RoadVitals

Federal Motors Recalls, Complaints & Safety Data

NHTSA safety recalls, owner-reported complaints and investigations, by model and model year · 1978–1986

Owner complaintsComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received. This total counts a complaint once for each Federal Motors model year it names.
0
Safety recallsDistinct NHTSA recall campaigns covering at least one Federal Motors model year. One campaign can cover several models and many model years; it is counted once here.
2
InvestigationsNHTSA opens an investigation to examine whether a safety defect may exist. An open investigation is not a determination that a defect exists, and many investigations close without a recall. Investigations can, however, lead to one.
1
Models coveredModels with at least one model year that has enough NHTSA data to publish.
1
9 model years

Overview

Our database holds no NHTSA owner-reported complaints for Federal Motors. Our database also holds 2 safety recall campaigns and 1 NHTSA investigation covering at least one Federal Motors model year.

Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.

Federal Motors models

Ordered by total owner-reported complaint volume, which is not a ranking of quality

Federal Motors models with published safety data
ModelModel yearsComplaintsRecalls
Federal1978–198602

Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers. Complaint totals count a report once for each model year it names; recall totals count a campaign once per model.

Recently issued recalls

The 2 newest campaigns covering a Federal Motors vehicle in our database

Recalls apply to specific vehicles, not to every vehicle of a model year. Check your VIN with NHTSA or your manufacturer's dealer to confirm whether a recall affects your vehicle.

Check a VIN on NHTSA.gov
86V066000Federal

STEERING: STEERING WHEEL/HANDLE BARTHE STEERING WHEEL TO STEERING COLUMN SECURING NUT MAY BE UPSIDE DOWN AND/OR IMPROPERLY TORQUED AND MAY LOOSEN. THIS ALLOWS THE STEERING WHEEL TO BECOME DISENGAGED OR DETACHED FROM THE STEERING COLUMN. CONSEQUENCE OF DEFECT: IF THE STEERING WHEEL BECOMES DISENGAGED OR DETACHED FROM THE STEERING COLUMN, LOSS OF STEERING CONTROL WILL BE EXPERIENCED AND MAY LEAD TO AN ACCIDENT.

85V166000Federal

WHEELSINCORRECT BUDD WHEELS OF A LOWER THAN REQUIRED LOAD RATING WERE INSTALLED ON SOME TRUCKS. THE INSTALLATION OF THESE WHEELS CAUSES THE FIRE TRUCKS TO BE IN NONCOMPLIANCE WITH FMVSS 120 AND MAY FAIL DURING USE. CONSEQUENCE OF DEFECT: IF THE LOW LOAD RATING WHEELS ARE INSTALLED THEY MAY BREAK DURING USE, CAUSING LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL WHICH COULD LEAD TO AN ACCIDENT. NOTE: TRUCKS SHOULD NOT BE DRIVEN UNTIL CORRECTIVE ACTION IS COMPLETED.

Browse by model year

Every year with at least one publishable Federal Motors model year

Data sources