Problems owners report
Complaints filed with NHTSA about the 1982 Ford Escort, by the system named in each complaint. One complaint can name several.
- Electrical system3
- Steering2
NHTSA ODI complaints (public domain) · updated 23 Oct 2026 · 0 injuries and 0 deaths reported
Compared with other years
NHTSA ODI complaints by model year
In the Netherlands
197 first registered in 1982 are on Dutch roads; 20% arrived later as imports.
Most common APK defects
- Overmatige vloeistoflekkage overige vloeistoffen15
- Bandenspanning niet op juiste waarde8
- Dimlicht onjuist afgesteld8
- Band onvoldoende profiel7
- Onderdeel stuurinrichting niet geborgd6
- CO meer dan wettelijk toegestaan5
- Remslang beschadigd, wapeningsmateriaal zichtbaar5
- Ruitensproeierinstallatie werkt niet goed5
Colours
RDW Open Data: registered vehicles and APK defects (CC0) · defect descriptions in the RDW's Dutch wording
In the United Kingdom
226 cars built in 1982 were licensed for the road at the end of 2025, and 363 more were declared off the road (SORN).
Department for Transport and DVLA, vehicle licensing statistics (table VEH0124, year of manufacture) · Open Government Licence v3.0
In Finland
31 of these cars first registered in 1982 were in use in Finland on 30 Jun 2026, with an average of 64,000 km on the odometer at their last inspection.
Traficom (Finnish Transport and Communications Agency), open data on vehicles in use · CC BY 4.0
In New Zealand
4 1982 cars are on the New Zealand register.
NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi, Motor Vehicle Register (March 2026) · CC BY 4.0
Recalls in Canada
6 Transport Canada recalls for the 1982 Ford Escort.
| 1985074 14 Jun 1985 | Not Entered THE REAR SEAT BELT RETRACTORS MAY ALLOW TWISTED WEBBING TO ENTER THE RETRACTOR HOUSING. TWISTED WEBBING MAY WEDGE BETWEEN THE RETRACTOR SPOOL AND HOUSING PRODUC… |
| 1984078 19 Jun 1984 | Not Entered WHEN SEVERELY LOADED BY A FRONTAL IMPACT, THE SEAT BELT WEBBING MAY CONTACT THE LEADING EDGE OF THE FRONT SEAT-BACK STELL REINFORCEMENT PLATES. THIS MAY CAUSE … |
| 1984076 6 Jun 1984 | Not Entered THESE VEHICLES DO NOT COMPLY WITH CMVSS 1103 - EXHAUST EMISSIONS. VEHICLES AFFECTED: 1.6 L ENGINE AND ATX TRANSMISSIONS |
| 1983060 22 Jun 1983 | Not Entered TWO DOOR MODELS. FATIGUE CRACKS MAY OCCUR IN THE DOOR LOCK PILLARS AT THE FRONT DOOR LATCH STRIKER REINFORCEMENT ATTACHMENT LOCATIONS. THE FATIGUE CRACKS MAY P… |
| 1983015 11 Feb 1983 | Not Entered STATION WAGONS. THESE VEHICLES MAY NOT COMPLY WITH CMVSS 210 - BELT AHCHORAGES. |
| 1982045 10 May 1982 | Not Entered VEHICLES WITH OPTIONAL AIR CONDITIONING. THE AIR CONDITIONER BLOWER MOTOR THERMAL LIMITER MAY NOT OPERATE AS INTENDED WHEN THERE IS A MOTOR BLOCKAGE OR MALFUNC… |
Transport Canada Vehicle Recalls Database · Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada
Recalls
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.
SEAT FRAME STRUCTURE COULD SEVER FRONT SEAT BELTS IF VEHICLE IS INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT, DEPENDING ON FORCE OF IMPACT.
DOOR LOCK PILLARS COULD DEVELOP FATIGUE CRACKS FROM NORMAL USAGE OF DOOR, AT THE POINT WHERE DOOR LATCH STRIKER REINFORCEMENTS ARE ATTACHED.
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".
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.
Whether a recall was fixed on a particular car is known only to the manufacturer: check the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
NHTSA recalls · summaries in NHTSA's own words
Service bulletins
What Ford told its dealers about the 1982 Ford Escort: known faults, fixes and updates.
| Bulletin | Summary |
|---|---|
| 69012 | UNKNOWN |
| 623988 | INFORMATION REGARDING TRANSMISSION FLUID USAGE CHARTS. *SLC |
| 604059 | FORD MOTOR COMPANY HAS RELEASED A NEW ELECTRICAL GREASE ( F8AZ - 19G208-AA ) TO REDUCE THE POSSIBILITY OF MOISTURE CORROSION AT THE TERMINALS. *YC |
| 601238 | INFORMATION ON A NEW TRANSMISSION FLUID USAGE CHART. *YC |
| 51945 | FLUID- TRANSMISSION FLUID USAGE CHARTS. *JD |
| 45947 | SHEET METAL-ROOF PANEL AND DRIP RAIL REPLACEMENT- SEAM SEALER APPLICATION PROCEDURE.*SD |
| 39900 | ROUGHNESS CONCERN DURING BRAKE APPLICATION. *TW |
| 3011600 | UNKNOWN |
NHTSA manufacturer communications (public domain)
NHTSA investigations
FAILURE OF SEAT BACK SECURING BOLTS
STALLING AND CARBURETOR MALFUNCTIONS
TIMING CHAIN FAILURE
FRONT SEATBACK FAILURE
FUMES AND DUST IN PASSENGER COMPARTMENT
NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation