IllustrationSTETCHING THAT HOLD BOTH SHOULDER HARNESS WEBBING TOGETHER HAVE WEATHERED AND FALLEN APART. I WOULD GUESS THAT THERE SHOULD BE OTHER SIMILAR CASES DUE THE POSITION AND THE UV/ SUN CONTAMINATION ON THE TREADS ( THE THREADS ARE COTTON AND NOT NYLON). *AK
1990 Ford Festiva
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 1990 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: 0 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 →
- Electrical System. Review the 3 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Wheels. Review the 3 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
1 crash reports1 fire reports0 injury reports
Seat Belts complaints
10 reportsDRIVER SIDE SEAT BELT WILL NOT STAY ENGANGED IN THE BUCKLE ASSEMBLY. CONSUMER HAS CONTACTED THE DEALER, DEALER REPLACED THE BUCKLE. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK
SEAT BELT WILL NOTSTAY BUCKLED IN. *AK
BOTH FRONT SEAT BELTS DOES NOT RETRACT. PLEASE DESCRIBE DETAILS. *AK
FRONT SEAT BELTS; PASSENGER AND DRIVERS SIDE WILL NOT RETRACT. *AK
TAKATA BELT BUCKLE RECALL; KIRK FORD HANCOCK MD. GAVE OWNER HARD TIME W/APPOINTMENT AND REPLACED PASSENGER BUCKLE FROM JUNK YARD. DEALER NOT AWARE OF RECALL.*AK
THE DEALERSHIP IS REFUSING TO HANDLE THE RECALL FOR SEA TBELT BUCKLES. PLEADE DESCRIBE. *AK
RECALL RELATED, 95V103011, INTERIOR SEAT BELT BUCKLE, IN FOR REPAIR BUCKLE WILL NOT STAY LATCHED. TT
THE PASSENGER SIDE SEAT BELT RETRACTOR ALMOST CHOKED PERSON THAT WAS SITTING ON THAT SIDE . TT
CONSUMER WENT TO PUT CHILD SEAT IN BACK SEAT OF CAR AND THE REAR SEAT BELT BROKEN. TT
Official recalls
295V103011 · 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.
90V045000 · Seat Belts:front:warning Light/devices
Mar 8, 1990
THE "FASTEN SEAT BELTS" WARNING LIGHTS MAY NOT WORK WHEN THE IGNITION IS SWITCHED TO THE "ON" POSITION DURING COLD AMBIENT TEMPERATURES.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: OCCUPANTS WOULD NOT RECEIVE THIS WARNING TO USE SAFETY BELTS AND CARS WOULD NOT COMPLY WITH FMVSS 208.
Remedy: FORD WILL REPLACE INSTRUMENT CLUSTERS IN THE AFFECTED CARS.
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