Total Complaints
2 filings
FORD PINTO · model year
1980 FORD PINTO
2 NHTSA complaints for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1980FORDPINTO carries 2 consumer safety complaints 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 1980 PINTO is vehicle speed control with 1 filings, followed by tires:tread/belt (1). 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 1980 PINTO, 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.
2
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 |
|---|---|
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL | 1 |
| TIRES:TREAD/BELT | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20010605TIRES:TREAD/BELT
WE PURCHASED A 1980 FORD PINTO BRAND NEW AND WITHIN TWO YEARS ALL FOUR FIRESTONE TIRES HAD FAILED ALL DUE TO STEEL BELT SEPARATION, THERE WAS NO INJURY OR OTHER DAMAGE BUT ONE REAR TIRE ACTUALLY SUFFERED A BLOW OUT ON THE HIGHWAY. THIS CAR WAS TATALED IN A NON-TIRE RELATED ACCIDENT IN 1992 AND I NO LONGER RETAIN ANY RECORDS ON IT. I REPORT THIS TO YOU IN LIGHT OF THE RECENT PROBLEMS WITH FIRESTONE TIRES. THEY MAKE TRASH TIRES AND I DO NOT BELIEVE FORD TO BE RESPONSIBLE (EVEN THOUGH I DO NOT BUY FORD PRODUCTS ANY LONGER) FIRESTONE HAS A BAD HISTORY OF POOR TIRE SAFETY AND I FEEL YOU SHOULD INVESTIGATE ALL FIRESTONE TIRES! YOU MAY FIND A REAL SURPRISE! *AK (TIRESIZE: 13INCH)( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: 13INCH )
19960520VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED AND IT STARTED BY ITSELF TO ROLL BACKWARDS AND THEN EXPLODED.PLEASE DESCRIBE. *AK
Compare 1980FORDPINTO 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 1980 FORD PINTO have?▼
The 1980 FORD PINTO has 2 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1980 FORD PINTO?▼
The most-complained component for the 1980 FORD PINTO is VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL with 1 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include TIRES:TREAD/BELT.
Is the 1980 FORD PINTO 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.