1983 Ford Escort: recalls and complaints

NHTSA lists 5 recall campaigns for the 1983 Ford Escort. The newest campaign is 88V193000. NHTSA received the report on 19 Dec 1988. The NHTSA record gives the component Fuel System, Gasoline / Delivery / Fuel Pump. NHTSA has 7 complaints on file for this model year. 3 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, 88V193000, in the NHTSA record

Install new mechanical fuel pumps with improved diaphragm material and revise wiring for electric fuel pump circuits.

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 30 Sep 2026. Recall file through 30 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

5 campaigns, newest first. 1,389,750 units in total.

88V19300019 Dec 1988Fuel System, Gasoline / Delivery / Fuel Pump
85V06700021 May 1985Seat Belts / Rear/Other
84V07100015 Jun 1984Seats
83V06300022 Jun 1983Latches/Locks/Linkages / Doors / Latch
82V08800016 Sep 1982Fuel System, Gasoline / Storage / Tank Assembly / Filler Pipe and Cap

88V193000Received 19 Dec 1988. 550 units.
Fuel System, Gasoline / Delivery / Fuel Pump
Defect, in the NHTSA record
The diaphragm material of the mechanical fuel pumps may deteriorate and allow the diaphragm to rupture.
Consequence, in the NHTSA record
Fuel pumped through the ruptured diaphragm and out ofthe vent opening could result in a fire.
Remedy, in the NHTSA record
Install new mechanical fuel pumps with improved diaphragm material and revise wiring for electric fuel pump circuits.
Report filed by FORD MOTOR COMPANY. Owner notification date in the NHTSA record: 23 Jan 1989.
85V067000Received 21 May 1985. 515,000 units.
Seat Belts / Rear/Other
Defect, in the NHTSA record
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, in the NHTSA record
A clip will be inserted into the retractor housing webbing to prevent jamming.
Report filed by FORD MOTOR COMPANY.
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.
82V088000Received 16 Sep 1982. 2,800 units.
Fuel System, Gasoline / Storage / Tank Assembly / Filler Pipe and Cap
Defect, in the NHTSA record
During a crash barrier test, the rubber hose connecting the fuel tank and the metal filler pipe vent tube was cut, resulting in fuel leakage. The involved vehicles fail to comply with federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 301, "fuel system integrity".
Remedy, in the NHTSA record
Dealer will install a brace between the right side rear quarter panel and the body side rail to improve fuel tank impact resistance.
Report filed by FORD MOTOR COMPANY.

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

7 complaints, 7 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.

1983 Ford Escort: component mentions in complaints
Component		Mentions
Electrical System		2
Service Brakes, Hydraulic		2
Seat Belts		1
Fuel System, Gasoline		1
Unknown or Other		1

Complaints that report a crash: 0
Complaints that report a fire: 2
Injuries in the complaints: 3
Deaths in the complaints: 0
Date of the newest complaint: 28 Aug 2003

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 1983 Ford Escort, by the year NHTSA received them. The largest year is 1996, with 3 complaints.

Investigations

NHTSA investigations that name the 1983 Ford Escort
Number	Type	Subject	Component	Opened	Closed	Campaign
DP86016	Defect petition	STALLING	Engine and Engine Cooling / Engine / Gasoline	24 Jul 1986	7 Aug 1986
EA86010	Engineering analysis	SEATBACK FAILURE	Seats	26 Mar 1986	28 Jul 1989	86V082000
DP84017	Defect petition	STALLING AND CARBURETOR MALFUNCTIONS	Vehicle Speed Control / Linkages	30 May 1984	10 Sep 1984

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 1983 Ford EscortThe recalls, the complaints and the investigations that NHTSA shows for this model year.

Cite this page

Recall Register. 1983 Ford Escort: recalls and complaints. https://recallregister.com/vehicle/ford/escort/1983/. Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation, recall, complaint and investigation files. Data through 30 Sep 2026.

Sources

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation
Licence: US government work, public domain
Recall file through: 30 Sep 2026
Complaint file through: 30 Sep 2026
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 1983 Ford Escort?: 1,389,750 units in 5 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. 5 of them name the 1983 model year.
Which component do the complaints about the 1983 Ford Escort name most often?: Electrical System: 2 of 7 component mentions.
Is an NHTSA investigation of the 1983 Ford Escort open?: No. Each of the 3 investigations that name this model year has a closing date in the NHTSA file.