RecallMyCar

1981 Ford LTD Recalls, Complaints & Specs

4 safety recalls list the 1981 Ford LTD. Check your own VIN below.

4
safety recalls
0
owner complaints to NHTSA

4 safety recalls for the 1981 Ford LTD

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

  1. Suspension: rear

    NHTSA 82V135000 Reported 4,361 vehicles potentially affected FORD MOTOR COMPANY

    The lower control arms may have been manufactured from steel with material thickness below the minimum specifications for police duty. This could lead to cracks developing in the control arms, and eventually, the possibility of fracture of an arm.

    Remedy: The dealer will install new rear suspension lower control arms on both sides of the vehicle without charge.

  2. Interior/under dash (electrical system)

    NHTSA 80V147000 Reported 18,154 vehicles potentially affected FORD MOTOR COMPANY

    Some of the involved vehicles have electrical relay systems which may be susceptible to water leakage into the relay case. Water entry may cause a short circuit within the relay.

    Remedy: Dealer will inspect vehicles for the type of relay used, reorient wiring harnesses as necessary, and replace suspect relays with new parts.

  3. Bumpers (structure)

    NHTSA 80V141000 Reported 600 vehicles potentially affected FORD MOTOR COMPANY

    The involved vehicles were produced without surlyn-coated foil insulators between the isolator and bracket assemblies and the rear bumper reinforcements. An epoxy coating was also omitted from the bracket assemblies. When exposed to the corrosive action of road salt, the aluminum rear bumper reinforcement could experience galvonic…

    Remedy: Dealer will inspect rear bumper attachment components and replace them without charge, if necessary.

  4. Switch (electrical system)

    NHTSA 80V121000 Reported 14,000 vehicles potentially affected FORD MOTOR COMPANY

    The involved vehicles may start in reverse gear. This does not comply with federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 102, "transmission shift lever sequence, starter interlock, and transmission braking affect". Some of these vehicles may be equipped with a defective neutral start switch that occasionally permits engine starting with the…

    Remedy: Dealer will inspect the involved vehicles and, if necessary, replace the transmission neutral start switch at no charge to owner.

No owner complaints on file

NHTSA has no owner complaints on file for the 1981 Ford LTD. For context, the average model year in NHTSA's database has dozens; a zero can mean a reliable vehicle, a rare one, or both.

Compare Ford LTD model years

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

Model yearRecallsComplaints
1968 Ford LTD10
1970 Ford LTD01
1972 Ford LTD20
1973 Ford LTD50
1974 Ford LTD52
1975 Ford LTD30
1977 Ford LTD10
1978 Ford LTD30
1979 Ford LTD82
1980 Ford LTD10
1981 Ford LTD40
1982 Ford LTD20
1983 Ford LTD15
1984 Ford LTD214
1985 Ford LTD217
1986 Ford LTD09
1987 Ford LTD01
1988 Ford LTD06
1989 Ford LTD08
1990 Ford LTD02
1991 Ford LTD03
1992 Ford LTD02
1993 Ford LTD01
1995 Ford LTD02
1996 Ford LTD01
2000 Ford LTD02

Checking a specific 1981 Ford LTD

How do I know if my 1981 Ford LTD 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. 4 campaigns currently list the 1981 Ford LTD; 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 80V121000).

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.