no report yet
Electrical system: ignition
Risk. THIS CONDITION COULD CAUSE OVERHEATING, SMOKE, AND POSSIBLY FIRE IN THE STEERING COLUMN AREA OF THE VEHICLE.
1988 Ford F-250Problems, recalls & complaints
NHTSA has logged 62 owner complaints about the 1988 Ford F-250, most often about the electrical system. It is covered by 3 safety recalls.
Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports, through December 1, 2006. Updated daily.
Complaints by system
Where the 1988 Ford F-250 has problems
62 complaints grouped by the system owners reported.
15Electrical system8 crash/fire/injury
14Service brakes, hydraulic3 crash/fire/injury
10Fuel system, gasoline1 crash/fire/injury
7Power train
6Structure
4Engine and engine cooling
4Tires
3Exterior lighting
3Seat belts
97 other systems
| System | Complaints | Crash, fire or injury |
|---|---|---|
| Electrical system | 15 | 8 |
| Service brakes, hydraulic | 14 | 3 |
| Fuel system, gasoline | 10 | 1 |
| Power train | 7 | 0 |
| Structure | 6 | 0 |
| Engine and engine cooling | 4 | 2 |
| Tires | 4 | 1 |
| Exterior lighting | 3 | 1 |
| Seat belts | 3 | 0 |
| 7 other systems | 9 | 0 |
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Complaints are submitted by the public and are not verified by NHTSA.
3 recalls
1988 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
Drum: shoes/linings
Risk. INCREASED STOPPING DISTANCES AND INABLILITY TO HOLDVEHICLES ON A STEEP GRADE RESULTS IN INCREASED RISK OF ACCIDENT IN THE EVENT OFA SUDDEN STOP OR WHEN…
no report yet
Visibility: glass, side/rear
Risk. A FRACTURED WINDOW MAY CONTAIN FRAGMENTS THAT ARE LARGERTHAN THE 425 GRAMS ALLOWED.
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
1988 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
'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
6 investigations
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal investigations that included the 1988 Ford F-250, and the recalls they led to.
- F-SERIES FUEL TANK FIRESNo recall
- LOSS OF BRAKE EFFECTIVENESLed to recall 92V-026
- ALTERNATOR BELT FAILURENo recall
- FIRESNo recall
- LOSS OF BRAKE EFFECTIVENESNo recall
- SPARE TIRE FIRESNo recall
In owners' words
What F-250 owners report
Recent electrical system complaints filed with NHTSA, shortened. Personal details are removed.
1988 FORD F-250'S ENGINE COMPARTMENT CAUGHT ON FIRE. *TS WHILE DRIVING THE CONSUMER NOTICED SMOKE COMING FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. THE CONSUMER PULLED THE VEHICLE ONTO THE SHOULDER. THAT'S WHEN THE CONSUMER NOTICED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS ON FIRE. THE CONSUMER ATTEMPTED TO PUT THE FIRE OUT BUT WAS…
FRESNO REPLACED A PIECE IN THE IGNITION SWITCH, AND NOW THE IGNITION SWITCH AND THE INDICATOR /COLUMN SHIFTER DON'T WORK (RECALL 96V071000. *AK
WHEN DRIVING AT ANY SPEED WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING VEHICLE CUT OFF/ ENGINE DIE OUT COMPLETELY. CONSUMER HAS CONTACTED DEALER, DEALER WAS UNABLE TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS.*AK
Own a 1988 F-250?
Decode your VIN to see the recalls for your exact car, then confirm open recalls with NHTSA.