1979 Ford Econoline Recalls, Complaints & Specs
7 safety recalls list the 1979 Ford Econoline, and owners have filed 1 complaint with NHTSA. Check your own VIN below.
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7 safety recalls for the 1979 Ford Econoline
Most recent first. Recall repairs are free at any authorised dealer. Click a recall for the full defect, consequence and remedy text.
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Wheels
The wheel assembly may contain substandard welds in the area where the disc is attached to the rim. As a result, cracks can form in the wheel assembly, causing air loss and an underinflated tire.
Remedy: Dealer will inspect and replace any defective wheels without charge to owner.
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Hoses, lines/piping, and fittings (service brakes)
The incorrectly installed left front brake hoses may allow for contact between the front brake hoses and the front tires when the front wheels are in full right or left turn positions. If contact is made, the hose could wear and allow brake fluid to leak out.
Remedy: The dealer will inspect front brake hoses and replace those lacking the proper clearance with current production hoses, without charge to owner.
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Underbody shields (structure)
Certain vehicles may not contain the specified body mounted heat shields. This could cause high floor pan temperatures when the engine is idled for extended periods of time. Fouled spark plugs or other engine conditions could further increase exhaust temperatures.
Remedy: The dealer will install the necessary frame mounted heat shield, if missing.
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Pedals and linkages (service brakes)
The involved vehicles were produced with brake push-rod to brake pedal retaining pins which were not heat-treated as specified. This could allow the brake pedal to become disengaged from the push-rod.
Remedy: Dealer will replace the suspect brake retaining pin.
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Shaft sector (steering)
The steering gears on the involved vehicles may have been built with improperly manufactured sector shafts from which the threaded portions of the shafts may fracture and separate. Should the sector shaft fracture, the pitman arm may disengage from the splined portion of the sector shaft.
Remedy: The dealer will inspect and, if necessary, replace the steering gear assembly or install a new sector shaft in the steering gear assembly.
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Automatic transmission (power train)
The involved vehicles were equipped with automatic transmissions in which the parking pawl was not heat-treated. During normal vehicle operation, a parking pawl that has not been heat-treated could become deformed or worn to the point that the transmission will not lock in "park". As a result, the vehicle could roll free if the driver…
Remedy: Dealer will inspect and, if necessary, replace the parking pawl with one that has been heat-treated.
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Automatic transmission (power train)
These transmissions may contain improperly manufactured parking pawl actuating rods. Consequently, the unhardened cam surface of these rods can allow the rod to deform during use with resultant increase in shift efforts and difficulty in releasing the parking pawl and engaging the parking gear.
Remedy: Dealer will replace the transmission parking pawl actuating rod without charge to owner.
1 owner complaint filed with NHTSA
Owners of the 1979 Ford Econoline have filed 1 complaint with NHTSA; 1 describe a fire. Reports cite 1 injury and 0 deaths. Complaints peaked in 2005 with 1 filed that year.
Most-reported components
What owners are reporting
“Dt: consumer was driving down highway when the vehicle began to overheat. The consumer pulled to the side and shut off the vehicle engine. After shutting off the engine, a fire began to come through t”
Owner complaint to NHTSA, July 22, 2005 · Electrical system
Compare Ford Econoline model years
Recall and complaint counts for every Ford Econoline model year in NHTSA's database.
Checking a specific 1979 Ford Econoline
How do I know if my 1979 Ford Econoline has an open recall?
Enter your 17-character VIN above. The VIN is on the driver's side dashboard (visible through the windshield), the driver's door jamb sticker, and your registration or insurance card. The check runs against NHTSA's live database and tells you which campaigns list your vehicle. 7 campaigns currently list the 1979 Ford Econoline; your car may already have been repaired under some of them.
Is the recall repair free?
Yes. Under federal law, manufacturers must fix safety recalls at no charge for vehicles up to 15 years old from the date of sale to the first owner. Contact any authorised Ford dealer with your VIN and the NHTSA campaign number (for example 78V201000).
What is the difference between a recall and a complaint?
A recall is a safety campaign filed by the manufacturer or ordered by NHTSA, with a defined defect and remedy. A complaint is a report an owner sent to NHTSA; it is not verified, but patterns of complaints are what trigger NHTSA investigations and, eventually, recalls.
Other Ford models
- F-15037,961 complaints
- Explorer34,566 complaints
- Escape27,430 complaints
- Fusion22,405 complaints
- Focus22,096 complaints
- Taurus18,159 complaints
- Windstar14,158 complaints
- Edge14,065 complaints
Source: NHTSA recall and complaint databases and EPA fuel economy data, October 2026. Complaint counts are owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects. Recall counts are safety campaigns that list this model year; whether a particular car was already repaired depends on its VIN. How this data is compiled.