Model year record

1979 Ford F150

9 recall campaigns on file for this model year. 2 owner complaints on file.

Recalls

Recall campaignNHTSA 79V208000

Wheels

Component
Wheels
Manufacturer
FORD MOTOR COMPANY
Vehicles affected
40,000
Reported to NHTSA
1979-09-17
Owners notified
1979-11-26

Defect description

A NUMBER OF WHEEL ASSEMBLIES ON THE INVOLVED VEHICLES MAY HAVE SUBSTANDARD WELDS IN THE AREA WHERE THE DISC IS ATTACHED TO THE RIM. SUBSTANDARD WELDS CAN CAUSE CRACKS TO OCCUR IN THE WHEEL ASSEMBLY. RAPID LOSS OF AIR PRESSURE IN THE TIRE OR SEPARATION OF THE WHEEL RIM FROM THE DISC COULD RESULT.

Manufacturer remedy

IF SEPARATION AND LOSS OF AIR OCCURS WHILE VEHICLE IS IN OPERATION, LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL AND AN ACCIDENT COULD OCCUR WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING. CORRECTIVE ACTION: THE DEALER WILL INSPECT AND, IF NECESSARY, REPLACE THE WHEELS WITHOUT CHARGE TO OWNER.

Recall campaignNHTSA 79V185000

Wheels

Component
Wheels
Manufacturer
FORD MOTOR COMPANY
Vehicles affected
22,500
Reported to NHTSA
1979-08-07
Owners notified
1979-10-09

Defect description

THE WHEEL ASSEMBLY MAY CONTAIN SUBSTANDARD WELDS IN THE AREA WHERE THE DISC IS ATTACHED TO THE RIM. AS A RESULT, CRACKS CAN FORM IN THE WHEEL ASSEMBLY, CAUSING AIR LOSS AND AN UNDERINFLATED TIRE.

Manufacturer remedy

DEALER WILL INSPECT AND REPLACE ANY DEFECTIVE WHEELS WITHOUT CHARGE TO OWNER.

Recall campaignNHTSA 79V117000

Service brakes, hydraulic: pedals and linkages

Component
Service brakes, hydraulic: pedals and linkages
Manufacturer
FORD MOTOR COMPANY
Vehicles affected
82,000
Reported to NHTSA
1979-05-15
Owners notified
1979-06-18

Defect description

THE INVOLVED VEHICLES WERE PRODUCED WITH BRAKE PUSH-ROD TO BRAKE PEDAL RETAINING PINS WHICH WERE NOT HEAT-TREATED AS SPECIFIED. THIS COULD ALLOW THE BRAKE PEDAL TO BECOME DISENGAGED FROM THE PUSH-ROD.

Manufacturer remedy

DEALER WILL REPLACE THE SUSPECT BRAKE RETAINING PIN.

Recall campaignNHTSA 79V035000

Steering: linkages: knuckle: spindle: arm

Component
Steering: linkages: knuckle: spindle: arm
Manufacturer
FORD MOTOR COMPANY
Vehicles affected
62,000
Reported to NHTSA
1979-01-29
Owners notified
1979-04-06

Defect description

THE INVOLVED VEHICLES WERE ASSEMBLED WITH IMPROPERLY MANUFACTURED STEERING ARM KNUCKLES. SHOULD AN IMPROPERLY MANUFACTURED STEERING ARM KNUCKLE FRACTURE AND SEPARATE, THE STEERING LINKAGE TIE ROD MAY DISENGAGE FROM THE KNUCKLE.

Manufacturer remedy

THE DEALER WILL INSPECT FOR CRACKING IN THE STEERING ARM KNUCKLES ON ALL VEHICLES AND, IF NECESSARY, REPLACE THEM FREE OF CHARGE.

Recall campaignNHTSA 79V038000

Fuel system, gasoline: storage: tank assembly: mounting

Component
Fuel system, gasoline: storage: tank assembly: mounting
Manufacturer
FORD MOTOR COMPANY
Vehicles affected
105
Reported to NHTSA
1979-01-26
Owners notified
1979-03-20

Defect description

THE INVOLVED VEHICLES WERE MANUFACTURED WITHOUT A FUEL TANK SHIELD AT THE FRONT RIGHT CORNER OF THE MIDSHIP FUEL TANK. AS A RESULT, THE VEHICLES DO NOT CONFORM TO FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 301, "FUEL SYSTEM INTEGRITY". IN THE EVENT OF A VEHICLE ACCIDENT, EXCESSIVE FUEL SPILLAGE COULD RESULT.

