FordF-Series1991Overview/ford/f-series/1991/base/

1991 Ford F-Series

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 1991 F-Series.

The 1991 Ford F-Series, a full-size pickup built on the automaker’s versatile platform, requires 6.0 quarts of 5W-20 API engine oil for its standard powertrain. With only six total owner complaints on record and zero recalls, this model year stands out in the F-Series’ reliability history as a notably trouble-free iteration, though the top complaint area of “Structure” suggests isolated concerns that do not detract from its overall dependability.

Model year199519941993199219911990198919881987

Quick specs

Fluid capacities, tune-up values and fuel economy at a glance.

Engine oil capacity6.0 qtOEM · verified
Engine oil type5W-20 APIOEM · verified

Fitment & sizes

Replacement part sizes and factory part numbers — battery, bulbs, filters and belts.

OE service part numbers OEM · verified

ThermostatRT1087

Performance & power Independent road tests

0–60 mph, quarter-mile, horsepower and torque from independent road tests.

Independent road tests for the F-Series of this era, listed by trim and engine — this page spans more than one engine, so no single horsepower figure is shown.

8.3–10.4 sec0–60 mph (tested)quickest 8.30 sec — 1997 F-150 Lariat SuperCab
YearTrim / engine0–60¼ mileHPDrivetrain
1997F-150 Lariat SuperCab 5.4L V88.30 sec16.40 sec235 hpRWD
1997F-150 XLT Regular Cab 4.6L V88.80 sec16.60 sec220 hpRWD
1997F-150 Lariat Flareside Regular Cab 4.6L V88.90 sec16.70 sec220 hpRWD
1997F-150 Styleside Regular Cab 4.2L V69.30 sec17.20 sec202 hpRWD
1997F-150 XLT SuperCab 4.6L V89.90 sec17.70 sec220 hpRWD
1997F-150 XLT SuperCab 4.6L V810.40 sec17.90 sec220 hp4x4
1998F-150 XLT SuperCab 5.4L V88.70 sec16.70 sec235 hpRWD
1998F-150 XLT SuperCab 5.4L V89.40 sec17.20 sec235 hp4x4

Service quick specs OEM factory data

Capacities, torques and tune-up values from the factory service manual.

This engine holds 6.0 qt of 5W-20 API engine oil, 80W-90 · GL-5 in the differential, DOT 3 brake fluid.

Lubricants & capacities

Brake FluidDOT 3
Differential Gear Oil80W-90 · GL-5
Differential Gear Oil Capacity7.4 Pints, Dana 70 HD
Engine OilSYNTHETIC · 5W-20 · API
Engine Oil Capacity6.0 qt
Engine Oil5W-30 · API
Engine Oil Capacity6.0 qt
Engine Oil5W-30 · API

Factory maintenance schedule OEM · verified

Normal service, condensed from the factory interval matrix.

Under the factory schedule, replace the engine oil and filter every 5,000 mi; spark plugs every 60,000 mi; coolant every 30,000 mi. The big-interval services (every 30,000 mi for coolant, and the transmission fluid) are the ones owners most often skip — on a lower-mileage example, assume the original fluids are still in it and check them first.

At 5,000 miDiesel Fuel Injection Pump (inspect) · Throttle Plate (inspect) · Throttle Return Spring (inspect) · Universal Vehicle Operation (inspect idle speed)
Every 5,000 miClutch Master Cylinder (inspect fluid level) · Clutch Release Lever Pivot Points (lubricate) · Driveshaft U-Joint (lubricate) · Engine Oil (drain & refill) · Engine Oil Filter (replace) · Fuel Filter Water Separator (inspect)
At 7,500 miTire & Wheel Assembly (rotate)
Every 7,500 miDriveshaft Slip Yoke (lubricate) · Tire & Wheel Assembly (rotate)
Every 15,000 miAccessory Drive Belt (inspect) · Brake Line (inspect) · Brake System (inspect) · Diesel Fuel Injection Pump (inspect) · Disc Brake Caliper Guide Pin (lubricate) · Throttle Plate (inspect)
Every 30,000 miAir Intake System (inspect) · Brake Hydraulic System (inspect fluid level) · Engine Air Filter Element (replace) · Engine Breather Filter (replace) · Engine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill) · Exhaust System (Complete) (inspect)
Every 60,000 miAir Injection System (inspect) · Fuel Filter (replace) · Idle Air Bypass Solenoid (inspect) · PCV Valve (replace) · Spark Plug Wires (replace) · Throttle Body (inspect)
Every 100,000 miDrive Axle Assembly (drain & refill)

