Engine and engine cooling: exhaust system: emission control: crankcase (PCV)
Manufacturer
FORD MOTOR COMPANY
Vehicles affected
218,500
Reported to NHTSA
1978-09-21
Owners notified
1978-11-17
Defect description
THE INVOLVED VEHICLES CONTAIN EMISSION CONTROL SYSTEMS THAT UTILIZE A PULSE AIR REED VALVE TO PERMIT AIR FLOW FROM THE AIR CLEANER TO THE EXHAUST MANIFOLD ON NEGATIVE PRESSURE PULSATIONS. THESE REED VALVES MAY FAIL UNDER COLD WEATHER CONDITIONS, CAUSING A BACKFLOW OF EXHAUST GAS INTO THE AIR CLEANER AND FUEL INDUCTION SYSTEM ON POSITIVE EXHAUST PULSES. THIS CAUSES AN OVERLY RICH AIR/FUEL MIXTURE, REDUCED FUEL ECONOMY AND REDUCED ENGINE PERFORMANCE. CONTINUED VEHICLE OPERATION MAY RESULT IN ENGINE STALLING OR OVERHEATING OF THE EXHAUST SYSTEM.
Manufacturer remedy
THE DEALER WILL REPLACE THE PULSE AIR SYSTEM REED VALVE AND SILENCER WITHOUT CHARGE.
THE WINDSHIELD WIPER DRIVE LINKAGE ON THE AFFECTED VEHICLES MAY FRACTURE DUE TO METAL FATIGUE AS A RESULT OF REPEATED FLEXING OF THE DRIVE ARM ACROSS A STRESS SENSITIVE AREA. THIS CONDITION WILL RENDER THE WINDSHIELD WIPER SYSTEM INOPERATIVE.
Manufacturer remedy
THE DEALER WILL INSTALL AN IMPROVED WINDSHIELD WIPER LINKAGE WITHOUT COST TO OWNER.
Fuel system, gasoline: delivery: hoses, lines/piping, and fittings
Manufacturer
FORD MOTOR COMPANY
Vehicles affected
180
Reported to NHTSA
1978-06-27
Owners notified
1979-06-30
Defect description
AN IMPROPER TRANSMISSION SHIFT BRACKET WAS INSTALLED WHICH, BECAUSE OF ITS DESIGN, COULD CONTACT AND ABRADE THE FUEL HOSE. FUEL LEAKAGE AND POSSIBLE ACCUMULATION OF FUEL ON A SURFACE BENEATH A PARKED VEHICLE COULD RESULT.
Manufacturer remedy
THE DEALER WILL REPLACE THE TRANSMISSION SHIFT BRACKET AND ITS RELATED PARTS, INCLUDING THE FUEL HOSE IF FOUND NECESSARY, FREE OF CHARGE.
Power train: automatic transmission: lever and linkage: column shift
Manufacturer
FORD MOTOR COMPANY
Vehicles affected
358
Reported to NHTSA
1978-06-19
Owners notified
1978-08-14
Defect description
TRANSMISSION SHIFT CONTROL RODS WERE INSTALLED THAT WERE INTENDED FOR USE WITH THE STEERING COLUMNS OF A PRIOR DESIGN LEVEL. ATTACHMENT OF THE SHIFT CONTROL ROD WITH THE STEERING COLUMN SHIFT LEVER GROMMET WILL ALLOW RELATIVE MOVEMENT BETWEEN THESE PARTS. CONTINUED USAGE COULD RESULT IN GROMMET WEAR AND DETERIORATION OF THE SHIFT CONTROL FUNCTION, WITH THE POTENTIAL FOR STARTING IN GEAR OR AN INABILITY TO ENGAGE THE PARKING GEAR.
Manufacturer remedy
DRIVER WILL INSPECT AND, IF NECESSARY, INSTALL NEW TRANSMISSION SHIFT LINKAGE PARTS, WITHOUT CHARGE TO OWNER.