Manufacturer remedy

THE DEALER WILL INSTALL THE REQUIRED FUEL TANK SHIELD WITHOUT CHARGE TO OWNER.

Recall campaignNHTSA 79V023000

Visibility: windshield

Component
Visibility: windshield
Manufacturer
FORD MOTOR COMPANY
Vehicles affected
12
Reported to NHTSA
1979-01-15
Owners notified
1979-03-09

Defect description

THE INVOLVED VEHICLES DO NOT CONFORM TO FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 212, "WINDSHIELD MOUNTING", IN THAT SOME OF THE VEHICLES WERE BUILT WITHOUT THE SPECIFIED WINDSHIELD WEATHERSTRIP RETAINING COMPONENTS.

Manufacturer remedy

THE DEALER WILL INSTALL THE WINDSHIELD WEATHERSTRIP RETAINING COMPONENTS AT NO COST TO OWNER.

Recall campaignNHTSA 78V256000

Power train: automatic transmission

Component
Power train: automatic transmission
Manufacturer
FORD MOTOR COMPANY
Vehicles affected
7,000
Reported to NHTSA
1978-11-27
Owners notified
1978-11-17

Defect description

THE INVOLVED VEHICLES WERE EQUIPPED WITH AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSIONS IN WHICH THE PARKING PAWL WAS NOT HEAT-TREATED. DURING NORMAL VEHICLE OPERATION, A PARKING PAWL THAT HAS NOT BEEN HEAT-TREATED COULD BECOME DEFORMED OR WORN TO THE POINT THAT THE TRANSMISSION WILL NOT LOCK IN "PARK". AS A RESULT, THE VEHICLE COULD ROLL FREE IF THE DRIVER DOES NOT SET THE PARKING BRAKE WHEN PARKING OR LEAVING VEHICLE UNATTENDED.

Manufacturer remedy

DEALER WILL INSPECT AND, IF NECESSARY, REPLACE THE PARKING PAWL WITH ONE THAT HAS BEEN HEAT-TREATED.

Recall campaignNHTSA 78V201000

Power train: automatic transmission

Component
Power train: automatic transmission
Manufacturer
FORD MOTOR COMPANY
Vehicles affected
22,000
Reported to NHTSA
1978-09-15
Owners notified
1978-10-05

Defect description

THESE TRANSMISSIONS MAY CONTAIN IMPROPERLY MANUFACTURED PARKING PAWL ACTUATING RODS. CONSEQUENTLY, THE UNHARDENED CAM SURFACE OF THESE RODS CAN ALLOW THE ROD TO DEFORM DURING USE WITH RESULTANT INCREASE IN SHIFT EFFORTS AND DIFFICULTY IN RELEASING THE PARKING PAWL AND ENGAGING THE PARKING GEAR.

Manufacturer remedy

DEALER WILL REPLACE THE TRANSMISSION PARKING PAWL ACTUATING ROD WITHOUT CHARGE TO OWNER.

Recall campaignNHTSA 78V197000

Fuel system, gasoline: storage: tank assembly: mounting

Component
Fuel system, gasoline: storage: tank assembly: mounting
Manufacturer
FORD MOTOR COMPANY
Vehicles affected
103
Reported to NHTSA
1978-09-11
Owners notified
1978-10-03

Defect description

THE INVOLVED VEHICLES DO NOT CONTAIN A FUEL TANK SHIELD AT THE FRONT RIGHT CORNER OF THE MID-SHIP FUEL TANK. IN THE EVENT OF A FRONTAL IMPACT, EXCESSIVE FUEL SPILLAGE FROM THE FUEL TANK MAY OCCUR. THIS FAILS TO COMPLY WITH FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 301, "FUEL SYSTEM INTEGRITY".

Manufacturer remedy

DEALER WILL INSTALL THE NECESSARY FUEL TANK SHIELD WITHOUT CHARGE TO OWNER.

Owner complaints

A complaint is one person's report to a federal agency. It is not a finding.

ComponentComplaintsMedian mileage
Steering: linkages: tie rod assembly1
Tires1

The 1978 model has about a fifth as many complaints as this one. The 1980 model has about half as many complaints as this one. These figures reflect raw complaint counts, not failure rates. Higher-selling model years naturally receive more complaints.

Safety recall repairs are provided free of charge by franchised dealers, regardless of vehicle age or mileage. This page displays aggregated data for the model year. To check recall status for a specific vehicle, search its VIN at nhtsa.gov.