1981 Ford Escort: recalls and complaints

NHTSA lists 10 recall campaigns for the 1981 Ford Escort. The newest campaign is 84V085000. NHTSA received the report on 18 Jul 1984. The NHTSA record gives the component Seats. NHTSA has 1 complaint on file for this model year. 4 NHTSA investigations name this model year.

The NHTSA recall file shows no do-not-drive advisory and no park-outside advisory on these campaigns.

This page cannot show if a recall applies to one vehicle. The NHTSA VIN lookup shows the unrepaired recalls of one vehicle.

Remedy of the newest campaign, 84V085000, in the NHTSA record

The attachment screw on the driver"s seat will be replaced by one of a larger diameter.

NHTSA VIN lookup

Complaint information entered into NHTSA’s Office of Defects Investigation vehicle owner's complaint database is used with other data sources to identify safety issues that warrant investigation and to determine if a safety-related defect trend exists.
NHTSA publishes these words. Source: NHTSA Datasets and APIs, section Complaints, read on 1 Oct 2026. Complaint file through 29 Mar 2018. Recall file through 29 Sep 2026.

Since the last update

No tracked figure of this page changed in a data update. What the log tracks

All updates to the register

Recall campaigns

10 campaigns, newest first. 1,379,272 units in total.

84V08500018 Jul 1984Seats
84V07100015 Jun 1984Seats
83V06300022 Jun 1983Latches/Locks/Linkages / Doors / Latch
83V01300017 Feb 1983Seat Belts
81V09200022 Jul 1981Fuel System, Gasoline / Storage / Tank Assembly / Filler Pipe and Cap
81V0840007 Jul 1981Service Brakes, Hydraulic / Power Assist / Vacuum
81V0450006 Apr 1981Vehicle Speed Control
80V1420004 Nov 1980Fuel System, Gasoline / Storage / Tank Assembly
80V13300015 Oct 1980Electrical System / Wiring / Front Underhood
80V1340003 Oct 1980Service Brakes, Hydraulic / Foundation Components

84V085000Received 18 Jul 1984. 80,034 units.
Seats
Defect, in the NHTSA record
Screw that connects the seat back frame to the recliner mechanism may break.
Remedy, in the NHTSA record
The attachment screw on the driver"s seat will be replaced by one of a larger diameter.
Report filed by FORD MOTOR COMPANY. Owner notification date in the NHTSA record: 13 Aug 1984.
84V071000Received 15 Jun 1984. 261,400 units.
Seats
Defect, in the NHTSA record
Seat frame structure could sever front seat belts if vehicle is involved in an accident, depending on force of impact.
Remedy, in the NHTSA record
Dealer will install a molded spacer between reinforcement plates and lower decorative plastic cover.
Report filed by FORD MOTOR COMPANY. Owner notification date in the NHTSA record: 14 Aug 1984.
83V063000Received 22 Jun 1983. 610,000 units.
Latches/Locks/Linkages / Doors / Latch
Defect, in the NHTSA record
Door lock pillars could develop fatigue cracks from normal usage of door, at the point where door latch striker reinforcements are attached.
Remedy, in the NHTSA record
Any damaged lock pillars will be repaired and reinforcements will be installed between the door latch striker and lock pillars.
Report filed by FORD MOTOR COMPANY. Owner notification date in the NHTSA record: 18 Jul 1983.
83V013000Received 17 Feb 1983. 245,000 units.
Seat Belts
Defect, in the NHTSA record
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 federal motor vehicle safety standard 210, "seat belt assembly anchorages".
Remedy, in the NHTSA record
The dealer will inspect and, if necessary, reinforce the roof rail inner panel surrounding the drainage hole at no cost to owner.
Report filed by FORD MOTOR COMPANY. Owner notification date in the NHTSA record: 8 Apr 1983.
81V092000Received 22 Jul 1981. 112,000 units.
Fuel System, Gasoline / Storage / Tank Assembly / Filler Pipe and Cap
Defect, in the NHTSA record
Some of the involved vehicles have an electrically ungrounded fuel inlet. These vehicles are subject to static charge accumulation at the fuel filler pipe opening, which can occur if these vehicles are refueled from an electrically ungrounded dispensing nozzle.
Remedy, in the NHTSA record
A grounding connection from the filler pipe inlet to the vehicle body and a static electricity suppression rod inside the filler pipe will be installed at no charge to owner.
Report filed by FORD MOTOR COMPANY. Owner notification date in the NHTSA record: 14 Aug 1981.
81V084000Received 7 Jul 1981. 4,338 units.
Service Brakes, Hydraulic / Power Assist / Vacuum
Defect, in the NHTSA record
Some vehicles equipped with power brake boosters have front and rear shells that may have been improperly joined. Improperly joined booster shells may separate either partially or completely during brake application.
Remedy, in the NHTSA record
All defective boosters will be replaced at no charge to owner.
Report filed by FORD MOTOR COMPANY.
81V045000Received 6 Apr 1981. 21,000 units.
Vehicle Speed Control
Defect, in the NHTSA record
Fuel may possibly travel through the speed control vacuum lines and into the speed control actuation device (serv0). The fuel can damage seals in the actuator servo and allow vacuum leaks. Such a leak could activate the speed control without any action on the part of the driver. This would cause the vehicle to gradually accelerate.
Remedy, in the NHTSA record
The vacuum check valve and hose assembly will be replaced and the speed control servo will be replaced if it has been damaged.
Report filed by FORD MOTOR COMPANY. Owner notification date in the NHTSA record: 13 May 1981.
80V142000Received 4 Nov 1980. 11,500 units.
Fuel System, Gasoline / Storage / Tank Assembly
Defect, in the NHTSA record
On certain vehicles, metal fasteners that were used to secure the carpeting to the floor pan may have accidentally penetrated the top of the fuel tank. This would result in a slight fuel leak.
Remedy, in the NHTSA record
Dealer will inspect vehicles for penetration of the fuel tank by carpet fasteners. Any leaking fuel tanks will be replaced and the floor pan will be sealed, without charge to owners.
Report filed by FORD MOTOR COMPANY.
80V133000Received 15 Oct 1980. 7,000 units.
Electrical System / Wiring / Front Underhood
Defect, in the NHTSA record
Some of the involved vehicles were produced with an engine compartment wire assembly that may have been routed above the air conditioning suction hose. This hose may push up on the wiring harness causing it to contact the hood prop rod bracket attaching bolt. This could lead to penetration or chafing of the wiring insulation.
Remedy, in the NHTSA record
Dealer will inspect and, if necessary, correct the wiring harness routing at no charge to owner.
Report filed by FORD MOTOR COMPANY.
80V134000Received 3 Oct 1980. 27,000 units.
Service Brakes, Hydraulic / Foundation Components
Defect, in the NHTSA record
On certain vehicles, the right and left hand rear brake backing plate attachment bolts may not have been tightened to the correct specifications. Backing plate bolts may not be able to withstand the loads experienced during truck shipment. If the bolts loosen from the spindle during operation, backing plate movement may result in weakening or premature wear of one or both rear brake tubes. This could lead to loss of brake fluid.
Remedy, in the NHTSA record
Dealer will inspect and tighten the bolts to the proper specifications. Rear brake tubes will be replaced, if necessary, at no charge to owner.
Report filed by FORD MOTOR COMPANY. Owner notification date in the NHTSA record: 3 Oct 1980.

