Total Complaints
5 filings
FORD LTD · model year
1983 FORD LTD
5 NHTSA complaints. 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 1983FORDLTD carries 5 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 0 crashes, 2 fires, 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 1983 LTD is power train:automatic transmission with 2 filings, followed by electrical system:ignition (1) and engine and engine cooling:engine:gasoline (1). 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 1983 LTD, 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.
5
Complaints
0
Crashes
2
Fires
2
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 |
|---|---|
| POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION | 2 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION | 1 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE | 1 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:MODULE | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20010131ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:MODULE
CONSUMERS VEHICLE EXHIBITED STALLING CONDITION AND HAD IT REPAIRED, CONSUMER BELIEVES THIS PROBLEM WAS DIRECTLY RELATED THE THE TFI MODULE BEING RECALLED IN CALIFORNIA, CONSUMER REQUEST REIMBURSEMENT. NLM
19990218POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
MOTOR STARTS SHAKING EXCESSIVELY DUE TO TRANSMISSION OVERDRIVE FAILURE. *AK..
19990121FireENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
ENGINE FIRE. (OHIO TRAFFIC CRASH REPORT).
19970908POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
VEHICLE WAS IN THE PARK POSITION AND THE VEHICLE JUMPED FROM PARK TO REVERSE, CAUSING THE INJURIES TO THE OCCUPANT. CONSUMER HAS YET TO CONTACT THE DEALER. RECALL LISTED FOR VEHICLE DUE TO THE SAME PROBLEM 83V-028000. *AK
19960425FireELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION
IGNITION FIRE. *AK
Compare 1983FORDLTD 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 1983 FORD LTD have?▼
The 1983 FORD LTD has 5 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 2 fires, 2 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1983 FORD LTD?▼
The most-complained component for the 1983 FORD LTD is POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION with 2 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION and ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE.
Is the 1983 FORD LTD 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 1983 FORD LTD; 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.