Total Complaints
1 filings
FORD FAIRLANE · model year
1973 FORD FAIRLANE
1 NHTSA complaints for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1973FORDFAIRLANE carries 1 consumer safety complaint in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 fatalities. No NCAP 5-star crash-test rating is available for this model year in the federal database.
Component-level analysis is where model-year complaints become actionable: the top complaint category for the 1973 FAIRLANE is fuel system, gasoline with 1 filings. Concentration in one or two component groups is the classic signature of a systemic defect; a flat distribution usually reflects normal aging, warranty complaints, or isolated build-plant variability.
NHTSA currently has 177 investigation files overlapping the 1973 FAIRLANE, and 8 remain open. Owners comparing this cohort against neighboring years should pair the counters above with the complaint-by-year trend on the parent model page — a spike in a single year often tracks to a platform refresh, a new transmission supplier, or an updated ECU calibration. Use the related-complaint feed below to read raw owner narratives before deciding whether any pattern here affects your specific use case.
1
Complaints
0
Crashes
0
Fires
0
Injuries
0
Deaths
Crashes Reported
0 reports
Source
NHTSA ODI
Federal complaints database
Complaints vs. fleet median (215)
At or below the fleet median complaint volume.
Complaints by Component
| Component | Count |
|---|---|
| FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20080929FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE
RECALL #78V143000 RE FUEL TANK ON ALL FORD PINTOS & MERCURY BOBCATS BUILT FROM 1971 TO 1976 FORD MOTOR CO, REFUSES TO ACKNOWLEDGE ME AND/OR THE RECALL BECAUSE, THERE SYSTEM (I'M TOLD) IS SET-UP FOR AN 18 DIGIT I.D. NUMBER, MY AUTO HAS ONLY 11 DIGITS (BECAUSE OF THE YEAR) WHAT I WANT TO KNOW IS WHO TO CONTACT, WHERE TOP GO. I WOULD SUGGEST THIS IS NOT THAT DIFFICULT A QUESTION TO ANSWER, BUT FORD WON'T HELP ME. *TR
Mileage: 100
Compare 1973FORDFAIRLANE to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations 8 Open
EA26001Engineering AnalysisOpen
Unintended Transmission Downshift and Rear Wheel Lock-up
PE25020Preliminary EvaluationOpen
Timing Belt Failure
DP25001Defect PetitionOpen
Underbody shields detachment
PE25007Preliminary EvaluationOpen
B-Pillar Trim Detachment
PE25002Preliminary EvaluationClosed
Unintended Transmission Downshift and Rear Wheel Lock-up
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 1973 FORD FAIRLANE have?▼
The 1973 FORD FAIRLANE has 1 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1973 FORD FAIRLANE?▼
The most-complained component for the 1973 FORD FAIRLANE is FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE with 1 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include various components.
Is the 1973 FORD FAIRLANE safe to buy?▼
Review the complaint history, crash and fire reports, safety ratings, and recall status on this page to make an informed decision. No NHTSA crash test rating is available for this model year. Compare with other model years using the links above.
Where does this data come from?▼
All complaint, recall, and safety rating data is sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Complaints are filed by vehicle owners through NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation.
Vehicle Safety Guides
Data as of 2025. Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) complaints database, NHTSA recall campaign API, NHTSA NCAP crash-test ratings, and NHTSA FARS for fatality cross-reference.
Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.