1981 Ford F150 Recalls, Complaints & Specs
3 safety recalls list the 1981 Ford F150, and owners have filed 2 complaints with NHTSA. Check your own VIN below.
3 safety recalls for the 1981 Ford F150
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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Structure
The involved trucks were manufactured with a certain portion of specified floor pan insulation material (beneath the right front passenger seat) omitted. Because of this omission, a section of the sheet metal floor pan was left exposed over the exhaust system in an area of possible passenger contact.
Remedy: The dealer will install a revised design floorpan insulator pad at no charge to owner.
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Mounting (fuel system)
During a change in assembly procedures, certain of the mid-ship fuel tank straps may have been improperly installed or mislocated. As a result, they fail to conform to federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 301, "fuel system integrity". In the event of a collision, excessive fuel spillage may occur.
Remedy: Dealer will inspect and, if necessary, relocate fuel tank straps without charge to owner.
2 owner complaints filed with NHTSA
Owners of the 1981 Ford F150 have filed 2 complaints with NHTSA. Complaints peaked in 1999 with 1 filed that year.
Most-reported components
What owners are reporting
“I purchased four used sx 5000 starfire (cooper) 255/70-15 tires for my 1981 ford f-150 in march of 2010. The tires were mounted to what i believe are 15x8 steel wheels by the independent tire shop tha”
Owner complaint to NHTSA, January 24, 2011 · Tires
“There is a hole in the gas tank. Dealer has been contacted. *ak”
Owner complaint to NHTSA, September 28, 1999 · Fuel system, gasoline
Compare Ford F150 model years
Recall and complaint counts for every Ford F150 model year in NHTSA's database.
| Model year | Recalls | Complaints |
|---|---|---|
| 1955 Ford F150 | 0 | 1 |
| 1966 Ford F150 | 0 | 1 |
| 1968 Ford F150 | 0 | 1 |
| 1973 Ford F150 | 1 | 0 |
| 1975 Ford F150 | 3 | 1 |
| 1976 Ford F150 | 1 | 0 |
| 1977 Ford F150 | 5 | 3 |
| 1978 Ford F150 | 9 | 4 |
| 1979 Ford F150 | 9 | 2 |
| 1980 Ford F150 | 4 | 3 |
| 1981 Ford F150 | 3 | 2 |
| 1982 Ford F150 | 0 | 5 |
| 1983 Ford F150 | 1 | 10 |
| 1984 Ford F150 | 1 | 13 |
| 1985 Ford F150 | 1 | 28 |
| 1986 Ford F150 | 1 | 61 |
| 1987 Ford F150 | 3 | 89 |
| 1988 Ford F150 | 2 | 139 |
| 1989 Ford F150 | 4 | 210 |
| 1990 Ford F150 | 4 | 254 |
Checking a specific 1981 Ford F150
How do I know if my 1981 Ford F150 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 1981 Ford F150; 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 80V145000).
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.