The 1979 Ford F-150 has 9 NHTSA recall campaigns affecting an estimated 235,720 vehicles. Recall repairs are always free at any authorized dealer. Owners have filed 2 complaints with NHTSA, most often about the steering. Last updated July 5, 2026.
Recall campaigns
WHEELS79V2080001979-09-1740,000 affected
Defect
A NUMBER OF WHEEL ASSEMBLIES ON THE INVOLVED VEHICLES MAY HAVE SUBSTANDARD WELDS IN THE AREA WHERE THE DISC IS ATTACHED TO THE RIM. SUBSTANDARD WELDS CAN CAUSE CRACKS TO OCCUR IN THE WHEEL ASSEMBLY. RAPID LOSS OF AIR PRESSURE IN THE TIRE OR SEPARATION OF THE WHEEL RIM FROM THE DISC COULD RESULT.
Remedy
IF SEPARATION AND LOSS OF AIR OCCURS WHILE VEHICLE IS IN OPERATION, LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL AND AN ACCIDENT COULD OCCUR WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING. CORRECTIVE ACTION: THE DEALER WILL INSPECT AND, IF NECESSARY, REPLACE THE WHEELS WITHOUT CHARGE TO OWNER.
WHEELS79V1850001979-08-0722,500 affected
Defect
THE WHEEL ASSEMBLY MAY CONTAIN SUBSTANDARD WELDS IN THE AREA WHERE THE DISC IS ATTACHED TO THE RIM. AS A RESULT, CRACKS CAN FORM IN THE WHEEL ASSEMBLY, CAUSING AIR LOSS AND AN UNDERINFLATED TIRE.
Remedy
DEALER WILL INSPECT AND REPLACE ANY DEFECTIVE WHEELS WITHOUT CHARGE TO OWNER.
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC79V1170001979-05-1582,000 affected
Defect
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.
STEERING79V0350001979-01-2962,000 affected
Defect
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.
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.
VISIBILITY79V0230001979-01-1512 affected
Defect
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.
POWER TRAIN78V2560001978-11-277,000 affected
Defect
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…
Remedy
DEALER WILL INSPECT AND, IF NECESSARY, REPLACE THE PARKING PAWL WITH ONE THAT HAS BEEN HEAT-TREATED.
POWER TRAIN78V2010001978-09-1522,000 affected
Defect
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.
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.
Complaints by component
STEERING:LINKAGES:TIE ROD ASSEMBLY
1
TIRES
1
Total complaints2
What owners report
Verbatim reports filed with NHTSA, lightly edited for readability and with personal
information removed.
“While washing the vehicle he noticed that the front tire has stress marks and the tire is split on the side. Firestone firehawkss20 p25570r15 #dot number vdm2f204100302l. Nlm”
“Lower inner tie rod has broken, preventing any/ and all movement of steering wheel. Driver side rod came out the socket. Please provide any further details. *ak”
Recall, complaint, and investigation records from official NHTSA datasets (FLAT_RCL,
FLAT_CMPL, FLAT_INV), synced weekly. Counts reflect NHTSA records for the 1979 Ford F-150 as of
July 5, 2026. Complaint narratives are consumer-submitted and unverified. This page
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