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1981 Ford E-150Problems, recalls & complaints

NHTSA has logged 1 owner complaint about the 1981 Ford E-150, most often about the electrical system. It is covered by 1 safety recall.

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CarFlaw IndexNot enough dataHigher is better (0–100)
Safety recalls1Free fix at dealersOwner complaints11 with a crash, fire or injuryTop problem1Electrical system

Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports, through May 2, 1996. Updated daily.

Complaints by system

Where the 1981 Ford E-150 has problems

1 complaint grouped by the system owners reported.

Box size = number of complaints naming that system. Darker = larger share. One complaint can name more than one system.
Complaints by system
SystemComplaintsCrash, fire or injury
Electrical system11

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Complaints are submitted by the public and are not verified by NHTSA.

1 recall

1981 Ford E-150 recalls and how many were fixed

Each ring shows the share of affected cars repaired, from the manufacturer’s latest quarterly report to NHTSA. Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.

Recalls apply to specific cars. To see whether a recall is still open on yours, enter the 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls or with Ford.

Best & worst years

1981 vs. every other E-150 year

Bars show complaints per model year. Colors show the CarFlaw verdict: complaints weighted for crashes, fires and injuries, adjusted for years on the road and compared with the E-150 median. How we score

'76'78'79'80'81'82'83'84'85'86'87'88'89'90'91'92'93'94'95'96'97'98'99'00'01'02'03'04'05'06'07'08'09'10'11'12'13'14'15'16'21'23
  • Avoid
  • Caution
  • Solid
  • Best
  • Not rated
1 investigation

NHTSA defect investigations

Federal investigations that included the 1981 Ford E-150, and the recalls they led to.

  1. FILLER NECK SPURTEA87002 · closed Apr 29, 1987
    No recall

Own a 1981 E-150?

Decode your VIN to see the recalls for your exact car, then confirm open recalls with NHTSA.