RoadVitals

1988 Ford Festiva Owner Complaints

Reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers, shown in full

Data refreshed

Complaints on fileComplaints 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.
44
Latest Sep 11, 2002
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.
5
Filed in the last 12 monthsReports filed with NHTSA in the trailing 365 days. Recent volume reflects attention and vehicle age as much as anything else.
0
Reports on file since Jan 10, 1995

What this page shows

Our database holds 44 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 1988 Ford Festiva. Each one is a report filed by an owner or driver and published by NHTSA without most of them being verified. A complaint is not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. Narratives are shown exactly as filed.

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

Complaints, most recent first

Showing 1–25 of 44 · page 1 of 2

Tires & wheels
Filed Sep 11, 2002

JUNE, 2001, TIRE #NPC8 JPHR 169 ON THE REAR DRIVER'S SIDE BLEW OUT WHILE I WAS DOING ABOUT 70 MPH IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT (COOL OUT). THE CAR IMMEDIATELY WENT SIDEWAYS TO THE ROAD, IN THE ONCOMING LANE. I BARELY GOT CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE, AND BACK TO MY SIDE OF THE ROAD ONLY A COUPLE OF SECONDS BEFORE AN ONCOMING CAR WHIZZED BY. A COUPLE OF SECONDS LATER, OR LESS DRIVING SKILL, AND I WOULD HAVE BEEN KILLED. THIS WAS ONE OF A SET OF FOUR NEW TIRES I GOT FROM THE LOCAL GOODYEAR STORE. I THOUGHT IT WAS "JUST A BLOWOUT" BUT I KEPT THE TIRE AS A PRECAUTION. I STILL HAVE THE TIRE. IF I FIND OUT THAT GOODYEAR KNEW OF THE DEFECT IN THESE TIRES BEFORE JUNE, 2001, AND DID NOT WARN ME, I AM GOING TO BE UPSET, BECAUSE IT ALLMOST KILLED ME. THE SECOND TIRE THAT BLEW WAS THE SAME NUMBER: NPC8 JPHR 169. IT BLEW OUT IN THE EARLY MORNING HOURS OF SEPT. 1, 2002, AT OVER 7000 FT (COOL TEMP). SPEED WAS ABOUT 50 MPH. THIS BLOWOUT WAS ON THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE, AND WAS UNEVENTFUL, BUT SINCE IT WAS ONE OF THE SET OF FOUR THAT I HAD PURCHASED NEW FROM THE LOCAL GOODYEAR STORE, I BECAME SUSPICIOUS. I BECAME MORE SUSPICIOUS WHEN I FOUND OUT THAT THE TIRE WAS THE SAME NUMBER AS THE OTHER ONE THAT BLEWOUT A YEAR BEFORE. THIS BLOWOUT LEFT ME OUT IN THE MIDDLE OF NOWHERE IN NEW MEXICO WITHOUT A SPARE. I STILL HAVE THIS TIRE. THE OTHER TWO TIRES OF THE SET OF FOUR TIRES HAD THE # NPC8 JPHR 309. I HAVE REPLACED BOTH TIRES BECAUSE OF THE TWO BLOWOUTS. NOT GOODYEARS.*AK

NHTSA ID
766997
Incident
Jun 20, 2001
Seat belts
Filed Jun 21, 2002

AFTER TAKING VEHICLE IN FOR SERVICE MECHANIC STATED VEHICLE HAD A RECALL ON SAFETY BELT BUCKLES. MANAGER INSISTED THAT CONSUMERS VEHICLE WAS NOT COVERED UNDER RECALL, AND REFUSED TO SERVICE VEHICLE. *AK

NHTSA ID
8012422
Suspension
Filed Apr 17, 2002

CONSUMER STATES WHILE DRIVING 25 MPH WITHOUT WARNING THE WHEEL CAME OFF, THE MECHANIC STATEED THAT THE REAR WHEEL BEARING NEEDED REPLACEMENT. NLM

NHTSA ID
8007835
Powertrain (other)
Filed Jan 16, 2001

EVERY 3 TO 6 MONTHS I HAVE TO REPLACE THE REAR WHEELBEARINGS ONE OR BOTH SIDES. HAVE ALREADY REPLACED THE REAR SPINDLES ON BOTH SIDES TOO. I HAVE BEEN TOLD THAT THIS IS NOT NORMAL. IS THERE ANY THAT CAN BE DONE ABOUT THIS PROBLEM? AND WHAT CAN I DO ABOUT IT.*AK

NHTSA ID
739434
Incident
May 25, 1998
Suspension
Filed Nov 19, 1999

NO SUMMARY

NHTSA ID
715012
Incident
Nov 16, 1999
Brakes
Filed Jul 14, 1999

CALIPERS RUSTED DUE TO DESIGN PROBLEMS (LUBRICATION OF THE BUSHINGS). MJS

NHTSA ID
547149
Filed Jun 25, 1999

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR THIS VEHICLE. *AK

NHTSA ID
707882
Seat belts
Filed Jan 8, 1999

SEAT BELT BUCKLE RELEASE BUTTON BROKE, JAMMING BUCKLE. RECALL, NHTSA ID 95V103011. MFG. SAYS MY VIN IS NOT INCLUDED, AND WON'T FIX IT.

