RecallMyCar

1979 Ford F250 Recalls, Complaints & Specs

8 safety recalls list the 1979 Ford F250, and owners have filed 1 complaint with NHTSA. Check your own VIN below.

8
safety recalls
1
owner complaint to NHTSA

8 safety recalls for the 1979 Ford F250

Most recent first. Recall repairs are free at any authorised dealer. Click a recall for the full defect, consequence and remedy text.

  1. Rotor (service brakes)

    NHTSA 79V201000 Reported 500 vehicles potentially affected FORD MOTOR COMPANY

    Dimensional differences in the 1980 versus the 1979 assemblies may allow the inner brake lining/shoe to move outward to a position where it is no longer retained in the shoe slot when the front brake inner linings become worn to the point of needing replacement. The inner brake shoe could then wedge between the rotor and spindle,…

    Remedy: The dealer will inspect and, if necessary, replace the hub and rotor assemblies and spindle seals.

  2. Pedals and linkages (service brakes)

    NHTSA 79V117000 Reported 82,000 vehicles potentially affected FORD MOTOR COMPANY

    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.

    Remedy: Dealer will replace the suspect brake retaining pin.

  3. Arm (steering)

    NHTSA 79V035000 Reported 62,000 vehicles potentially affected FORD MOTOR COMPANY

    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.

    Remedy: The dealer will inspect for cracking in the steering arm knuckles on all vehicles and, if necessary, replace them free of charge.

  4. Mounting (fuel system)

    NHTSA 79V038000 Reported 105 vehicles potentially affected FORD MOTOR COMPANY

    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.

    Remedy: The dealer will install the required fuel tank shield without charge to owner.

  5. Windshield (visibility)

    NHTSA 79V023000 Reported 12 vehicles potentially affected FORD MOTOR COMPANY

    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.

    Remedy: The dealer will install the windshield weatherstrip retaining components at no cost to owner.

  6. Automatic transmission (power train)

    NHTSA 78V256000 Reported 7,000 vehicles potentially affected FORD MOTOR COMPANY

    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…

    Remedy: Dealer will inspect and, if necessary, replace the parking pawl with one that has been heat-treated.

  7. Automatic transmission (power train)

    NHTSA 78V201000 Reported 22,000 vehicles potentially affected FORD MOTOR COMPANY

    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.

    Remedy: Dealer will replace the transmission parking pawl actuating rod without charge to owner.

  8. Mounting (fuel system)

    NHTSA 78V197000 Reported 103 vehicles potentially affected FORD MOTOR COMPANY

    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".

    Remedy: Dealer will install the necessary fuel tank shield without charge to owner.

1 owner complaint filed with NHTSA

Owners of the 1979 Ford F250 have filed 1 complaint with NHTSA. Complaints peaked in 2011 with 1 filed that year.

Most-reported components

What owners are reporting

“Tl*the contact owns a 1979 ford f250. The contact stated the vehicle was equipped with dual fuel tanks, and both were leaking excessive fuel. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where the”

Owner complaint to NHTSA, May 26, 2011 · Fuel system, gasoline

Compare Ford F250 model years

Recall and complaint counts for every Ford F250 model year in NHTSA's database.

Model yearRecallsComplaints
1967 Ford F25030
1968 Ford F25011
1969 Ford F25010
1970 Ford F25001
1972 Ford F25030
1973 Ford F25050
1974 Ford F25022
1975 Ford F25050
1976 Ford F25020
1977 Ford F25052
1978 Ford F25092
1979 Ford F25081
1980 Ford F25030
1981 Ford F25051
1982 Ford F25030
1983 Ford F25061
1984 Ford F250310
1985 Ford F250221
1986 Ford F250238
1987 Ford F250238
1988 Ford F250362
1989 Ford F2506101
1990 Ford F2506107
2005 Ford F25030
2006 Ford F25030
2007 Ford F25020
2008 Ford F25020

Checking a specific 1979 Ford F250

How do I know if my 1979 Ford F250 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. 8 campaigns currently list the 1979 Ford F250; 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 78V197000).

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

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.