IllustrationRIGHT REAR WHEEL CAME OFF, CAUSING LOSS OF CONTROL.. (OHIO STATE POLICE REPORT)
1991 Ford Festiva
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 1991 Ford Festiva do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 20.5.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Festiva years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
All reported categories
Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
Limited mileage data: 4 of 21 reports include usable mileage. There isn’t enough coverage to show a useful chart.
NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.
What to inspect
Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.
- Seat Belts. Review the 10 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Parking Brake. Review the 2 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Service Brakes, Hydraulic. Review the 2 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
4 crash reports1 fire reports1 injury reports
What owners actually said
21 reportsVEHICLE HAS BEEN EXPERIENCING PERIODIC FAILURES OF THE MULTI-FUNCTION SWITCH. *AK
FAILURE OF THE REAR BRAKE ADJUSTERS, THE REAR BRAKES ADJUSTERS LOCK UP. *AK
AUTOMOBILE ROLLED 25 FEET WHILE IN FIRST GEAR,AND THE EMERGENCY BRAKE WAS ON. *AK
VEHICLE CAUGHT FIRE AFTER PARKED FOR (10) MINUTES W/CAUSE STATED BY CIRCLEVILLE CITY FIRE DEPT BEING ELECTRICAL. PLEASE DESCRIBE DETAILS. *AK
RECALL REPAIRS TO SEAT BELT BUCKLE NOT DONE DUE TO LACK OF PARTS.
AFTER OPENING THE DOOR, THE DRIVER'S SIDE AUTOMATIC SEAT BELT DID NOT RETRACT. PLEASE DESCRIBE. *AK
DRIVING VEHICLE DOWN MAIN STREET, ANOTHER VEHICLE PULLED OUT IN FRONT, VEHICLE WAS HIT HEAD-ON, SEATBELTS DID NOT RESTRAIN PASSENGER. *AK
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
INVOLVED IN ACCIDENT LAST YEAR, DRIVERS PASSIVE RESTRAINT WILL EITHER NOT COMPLETE CYCLE, TIGHTEN OR NOT RESTRAIN. PLEASE DESCRIBE DETAILS. TT
Official recalls
195V103011 · Seat Belts:front:buckle Assembly
Jun 27, 1995
THE FRONT SAFETY BELT BUCKLE RELEASE BUTTONS CAN BREAK. THESE RED PLASTIC RELEASE BUTTONS ARE MARKED "PRESS." IF A BUTTON BREAKS, PIECES CAN FALL INTO THE BUCKLE ASSEMBLY CAUSING THE BUCKLE TO OPERATE IMPROPERLY.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: THE SAFETY BELTS WOULD NOT PROVIDE ADEQUATE PROTECTION TO AN OCCUPANT IN A VEHICLE CRASH.
Remedy: OWNERS SHOULD PROMPTLY CHECK THE CONDITION AND OPERATION OF BOTH FRONT SAFETY BELT BUCKLES AND CAREFULLY INSPECT THE RED RELEASE BUTTON FOR ANY BREAKS OR CRACKS. THEY SHOULD ENSURE THAT BOTH BUCKLES ARE OPERATING PROPERLY BY INSERTING EACH LATCH PLATE INTO ITS BUCKLE, TUGGING ON THE BELT TO MAKE SURE THAT LATCH IS SECURELY LOCKED, AND THEN PRESSING THE RELEASE BUTTON. THE LATCH PLATE SHOULD POP OUT OF THE BUCKLE WHEN THE BUTTON IS PRESSED. IF EITHER RELEASE BUTTON SHOWS A SIGN OF BREAKING OR CRACKING OR IF EITHER BUCKLE FAILS TO OPERATE PROPERLY, OWNERS SHOULD PROMPTLY CONTACT THEIR AUTHORIZED DEALER TO SCHEDULE AN APPOINTMENT TO HAVE THE BUCKLE REPLACED OR REPAIRED, FREE OF CHARGE. THE MANUFACTURER IS DEVELOPING A REMEDY DESIGNED TO PREVENT FAILURE OF THE BUTTONS THAT ARE NOT CURRENTLY BROKEN.
Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗
NHTSA investigations
1PE95013 · Seat Belt Failure Or Malfunction
Opened Feb 23, 1995 · Closed Jul 28, 1995
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Seat Belts:front:buckle Assembly
There is no summary currently available