Skip to content

1980 Ford Econoline Recalls, Complaints & Specs

3 safety recalls list the 1980 Ford Econoline, and owners have filed 1 complaint with NHTSA. Check your own VIN below.

3
safety recalls
1
owner complaint to NHTSA
0 / 1
complaints citing a crash / fire

3 safety recalls for the 1980 Ford Econoline

Most recent first. Recall repairs are free at any authorised dealer. Click a recall for the full defect, consequence and remedy text.

  1. Hoses, lines/piping, and fittings (service brakes)

    NHTSA 80V120000 Reported 10,000 vehicles potentially affected FORD MOTOR COMPANY

    Certain vehicles were equipped with front brake hose assemblies that were incorrectly manufactured by the supplier. These assemblies, both rh and lh, were incorrectly built with the fittings misoriented by 90 degrees. This could cause chafing of the brake hose through contact with the adjacent tire during full turns. Continued chafing…

    Remedy: Dealer will inspect both front brake hoses and, if necessary, replace one or both hoses at no charge.

  2. Hubcap/cover (wheels)

    NHTSA 80V072000 Reported 12,500 vehicles potentially affected FORD MOTOR COMPANY

    Certain vehicles were produced with wheel assemblies that may have cracks near the bolt holes in the wheel disc. During vehicle use, the cracks could gradually increase and result in partial or complete separation of the wheel and tire assembly from the vehicle.

    Remedy: Dealer will inspect the wheel disc date code and replace those wheels indicating an october 18, 1979 date of manufacture.

  3. Column shift (power train)

    NHTSA 79V261000 Reported 80,000 vehicles potentially affected FORD MOTOR COMPANY

    The parking pawl actuating rod in the transmission may have an insufficient or cracked weld. This can cause the park cam end to separate from the rod itself, preventing the parking pawl from engaging the parking gear when the selector is placed in the park position.

    Remedy: Dealer will replace the defective parking pawl actuating rod free of charge.

1 owner complaint filed with NHTSA

Owners of the 1980 Ford Econoline have filed 1 complaint with NHTSA; 1 describe a fire. Complaints peaked in 1995 with 1 filed that year.

Most-reported components

What owners are reporting

“Went to start the van and it exploded and caught on fire and burned up. Please describ3e.”

Owner complaint to NHTSA, September 1, 1995 · Engine and engine cooling

Compare Ford Econoline model years

Recall and complaint counts for every Ford Econoline model year in NHTSA's database.

Model yearRecallsComplaints
1967 Ford Econoline10
1969 Ford Econoline30
1971 Ford Econoline10
1972 Ford Econoline10
1975 Ford Econoline10
1976 Ford Econoline10
1977 Ford Econoline20
1978 Ford Econoline10
1979 Ford Econoline71
1980 Ford Econoline31
1981 Ford Econoline10
1982 Ford Econoline21
1983 Ford Econoline52
1984 Ford Econoline67
1985 Ford Econoline510
1986 Ford Econoline57
1987 Ford Econoline415
1988 Ford Econoline022
1989 Ford Econoline232
1990 Ford Econoline430
1991 Ford Econoline324
1992 Ford Econoline383
1993 Ford Econoline365
1994 Ford Econoline4124
1995 Ford Econoline473
1996 Ford Econoline381
1997 Ford Econoline279
1998 Ford Econoline246
1999 Ford Econoline584
2000 Ford Econoline339
2001 Ford Econoline328
2002 Ford Econoline223
2003 Ford Econoline222
2005 Ford Econoline20
2006 Ford Econoline20
2007 Ford Econoline20
2009 Ford Econoline11
2010 Ford Econoline11
2011 Ford Econoline10
2012 Ford Econoline11
2013 Ford Econoline10
2014 Ford Econoline10
2015 Ford Econoline10
2016 Ford Econoline13
2017 Ford Econoline13
2018 Ford Econoline20
2019 Ford Econoline21
2026 Ford Econoline10

Checking a specific 1980 Ford Econoline

How do I know if my 1980 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. 3 campaigns currently list the 1980 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 79V261000).

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

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.