A spike years after the car went on sale usually means a part wearing
out on schedule across the whole fleet — the kind of pattern no single
owner can see from inside their own car.
Apr 1995peak 2Jul 2003
NHTSA investigations into the 1990 Ford Festiva
An investigation is the step before a recall: the agency has seen enough
complaints to look into a pattern itself. An open one means it thinks
something may be wrong and nothing has been fixed yet.
PE95013Opened 23 Feb 1995Closed 28 Jul 1995SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY
SEAT BELT FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION
Recalls on the 1990 Ford Festiva
A complaint is one owner's allegation. A recall is the point at which
the manufacturer or a regulator agreed the defect is real and dangerous
enough to fix for free — however old the car is.
Canada — Transport Canada
Canada runs its own recall programme, and its campaigns do not
always mirror the American ones.
Recall 199510619,615 units in Canada
Seats And Restraints
DEFECT: THE (Takata) ABS PLASTIC FRONT SEAT BELT RELEASE BUTTONS ON THESE VEHICLES MAY BREAK ALLOWING PLASTIC PIECES TO FALL INTO THE BUCKLE ASSEMBLY. IF THIS SHOULD HAPPEN, A NO LATCH, FALSE LATCH OR FAILURE TO UNLATCH CONDITION COULD OCCUR CREATING THE RISK OF PERSONAL INJURY IN THE EVENT OF A CRASH OR SUDDEN STOP. CORRECTION: FRONT SEAT BELT BUCKLES WILL BE REPAIRED OR REPLACED AS NECESSARY.
Reports where the owner recorded a crash, a fire, an injury or a death.
Santa Barbara, CACrash
WHEELS:LUGS/NUTS/BOLTS/STUDS
THE SPINDLE NUT OF RIGHT REAR WHEEL LOOSE AND THE WHEEL DROP OUT.
NHTSA complaint #9001162 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Hougton, MIFire
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH
ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRE, UNDER THE HOOD, ELECTRICAL SHORT, VEHICLE WAS PARKED, FAILURE OF IGNITION SWITCH. *AK *SLC
NHTSA complaint #804595 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The most recent complaints
In the owners' own words, exactly as filed with NHTSA.
Raynham Center, MA
TIRES:TREAD/BELT
CONSUMER STATED WHILE TRAVELING AT NORMAL SPEED PASSENGER SIDE FRONT TIRE TREAD COMPLETELY SEPARATED. HOWEVER, TIRE STAYED INFLATED.
NHTSA complaint #10031551 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Randallstown, MD
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH
WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE COMPLETELY SHUT DOWN. UPON TRYING TO START IT AGAIN, IT WILL NOT START UNLESS IT IS JUMPED STARTED. CONSUMER HAS CONTACTED THE DEALER. PROBLEM HAS NOT BEEN REMEDIED AS OF YET. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.
NHTSA complaint #8008422 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Polutney, VT
WHEELS:LUGS/NUTS/BOLTS/STUDS
REAL WHEELS CAN COME OFF VERY EASILY BECAUSE THERE IS NOTHING TO HOLD LUGS: NUTS ON. CONSUMER CONTACTED DEALER SEVERAL YEARS AGO FOR THIS PROBLEM. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER DETAILS.
NHTSA complaint #8001018 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Clovis, CA
SEAT BELTS:FRONT:WEBBING
STETCHING THAT HOLD BOTH SHOULDER HARNESS WEBBING TOGETHER HAVE WEATHERED AND FALLEN APART. I WOULD GUESS THAT THERE SHOULD BE OTHER SIMILAR CASES DUE THE POSITION AND THE UV/ SUN CONTAMINATION ON THE TREADS ( THE THREADS ARE COTTON AND NOT NYLON).
NHTSA complaint #745186 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Santa Barbara, CACrash
WHEELS:LUGS/NUTS/BOLTS/STUDS
THE SPINDLE NUT OF RIGHT REAR WHEEL LOOSE AND THE WHEEL DROP OUT.
NHTSA complaint #9001162 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Santa Barbara, CA
STEERING:LINKAGES:KNUCKLE:SPINDLE:ARM
WAS DRIVING VEHICLE & HEARD A NOISE COMING FROM REAR RIGHT WHEEL. TOOK TO DEALER & INFORMED BY MECHANIC SPINDLE KNUCKLE HAD FALLEN OUT. THE PROBLEM IS REPAIRABLE.
