The defect
THE HOUSING PLATES ON THE DRIVER SEAT BACK LATCH RECLINER ASSEMBLIES WERE MANUFACTURED WITH SUBSTANDARD MATERIAL PRODUCTS. THIS TAINTED STEEL WAS USED TO PRODUCE SEATBACK LATCHES FOR BOTH THE RIGHT AND LEFT SIDE SEAT ASSEMBLIES. UNDER CERTAIN CONDITIONS, THE DEFECTIVE HOUSING PLATES MAY DISTORT, ALLOWING THE LOCKING TEETH TO DISENGAGE AND TEAR OFF. THIS PERMITS THE SEATBACK TO PIVOT BACKWARDS.
The remedy
UPON INSPECTION, BOTH DRIVER AND PASSENGER SEAT LATCH/RECLINER ASSEMBLIES, ON VEHICLES EXHIBITING THE SUSPECT DATE CODES, WILL BE REPLACED.
NHTSA's own wording · initiated by MFR
Vehicles covered
| Model | Model years |
|---|---|
| Ford Mustang | 1981 |
| Mercury Capri | 1981 |
Components: SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:RECLINER
Model years in this recall
NHTSA complaints and the number of recall campaigns for each model year this recall covers.
| Model | Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ford Mustang | 1981 | 0 | 1 |
| Mercury Capri | 1981 | 1 | 1 |
Other seats recalls in 1981
5 of the 157 recall campaigns reported to NHTSA in 1981 concerned the seats; FORD MOTOR COMPANY filed 963 campaigns in all.
| 81V152000 3 Nov 1981 | CAREYS TRUCK SALES & SERV |
| 81V115000 1 Oct 1981 | SHELLER-GLOBE CORPORATION |
| 81V065000 28 May 1981 | SHELLER-GLOBE CORPORATION |
| 81V034000 19 Mar 1981 | SKYLINE CORPORATION |
NHTSA recalls (public domain) · all recalls of 1981