RoadVitals

1992 Ford Festiva

Recalls, owner-reported complaints, investigations and safety data

Data refreshed

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.
14
Latest Jan 13, 2016
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.
1
Latest Jun 24, 1996
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.
5

Overview

Our database contains 14 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 1992 Ford Festiva, most frequently naming the electrical, engine and exterior lighting categories. 1 safety recall has been issued covering this model year; and 23 manufacturer communications are on file.

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

What owners report

Complaints grouped by the component NHTSA recorded

  • Electrical421.1%
  • Engine315.8%
  • Exterior lighting210.5%
  • Powertrain (other)210.5%
  • Interior & seats210.5%
  • Seat belts210.5%
  • Tires & wheels15.3%
  • Steering15.3%

Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.

Safety recalls

1 campaign cover this model year

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
96E017000

SUSPENSION:FRONT:CONTROL ARM

Jun 24, 1996
94 units potentially affected
The defect: EQUIPMENT DESCRIPTION: AFTERMARKET BALL JOINT/CONTROL ARM MANUFACTURED BY MOOG INDUSTRIES. DUE TO MISPACKAGING, CERTAIN BALL JOINT/CONTROL ARM ASSEMBLIES WERE INCORRECTLY PLACED IN THE WRONG BOXES.
The risk: THESE BALL JOINT/CONTROL ARM ASSEMBLIES WILL NOT FIT INTO THE FRAME RECESS WITHOUT BEING ALTERED. ALSO THE STUD IS UNDERSIZED AND WILL NOT FIT THE SPINDLE PROPERLY POSSIBLY CAUSING A LOSS OF STEERING CONTROL INCREASING THE RISK OF A VEHICLE ACCIDENT.
The remedy: MOOG WILL REPLACE THE INCORRECTLY PACKAGED ASSEMBLIES WITH CORRECT BALL JOINT/CONTROL ARM ASSEMBLIES.
MOOG AUTOMOTIVEView on NHTSA.gov

Recent owner complaints

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

View all 14
Tires & wheels
Filed Jan 13, 2016

DELTA AKURET GRIP PLUS STUDDED SNOW TIRES 74S 145/75/12 . THE STUDS IN THESE SNOW TIRES WORE THE INTERIOR OF THE TIRE AWAY AND CAUSED A SWIFT LEAK, AS DOCUMENTED BY A CERTIFIED MECHANIC. TIRE WENT FLAT REPEATEDLY, AND WAS INFLATED TO PROPER PSI SEVERAL TIMES OVER THE COURSE OF THE DAY. TAKING THE VEHICLE TO A REPAIR SHOP, IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE LEAK WAS OCCURRING BETWEEN TWO SEPARATE TIRE STUDS. THEY WERE BOTH LEAKING AIR WHERE THEY HAD WORN THE INTERIOR OF THE TIRE AWAY. THIS RESULTED IN THE REMOVAL OF TWO TIRE STUDS, AND PATCHES BEING REINSERTED INTO RESULTING HOLES. NO GUARANTEE IS POSSIBLE AS TO HOW LONG THIS REPAIR IS GOOD FOR. TIRES WERE OTHERWISE ROADWORTHY, SHOWING NO SIGNS OF UNEVEN WEAR OR ROUGH USE, AND HAD GOOD TREAD DEPTH REMAINING, AS DOCUMENTED BY REPAIR FACILITY. COST OF THE REPAIR EXCEEDED WHAT WOULD HAVE BEEN FULL REPLACEMENT COST OF A NEW TIRE. DELTA/AKURET WAS CONTACTED-THEY REFUSE ANY RESPONSIBILITY.

NHTSA ID
10820063
Incident
Jan 13, 2016
Mileage
250,000 mi
Powertrain (other)SteeringSuspension
Filed May 18, 2007
Crash reported

FAILURE OF LOW CONTROL ARMS, TIE ROD END ,AND CV AXLES. *AK

NHTSA ID
10191198
Incident
Apr 1, 2007
Mileage
157,000 mi
Interior & seats
Filed Apr 30, 2001
Crash reported

CONSUMER WAS HIT FROM REAR BY A TOW TRUCK, CAUSING DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT TO TWIST AND BREAK. CONSUMER FELT THIS WAS NOT SAFE, FOR SEAT TO GO BACK AND BREAK.*AK *SLC

NHTSA ID
887052
Incident
Mar 9, 2001
Electrical
Filed Jul 9, 1998
Fire reported

WHILE BACKING OUT OF THE GARAGE, THE VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE UNDER THE HOOD. CAUSE UNKNOWN. PLEASE PROVIDE MORE DETAILS. *AK

NHTSA ID
825195
Incident
Jun 12, 1998
Exterior lighting
Filed Feb 4, 1998

CONSUMER COULD NOT REPLACE PARKING LIGHT DUE TO INFERIOR DESIGN (NOT ENOUGH ROOM AND SPACE).

NHTSA ID
529891
Incident
Dec 1, 1997
Powertrain (other)
Filed Jul 25, 1997

REAR AXLE MOUNT BROKE DUE TO MISSING BOLTS, CAUSING ACCIDENT.

NHTSA ID
603463
Incident
Jul 5, 1997
Engine
Filed Jun 12, 1996
Fire reported

WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY VEHICLE CAUGHT FIRE ON THE BACK END BECAUSE OF EXHAUST MUFFLER. *AK

NHTSA ID
985550
Incident
Jun 11, 1996
Electrical
Filed Jun 11, 1996

WHEN DRIVING THE VEHICLE DIES OUT/STALLS/HESITATES. *AK

NHTSA ID
985491
Incident
Mar 21, 1996

Manufacturer communications

A bulletin sent by a manufacturer to its dealers. Not a recall, and repairs are not necessarily free.

02176

EXTERIOR LIGHTING:BRAKE LIGHTS:SWITCH

LAMP-BRAKE-INVADVERTENT DISABLING OF BRAKE SHIFT INTERLOCK. *MJ

01181

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:PARK/NEUTRAL START INTERLOCK SWITCH

BRAKE SHIFT INTERLOCK.*JB

01157

INFORMATION REGARDING TRANSMISSION FLUID USAGE CHARTS. *SLC

01156

VISIBILITY:DEFROSTER/DEFOGGER/HVAC SYSTEM:HEATER CORE

SOME VEHICLES MAY EXHIBIT HEATER CORE LEAKS. *SLC

0015

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

INFORMATION REGARDING THE NEW TRANSMISSION COOLER FLUSHER- SERVICE TIP. *MJS

99222

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING

SUBJECT ON A WIRE HARNESS TERMINAL REPAIR KIT AVAILABLE FOR REPAIRING ELECTRICAL WIRING HARNESSES. *TT

Manufacturers file copies of the bulletins they send to dealers with NHTSA. These often describe diagnostic or repair procedures for a known condition. They are not recalls: repairs described in a bulletin are usually only free if the vehicle is still under warranty or the manufacturer has extended coverage.

Compare model years

Complaint and recall counts across every year of this model

Ford Festiva by model year
YearComplaintsRecallsInvestigationsIssue Index
1994100—
1993201036.9
1992Viewing141050.0
1991212159.3
1990213155.0
1989472364.8
1988442158.1
1987000—
1986000—
1984100—

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.