U.S. public vehicle records

1984 Ford LTD: complaints, problems and recalls

Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.

Key facts

14 owner complaints analyzed

2 distinct recall campaigns

Not available median reported failure mileage

Scope: 1984 model year. Data updated: 2026-10-01 (October 1, 2026). 0 complaints include usable failure mileage. View data status.

Owner-reported patterns

Most common problems

Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Gasoline is the most frequently named component, appearing in 4 of 14 complaints (28.6%). A complaint can name multiple components.

Recurring terms in complaint narratives
Topic	Matching reports	Share of complaints
Engine operation	4	28.6%

Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.

Component breakdown

Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.

Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Gasoline

Electrical System:Ignition:Switch

Structure:Body

Electrical System:Ignition

Electrical System:Wiring:Front Underhood

Electrical System:Wiring:Interior/Under Dash

Engine And Engine Cooling:Cooling System:Radiator Assembly

Engine And Engine Cooling:Exhaust System

Component breakdown data
Category	Count
Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Gasoline	4
Electrical System:Ignition:Switch	2
Structure:Body	2
Electrical System:Ignition	1
Electrical System:Wiring:Front Underhood	1
Electrical System:Wiring:Interior/Under Dash	1
Engine And Engine Cooling:Cooling System:Radiator Assembly	1
Engine And Engine Cooling:Exhaust System	1

Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Gasoline: 4; Electrical System:Ignition:Switch: 2; Structure:Body: 2; Electrical System:Ignition: 1; Electrical System:Wiring:Front Underhood: 1; Electrical System:Wiring:Interior/Under Dash: 1; Engine And Engine Cooling:Cooling System:Radiator Assembly: 1; Engine And Engine Cooling:Exhaust System: 1

Reported problems by failure mileage

Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.

Under 25,000

25,000 to 49,999

50,000 to 74,999

75,000 to 99,999

100,000 to 149,999

150,000 and above

Under 25,000: 0; 25,000 to 49,999: 0; 50,000 to 74,999: 0; 75,000 to 99,999: 0; 100,000 to 149,999: 0; 150,000 and above: 0

No usable failure mileage is recorded. 14 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.

Complaints over time

Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.

1995

1996

1997

1999

2000

2001

1995: 4; 1996: 4; 1997: 2; 1999: 1; 2000: 1; 2001: 2

Pattern summary

Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Gasoline leads the component reports. Engine operation appears in 4 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.

Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.

Examples from the source records

Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.

Owner report 481910 · 1995-02-27 (February 27, 1995)

HEATER CORE FAILED, CAUSING ANTI-FREEZE TO LEAK ONTO HOT CATALYTIC CONVERTER, RESULTING IN SMOKE/FIRE. *SKD

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 481910 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 481975 · 1995-02-14 (February 14, 1995)

BURNING OIL SMELL INSIDE OF VEHICLE, ALSO OIL LEAKING/SMOKE EMITTING FROM TAILPIPE. *SKD

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 481975 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 483713 · 1995-09-03 (September 3, 1995)

ENGINE FIRE. *AK

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 483713 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 503818 · 1996-05-01 (May 1, 1996)

IGNITION SWITCH OVERHEATED/SMOKED. *DSH

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 503818 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 506265 · 1996-06-10 (June 10, 1996)

IGNITION SWITCH FIRE. *SD

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 506265 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 511669 · 1996-11-22 (November 22, 1996)

VEHICLE WAS STRUCK BY ANOTHER AND OCCUPANT WAS KILLED.

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 511669 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 523712 · 1997-10-09 (October 9, 1997)

VEHICLE STALLS, REPLACE EXHAUST SYSTEM AND IGN MODULE, PROBLEM STILL EXIST.

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 523712 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 523749 · 1997-10-14 (October 14, 1997)

THERMOSTAT FAILED.

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 523749 at NHTSA ↗

Recall history

2 distinct campaigns affect this selection. Announcement dates below are different from vehicle model years. A campaign may cover multiple years.

83V134000 · Seat Belts:Front:Anchorage

Reported: 1983-12-20 (December 20, 1983)

THE BOLTS THAT ATTACH THE D-SHAPED RING FOR THE SHOULDER BELT ARE INADEQUATELY SUPPORTED BY THE MATERIAL IN WHICH THEY ARE MOUNTED. THE ATTACHMENT DOES NOT COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 210, "SEAT BELT ASSEMBLY ANCHORAGES".

Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSTALL NEW ATTACHING HARDWARE TO IMPROVE THE STRENGTH OF THE MOUNTING.

NHTSA campaign record ↗

85V077000 · Structure:Frame And Members:Underbody Shields

Reported: 1985-06-11 (June 11, 1985)

HEAT SHIELDS FOR THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER OUTLET PIPES WERE OMITTED DURING PRODUCTION. CONSEQUENCE OF DEFECT: AFTER SEVERE DUTY USE, SUCH AS HIGH SPEED PURSUIT, THE OUTLET PIPES BECOME VERY HOT AND COULD IGNITE CERTAIN TYPES OF GROUND COVER RESULTING IN A VEHICLE FIRE.

Remedy: INSTALL CATALYTIC CONVERTER OUTLET PIPE SHIELDS.

NHTSA campaign record ↗

Explore the data

Vehicle analysis explorer

Inspect model-year patterns, reported mileage, monthly activity and the evidence behind each signal.

Data completeness

14 unique complaints in this selection. Analysis snapshot: 2026-10-01.

0.0%Usable mileage0 / 14 records

78.6%Valid incident date11 / 14 records

100.0%Valid filing date14 / 14 records

78.6%Ordered incident and filing dates11 / 14 records

Missing, zero and invalid mileage is excluded. Dates after the snapshot are excluded. Examples are limited selections, not a representative sample.

