The 1978 Ford F-150 has 9 NHTSA recall campaigns affecting an estimated 204,547 vehicles. Recall repairs are always free at any authorized dealer. Owners have filed 13 complaints with NHTSA, most often about the steering. Last updated July 5, 2026.
THE DRIVER"S SIDE SHOULDER BELT RETRACTOR MOUNTING BRACKET ASSEMBLY CONTAINS A WELD NUT WHICH WAS IMPROPERLY ATTACHED TO THE BRACKET. THIS FAILS TO COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 210, "SEAT BELT ASSEMBLY ANCHORAGES".
THE DEALER WILL REPAIR THE LEFT SIDE SHOULDER BELT RETRACTOR MOUNTING BRACKET ON THE INVOLVED VEHICLES FREE OF CHARGE.
THESE VEHICLES MAY BE EQUIPPED WITH STEERING LINKAGES ON WHICH COTTER PINS MAY NOT HAVE BEEN INSTALLED ON CASTELLATED NUTS TO SECURE THE STEERING DRAG LINK AND TIE-ROD CONNECTIONS. ALSO, THESE ATTACHING NUTS MAY NOT HAVE BEEN TIGHTENED TO SPECIFICATIONS. THIS COULD ALLOW LINKAGE SEPARATION.
THE DEALER WILL PERFORM NECESSARY CORRECTIONS TO THE STEERING LINKAGE ATTACHMENTS.
SOME OF THESE VEHICLES MAY BE EQUIPPED WITH AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSIONS THAT WERE ASSEMBLED WITH IMPROPERLY MANUFACTURED CAST IRON EXTENSION HOUSINGS. THE HOUSINGS HAVE MISLOCATED CAST CAM PLATE STOPS. A MISLOCATED STOP MAY PREVENT THE TRANSMISSION FROM LOCKING IN THE PARK POSITION WHEN THE GEAR SHIFT SELECTOR LEVER IS…
DEALER WILL INSPECT AND, IF NECESSARY, REPLACE THE TRANSMISSION EXTENSION HOUSING WITHOUT CHARGE TO OWNER.
THE SHIFT SELECTOR REACTION SPRINGS MAY BE DEFORMED AS A RESULT OF IMPROPER INSTALLATION OF SELECTOR LEVERS DURING COLUMN BUILDUP. THUS THE LEVER MAY NOT BE ABLE TO BE MOVED INTO THE INSERT DETENTS LOCATED IN THE STEERING COLUMN ASSEMBLY. THIS COULD PREVENT THE "PARK" GEAR FROM BEING ENGAGED.
DEALER WILL INSPECT AND, IF NECESSARY, REPLACE THE SHIFT SELECTOR REACTION SPRING WITHOUT CHARGE TO OWNER.
SOME OF THE STEEL WHEELS ON THE INVOLVED VEHICLES MAY HAVE BEEN IMPROPERLY MANUFACTURED. THESE WHEELS, OVER A PERIOD OF TIME, COULD CRACK IN THE WHEEL RIM AREA THROUGH NORMAL OPERATION, WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING.
DEALER WILL INSPECT AND, IF NECESSARY, REPLACE THE WHEELS ON THE INVOLVED VEHICLES.
ON THE INVOLVED VEHICLES, LEAKAGE MAY OCCUR AT THE THREADED CARBURETOR-TO-FUEL FILTER CONNECTION ON THE SUSPECT CARBURETORS. THIS IS DUE TO AN IMPROPERLY MACHINED CARBURETOR FUEL INLET CONNECTION.
DEALER WILL INSPECT AND, IF NECESSARY, WILL REPLACE THE CARBURETOR WITHOUT CHARGE TO OWNER.
ON THE INVOLVED VEHICLES, THE PARK ACTUATION SUPPORT PLATES ARE DEFECTIVE DUE TO THEIR SUSCEPTIBILITY TO CRACKING DUE TO IMPROPER HEAT TREATMENT DURING MANUFACTURE. AS A RESULT, FRAGMENTS FROM A BROKEN PLATE CAN BECOME LODGED IN THE TRANSMISSION PARKING PAWL MECHANISM. THIS COULD PREVENT THE TRANSMISSION PARKING PAWL…
THE DEALER WILL REPLACE THE PARK ACTUATION CAM SUPPORT PLATES, FREE OF CHARGE, ON ALL AFFECTED VEHICLES.
THE PITMAN ARM TO STEERING GEAR ATTACHMENT NUTS MAY NOT HAVE BEEN PROPERLY TIGHTENED ON THE INVOLVED VEHICLES. THE NUT COULD COME OFF DURING VEHICLE OPERATION.
DEALER WILL TIGHTEN THE PITMAN ARM ATTACHING NUT TO THE CORRECT SPECIFICATIONS WITHOUT CHARGE TO OWNER.
SOME OF THE INVOLVED VEHICLES MAY HAVE DEFECTIVE CARBURETORS IN WHICH, UNDER CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES, THE SECONDARY THROTTLE PLATES MAY STICK OPEN.
DEALER WILL INSPECT AND, IF NECESSARY, REPLACE THE CARBURETOR AT NO CHARGE TO OWNER.
Verbatim reports filed with NHTSA, lightly edited for readability and with personal information removed.
“Consumer states that while driving at any speed and without warning the headlights will flicker causing a distraction to the consumer view during nighttime. Dealer notified. Ts *dt”
“Vehicle at inspection station. Vehicle was parked & mechanic was checking brake fluid. Vehicle suddenly jumped out of park and went into reverse. Door was bent towards the front of vehicle & then swung back & closed. Vehicle went across the street & struck light post. No injuries. Driver's door…”
“Engine replace. Mjs”
“Suspension system has experienced continued problems with stability and wear. Mjs”
“Defective carburetor.”
“Power steering failure.”
“Distributor cap replaced.”
“Parking gear does not always hold when engaged.”
Recall, complaint, and investigation records from official NHTSA datasets (FLAT_RCL, FLAT_CMPL, FLAT_INV), synced weekly. Counts reflect NHTSA records for the 1978 Ford F-150 as of July 5, 2026. Complaint narratives are consumer-submitted and unverified. This page contains ads and affiliate links. Full methodology.