1990 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 1990 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 belts1047.6%
- Other / unspecified314.3%
- Electrical29.5%
- Steering14.8%
- Tires & wheels14.8%
- Brakes14.8%
- Visibility14.8%
- Interior & seats14.8%
- Powertrain (other)14.8%
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
STETCHING THAT HOLD BOTH SHOULDER HARNESS WEBBING TOGETHER HAVE WEATHERED AND FALLEN APART. I WOULD GUESS THAT THERE SHOULD BE OTHER SIMILAR CASES DUE THE POSITION AND THE UV/ SUN CONTAMINATION ON THE TREADS ( THE THREADS ARE COTTON AND NOT NYLON). *AK
DRIVER SIDE SEAT BELT WILL NOT STAY ENGANGED IN THE BUCKLE ASSEMBLY. CONSUMER HAS CONTACTED THE DEALER, DEALER REPLACED THE BUCKLE. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK
Other / unspecified
Reports whose component NHTSA recorded as unknown, or that do not map to one of the categories above.
From owner reports, verbatim
REAL WHEELS CAN COME OFF VERY EASILY BECAUSE THERE IS NOTHING TO HOLD LUGS: NUTS ON. CONSUMER CONTACTED DEALER SEVERAL YEARS AGO FOR THIS PROBLEM. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER DETAILS.*AK
THE SPINDLE NUT OF RIGHT REAR WHEEL LOOSE AND THE WHEEL DROP OUT.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Electrical
Reports naming the electrical system — wiring, battery, charging, control modules, infotainment and electrical accessories.
From owner reports, verbatim
WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE COMPLETELY SHUT DOWN. UPON TRYING TO START IT AGAIN, IT WILL NOT START UNLESS IT IS JUMPED STARTED. CONSUMER HAS CONTACTED THE DEALER. PROBLEM HAS NOT BEEN REMEDIED AS OF YET. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK
ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRE, UNDER THE HOOD, ELECTRICAL SHORT, VEHICLE WAS PARKED, FAILURE OF IGNITION SWITCH. *AK *SLC
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Steering
Reports naming the steering system — racks, columns, power-steering assist and steering linkage.
From owner reports, verbatim
WAS DRIVING VEHICLE & HEARD A NOISE COMING FROM REAR RIGHT WHEEL. TOOK TO DEALER & INFORMED BY MECHANIC SPINDLE KNUCKLE HAD FALLEN OUT. THE PROBLEM IS REPAIRABLE.*AK
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
CONSUMER STATED WHILE TRAVELING AT NORMAL SPEED PASSENGER SIDE FRONT TIRE TREAD COMPLETELY SEPARATED. HOWEVER, TIRE STAYED INFLATED. *AK
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
BRAKE SHOE LINING SEPARATED FROM BRAKE SHOES. *AK
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Visibility
Reports naming windshields, glass, wipers, defrosters and mirrors.
From owner reports, verbatim
STRUCTURAL FAILURE TO DRIVER SIDE WINDSHIELD WIPER MOUNT. DRIVER SIDE NOW HAS NO WINDSHIELD WIPER MECHANISM.
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
DURING COLD WEATHER, NONE OF THE INSTRUMENT PANEL WORKS. SIMILAR TO WHAT'S DESCRIBED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 90V045000, BUT THE WHOLE PANEL IS INOPERATIVE. RECURRING PROBLEM SINCE I'VE OWNED THE CAR.
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
VEHICLE HAD A SPEEDOMETER PROBLEM WHEN NEW, PROBLEM CONTINUED DUE TO AN INCORRECT ANALYSIS, WHICH LED TO THE SPEDDOMETER BREAKING. TT
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 .