U.S. public vehicle records

1986 Ford F350: complaints, problems and recalls

Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.

Key facts

14 owner complaints analyzed

2 distinct recall campaigns

106,000 mi median reported failure mileage

Scope: 1986 model year. Data updated: 2026-09-30 (September 30, 2026). 2 complaints include usable failure mileage. View data status.

Owner-reported patterns

Most common problems

Tires is the most frequently named component, appearing in 3 of 14 complaints (21.4%). A complaint can name multiple components.

Recurring terms in complaint narratives
Topic	Matching reports	Share of complaints
Braking behavior	5	35.7%
Electrical and battery issues	1	7.1%
Steering behavior	1	7.1%
Fuel system concerns	1	7.1%

Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.

Component breakdown

Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.

Tires

Electrical System:Ignition:Switch

Electrical System:Wiring

Electrical System:Wiring:Interior/Under Dash

Exterior Lighting:Headlights

Fuel System, Gasoline:Fuel Injection System

Power Train:Axle Hubs

Seats:Front Assembly:Recliner

Component breakdown data
Category	Count
Tires	3
Electrical System:Ignition:Switch	1
Electrical System:Wiring	1
Electrical System:Wiring:Interior/Under Dash	1
Exterior Lighting:Headlights	1
Fuel System, Gasoline:Fuel Injection System	1
Power Train:Axle Hubs	1
Seats:Front Assembly:Recliner	1

Tires: 3; Electrical System:Ignition:Switch: 1; Electrical System:Wiring: 1; Electrical System:Wiring:Interior/Under Dash: 1; Exterior Lighting:Headlights: 1; Fuel System, Gasoline:Fuel Injection System: 1; Power Train:Axle Hubs: 1; Seats:Front Assembly:Recliner: 1

Reported problems by failure mileage

Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.

Under 25,000

25,000 to 49,999

50,000 to 74,999

75,000 to 99,999

100,000 to 149,999

150,000 and above

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: 2; 150,000 and above: 0

100,000 to 149,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (2). 12 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.

1995

1996

1997

1998

2000

2001

2002

2010

1995: 2; 1996: 2; 1997: 3; 1998: 2; 2000: 1; 2001: 1; 2002: 1; 2010: 2

Pattern summary

Tires leads the component reports. Braking behavior appears in 5 complaint narratives. Electrical and battery issues appears in 1 complaint narratives. Steering behavior appears in 1 complaint narratives. 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 10345229 · 2010-07-26 (July 26, 2010)

FRONT TIRE ON LIGHT TRUCK BLEW OUT WHILE DRIVING APPR. 40MPH. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 106,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10345229 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10345231 · 2010-07-26 (July 26, 2010)

TIRE BLOW OUT ON LIGHT TRUCK WHILE DRIVING AT APPROX 55 MPH THIS IS A SECOND OCCURRENCE WITH THESE TIRES. COOPER REFUSES TO REGISTER THE ISSUE. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 106,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10345231 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 488064 · 1995-10-13 (October 13, 1995)

BRAKES FAILED, REPLACED ALL COMPONENTS. *SD

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 488064 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 504887 · 1996-05-25 (May 25, 1996)

KEY/IGNITION SWITCH OVERHEAT.

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 504887 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 514587 · 1997-02-06 (February 6, 1997)

HEAD LIGHT FAILURE.

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 514587 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 734527 · 2000-10-17 (October 17, 2000)

I WAS TOLD AT LES SCHWAB TIRE CENTERS THAT THE TIRE IS NOT CURRENTLY ON THE RECALL LIST.*AK( DOT NUMBER: )

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 734527 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 755959 · 2001-12-22 (December 22, 2001)

I/WE HAVE REPLACED THE BRAKE LININGS ON THE 1986 F-350, SAME SIZE, EVERYTHING! TRUCK WOULD HARDLY STOP, BUT BARLY. REPLACED FRONT CALIPERS & BLEAD COMPLETE SYSTEM THROUGH, (NEW CALIPERS! NOT REBUILT!) STILL HAVE STOPPING PROBLEMS? REPLACED REAR WHEEL CYLENDERS WITH NEW/ NOT REBUILT! STILL HAVE SAME PROBLEM? REPLACED MASTER CYLNDER, BLEAD COMPLETE SYSTEM AGAIN! STILL WILL BARLY STOP! HAVE TALKED TO FOUR OTHER F350 OWNERS AND THEY HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM? ONE HAS BEEN TO FOUR DIFFRENT BREAK SHOPS AND STILL HAS THE SAME PROBLEM! IS THERE SOMETHING …