Reliability & federal safety record

Owner-reported issues, recalls, investigations and service bulletins on record with NHTSA — an unfiltered look at what owners actually experience.

Owner complaints about the 1991 Ford F-Series dominate in one area — the structure, 2 of 6 reports (33%), well ahead of the next concern. NHTSA has issued no recalls for this vehicle, so these are owner-reported concerns only. 0 of the reports describe a crash and 0 a fire — a small share of the total, but worth weighing against the structure pattern above. These are tallies of what owners actually reported to the federal government, not an editorial score — and higher-selling models naturally rack up more reports.

0
Open recalls
NHTSA campaigns
12
Service bulletins
Manufacturer communications
1
ODI investigations
Office of Defects Investigation
6
Owner complaints
0 involved a crash · 0 a fire
NHTSA crash-test rating federal NCAP · out of 5 stars
Overall★★★★★
Frontal★★★★★
Side★★★★★
Rollover★★★★

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 6 complaints on record, top 5 components.

Structure2
Fuel/Propulsion System1
Fuel System, Gasoline,Equipment1
Tires1
Fuel System, Gasoline1

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

No recall campaigns on record with NHTSA for this vehicle as of the last data refresh.

Technical service bulletins NHTSA · verified

Showing 5 of 12 bulletins on record with NHTSA.

BulletinDateComponentSummary
01B772001-10-01TiresOWNER NOTIFICATION PROGRAM SUPPLEMENT 7 REVISED INFORMATION - REGARDING REPLACEMENT OF…
992221999-10-18Electrical SystemSUBJECT ON A WIRE HARNESS TERMINAL REPAIR KIT AVAILABLE FOR REPAIRING ELECTRICAL WIRING…
991961999-09-20EquipmentINFORMATION ON IDENTIFYING NON-APPROVED / ALTERNATE REFRIGERANTS WHICH COULD CAUSE…
982461998-12-07Electrical SystemFORD MOTOR COMPANY HAS RELEASED A NEW ELECTRICAL GREASE ( F8AZ - 19G208-AA ) TO REDUCE…
98521998-04-13TiresINFORMATION ON TIRE COMPANY TELEPHONE NUMBERS FOR CUSTOMER ASSISTANCE. *YC

Common OBD-II trouble codes

The most common OBD-II codes for this vehicle's emissions system. These are standardized SAE J2012 definitions, not vehicle-specific fault reports.

P0420
Catalyst system efficiency below threshold — Bank 1
P0300
Random / multiple cylinder misfire detected
P0171
System too lean — Bank 1
P0455
Evaporative emission system leak detected — large leak
P0128
Coolant thermostat below regulating temperature
P0442
Evaporative emission system leak detected — small leak

VIN tools

Decode factory build data for a specific vehicle by VIN.

VIN
Decode a VIN to confirm the transmission and build data for a specific F-Series. OEM
Build data
Plant, GVWR class, engine and body data for any 17-character VIN.
Recalls
Check open recall campaigns against a specific vehicle by VIN.

Vehicles with shared specs

Find every vehicle that shares this one's battery, bulbs, oil capacity, platform or parts.

Reference guides

Cross-vehicle references for the kinds of data on this page.

Frequently asked

How much oil does the 1991 F-Series take?

6.0 qt of SYNTHETIC 5W-20 API, per the factory manual.

Does the 1991 F-Series have open recalls?

NHTSA lists 0 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.