Ford L Series Recalls & Complaints by Model Year

NHTSA lists 5 safety recalls and 3 owner complaints across 12 model years of the Ford L Series (1975–1998). The most-complained-about year is 1991.

Pick your Ford L Series model year

• 1975
• 1976
• 1977
• 1978
• 1979
• 1984
• 1985
• 1990
• 1991
• 1994
• 1997
• 1998

What Ford L Series owners complain about

Across all model years, owners have filed 3 complaints with NHTSA. The 1991 model year has the most, with 1.

• Suspension: multiple axle1
• Structure1
• Exterior lighting1

All Ford L Series recalls (5)

Every NHTSA safety campaign that lists a Ford L Series, most recent first, with the model years each one covers.

1. Reservoir/tank (service brakes)

   NHTSA 97V150000 Reported September 9, 1997 575 vehicles potentially affected FORD MOTOR COMPANY

   Vehicle description: heavy duty trucks. The air brake reservoir assemblies have poor weld fusion at the welded seams in the reservoirs. This could result in reputure of the seam and subsequent release of the compressed air.

   Remedy: Dealers will replace the primary and secondary air brake reservoirs.

   Model years: 1994

2. Steering wheel/handle bar (steering)

   NHTSA 90V009000 Reported January 22, 1990 500 vehicles potentially affected FORD MOTOR COMPANY

   Steering columns contain an incorrect and possibly under torqued coupling to steering column clamping bolt.

   Remedy: Install grade eight fasteners with properly torqued nuts.

   Model years: 1990

3. Steering wheel/handle bar (steering)

   NHTSA 89V189000 Reported November 7, 1989 39 vehicles potentially affected FORD MOTOR COMPANY

   Intermediate steering shafts have an inadequate length of spline engagement and may exhibit excessive side-to-side freeplay movements.

   Remedy: Install new design intermediate steering shaft assembly.

   Model years: 1990

4. Air (parking brake)

   NHTSA 85V168000 Reported December 20, 1985 51,500 vehicles potentially affected FORD MOTOR COMPANY

   The hydraulic parking brake control valve may inadvertently activate due to momentary pressure disruptions within the system and cause the parking brake to be applied, stopping or slowing the truck unexpectedly. Consequence of defect: this unexpected stopping or slowing of the truck may increase the risk of a rear end collision since…

   Remedy: Replace the push-pull type brake control valve with new over-center cam type valves.

   Model years: 1984, 1985

5. Service brakes, air: control unit/module

   NHTSA 79V077000 Reported March 29, 1979 65,000 vehicles potentially affected FORD MOTOR COMPANY

   Certain air brake anti-lock modulators could malfunction during operation of the anti-lock system. A nylon piston within the modulator air valve system can swell from exposure to system contaminants. Continued exposure may cause the piston to swell to the extent that interference with the cylinder wall will result, causing momentary…

   Remedy: The pistons in the valve portion of the modulators will be replaced with pistons that do not swell when exposed to air brake system contaminants.

   Model years: 1975, 1976, 1977, 1978, 1979

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.