Total Complaints
18 filings
FORD LTD · model year
1985 FORD LTD
18 NHTSA complaints, 2 crash reports for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1985FORDLTD carries 18 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 2 crashes, 5 fires, 5 injuries, and 4 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 1985 LTD is electrical system:ignition:module with 3 filings, followed by electrical system:ignition:switch (3) and vehicle speed control (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 1985 LTD, 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.
18
Complaints
2
Crashes
5
Fires
5
Injuries
4
Deaths
Crashes Reported
2 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 |
|---|---|
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:MODULE | 3 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH | 3 |
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL | 2 |
| SEAT BELTS:FRONT:WEBBING | 2 |
| STEERING: STEERING WHEEL/HANDLE BAR | 1 |
| SEAT BELTS:REAR/OTHER | 1 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING | 1 |
| PARKING BRAKE:CONVENTIONAL | 1 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE | 1 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION | 1 |
| TIRES:TREAD/BELT | 1 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:EMISSION CONTROL:CATALYTIC CONVERTOR | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20010313FireENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:EMISSION CONTROL:CATALYTIC CONVERTOR
TUBE RUNNING FROM THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER HAD 1/2 SPARKS COMING FROM UNDERNEATH FLOORBOARD ON DRIVER'S SIDE. CONSUMER WILL CONTACT THE DEALER. ADD MORE INFORMATION.*AK
20010227ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:MODULE
THE THICK FILM MODULE FAILED CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO STALL INTERMITTENTLY. NLM
20010123ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:MODULE
THE CONSUMER HAS SPENT HUNDREDS OF DOLLARS TRYING TO FIND OUT WHY THE VEHICLE CONTINUALLY STALLS, CONSUMER BELIEVES THE STALLING IS RELATED TO THE IGNITION SWITCH. *MJS
20001004TIRES:TREAD/BELT
WHILE DRIVING ON HIGHWAY, TREAD ON RIGHT REAR FIRESTONE TIRE SEPARATED. *AK DOT # EJR1DEK116, TIRE SIZE P215 75 R15. *SLC
20000505ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION
WHEN DRIVING VEHICLE VEHICLE BECAME VERY HOT/STALLED OUT DUE TO TFI IGNITION MODULE BEING TOO CLOSE AND MOUNTED ON THE SIDE OF THE DISTRIBUTOR. CONSUMER HAS CONTACTED THE DEALER. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK
19990520ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
WHEN DRIVING AT 40 MPH AND MAKING ANY TYPE OF TURN, VEHICLE IS CUTTING OFF WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING. PROBLEM IS INTERMITTENT. *AK
19981020FireELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH
VEHICLE FIRE DUE TO FAILURE OF THE IGNITION SWITCH, PRIOR TO RECALL NOTICE.
19980108PARKING BRAKE:CONVENTIONAL
PARKING BRAKE DOESN'T RELEASE AUTOMATICALLY, RESULTING IN VACUUM LEAK. *AK
19970325FireELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH
IGNITION SWITCH FAILED 3 TIMES, ONCE CAUSING FIRE.
19970213FireELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING
AFTER STARTING THE VEHICLE, AN ELECTRICAL SHORT IN THE WIRING HARNESS, CAUSED THE WIRING UNDER THE HOOD TO CAUGHT FIRE.
19961018CrashVEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
FAILURE ON THE THROTTLE, CONSUMER WAS PLACING THE VEHICLE IN REVERSE WITH HIS FOOT ON THE BRAKE AND THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED IN REVERSE, CAUSING THE CONSUMER TO HAVE AN ACCIDENT. *AK *ML
19960619FatalSTEERING: STEERING WHEEL/HANDLE BAR
STEERING WHEEL COLLAPSED DURING HEAD ON COLLISION PINNING DRIVER IN VEHICLE FOR 1 HOUR AND 45 MINUTES, CAUSING DRIVER TO BLEED TO DEATH.*SD
19960619FatalSEAT BELTS:REAR/OTHER
TWO POINT SEAT BELT SEVERED OCCUPANT AT THE DIAPHRAGM IN ACCIDENT, CAUSING FATALITY. *SD
19960510FireELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH
AFTER PARKING, MOMENTS LATER FOUND UNDERNEATH DASH IN FLAMES, NO PRIOR WARNING. *AK
19950630SEAT BELTS:FRONT:WEBBING
THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDE SHOULDER BELTS HANG LOOSE SOMETIMES. *AK .
19950620CrashSEAT BELTS:FRONT:WEBBING
THE FRONT PASSENGER SHOULDER BELT SNAPPED WHEN INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT. PLEASE EXPLAIN. TT
19950420VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
INTERMITTENT SUDDEN ACCELERATION, CAUSING LOSS OF CONTROL, ALSO EXCESSIVE PRESSURE APPLIED TO BRAKES DURING SUDDEN ACCELERATION CAUSED BRAKES TO BURN OUT. *SKD
19950323ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:MODULE
ELECTRONIC CONTROL MODULE FAILED, CAUSING VEHICLE TO STALL. *SKD
Compare 1985FORDLTD 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 1985 FORD LTD have?▼
The 1985 FORD LTD has 18 NHTSA complaints, 2 crashes, 5 fires, 5 injuries, and 4 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1985 FORD LTD?▼
The most-complained component for the 1985 FORD LTD is ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:MODULE with 3 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH and VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL.
Is the 1985 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 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.