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#BS-1987-FORF15-76F2

1987 Ford F-150Problems, Recalls & Reliability

Based on reports from 109 owners and 3 recalls for this exact model.

Data updated ·checked October 21, 2026 · NHTSA complaints through October 19, 2026

Complaints
109
Crashes
3
Fires
49
Recalls
3
TSBs
19
🟡

Preliminary Verdict

Think Twice

Based on 109 complaints, 3 crashes, 49 fires, and 3 recalls.

See full verdict with buy/skip conditions

Top reported problems

1

difficulty starting cold engine

1 complaints • Severity 6/10

$X,XXX
2

engine idles high

1 complaints • Severity 4/10

$X,XXX
3

torsion sway bar broke

1 complaints • Severity 4/10

$X,XXX

Preview: What's in your full report

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Mechanic Inspection Checklist

!Check the Electrical System:ignition:switchHIGH

17 owners reported electrical system:ignition:switch issues — failures commonly reported around 128K miles.

!Inspect the Electrical System:ignitionMED
Look for symptoms of wear and premature failure
+ 6 more items in full checklistUnlock

30,000-Mile Cost Projection

Best Case

$X,XXX

Most Likely

$X,XXX

Worst Case

$X,XXX

Top cost driver: Electrical System:ignition:switch (17 reports).

Includes fuel costs, common repairs, and recall riskUnlock

Also in your report

Owner Intelligence

AI-synthesized themes from real complaints

Buyer Lot Checklist

Questions, test drive checks, walk-away triggers

Negotiation Talking Points

Data-backed dollar deductions

Buy / Skip Verdict

Final recommendation with conditions

10 sections total in the full reportUnlock all

Where the complaints fall

Electrical System:ignition:switch17 (16%)
Electrical System:ignition7 (6%)
Electrical System:wiring:front Underhood7 (6%)
Fuel System, Gasoline:storage:auxillary Tank:selector Devices7 (6%)
Fuel System, Gasoline:storage:tank Assembly6 (6%)
Electrical System:wiring:interior/under Dash5 (5%)
Engine And Engine Cooling:engine:gasoline5 (5%)
Tires:tread/belt4 (4%)

1987 Ford F-150: Known Issues & Problem Areas

Electrical System:ignition:switch Issues

Electrical System:ignition:switch complaints account for 16% of all reports filed for the 1987 Ford F-150, with 17 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. The median mileage at time of complaint is 128,013 miles, suggesting issues tend to surface around the 128K-mile mark.

Electrical System:ignition Issues

Electrical System:ignition complaints account for 6% of all reports filed for the 1987 Ford F-150, with 7 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. Owners should pay attention to electrical system:ignition-related symptoms during test drives and pre-purchase inspections.

Electrical System:wiring:front Underhood Issues

Electrical System:wiring:front Underhood complaints account for 6% of all reports filed for the 1987 Ford F-150, with 7 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. Owners should pay attention to electrical system:wiring:front underhood-related symptoms during test drives and pre-purchase inspections.

Fuel System, Gasoline:storage:auxillary Tank:selector Devices Issues

Fuel System, Gasoline:storage:auxillary Tank:selector Devices complaints account for 6% of all reports filed for the 1987 Ford F-150, with 7 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. Owners should pay attention to fuel system, gasoline:storage:auxillary tank:selector devices-related symptoms during test drives and pre-purchase inspections.

Data sourced from NHTSA owner complaints and community reports. The full report analyzes severity, repair costs, and failure patterns for each category.

Complaint trend by year

11
00
11
01
3
02
2
03
1
04
6
05
2
06
1
13
1
17

Complaints filed with NHTSA by year for the 1987 Ford F-150. Recent trend: stable.

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Repair costs • Negotiation scripts • Mechanic checklist • Buy/skip verdict

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Recall History (3 recalls)

87V077000May 1987

SUSPENSION:FRONT:WHEEL BEARING

FRONT INNER WHEEL BEARINGS MAY NOT HAVE BEEN LUBRICATED ADEQUATELY AT TIME OF ASSEMBLY.

