Recalls (5)
NHTSA lists 5 recall campaigns for the 1981 Ford F-250. Check whether yours was repaired with NHTSA's free VIN lookup ↗
Only NHTSA and your automaker know whether your specific car was repaired. PlainVIN shows every recall campaign listed for a model year, with the official text and how many cars have been fixed so far.
Check on NHTSA ↗EQUIPMENT:CARRIER:SPARE TIRE
- Summary
- THE REINFORCEMENT FOR THE IN-BOX SPARE TIRE CARRIER MAY HAVE BEEN ATTACHED USING INCORRECT HEX HEAD BOLTS. IF THE CARRIER AND REINFORCEMENT ATTACHING BOLTS ARE INCORRECT, THE POTENTIAL EXISTS FOR THE TIRE SIDEWALL TO BE DAMAGED OR WEAKENED BY EXTENDED CONTACT WITH THE SHARP EDGES OF THE BOLT HEADS.
- Remedy
- DEALER WILL REPLACE BOLTS AND ANY DAMAGED SPARE TIRES AT NO COST TO OWNER.
WHEELS:MULTIPLE:LUGS:NUTS:BOLTS
- Summary
- THE OWNER"S GUIDE MAY CONTAIN AN ERROR IN THE WHEEL LUG NUT TORQUE SPECIFICATION CHART. INCORRECT INFORMATION COULD RESULT IN IMPROPER TORQUE OF THE LUG NUTS DURING WHEEL REPLACEMENT. LUG NUTS COULD COME LOOSE DURING VEHICLE OPERATION.
- Remedy
- AN ADHESIVE-BACKED, REVISED PAGE WILL BE SUPPLIED TO OWNERS FOR INSERTION IN THE OWNER"S GUIDE. IN ADDITION, DEALERS WILL PROVIDE TORQUE VERIFICATION, IF ONE OR MORE WHEELS HAVE BEEN SERVICED, AT NO COST TO OWNERS.
STRUCTURE:FRAME:MEMBERS AND BODY:OTHER PARTS
- Summary
- THE INVOLVED TRUCKS WERE MANUFACTURED WITH A CERTAIN PORTION OF SPECIFIED FLOOR PAN INSULATION MATERIAL (BENEATH THE RIGHT FRONT PASSENGER SEAT) OMITTED. BECAUSE OF THIS OMISSION, A SECTION OF THE SHEET METAL FLOOR PAN WAS LEFT EXPOSED OVER THE EXHAUST SYSTEM IN AN AREA OF POSSIBLE PASSENGER CONTACT.
- Remedy
- THE DEALER WILL INSTALL A REVISED DESIGN FLOORPAN INSULATOR PAD AT NO CHARGE TO OWNER.
FUEL:FUEL TANK ASSEMBLY:ATTACHMENTS
- Summary
- CERTAIN VEHICLES MAY HAVE BEEN ASSEMBLED WITHOUT THE SPECIFIED FUEL TANK SHIELD WHICH PREVENTS DIRECT CONTACT BETWEEN THE FUEL TANK AND DRIVELINE COMPONENTS. DURING A 30 MPH FRONTAL BARRIER IMPACT TEST, AS SPECIFIED IN FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 301, "FUEL SYSTEM INTEGRITY", FUEL LEAKAGE MAY OCCUR.
- Remedy
- VEHICLES WILL HAVE THE EXISTING SEPARATE SKID PLATE OR FUEL TANK SHIELD REMOVED (WHICHEVER WAS INSTALLED ON VEHICLE). A SPECIAL COMBINATION SKID PLATE/FUEL TANK SHIELD ASSEMBLY WILL BE INSTALLED IN ITS PLACE FREE OF CHARGE.
FUEL:FUEL TANK ASSEMBLY:ATTACHMENTS
- Summary
- DURING A CHANGE IN ASSEMBLY PROCEDURES, CERTAIN OF THE MID-SHIP FUEL TANK STRAPS MAY HAVE BEEN IMPROPERLY INSTALLED OR MISLOCATED. AS A RESULT, THEY FAIL TO CONFORM TO FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 301, "FUEL SYSTEM INTEGRITY". IN THE EVENT OF A COLLISION, EXCESSIVE FUEL SPILLAGE MAY OCCUR.
- Remedy
- DEALER WILL INSPECT AND, IF NECESSARY, RELOCATE FUEL TANK STRAPS WITHOUT CHARGE TO OWNER.
PlainVIN shows public government records for education. It isn't a vehicle inspection or legal advice. Check your own VIN with NHTSA or your dealer.
Owner complaints (1)
1 complaints filed with NHTSA (owner reports, not verified findings). The power train is mentioned most often.
As reported by owners in their complaints. These are reports, not NHTSA findings.
Most-reported components
| Component | Complaints | % of 1 |
|---|---|---|
| Power train | 1 | 100% |
How 1981 compares with other F-250 years
Best and worst F-250 years →| Model year | Complaints | Recall campaigns |
|---|---|---|
| 1981 | 1 | 5 |
| 1983 | 1 | 6 |
| 1984 | 10 | 3 |
| 1985 | 21 | 2 |
| 1986 | 38 | 2 |
| 1987 | 38 | 2 |
| 1988 | 62 | 3 |
| 1989 | 112 | 6 |
| 1990 | 111 | 6 |
| 1991 | 107 | 5 |
Counts are owner reports, not failure rates. Higher sales years tend to draw more reports. Owners are still filing reports for recent model years, so these counts will grow. Source: NHTSA ODI, retrieved Oct 6, 2026.
Looking at a 1981 F-250 for sale?
Print a one-page buyer's checklist: each recall campaign with a box to tick when the seller shows proof of repair, the top complaint areas to inspect, crash stars, MPG, and a link back to this page.
Where to next
1981 Ford F-250 FAQ
How many recalls does the 1981 Ford F-250 have?
NHTSA lists 5 recall campaigns: 82V024000 (equipment), 81V121000 (wheel), 81V061000 (structure), 81V023000 (fuel system), 80V145000 (fuel system). Use NHTSA's VIN lookup to see whether a specific car was repaired.
What are the most common 1981 Ford F-250 problems?
Owners filed 1 complaints with NHTSA. Power train (1) are mentioned most. These are owner reports, not verified findings.
How does the 1981 F-250 compare with other years?
Among the 1981–1991 Ford F-250 model years at least five years old, the 1981 drew the fewest complaints (1) and the 1989 the most (112). The 1981 drew 1. Counts are owner reports, not failure rates.
How this page was madeSources, processing, limits, review and changes
Data sources
- NHTSA recalls by vehicle
Retrieved Oct 6, 2026 - US DOT recall completion rates (data.transportation.gov)
Retrieved Oct 6, 2026 - NHTSA ODI owner complaints
Retrieved Oct 6, 2026 - NHTSA NCAP 5-Star Safety Ratings
Retrieved Oct 6, 2026 - EPA fuel economy data (licence confirmation pending)
Retrieved Oct 6, 2026 - EIA weekly retail gasoline prices
Weekly, all taxes included
Processing
- Complaints are counted per component. One complaint can list several, so component totals add up to more than the total.
- Fuel cost = miles per year ÷ EPA combined mpg × EIA weekly price for your region.
Limitations
- Complaint counts are owner reports, not verified findings or failure rates. There is no sales denominator.
- Recall campaigns are listed for the model year. Only NHTSA and the automaker know whether a specific car was repaired.
- Recent model years are still collecting reports.
Review
Data compiled automatically from the official files listed here.
Changelog
- 2026-10-06 Data refreshed from the official files.