Total Complaints
22 filings
FORD FESTIVA · model year
1991 FORD FESTIVA
22 NHTSA complaints, 4 crash reports for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1991FORDFESTIVA carries 22 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 4 crashes, 1 fire, 2 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 1991 FESTIVA is seat belts with 6 filings, followed by parking brake:conventional:mechanical:linkage and cable (2) and seat belts:front:webbing (2). 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 1991 FESTIVA, 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.
22
Complaints
4
Crashes
1
Fires
2
Injuries
0
Deaths
Crashes Reported
4 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 |
|---|---|
| SEAT BELTS | 6 |
| PARKING BRAKE:CONVENTIONAL:MECHANICAL:LINKAGE AND CABLE | 2 |
| SEAT BELTS:FRONT:WEBBING | 2 |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:ROTOR | 1 |
| FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE | 1 |
| SEAT BELTS:FRONT:ANCHORAGE | 1 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH | 1 |
| POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION | 1 |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DRUM | 1 |
| SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY | 1 |
| EXTERIOR LIGHTING:TURN SIGNAL:SWITCH | 1 |
| WHEELS | 1 |
| STRUCTURE:BODY:DOOR | 1 |
| SEAT BELTS:FRONT | 1 |
| SUSPENSION | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20151105SEAT BELTS
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1991 FORD FESTIVA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DRIVER SIDE SEAT BELT FAILED TO WORK. THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 095V103011 (SEAT BELTS). THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION. THE CONTACT WAS TO SCHEDULE AN APPOINTMENT FOR REPAIRS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND PROVIDED NO REMEDY. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 135,000.
Mileage: 135,000
20141120SEAT BELTS
DRIVER SEAT, SEAT BELT WILL NOT RETRACT. IT IS STUCK IN THE WINDOW AND WILL NOT COME DOWN! *TR
Mileage: 200,000
20141120SUSPENSION
RIDES EXTREMELY ROUGH, LIKE IT HAS NO SHOCKS! *TR
Mileage: 200,000
20020529SEAT BELTS:FRONT
THE DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT BELT STOPPED WORKING, BECAUSE THE MOTOR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED.*AK *PH *JB
Mileage: 62,000
20000623CrashSEAT BELTS:FRONT:WEBBING
THREADING OF SHOULDER HARNESS BROKE.
20000531CrashSEAT BELTS:FRONT:WEBBING
SHOULDER BELT BROKE AT STITCHING. *AK
20000322SEAT BELTS
DRIVER'S SIDE ELETRONIC SEATBELT DOES NOT AUTOMATICIALLY LOCK/UNLOCK. I HAVE TO TUG ON IT TO START THE MOTOR. WORKS BETTER IN WARM CLIMATE. CALLED FREEDOM FORD IN HAMPTON, VIRGINIA AND WAS TOLD NOT COVERED. VEHICLE HAD 50K MILES ON IT THEN. TWO YEARS LATER, BELT GETTING WORSE, AND NOW I DRIVE IT W/OUT BELT IN CLIP DUE TO TRACK NOT WANTING TO SLIDE BELT BACK TO RESTRAIN. I CONTACTED FORD AND THEY TOLD ME THAT IT WAS NOT COVERED, AND THAT I WOULD HAVE TO PAY FOR THIS TO BE FIXED. I GOT A $350 ESTIMATE TO FIX IT. DIDN'T KNOW YOU HAD TO PAY FOR SAFETY... VERY DISAPPOINTED IN THE CUSTOMER SERVICE. *AK
19980323STRUCTURE:BODY:DOOR
IN COLD WEATHER PLASTIC DOOR HANDLES BREAK.
19980211PARKING BRAKE:CONVENTIONAL:MECHANICAL:LINKAGE AND CABLE
EMERGENCY BRAKE CABLE CONSTANTLY LOCKS UP/FREEZES DUE TO POOR DESIGN. *AK
19970122WHEELS
RIGHT REAR WHEEL CAME OFF, CAUSING LOSS OF CONTROL.. (OHIO STATE POLICE REPORT)
19961227PARKING BRAKE:CONVENTIONAL:MECHANICAL:LINKAGE AND CABLE
COMING OUT OF THE GARAGE INTO THE DRIVEWAY ADJUSTED THE EMERGENCY PARKING BRAKE LEVER AND THE CABLE BROKE AT THE RIGHT REAR WHEEL ASSEMBLY AND NOW THE EMERGENCEY PARKING BRAKE DOES NOT WORK. PLEAES GIVE MORE DETAILS. *AK
19961107EXTERIOR LIGHTING:TURN SIGNAL:SWITCH
VEHICLE HAS BEEN EXPERIENCING PERIODIC FAILURES OF THE MULTI-FUNCTION SWITCH. *AK
19960923SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY
RECALL REPAIRS TO SEAT BELT BUCKLE NOT DONE DUE TO LACK OF PARTS.
19960827SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DRUM
FAILURE OF THE REAR BRAKE ADJUSTERS, THE REAR BRAKES ADJUSTERS LOCK UP. *AK
19960719POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
AUTOMOBILE ROLLED 25 FEET WHILE IN FIRST GEAR,AND THE EMERGENCY BRAKE WAS ON. *AK
19960619FireELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH
VEHICLE CAUGHT FIRE AFTER PARKED FOR (10) MINUTES W/CAUSE STATED BY CIRCLEVILLE CITY FIRE DEPT BEING ELECTRICAL. PLEASE DESCRIBE DETAILS. *AK
19960501SEAT BELTS
AFTER OPENING THE DOOR, THE DRIVER'S SIDE AUTOMATIC SEAT BELT DID NOT RETRACT. PLEASE DESCRIBE. *AK
19960501SEAT BELTS
AFTER OPENING THE DOOR, THE DRIVER'S SIDE AUTOMATIC SEAT BELT DID NOT RETRACT. PLEASE DESCRIBE. *AK
19960426CrashSEAT BELTS:FRONT:ANCHORAGE
DRIVING VEHICLE DOWN MAIN STREET, ANOTHER VEHICLE PULLED OUT IN FRONT, VEHICLE WAS HIT HEAD-ON, SEATBELTS DID NOT RESTRAIN PASSENGER. *AK
19960209FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE
AFTER AUTO HAD BEEN DRIVEN AND PARKED APPROX 3 HRS-IT SELF IGNITED-NO ONE WAS INJURED BECAUSE AUTO WAS PARKED FOR THE NIGHT. TT
Compare 1991FORDFESTIVA 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 1991 FORD FESTIVA have?▼
The 1991 FORD FESTIVA has 22 NHTSA complaints, 4 crashes, 1 fires, 2 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1991 FORD FESTIVA?▼
The most-complained component for the 1991 FORD FESTIVA is SEAT BELTS with 6 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include PARKING BRAKE:CONVENTIONAL:MECHANICAL:LINKAGE AND CABLE and SEAT BELTS:FRONT:WEBBING.
Is the 1991 FORD FESTIVA 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.