1988 Ford Festiva Problems
Owner-reported complaints filed with NHTSA, grouped by component
Data refreshed
What this page shows
Everything below is an owner-reported complaint submitted to NHTSA about the 1988 Ford Festiva, grouped by the component NHTSA recorded on the report. These are not confirmed defects, and they are not recalls. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a category with more reports in it is not evidence that a part is defective.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Reports by component
Ranked by how many owner reports name each component category
- Seat belts2862.2%
- Electrical613.3%
- Suspension24.4%
- Brakes24.4%
- Interior & seats24.4%
- Engine24.4%
- Tires & wheels12.2%
- Other / unspecified12.2%
- Powertrain (other)12.2%
Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.
Each component in detail
What the reports in each category say, in the owners' own words
Seat belts
Reports naming seat belts, buckles, retractors and pretensioners.
From owner reports, verbatim
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
SEAT BELT BUCKLE RELEASE BUTTON BROKE, JAMMING BUCKLE. RECALL, NHTSA ID 95V103011. MFG. SAYS MY VIN IS NOT INCLUDED, AND WON'T FIX IT.
Electrical
Reports naming the electrical system — wiring, battery, charging, control modules, infotainment and electrical accessories.
From owner reports, verbatim
WHILE PARKED, AN ELECTRICAL SHORT IN THE WIRING CAUSED THE WIRING UNDER THE HOOD TO CATCH ON FIRE. *AK
STEERING COLUMN FIRE, IGNITION SWITCH OVERHEATED AND VEHICLE BURNED. *AK *SLC
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Suspension
Reports naming suspension components — springs, struts, shocks, control arms and related hardware.
From owner reports, verbatim
CONSUMER STATES WHILE DRIVING 25 MPH WITHOUT WARNING THE WHEEL CAME OFF, THE MECHANIC STATEED THAT THE REAR WHEEL BEARING NEEDED REPLACEMENT. NLM
NO SUMMARY
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Brakes
Reports naming service brakes, the antilock braking system, brake hoses, master cylinders or the parking brake.
From owner reports, verbatim
CALIPERS RUSTED DUE TO DESIGN PROBLEMS (LUBRICATION OF THE BUSHINGS). MJS
SEAT BELT BUCKLE FAILED. *SD
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Interior & seats
Reports naming seats, latches, locks, linkages and interior fittings.
From owner reports, verbatim
THE FRONT DRIVER SEAT SCREW FELL OUT . PLEASE DESCRIBE . *AK
THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT WILL NOT LATCH IN A POSITION. PLEASE DESCRIBE. *AK
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Engine
Reports naming the engine itself — including stalling, misfires, oil consumption, cooling and internal engine components.
From owner reports, verbatim
ON ONE OCCASION THE BELT TEINSIONER WAS REPLACED AND NOW IT IS LOOSE AGAIN. .*AK
CATALYTIC CONVERTER REPLACED PRIOR TO RECALL.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Tires & wheels
Reports naming tires, wheels, hubs, or the tire-pressure monitoring system.
From owner reports, verbatim
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
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Other / unspecified
Reports whose component NHTSA recorded as unknown, or that do not map to one of the categories above.
From owner reports, verbatim
RIGHT REAR WHEEL FELL OFF, DID NOT GIVE AN WARNING. *AK
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Powertrain (other)
Powertrain reports that are not specifically the engine or transmission — driveshafts, axles, transfer cases and differentials.
From owner reports, verbatim
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
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
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.
Elsewhere on this vehicle
Data sources
- NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation — owner-reported complaints and the components recorded on them
Data on this page last refreshed .