1985 Ford F-250Problems, recalls & complaints

NHTSA has logged 21 owner complaints about the 1985 Ford F-250, most often about the electrical system. It is covered by 2 safety recalls.

CarFlaw IndexNot enough dataHigher is better (0–100)

Safety recalls2Free fix at dealers Owner complaints2110 with a crash, fire or injury Top problem6Electrical system

Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports, through February 10, 2003. Updated daily.

Complaints by system

Where the 1985 Ford F-250 has problems

21 complaints grouped by the system owners reported.

6Electrical system4 crash/fire/injury

4Service brakes, hydraulic

3Engine and engine cooling1 crash/fire/injury

2Fuel system, gasoline1 crash/fire/injury

2Tires

2Steering

1Suspension

1Equipment

1Visibility

33 other systems1 crash/fire/injury

Box size = number of complaints naming that system. Darker = larger share. One complaint can name more than one system.

Complaints by system
System	Complaints	Crash, fire or injury
Electrical system	6	4
Service brakes, hydraulic	4	0
Engine and engine cooling	3	1
Fuel system, gasoline	2	1
Tires	2	0
Steering	2	0
Suspension	1	0
Equipment	1	0
Visibility	1	1
3 other systems	3	1

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

2 recalls

1985 Ford F-250 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.

no report yet

Tank assembly: mounting

Recall 86V-111 · Aug 14, 1986 · 730 vehicles

Problem, fix and repair progress →

no report yet

Fuel injection system: fuel rail

Recall 84V-162 · Dec 26, 1984 · 246 vehicles

Problem, fix and repair progress →

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

1985 vs. every other F-250 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 F-250 median. How we score

0 1 0 1 0 0 2 0 0 2 2 2 0 1 0 1 10 21 38 38 62 11211110711913012318417630456 58132622015611615414422160 19754 73 24826695 143

'67'68'69'70'72'73'74'75'76'77'78'79'80'81'82'83'84'85'86'87'88'89'90'91'92'93'94'95'96'97'98'99'00'01'02'03'04'05'06'07'08'09'10'11'12'13'14

Avoid
Caution
Solid
Best
Not rated

3 investigations

NHTSA defect investigations

Federal investigations that included the 1985 Ford F-250, and the recalls they led to.

Jan 26, 1989
F-SERIES FUEL TANK FIRESDP89005 · closed Aug 1, 1989
No recall
Jan 28, 1987
FUEL LEAKS/FIRESPE87017 · closed May 26, 1987
No recall
Aug 19, 1994
FUEL INJECTOR PUMP FAILSPE94065 · closed Dec 28, 1994
No recall

In owners' words

What F-250 owners report

Recent electrical system complaints filed with NHTSA, shortened. Personal details are removed.

WHILE DRIVING, NOTICED SMOKE COMING FROM UNDERHOOD;INVESTIGATED, WIRES BURNING;PULLED WIRES AWAY SOURCE OF POWER;RESTARTED IGNITION, VEHICLE CAUGHT 0N FIRE. *AK *JB
Complaint 983944 · May 2, 1996

ABOUT 2:00 A.M. HEARD NOISES OUTSIDE OF HOUSE, LOOKED OUTSIDE, THE VEHICLE CAB WAS ENGULFED IN FLAMES, COMPLETELY DESTROYED WITH CAMPER SHELL. *AK
Complaint 983565 · Apr 26, 1996

THE HAULING CAMPER HAD NUMEROUS ENGINE SHUT OFFS AT VARIOUS SPEEDS DUE TO IGNITION MODULE FAILURE. THIS FAILURE CAUSED LOSS OF POWER STEERING AND BRAKES. THE CONSUMER STATES THAT THE MANUFACTURER SHOULD CORRECT THIS DESIGN DEFECT. *YH
Complaint 785681 · Sep 20, 2001

Own a 1985 F-250?

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