• 1988 saw some big changes in Ford's popular F-150 lineup. Fuel injection was becoming a standard option in many cars, and this year, Ford decided to offer this option on their truck line. While not many changes were made to the body style, a few minor tweaks were also introduced in 1988.
  
  

Engine and Transmission Options

• The 1988 Ford F-150 came with three engine options. The new fuel injected 5.0-liter, Windsor V-8 engine or the 4.9-liter V-6 with fuel injection as well as the heavy-duty International Harvester, 7.3-liter, diesel V-8.
  
  The five-speed manual transmission was the first to ship off the line, and was later followed by the standard five-speed automatic transmission. However, many preferred the manual transmission, especially those who needed more off-road capability out of their pickups. The one exception was the two-wheel drive standard cab long box which was offered with a three-speed automatic transmission as standard.
  
  

Trim Lines

• The F-150 was offered in three different trim levels, XL, XLT and the popular XLT Lariat option. The XL is the base model that offered just very standard options, while the XLT Lariat edition was available with premium interior, and a few more options.
  
  In addition, the 1988 Ford F-150 came in two-wheel or four-wheel drive models, with the option of a standard cab or super cab as well as a short box or long box. Extra doors were not an option yet, but the super cab offered additional space behind the bench seat for storing gear as well as passengers. The standard cab could hold three adults, while the super cab could hold six.
  
  

Available Options

• Anti-lock brakes were offered as standard on all models in 1988. Options were somewhat slim in comparison to cars, but the main purpose of these models was for farm/ranch or as work trucks. The standard AM/FM radio was offered across the board.
  
  Airbags were not offered on the 1988 Ford F-150 and no safety data is available on these models. The retail pricing on these models ranged from a little over $10,000 for the two-wheel drive regular cab short bed all the way up to over $15,000 for the four-wheel drive super cab long box.