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 755959 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 8011516 · 2002-06-11 (June 11, 2002)

A VEHICLE FIRE STARTED UNDER DASH WHILE DRIVING. DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOTIFIED. FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION, AND FILL IN VEHICLE MILEAGE.*AK

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 8011516 at NHTSA ↗

Recall history

2 distinct campaigns affect this selection. Announcement dates below are different from vehicle model years. A campaign may cover multiple years.

86V048000 · Visibility:Rearview Mirrors/Devices:Exterior

Reported: 1986-03-27 (March 27, 1986)

THE OUTSIDE REAR VIEW MIRRORS DO NOT MEET THE 50 SQUARE INCH MINIMUM REQUIREMENT OF FMVSS 111-REARVIEW MIRRORS. CONSEQUENCE OF DEFECT: THE STANDARD REQUIRES A MINIMUM DIMENSION FOR REARVIEW MIRRORS TO PROVIDE ADEQUATE FIELD OF VISION WHICH AIDS IN PREVENTING ACCIDENTS.

Remedy: REPLACE OUTSIDE REAR VIEW MIRRORS WITH UNIT MAGNIFICATION MIRRORS OF 9" X 6" REFLECTIVE SURFACE DIMENSIONS.

NHTSA campaign record ↗

87V139000 · Fuel System, Gasoline:Delivery:Hoses, Lines/Piping, And Fittings

Reported: 1987-09-04 (September 4, 1987)

SPRING LOCK FUEL LINE COUPLING MAY NOT BE PROPERLY ENGAGED.

Consequence: COUPLING COULD DISENGAGE DUE TO FUEL PRESSURE,VIBRATION, AND ENGINE MOVEMENTS; THIS WOULD CAUSE LOSS OF FUEL WHICH, INPRESENCE OF AN IGNITION SOURCE, CREATES A FIRE RISK.

Remedy: INSTALL RETAINER CLIPS OVER THE COUPLINGS TO PREVENT COUPLING SEPARATION AND FUEL LEAKAGE.

NHTSA campaign record ↗

Explore the data

Vehicle analysis explorer

Inspect model-year patterns, reported mileage, monthly activity and the evidence behind each signal.

Data completeness

14 unique complaints in this selection. Analysis snapshot: 2026-09-30.

14.3%Usable mileage2 / 14 records

71.4%Valid incident date10 / 14 records

100.0%Valid filing date14 / 14 records

71.4%Ordered incident and filing dates10 / 14 records

Missing, zero and invalid mileage is excluded. Dates after the snapshot are excluded. Examples are limited selections, not a representative sample.

Problems by model year

Model-wide comparison of the eight most reported components across the model. Cells show counts and shares within each model year. Open a cell for source examples.

From model yearThrough model year

Component complaint heatmap
Component	2005	2006	2007	2008
Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Foundation Components	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.
Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.
Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Gasoline	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.
Tires:Tread/Belt	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.
Electrical System:Ignition	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.
Tires	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.
Electrical System:Ignition:Switch	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.
Fuel System, Gasoline:Storage:Auxillary Tank:Selector Devices	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.

Darker cells indicate a larger share of submitted complaints. Components overlap. This measures complaint composition, not failure probability.

Failure mileage by component

Median and middle 50% of usable owner-reported mileages. Ranges require at least five records.

Component failure mileage distribution
Component	Mileage range (25th–75th percentile)	Median	Usable records	Examples
Tires	Too few reports for a range	106,000 mi	2 (sparse)	ODI 10345229 · 106,000 mi FRONT TIRE ON LIGHT TRUCK BLEW OUT WHILE DRIVING APPR. 40MPH. TR Look up ODI 10345229 at NHTSA ↗ ODI 10345231 · 106,000 mi TIRE BLOW OUT ON LIGHT TRUCK WHILE DRIVING AT APPROX 55 MPH THIS IS A SECOND OCCURRENCE WITH THESE TIRES. COOPER REFUSES TO REGISTER THE ISSUE. TR Look up ODI 10345231 at NHTSA ↗

Complaint and recall timeline

Explore monthly filing activity alongside recall announcements. Up to ten years of monthly history is available.

