RecallMyCar

1982 Ford Escort Recalls, Complaints & Specs

5 safety recalls list the 1982 Ford Escort, and owners have filed 4 complaints with NHTSA. Check your own VIN below.

5
safety recalls
4
owner complaints to NHTSA
0 / 3
complaints citing a crash / fire

5 safety recalls for the 1982 Ford Escort

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

  1. Seat belts: rear/other

    NHTSA 85V067000 Reported 515,000 vehicles potentially affected FORD MOTOR COMPANY

    Rear seat belt retractors may allow twisted webbing to enter the retractor housing and jam the retractor. Consequence of defect: a jammed retractor would interfere with webbing retraction and withdrawal. This will discourage seat belt usage.

    Remedy: A clip will be inserted into the retractor housing webbing to prevent jamming.

  2. Seats

    NHTSA 84V071000 Reported 261,400 vehicles potentially affected FORD MOTOR COMPANY

    Seat frame structure could sever front seat belts if vehicle is involved in an accident, depending on force of impact.

    Remedy: Dealer will install a molded spacer between reinforcement plates and lower decorative plastic cover.

  3. Latch (latches/locks/linkages)

    NHTSA 83V063000 Reported 610,000 vehicles potentially affected FORD MOTOR COMPANY

    Door lock pillars could develop fatigue cracks from normal usage of door, at the point where door latch striker reinforcements are attached.

    Remedy: Any damaged lock pillars will be repaired and reinforcements will be installed between the door latch striker and lock pillars.

  4. Seat belts

    NHTSA 83V013000 Reported 245,000 vehicles potentially affected FORD MOTOR COMPANY

    The portion of the roof above frame (rail) to which the shoulder belt is anchored may have a slot that can compromise the strength of the shoulder belt anchor under certain severe loads. (the suspect area is not visible.) consequently, some vehicles included in this recall may not meet the 3000 pound anchorage strength requirements of…

    Remedy: The dealer will inspect and, if necessary, reinforce the roof rail inner panel surrounding the drainage hole at no cost to owner.

  5. Air conditioner (equipment)

    NHTSA 82V045000 Reported 113,000 vehicles potentially affected FORD MOTOR COMPANY

    On the involved vehicles, a thermal limiter in the blower motor resistor circuit of the air conditioner/heater assembly may not function as intended. If the blower motor becomes jammed when the system is operating in the medium-low blower speed, the resistor coils can overheat causing melting and possible ignition.

    Remedy: Dealer will replace the resistor assembly with an improved version without charge to owner.

4 owner complaints filed with NHTSA

Owners of the 1982 Ford Escort have filed 4 complaints with NHTSA; 3 describe a fire. Complaints peaked in 1996 with 4 filed that year.

Most-reported components

What owners are reporting

“Ignition switch locked up with key in it, would not release key. (second vehicle on 509613, 601627)”

Owner complaint to NHTSA, October 8, 1996 · Steering

“Underhood fire while parked in parking lot; vehicle totaled; cause unkown. *ak”

Owner complaint to NHTSA, May 13, 1996 · Electrical system

Compare Ford Escort model years

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

Model yearRecallsComplaints
1981 Ford Escort101
1982 Ford Escort54
1983 Ford Escort57
1984 Ford Escort321
1985 Ford Escort326
1986 Ford Escort245
1987 Ford Escort356
1988 Ford Escort2143
1989 Ford Escort1152
1990 Ford Escort2101
1991 Ford Escort3327
1992 Ford Escort2162
1993 Ford Escort1379
1994 Ford Escort1279
1995 Ford Escort4576
1996 Ford Escort0205
1997 Ford Escort1543
1998 Ford Escort0375
1999 Ford Escort1325
2000 Ford Escort198
2001 Ford Escort068
2002 Ford Escort033
2003 Ford Escort010

Checking a specific 1982 Ford Escort

How do I know if my 1982 Ford Escort 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. 5 campaigns currently list the 1982 Ford Escort; 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 82V045000).

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.