THE INVOLVED VEHICLES ARE EQUIPPED WITH AIR CONDITIONING UNITS WHICH CONTAIN BLOWER MOTOR RESISTOR WIRES WHICH ARE IMPROPERLY POSITIONED. AS A RESULT, UNDER CERTAIN CONDITIONS THE POLYPROPYLENE CASE MATERIAL COULD BECOME OVERHEATED AND EVENTUALLY IGNITE, ESPECIALLY IF THE BLOWER MOTOR SWITCH IS IN THE LOW OR MEDIUM POSITION.
Manufacturer remedy
DEALER WILL MODIFY THE INVOLVED UNITS AS FOUND NECESSARY.
Power train: automatic transmission: lever and linkage: column shift
Manufacturer
FORD MOTOR COMPANY
Vehicles affected
41,000
Reported to NHTSA
1977-10-12
Owners notified
1977-10-22
Defect description
ON SOME OF THE INVOLVED VEHICLES, THE TRANSMISSION PARKING PAWL MAY NOT ENGAGE THE PARKING GEAR WHEN THE TRANSMISSION SELECTOR LEVER IS PLACED IN THE "PARK" POSITION. THIS CONDITION IS ATTRIBUTABLE TO EXCESSIVE FREE PLAY IN THE TRANSMISSION SHIFT LINKAGE ADJUSTMENT.
Manufacturer remedy
DEALER WILL INSPECT AND PROPERLY ADJUST THE SHIFT LINKAGE, AT NO CHARGE.
THE INVOLVED VEHICLES MAY HAVE BEEN INCORRECTLY EQUIPPED WITH MANUAL BRAKES INSTEAD OF POWER BRAKES. CONSEQUENTLY, A NON-COMPLIANCE TO FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 105, "HYDRAULIC BRAKE SYSTEMS", MAY EXIST.
Manufacturer remedy
DEALER WILL REMOVE THE MANUAL BRAKE COMPONENTS AND INSTALL POWER BRAKE COMPONENTS ON ALL INVOLVED VEHICLES, WITHOUT CHARGE.
THE INVOLVED VEHICLES MAY BE IN NON-COMPLIANCE TO FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 105, "HYDRAULIC BRAKE SYSTEMS", DUE TO INSTALLATION OF INCORRECT REAR AXLE ASSEMBLIES. CONSEQUENTLY, EARLY REAR WHEEL LOCK-UP UNDER LIGHT LOADING CONDITIONS COULD RESULT CAUSING VEHICLE DIRECTIONAL INSTABILITY. REAR BRAKING EFFECTIVENESS WOULD ALSO BE REDUCED.
Manufacturer remedy
DEALER WILL INSPECT AND, IF NECESSARY, INSTALL THE CORRECT REAR AXLE ASSEMBLY WITHOUT CHARGE TO OWNER.
Service brakes, hydraulic: foundation components: disc: rotor
Manufacturer
FORD MOTOR COMPANY
Vehicles affected
44,638
Reported to NHTSA
1977-09-22
Defect description
THE FRONT DISC BRAKE ROTORS INSTALLED ON THE INVOLVED VEHICLES MAY HAVE BEEN IMPROPERLY MANUFACTURED SO THAT THEY CONTAIN CRACKS. THESE CRACKED ROTORS COULD FRACTURE DURING VEHICLE BRAKING AND CAUSE BRAKE PULL AND AFFECT VEHICLE DIRECTIONAL CONTROL.
Manufacturer remedy
DEALER WILL REPLACE BOTH FRONT DISC BRAKE ROTORS ON INVOLVED VEHICLES, WITHOUT CHARGE TO OWNERS.
Owner complaints
A complaint is one person's report to a federal agency. It is not a finding.
Component
Complaints
Median mileage
Electrical system: wiring
1
—
Seat belts
1
150,000 mi
The 1979 model has 2 times as many complaints as this one. These figures reflect raw complaint counts, not failure rates. Higher-selling model years naturally receive more complaints.
Safety recall repairs are provided free of charge by franchised dealers, regardless of vehicle age or mileage. This page displays aggregated data for the model year. To check recall status for a specific vehicle, search its VIN at nhtsa.gov.