ComponentPeriod

Solid line: filed complaints. Dashed amber lines: recall announcement dates for this vehicle selection; markers include all recall components. The latest month is partial. Temporal proximity does not establish causation.

Monthly counts, recall campaigns and complaint examples

Monthly complaint and recall timeline
Month	Campaigns announced	Examples
2024-10	None	No examples available for this selection.
2024-11	None	No examples available for this selection.
2024-12	None	No examples available for this selection.
2025-01	None	No examples available for this selection.
2025-02	None	No examples available for this selection.
2025-03	None	No examples available for this selection.
2025-04	None	No examples available for this selection.
2025-05	None	No examples available for this selection.
2025-06	None	No examples available for this selection.
2025-07	None	No examples available for this selection.
2025-08	None	No examples available for this selection.
2025-09	None	No examples available for this selection.
2025-10	None	No examples available for this selection.
2025-11	None	No examples available for this selection.
2025-12	None	No examples available for this selection.
2026-01	None	No examples available for this selection.
2026-02	None	No examples available for this selection.
2026-03	None	No examples available for this selection.
2026-04	None	No examples available for this selection.
2026-05	None	No examples available for this selection.
2026-06	None	No examples available for this selection.
2026-07	None	No examples available for this selection.
2026-08	None	No examples available for this selection.
2026-09 (partial)	None	No examples available for this selection.

Emerging complaint spikes

Complete months in the latest six months with at least 10 complaints, at least twice the preceding 12-month average, and at least three square-root deviations above that average.

This is a descriptive screening rule, not a statistical defect finding. Publicity and reporting changes can increase submissions.

No complete months meet the spike thresholds for this selection.

Equal-age model-year comparison

Model-wide cumulative reports during the first three or five calendar years, starting with the model year (age 0). Only fully elapsed windows are compared.

Observation windowFirst model yearSecond model year

2007: 0 complaints · 2008: 0 complaints

Equal observation windows
Model year	Through age 0	Through age 1	Through age 2
2007	0	0	0
2008	0	0	0

Date coverage across each selected cohort

Date basis for all complaints in selected model years
Year	Incident dates used	Filing date fallbacks	Excluded dates
2007	0	0	0
2008	0	0	0

Incident date is preferred when valid and no later than filing; otherwise filing date is used. Model year approximates age. Equal observation time does not adjust for sales, distance driven or reporting delays. One complaint linked to multiple model years can appear in each cohort.

Components reported together

Each cell counts unique complaints naming both components. Open a nonzero cell for examples.

Component co-occurrence matrix
Component	Tires	Electrical System:Ignition:Switch	Electrical System:Wiring	Electrical System:Wiring:Interior/Under Dash	Exterior Lighting:Headlights	Fuel System, Gasoline:Fuel Injection System	Power Train:Axle Hubs	Seats:Front Assembly:Recliner
Tires	—	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Electrical System:Ignition:Switch	0	—	0	0	0	0	0	0
Electrical System:Wiring	0	0	—	0	0	0	0	0
Electrical System:Wiring:Interior/Under Dash	0	0	0	—	0	0	0	0
Exterior Lighting:Headlights	0	0	0	0	—	0	0	0
Fuel System, Gasoline:Fuel Injection System	0	0	0	0	0	—	0	0
Power Train:Axle Hubs	0	0	0	0	0	0	—	0
Seats:Front Assembly:Recliner	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	—

Co-reporting does not establish that one component caused another concern.

Recurring narrative patterns

Specific keyword mentions beyond broad component labels. Matching includes negations and comparisons and does not confirm a diagnosis.

Search patterns

1 patterns with matching reports.

Brake response concerns

1 mentions · 7.1% of complaints

Median mileage: Unavailable (0 usable records).

ODI 488064

BRAKES FAILED, REPLACED ALL COMPONENTS. *SD

Look up ODI 488064 at NHTSA ↗

Matching rule