSUME THAT THE TRANSMISSION PARKING GEAR IS ENGAGED.
Remedy: DEALER WILL INSPECT AND, IF NECESSARY, REPLACE THE TRANSMISSION EXTENSION HOUSING WITHOUT CHARGE TO OWNER.
NHTSA campaign record ↗78V109000 · Steering:Linkages
Reported: 1978-05-15 (May 15, 1978)
THESE VEHICLES MAY BE EQUIPPED WITH STEERING LINKAGES ON WHICH COTTER PINS MAY NOT HAVE BEEN INSTALLED ON CASTELLATED NUTS TO SECURE THE STEERING DRAG LINK AND TIE-ROD CONNECTIONS. ALSO, THESE ATTACHING NUTS MAY NOT HAVE BEEN TIGHTENED TO SPECIFICATIONS. THIS COULD ALLOW LINKAGE SEPARATION.
Remedy: THE DEALER WILL PERFORM NECESSARY CORRECTIONS TO THE STEERING LINKAGE ATTACHMENTS.
NHTSA campaign record ↗78V168000 · Seat Belts:Front:Retractor
Reported: 1978-08-07 (August 7, 1978)
THE DRIVER"S SIDE SHOULDER BELT RETRACTOR MOUNTING BRACKET ASSEMBLY CONTAINS A WELD NUT WHICH WAS IMPROPERLY ATTACHED TO THE BRACKET. THIS FAILS TO COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 210, "SEAT BELT ASSEMBLY ANCHORAGES".
Remedy: THE DEALER WILL REPAIR THE LEFT SIDE SHOULDER BELT RETRACTOR MOUNTING BRACKET ON THE INVOLVED VEHICLES FREE OF CHARGE.
NHTSA campaign record ↗