Total Complaints
22 filings
FORD FESTIVA · model year
1991 FORD FESTIVA
22 NHTSA complaints, 4 crash reports. A VIN lookup is required to determine whether a specific vehicle has an unrepaired recall.
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.
The most frequently selected component label in reports 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). Complaint categories reflect owner reports and intake categorization; they do not establish a defect pattern or cause.
NHTSA currently has 179 investigation files overlapping the 1991 FESTIVA, and 6 remain open. Owners comparing this cohort against neighboring years should read the complaint-by-year trend as report volume, not a causal diagnosis. Use the related-complaint feed and the official recall lookup when researching a specific vehicle.
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 6 Open
EA26004Engineering AnalysisOpen
Timing Belt Failure
DP26004Defect PetitionOpen
Anti-lock brake system (ABS) Malfunction Indicator Lamp (MIL) illuminated
EA26001Engineering AnalysisOpen
Unintended Transmission Downshift and Rear Wheel Lock-up
PE25020Preliminary EvaluationClosed
Timing Belt Failure
DP25001Defect PetitionClosed
Underbody shields detachment
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 vintage: August 2026. 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.
Every figure on PlainCars is rendered directly from NHTSA complaint and safety data, no number is typed in by an editor. This year-specific record is rendered from NHTSA ODI, recall, and NCAP rows for the 1991 FORD FESTIVA; no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of August 2026.
Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.