The campaign number opens the NHTSA record. Each quotation is the text of the NHTSA recall file.

Recall campaign: One recall in the NHTSA recall file, with one campaign number. A campaign can name many makes, models and model years.

Units: The number of vehicles or products that a recall can include. The manufacturer or the firm reports the number to the agency.

Complaints by component

1 complaint, 2 component mentions.

A complaint can name more than one component. Each component that a complaint names is one component mention. This model year has fewer than 50 component mentions, so the table shows the number of mentions only.

1981 Ford Escort: component mentions in complaints
Component		Mentions
Seats		2

Complaints that report a crash: 0
Complaints that report a fire: 0
Injuries in the complaints: 0
Deaths in the complaints: 0
Date of the newest complaint: 11 Feb 1997

These figures are the entries of the persons who sent the complaints.

Complaint: A report about a possible safety problem that a person sends to NHTSA. This site shows the number of complaints and not their text.

Complaints about the 1981 Ford Escort, by the year NHTSA received them. The largest year is 1997, with 1 complaint.

Investigations

NHTSA investigations that name the 1981 Ford Escort
Number	Type	Subject	Component	Opened	Closed	Campaign
DP85009	Defect petition	FAILURE OF SEAT BACK SECURING BOLTS	Seats	29 Jan 1985	27 Feb 1985
DP84017	Defect petition	STALLING AND CARBURETOR MALFUNCTIONS	Vehicle Speed Control / Linkages	30 May 1984	10 Sep 1984
DP84009	Defect petition	TIMING CHAIN FAILURE	Engine and Engine Cooling / Engine / Gasoline	16 Jan 1984	17 Jul 1984
EA83013	Engineering analysis	FRONT SEATBACK FAILURE	Seats	23 Mar 1983	26 Jan 1989	84V085000

Investigation: A study of a possible safety defect by the NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. An investigation with no closing date in the NHTSA file is open.

Other model years

The number under each year is the number of recall campaigns.

A year without a link has fewer than 2 campaigns and fewer than 25 complaints. It has no page.

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Official channels

NHTSA VIN lookupNHTSA shows the unrepaired recalls of one vehicle from its VIN or its license plate.
NHTSA: report a safety problemThe NHTSA form for a complaint about a vehicle, a tire, a child seat or equipment.
NHTSA page of the 1981 Ford EscortThe recalls, the complaints and the investigations that NHTSA shows for this model year.

Cite this page

Recall Register. 1981 Ford Escort: recalls and complaints. https://recallregister.com/vehicle/ford/escort/1981/. Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation, recall, complaint and investigation files. Data through 29 Sep 2026.

Sources

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation
Licence: US government work, public domain
Recall file through: 29 Sep 2026
Complaint file through: 29 Mar 2018
First complaint in the file: 1 Jan 1995
Manufacturer in the recall file: FORD MOTOR COMPANY

The NHTSA record is the authority. A complaint count is the number of different complaint numbers for the make, the model and the model year. How the register is made. Report an error.

Questions

How many units are in the recall campaigns for the 1981 Ford Escort?: 1,379,272 units in 10 campaigns. A campaign can name other models and model years, and its units include them.
How many recall campaigns does the Ford Escort have for all model years?: NHTSA lists 35 recall campaigns for the Ford Escort, model years 1981 to 2003. 10 of them name the 1981 model year.
Which component do the complaints about the 1981 Ford Escort name most often?: Seats: 2 of 2 component mentions.
Is an NHTSA investigation of the 1981 Ford Escort open?: No. Each of the 4 investigations that name this model year has a closing date in the NHTSA file.