1980 Ford F100 Recalls, Complaints & Specs
3 safety recalls list the 1980 Ford F100, and owners have filed 1 complaint with NHTSA. Check your own VIN below.
3 safety recalls for the 1980 Ford F100
Most recent first. Recall repairs are free at any authorised dealer. Click a recall for the full defect, consequence and remedy text.
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Carrier/rack (equipment)
The reinforcement for the in-box spare tire carrier may have been attached using incorrect hex head bolts. If the carrier and reinforcement attaching bolts are incorrect, the potential exists for the tire sidewall to be damaged or weakened by extended contact with the sharp edges of the bolt heads.
Remedy: Dealer will replace bolts and any damaged spare tires at no cost to owner.
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Mounting (fuel system)
The involved vehicles were manufactured without the midship fuel tank protective shields. As a result, they do not conform to federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 301, "fuel system integrity", due to excessive fuel spillage upon frontal impact.
Remedy: The involved vehicles will be inspected and, if necessary, a fuel tank shield will be installed at no charge to owner.
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Column shift (power train)
The parking pawl actuating rod in the transmission may have an insufficient or cracked weld. This can cause the park cam end to separate from the rod itself, preventing the parking pawl from engaging the parking gear when the selector is placed in the park position.
Remedy: Dealer will replace the defective parking pawl actuating rod free of charge.
1 owner complaint filed with NHTSA
Owners of the 1980 Ford F100 have filed 1 complaint with NHTSA. The average mileage at failure in those reports is 182,000 miles. Complaints peaked in 2003 with 1 filed that year.
Most-reported components
What owners are reporting
“Radius arm broke while driving. As result, driver's side wheel came off without warning. *ak”
Owner complaint to NHTSA, December 17, 2003 · Suspension
Compare Ford F100 model years
Recall and complaint counts for every Ford F100 model year in NHTSA's database.
| Model year | Recalls | Complaints |
|---|---|---|
| 1967 Ford F100 | 1 | 0 |
| 1969 Ford F100 | 1 | 1 |
| 1970 Ford F100 | 1 | 0 |
| 1971 Ford F100 | 1 | 0 |
| 1972 Ford F100 | 3 | 0 |
| 1973 Ford F100 | 4 | 0 |
| 1974 Ford F100 | 2 | 2 |
| 1976 Ford F100 | 1 | 0 |
| 1977 Ford F100 | 4 | 0 |
| 1978 Ford F100 | 7 | 0 |
| 1979 Ford F100 | 8 | 2 |
| 1980 Ford F100 | 3 | 1 |
| 1981 Ford F100 | 3 | 0 |
| 1983 Ford F100 | 1 | 1 |
| 1984 Ford F100 | 1 | 1 |
| 1985 Ford F100 | 0 | 1 |
| 1986 Ford F100 | 1 | 0 |
| 1987 Ford F100 | 1 | 0 |
| 1988 Ford F100 | 0 | 1 |
| 1990 Ford F100 | 0 | 2 |
| 1996 Ford F100 | 0 | 2 |
Checking a specific 1980 Ford F100
How do I know if my 1980 Ford F100 has an open recall?
Enter your 17-character VIN above. The VIN is on the driver's side dashboard (visible through the windshield), the driver's door jamb sticker, and your registration or insurance card. The check runs against NHTSA's live database and tells you which campaigns list your vehicle. 3 campaigns currently list the 1980 Ford F100; your car may already have been repaired under some of them.
Is the recall repair free?
Yes. Under federal law, manufacturers must fix safety recalls at no charge for vehicles up to 15 years old from the date of sale to the first owner. Contact any authorised Ford dealer with your VIN and the NHTSA campaign number (for example 79V261000).
What is the difference between a recall and a complaint?
A recall is a safety campaign filed by the manufacturer or ordered by NHTSA, with a defined defect and remedy. A complaint is a report an owner sent to NHTSA; it is not verified, but patterns of complaints are what trigger NHTSA investigations and, eventually, recalls.
Other Ford models
- F-15037,961 complaints
- Explorer34,566 complaints
- Escape27,430 complaints
- Fusion22,405 complaints
- Focus22,096 complaints
- Taurus18,159 complaints
- Windstar14,158 complaints
- Edge14,065 complaints
Source: NHTSA recall and complaint databases and EPA fuel economy data, October 2026. Complaint counts are owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects. Recall counts are safety campaigns that list this model year; whether a particular car was already repaired depends on its VIN. How this data is compiled.