87V139000Oct 1987

FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:HOSES, LINES/PIPING, AND FITTINGS

SPRING LOCK FUEL LINE COUPLING MAY NOT BE PROPERLY ENGAGED.

87V140000Oct 1987

WHEELS:LUGS/NUTS/BOLTS/STUDS

WHEEL LUG NUT CONE ANGLES DO NOT MATCH LUG NUT SEATING ANGLES.

Recall severity analysis & seller scripts

The full report rates each recall's severity and gives you scripts for asking the seller about recall completion.

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NHTSA Defect Investigations (2)

All closed. Investigations are how NHTSA decides whether a defect needs a recall.

DP89005ClosedOpened Jan 1989 · closed Aug 1989

F-SERIES FUEL TANK FIRES

FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE

PE89020ClosedOpened Dec 1988 · closed Jun 1989

FIRES

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:LINKAGES

The worst model year for the Ford F-150 is the 2018 — worth knowing if you're cross-shopping years. The biggest problem area is engine.

About this data

NHTSA Complaints

Federal database of owner-filed safety complaints. 109 records for this vehicle.

NHTSA Recalls

Manufacturer-issued safety recalls. 3 recalls found for this vehicle.

Repair Cost Data

Real-world repair costs from owner reports and independent databases.

Last updated (checked October 21, 2026). NHTSA complaints received through October 19, 2026.

Other Ford F-150 Model Years

202720262025202420232022202120202019201820172016201520142013201220112010200920082007200620052004200320022001200019991998199719961995199419931992199119901989198819871986198519841983198219811980197919781977197619751973
View all Ford F-150 years →

1987 Ford F-150: Frequently Asked Questions

What is the most common problem with the 1987 Ford F-150?
The most commonly reported issue with the 1987 Ford F-150 is related to the electrical system:ignition:switch, with 17 complaints filed with NHTSA.
Is the 1987 Ford F-150 reliable?
The 1987 Ford F-150 has 109 complaints, 3 crash reports, and 49 fire reports filed with NHTSA. The full report analyzes whether these numbers indicate real risk or are proportional to the vehicle’s popularity.
How much does it cost to fix 1987 Ford F-150 problems?
Repair costs vary by issue. The full BumperScan report includes detailed repair cost estimates (low/median/high) for every major issue, plus a 30,000-mile total cost of ownership projection.
Does the 1987 Ford F-150 have any recalls?
Yes, the 1987 Ford F-150 has 3 recalls on record. The full report includes recall severity analysis and scripts for asking the seller about recall completion.
What mileage do Ford F-150 problems start?
Based on 7 complaints with mileage data, the median mileage at time of complaint is 128,013 miles. The highest concentration of reported issues occurs in the 90–120K mile range. The full report breaks down exactly which components fail at each mileage bracket.
When was the 1987 Ford F-150 data last updated?
BumperScan last checked this vehicle against NHTSA on October 21, 2026, covering owner complaints received through October 19, 2026 plus the latest recalls, investigations and technical service bulletins. Its numbers last changed on October 4, 2026.
What’s in the full report?
10 sections of AI analysis: severity-ranked issues, component scores (0-100), 30K-mile cost projection, failure timeline by mileage, recall details with seller scripts, owner sentiment analysis, mechanic checklist, buyer lot checklist, negotiation ammo with dollar figures, and a buy/skip verdict.
How is this different from free NHTSA data?
NHTSA gives you raw complaint text. BumperScan cross-references 2.1M+ complaints with community repair cost data, EPA fuel data, and recall records — then uses AI to synthesize it into actionable advice with dollar figures.
How is this different from Carfax?
Carfax is VIN-specific history ($45/report). BumperScan is model-level reliability intelligence — what problems this car is known for, what they cost, and whether you should buy it. Complementary, not competing.
What if the report isn’t useful?
100% money-back guarantee. If the report doesn’t help you make a more informed decision, we’ll refund you — no questions asked.
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10 sections of AI analysis based on 109 owner reports. Know before you buy.

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