NHTSA complaint #864804 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Mclean, VA
SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY
DRIVER SIDE SEAT BELT WILL NOT STAY ENGANGED IN THE BUCKLE ASSEMBLY. CONSUMER HAS CONTACTED THE DEALER, DEALER REPLACED THE BUCKLE. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS.
NHTSA complaint #847320 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Alex, VA
SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY
SEAT BELT WILL NOTSTAY BUCKLED IN.
NHTSA complaint #843654 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Bruce, MS
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:INTERIOR/UNDER DASH
DURING COLD WEATHER, NONE OF THE INSTRUMENT PANEL WORKS. SIMILAR TO WHAT'S DESCRIBED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 90V045000, BUT THE WHOLE PANEL IS INOPERATIVE. RECURRING PROBLEM SINCE I'VE OWNED THE CAR.
NHTSA complaint #706247 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Grove City, OH
VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER
STRUCTURAL FAILURE TO DRIVER SIDE WINDSHIELD WIPER MOUNT. DRIVER SIDE NOW HAS NO WINDSHIELD WIPER MECHANISM.
NHTSA complaint #704511 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Detroit, MI
WHEELS:LUGS/NUTS/BOLTS/STUDS
WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE STREET THE WHEEL CAME OFF THE AUTOMOBILE DUE TO LUGS:NUTS AND BOLTS BREAKING OFF. CONSUMER HAD TO RUN DOWN THE STREET TO CATCH IT. CAUSED DAMAGE TO THE LEFT REAR SPINDLE DUST COVER PAN, WHICH HAD TO BE REPLACED. *AK
NHTSA complaint #831940 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Hougton, MIFire
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH
ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRE, UNDER THE HOOD, ELECTRICAL SHORT, VEHICLE WAS PARKED, FAILURE OF IGNITION SWITCH. *AK *SLC
NHTSA complaint #804595 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Philadelphia, MS
SEAT BELTS:FRONT:RETRACTOR
BOTH FRONT SEAT BELTS DOES NOT RETRACT. PLEASE DESCRIBE DETAILS.
NHTSA complaint #986414 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Hancock, MD
SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY
TAKATA BELT BUCKLE RECALL; KIRK FORD HANCOCK MD. GAVE OWNER HARD TIME W/APPOINTMENT AND REPLACED PASSENGER BUCKLE FROM JUNK YARD. DEALER NOT AWARE OF RECALL.
NHTSA complaint #984165 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Butte, MT
SEAT BELTS:FRONT:RETRACTOR
FRONT SEAT BELTS; PASSENGER AND DRIVERS SIDE WILL NOT RETRACT.
NHTSA complaint #984183 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Wilmington, OH
SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY
THE DEALERSHIP IS REFUSING TO HANDLE THE RECALL FOR SEA TBELT BUCKLES. PLEADE DESCRIBE.
NHTSA complaint #983723 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Wilmington, OH
SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY
THE DEALERSHIP IS REFUSING TO HANDLE THE RECALL FOR SEA TBELT BUCKLES. PLEADE DESCRIBE.
NHTSA complaint #983723 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Columbus, OH
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DRUM:SHOES/LININGS
BRAKE SHOE LINING SEPARATED FROM BRAKE SHOES.
NHTSA complaint #500683 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Berkely, CA
SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY
RECALL RELATED, 95V103011, INTERIOR SEAT BELT BUCKLE, IN FOR REPAIR BUCKLE WILL NOT STAY LATCHED. TT
NHTSA complaint #977285 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Middlevillag, NY
SEAT BELTS
THE PASSENGER SIDE SEAT BELT RETRACTOR ALMOST CHOKED PERSON THAT WAS SITTING ON THAT SIDE . TT
NHTSA complaint #971266 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Gardendale, TX
SEAT BELTS:FRONT:ANCHORAGE
CONSUMER WENT TO PUT CHILD SEAT IN BACK SEAT OF CAR AND THE REAR SEAT BELT BROKEN. TT
NHTSA complaint #967148 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
LOS Angeles, CA
POWER TRAIN
VEHICLE HAD A SPEEDOMETER PROBLEM WHEN NEW, PROBLEM CONTINUED DUE TO AN INCORRECT ANALYSIS, WHICH LED TO THE SPEDDOMETER BREAKING. TT
NHTSA complaint #963912 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.