1985 Ford F250 problems & reliability
21 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 1985 Ford F250. Last verified Aug 7, 2026. Complaints are unverified reports submitted by owners to the federal Office of Defects Investigation.
Each complaint is counted once (by NHTSA case number), even when it names several vehicles.
2 complaints report injuries (6 injured).
Most reported problems
| Component | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Electrical System | 6 | 29% |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 4 | 19% |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 3 | 14% |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 2 | 10% |
| Steering | 2 | 10% |
| Tires | 2 | 10% |
| Equipment | 1 | 5% |
| Power Train | 1 | 5% |
| Seat Belts | 1 | 5% |
| Structure | 1 | 5% |
Component groups as classified by NHTSA. A complaint can name more than one component, so shares may sum to more than 100%.
Complaints by incident year
What owners report
“The hauling camper had numerous engine shut offs at various speeds due to ignition module failure. This failure caused loss of power steering and brakes. The consumer states that the manufacturer should correct this design defect. *yh”
Electrical System · filed May 14, 2002
“Wrangler loadrange e lt 235/85r16, dot unknown, replacement tires with 70000 miles on a 1985 ford, f250. All 4 tires showed sidewall cracks. *ak dot mdor 1 dov 155, tires have sidewall cracks near the rim on both the inside and outside. *slc”
Tires · filed Apr 23, 2001
“Firestone has had problems with these tires for more than just the past few years but has always refused to acknowledge the problem. When the 1st tire came apart, I was traveling down the highway with a cab-over camper on the truck and towing a motorcycle trailer. The only damage was to the rim from riding on the…”
Tires · filed Aug 31, 2000
Verbatim excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA. Reports are not independently verified.
Federal defect investigations
- FUEL INJECTOR PUMP FAILS
Preliminary Evaluation PE94065 · opened Aug 19, 1994 · closed Dec 28, 1994
- F-SERIES FUEL TANK FIRES
Defect Petition DP89005 · opened Jan 26, 1989 · closed Aug 1, 1989
- FUEL LEAKS/FIRES
Preliminary Evaluation PE87017 · opened Jan 28, 1987 · closed May 26, 1987
Technical service bulletins
15 manufacturer communications (TSBs, service campaigns, warranty extensions) are on file with NHTSA for the 1985 Ford F250. The 10 most recent:
Information on tire company telephone numbers for customer assistance. *yc
9852 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Apr 13, 1998
Information on a buzzing or rattle noise from the exhaust system. *tt
9864 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Mar 30, 1998
Some vehicles may exhibit excessive brake pedal travel, irregular front lining wear, and brake pull. *yc
985A29 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Mar 18, 1998
A no start or hard start condition may occur on some vehicles due to the glow plug control system. *yc
98030298420 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Mar 2, 1998
Fluid- transmission fluid usage charts. *jd
97511 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Mar 3, 1997
Frame- rivet replacement with bolts- service tips. *jd
9747 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Feb 17, 1997
Noise- "popping/creaking"- front frame or suspension brackets- frame- "popping/creaking"- fastener replacement. *jd
97310 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Feb 3, 1997
Transaxle - torque converter replacement guidelines and torque converter/transaxle cooling system cleaning procedures - service tip. *tw
962612 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Dec 16, 1996
Torque converter - leak test procedure - service tip. *tw
96249 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Nov 18, 1996
Wiring - electrical diode identification and service replacements. *tw
96246 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Nov 18, 1996
TSBs are repair guidance manufacturers send to dealers — they are not recalls and repairs are not automatically free. Full documents are available on NHTSA’s site.
Safety recalls
No NHTSA recall campaigns name the 1985 Ford F250 in our current data. Recalls may apply only to certain VIN ranges — always confirm with a VIN check.
Check whether your specific vehicle is affected
Recall campaigns often cover only certain VIN ranges. Enter your VIN on the official NHTSA site to confirm whether your vehicle is included and whether the repair is still open.
Check VIN on NHTSA →Buying a used 1985 Ford F250?
- · Decode the seller’s VIN with our free VIN decoder to confirm the exact year, engine and trim.
- · Check for unrepaired recalls by VIN on NHTSA’s official lookup — recall repairs are free.