RoadVitals

1978 Ford Club Wagon

Recalls, owner-reported complaints, investigations and safety data

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.
0
Safety recallsA safety recall is issued when a manufacturer or NHTSA determines that a vehicle has a safety-related defect or does not comply with a federal motor vehicle safety standard. Recall repairs are free. Whether a specific vehicle is covered depends on its VIN — a recall listed for a model year does not necessarily apply to every vehicle of that year.
4
Latest Feb 16, 1978
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.
0
Crash or fire reportedComplaints whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. These are the reporter's own answers on the NHTSA form, not verified findings.
0

Overview

Our database contains no NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 1978 Ford Club Wagon. 4 safety recalls have been issued covering this model year.

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

Safety recalls

4 campaigns cover this model year

View all 4

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
78V035000

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:LEVER AND LINKAGE:COLUMN SHIFT

Feb 16, 1978
47,339 units potentially affected
The defect: THE SHIFT SELECTOR REACTION SPRINGS MAY BE DEFORMED AS A RESULT OF IMPROPER INSTALLATION OF SELECTOR LEVERS DURING COLUMN BUILDUP. THUS THE LEVER MAY NOT BE ABLE TO BE MOVED INTO THE INSERT DETENTS LOCATED IN THE STEERING COLUMN ASSEMBLY. THIS COULD PREVENT THE "PARK" GEAR FROM BEING ENGAGED.
The remedy: DEALER WILL INSPECT AND, IF NECESSARY, REPLACE THE SHIFT SELECTOR REACTION SPRING WITHOUT CHARGE TO OWNER.
FORD MOTOR COMPANYView on NHTSA.gov
77V197000

VISIBILITY:GLASS, SIDE/REAR

Nov 15, 1977
63 units potentially affected
The defect: ON THE INVOLVED VEHICLES, TEMPERED GLASS MAY HAVE BEEN INSTALLED IN THE REAR DOORS INSTEAD OF LAMINATED GLASS. THIS CONSTITUTES A NON-COMPLIANCE TO FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 217, "BUS WINDOW RETENTION AND RELEASE". ONE PURPOSE OF THE STANDARD IS TO MINIMIZE THE LIKELIHOOD OF OCCUPANTS BEING EJECTED FROM A BUS IN THE EVENT OF A COLLISION.
The remedy: DEALER WILL INSTALL LAMINATED GLASS IN PLACE OF TEMPERED GLASS IN THE REAR DOOR, WITHOUT CHARGE TO OWNER.
FORD MOTOR COMPANYView on NHTSA.gov
77V185000

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:LEVER AND LINKAGE:COLUMN SHIFT

Oct 25, 1977
19,000 units potentially affected
The defect: ON THE INVOLVED VEHICLES, THE PARK ACTUATION SUPPORT PLATES ARE DEFECTIVE DUE TO THEIR SUSCEPTIBILITY TO CRACKING DUE TO IMPROPER HEAT TREATMENT DURING MANUFACTURE. AS A RESULT, FRAGMENTS FROM A BROKEN PLATE CAN BECOME LODGED IN THE TRANSMISSION PARKING PAWL MECHANISM. THIS COULD PREVENT THE TRANSMISSION PARKING PAWL FROM ENGAGING WHEN THE SELECTOR LEVER IS PLACED IN THE "PARK" POSITION, OR PREVENT THE PAWL FROM BEING DISENGAGED FROM THE PARK GEAR.
The remedy: THE DEALER WILL REPLACE THE PARK ACTUATION CAM SUPPORT PLATES, FREE OF CHARGE, ON ALL AFFECTED VEHICLES.
FORD MOTOR COMPANYView on NHTSA.gov

Recent owner complaints

Reports submitted to NHTSA, shown in the owner's own words

No owner complaints recorded for this model year

Either none have been filed with NHTSA, or this vehicle is too new for reports to have accumulated.

Compare model years

Complaint and recall counts across every year of this model

Ford Club Wagon by model year
YearComplaintsRecallsInvestigationsIssue Index
2001200—
2000500—
1999400—
1998280037.0
1997280036.7
1996172052.8
1995151039.9
1994171045.0
1993120032.7
1992150041.8
1991500—
1990500—
1989800—
1988100—
1987110—
1986220—
1985120—
1984030—
1983030—
1982010—
1980030—
1979070—
1978Viewing040—
1976010—
1975010—

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. Older model years have had longer for reports to accumulate.