NHTSA ID
702023
Incident
Oct 1, 1998
Seat belts
Filed Feb 25, 1998

SAFETY SEAT BELT FAILED, PRIOR RECALL ITEM, HOWEVER CONSUMER NOT ABLE TO GET RECALL WORK DONE.

NHTSA ID
531389
Incident
Feb 1, 1998
Other / unspecified
Filed Feb 11, 1997

RIGHT REAR WHEEL FELL OFF, DID NOT GIVE AN WARNING. *AK

NHTSA ID
987073
Incident
Jun 18, 1996
Electrical
Filed Dec 30, 1996
Fire reported

WHILE PARKED, AN ELECTRICAL SHORT IN THE WIRING CAUSED THE WIRING UNDER THE HOOD TO CATCH ON FIRE. *AK

NHTSA ID
806851
Incident
Dec 12, 1996
Engine
Filed Dec 17, 1996

ON ONE OCCASION THE BELT TEINSIONER WAS REPLACED AND NOW IT IS LOOSE AGAIN. .*AK

NHTSA ID
805527
Incident
Nov 25, 1996
Seat belts
Filed Nov 26, 1996

CONTACTED DEALERSHIP IN SEPTEMBER STILL NO WORD ON WHEN PARTS WILL BE AVAILABLE REGARDING SEAT BELT BUCKLE RECALL 95V103011. *AK

NHTSA ID
805594
Seat belts
Filed Nov 15, 1996

RECALL 95V103011, SEAT BELT BUCKLES. THE PARTS WERE ORDERED ON 8-27-96. NO PARTS HAVE BEEN RECEIVED. GARNET FORD 215- 358-5600. *AK

NHTSA ID
805136
Incident
Aug 27, 1996
Electrical
Filed Sep 17, 1996
Fire reported

STEERING COLUMN FIRE, IGNITION SWITCH OVERHEATED AND VEHICLE BURNED. *AK *SLC

NHTSA ID
802522
Incident
Sep 16, 1996
Seat belts
Filed Aug 23, 1996

LAP BELTS IN THE REAR WILL NOT RETRACT ON PASSENGER'S AND DRIVER'S SIDES. *AK

NHTSA ID
801249
Incident
Jan 1, 1994
ElectricalEngine
Filed Aug 21, 1996

CATALYTIC CONVERTER REPLACED PRIOR TO RECALL.

NHTSA ID
507775
Incident
Aug 8, 1996
Interior & seats
Filed Jul 24, 1996

THE FRONT DRIVER SEAT SCREW FELL OUT . PLEASE DESCRIBE . *AK

NHTSA ID
987292
Seat belts
Filed Jun 4, 1996

SEAT BELT BUCKLE REPLACED PRIOR TO RECALL.

NHTSA ID
505057
Incident
Apr 1, 1996
Electrical
Filed May 20, 1996
Fire reported

STARTER CAUGHT FIRE. *SD

NHTSA ID
504818
Incident
Mar 26, 1993
Seat belts
Filed May 17, 1996

PLASTIC SEAT BELT RELEASE BUTTON BROKE, CAUSING SEAT BELT TO FAIL PRIOR TO RECALL. (95V103011) *DH

NHTSA ID
504611
Incident
May 17, 1996
Seat belts
Filed May 11, 1996

FRONT PASSENGER SEAT BELT BROKE. *DSH

NHTSA ID
504544
Incident
Apr 1, 1995
Seat belts
Filed May 3, 1996
Fire reported

NO PARTS AVAILABLE AND THE REFUSAL OF A RENTAL CAR. PLEASE DESCRIBE. *AK

NHTSA ID
984049
Incident
May 2, 1996
Seat belts
Filed May 2, 1996

FAILURE OF THE DRIVER SIDE SEAT BELT RETRACTOR, SEAT BELT WILL NOT RETRACT. *AK

NHTSA ID
983938
Incident
Mar 21, 1995
Seat belts
Filed Apr 30, 1996

WOULD NOT GIVE LOANER CAR EVEN THOUGH THE LETTER STATES SHE SHOULD HAVE ONE. PLEASE DESCRIBE. *AK

NHTSA ID
983801
Incident
Apr 30, 1996

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.

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Data on this page last refreshed .