Complaints filed with NHTSA, by model year. Bar colour is the FaultScore grade:
A
B
C
D
F
ungraded
What breaks on a 1984 Ford LTD
Every complaint is filed against a part. Follow any row for the complaints about that part alone.
Engine & Cooling
640.0%
0 crashes, 1 fires
Electrical System
533.3%
0 crashes, 2 fires
Body & Structure
213.3%
1 crashes, 0 fires
Windows, Mirrors & Wipers
16.7%
0 crashes, 1 fires
Acceleration & Cruise Control
16.7%
When owners complained
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 2Aug 2001
NHTSA investigations into the 1984 Ford LTD
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.
PE89039Opened 9 Feb 1989Closed 13 Jun 1989PARKING BRAKE
PARKING BRAKE FAILURE
SUMMARY:THE SPRING UNDER INVESTIGATION CAUSES THE LATCHING PAWL TOENGAGE THE TEETH OF THE RATCHET WHEREBY THE PARKING BRAKE IS RETAINEDIN THE APPLIED POSITION.IF THE SPRING FAILS, THE PEDAL FOLLOWS THEOPERATORS FOOT BACK UP INTO THE RELEASED POSITION.FORD STATES THAT IT ISSUED THE BULLETIN IN ORDER TO INFORM DEALERSTHAT THE SPRING WAS NEWLY AVAILABLE AS A SEPARATE PART.PREVIOUSLY,IT WAS NECESSARY TO REPLACE THE ENTIRE PARKING BRAKE CONTROL ASSEMBLY INORDER TO OBTAIN A NEW SPRING.SINCE THE FAILURE OF THE SPRING WILL NOT CAUSE THE PARKING BRAKE TOSUDDENLY AND UNEXPECTEDLY RELEASE AND SINCE THERE...
PE87028Opened 1 May 1987Closed 21 Jan 1988ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
STALLING
NO SAFETY DEFECT TREND HAS BEEN DETECTED.===
EA86010Opened 26 Mar 1986Closed 28 Jul 1989SEATS
SEATBACK FAILURE
SUMMARY OF INFORMATION FROM MANUFACTURER:FORD BELIEVES THAT THE AL-LEGED DEFECT ONLY OCCURS IN A SMALL NUMBER OF THE SUBJECT VEHICLES ANDRECALLED ABOUT 195,732 1984 TEMPO/TOPAZ VEHICLES IN JUNE 1986.ANALYSIS: VEHICLES POTENTIALLY INVOLVED INCLUDE TEMPO/TOPAZ, ESCORT/LYNX/EXP, MUSTANG/CAPRI, LTD/MARQUIS, AND THUNDERBIRD/COUGAR.FORD SOLD ABOUT 110,000 REPLACEMENT MIO BOLTS, MAINLY FOR 1983 AND 1984MODELS. LOW CLAMPING FORCE APPEARS TO BE A LARGE PART OF THE PROBLEM.FORD INCREASED THE TORQUE REQUIREMENTS AND REQUIRED THE USE OF A MANUALTORQUE TOOL IN MARCH AND SEPTEMBER 1985 PRODUCTION CHANGES. 1...
Recalls on the 1984 Ford LTD
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 1985077332 units in Canada
VEHICLES WERE PRODUCED WITHOUT HEAT SHIELDS INTENDED FOR THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER OUTLET PIPES. AFTER SOME TYPES OF SEVERE HEAVY USAGE, THE SURFACE TEMPERATURES OF THE EXPOSED OUTLET PIPES COULD BECOME UNUSUALLY HIGH. IF THIS SHOULD OCCUR AND CERTAIN TYPES OF GROUND COVER WERE TO COME IN CONTACT WITH THE OUTLET PIPE, THERE IS A POSSIBILITY THAT THE GROUND COVER COULD IGNITE AND RESULT IN A VEHICLE FIRE. (VEHICLES WITH OPTIONAL POLICE PACKAGES EQUIPED WITH 5.0 LITRE FUEL INJECTED HIGH OUTPUT ENGINES).
Recall 198311437,431 units in Canada
THE UPPER TORSO RESTRAINT D-RING WHICH ATTACHES THE SHOULDER BELT TO THE B PILLAR, UNDER CERTAIN TEST CONDITIONS, SEPARATED FROM ITS ANCHORAGE, AND MAY NOT COMPLY WITH CMVSS 210 - BELT ANCHORAGE.
HEATER CORE FAILED, CAUSING ANTI-FREEZE TO LEAK ONTO HOT CATALYTIC CONVERTER, RESULTING IN SMOKE/FIRE. *SKD
NHTSA complaint #481910 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The most recent complaints
In the owners' own words, exactly as filed with NHTSA.
Sebring, FL
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
WHEN DRIVING VEHICLE WILL SUDDENLY STALL COMPLETELY IN MIDDLE OF TRAFFIC WITHOUT ANY WARNING. VEHICLE WILL START UP SHORTLY THEREAFTER. ALSO, PROBLEM WAS INTERMITTENT. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS.
NHTSA complaint #895117 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Mountain View, CA
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
WHILE DRIVING ON HIGHWAY ENGINE WOULD STALL WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING. SOMETIMES HAS TO DRIVE OFF ROAD FOR A COUPLE MUNITES, THEN RESTART VEHICLE AGAIN.
NHTSA complaint #883297 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Spokane, WA
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION
IGNITION MODULE FAILED CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO STALL INTERMITTENTLY. NLM
NHTSA complaint #556357 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Kingbridge, OH
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
WHILE AT A STOP LIGHT GAS PEDAL WOULD GO TO THE FLOORBOARD CAUSING UNWANTED ACCELERATION.PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION.
NHTSA complaint #834744 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Aberdeen, SD
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM
VEHICLE STALLS, REPLACE EXHAUST SYSTEM AND IGN MODULE, PROBLEM STILL EXIST.
NHTSA complaint #523712 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Holiday, FL
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM:RADIATOR ASSEMBLY
THERMOSTAT FAILED.
NHTSA complaint #523749 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Holiday, FL
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:INTERIOR/UNDER DASH
CONTROL MODULE FAILED.
NHTSA complaint #523749 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Unknown, UNCrash1 killed
STRUCTURE:BODY
VEHICLE WAS STRUCK BY ANOTHER AND OCCUPANT WAS KILLED.
NHTSA complaint #511669 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Quincy, ILFire
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH
IGNITION SWITCH FIRE.
NHTSA complaint #506265 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Moutnain VIE, MO
STRUCTURE:BODY
WHILE DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS THE CANVAS TOP OF THE VEHICLE FLEW OFF. PLEASE DESCRIBE.
NHTSA complaint #985473 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Gainesvill, FL
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH
IGNITION SWITCH OVERHEATED/SMOKED. *DSH
NHTSA complaint #503818 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Commack, NYFire
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
ENGINE FIRE.
NHTSA complaint #483713 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Commack, NYFire
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FRONT UNDERHOOD
WHILE STOPPED AT STOP SIGN, VEHICLE MADE THUMPING NOISE; ALL OF SUDDEN, CAUGHT ON FIRE UNDERHOOD; REASON UNKNOWN. TT
NHTSA complaint #971080 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.