Problems by model year

Model-wide comparison of the eight most reported components across the model. Cells show counts and shares within each model year. Open a cell for source examples.

From model yearThrough model year

Component complaint heatmap
Component	1986	1987	1988	1989	1990	1991	1992	1993	1995	1996	2000
Electrical System:Ignition:Switch	111.1% ODI 505094 SHORT IN IGNITION SWITCH, CAUSING IT TO COME APART (OTHER VEHICLE FROM 983187). *AK Look up ODI 505094 at NHTSA ↗	1100.0% ODI 983692 DRIVING THE VEHICLE, SUDDENLY SMOKE CAME FROM THE DASH, DRIVER AND FRIEND BOTH EXITED VEHICLE, THEN VEHICLE WAS TOTALLY ENGULFED IN FLAMES. *AK Look up ODI 983692 at NHTSA ↗	350.0% ODI 800372 VEHICLE PARKED, OWNER HEARD HORN, WENT TO CHECK, SAW SMOKE COMING FROM UNDER HOOD, THEN NOTICE FLAMES, FIRE DEPT ARRIVED, PUT OUT FLAMES, COULD NOT LIFT HOOD.*AK Look up ODI 800372 at NHTSA ↗	225.0% ODI 983235 ELECTRICAL SHORT, IGNITION SWITHCH FAILURE, VEHICLE WAS PARKED WHEN OPEN DOOR SAW SMOKE AND CAUGHT ON FIRE. *AK Look up ODI 983235 at NHTSA ↗	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.
Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Gasoline	222.2% ODI 554259 POSSIBLE ENGINE FAILURE RESULTED IN VEHICLE FIRE. (OHIO TRAFFIC CRASH REPORT) *MJS Look up ODI 554259 at NHTSA ↗	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	150.0% ODI 980150 WHEN THE WEATHER IS REALLY BAD THE CAR WILL RUN FOR A LITTLE WHILE BUT WHEN YOU HAVE TO STOP AT A RED LIGHT THE CAR WILL DIE, ONLY HAPPENS IN BAD WEATHER. *AK Look up ODI 980150 at NHTSA ↗	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	150.0% ODI 842693 VEHICLE WILL INTERMITTENTLY NOT START AND WILL LOOSE POWER WHEN DRIVING, AND EVENTUALLY IT WILL COMPLETELY CUT OFF, CAUSE UNKNOWN. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK Look up ODI 842693 at NHTSA ↗	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.
Power Train:Automatic Transmission	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	112.5% ODI 468989 TRANSMISSION FAILED PRIOR TO SERVICE RECALL (93V-031). *AK Look up ODI 468989 at NHTSA ↗	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	133.3% ODI 982827 WHILE PARKED THE AUTO JUMPED OUT OF GEAR AND HIT THREE OTHER CARS, TWO PEOPLE WERE INJURED. *AK Look up ODI 982827 at NHTSA ↗	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	1100.0% ODI 487194 ERRATIC SHIFTING, SHUDDERING IN/OUT OF OVERDRIVE, ALSO NOISY. *DSH Look up ODI 487194 at NHTSA ↗	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.
Vehicle Speed Control	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.
Electrical System:Ignition	111.1% ODI 522174 IGNITION MODULE FAILED AND REPLACED SEVERAL TIMES, CAUSING ENGINE TO SHUT DOWN WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING. Look up ODI 522174 at NHTSA ↗	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.
Electrical System:Ignition:Module	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.
Electrical System:Wiring:Front Underhood	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	112.5% ODI 807669 UNDER THE HOOD ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRE, ELECTRICAL SHORT, BATTERY LIGHT CAME ON, SAW SMOKE WHILE DRIVING , VEHICLE CAUGHT FIRE. *AK Look up ODI 807669 at NHTSA ↗	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	150.0% ODI 985683 WHILE DRIVING CAR CAUGHT ON FIRE UNDER THE HOOD. *AK Look up ODI 985683 at NHTSA ↗	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.
Seat Belts:Front:Buckle Assembly	111.1% ODI 965848 SEAT BELT FAILURE, DIFFICULTY LATCHING THE SEAT BELT LATCH. TT Look up ODI 965848 at NHTSA ↗	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	2100.0% ODI 810999 UPON INSTALLING CHILD SAFETY SEAT, THE SEAT BELT BUCKLE PULLED OUT OF CHASSIS SUPPORT. UPON INSPECTION DISCOVERED THAT SUPPORT MECHANISM IS DEFECTIVE, NO NUT EXISTS AS PART OF MECHANISM TO SECURE BUCKLE ASSEMBLY. REPORTED PROBLEM TO FORD, STATED THAT VEHICLE WAS OUT OF WARRENTY. *AK Look up ODI 810999 at NHTSA ↗	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.

Darker cells indicate a larger share of submitted complaints. Components overlap. This measures complaint composition, not failure probability.

Failure mileage by component

Median and middle 50% of usable owner-reported mileages. Ranges require at least five records.

Component failure mileage distribution
Component	Mileage range (25th–75th percentile)	Median	Usable records	Examples
No usable records for this analysis.

Complaint and recall timeline

Explore monthly filing activity alongside recall announcements. Up to ten years of monthly history is available.

ComponentPeriod

Solid line: filed complaints. Dashed amber lines: recall announcement dates for this vehicle selection; markers include all recall components. The latest month is partial. Temporal proximity does not establish causation.

Monthly counts, recall campaigns and complaint examples

Monthly complaint and recall timeline
Month	Campaigns announced	Examples
2024-11	None	No examples available for this selection.
2024-12	None	No examples available for this selection.
2025-01	None	No examples available for this selection.
2025-02	None	No examples available for this selection.
2025-03	None	No examples available for this selection.
2025-04	None	No examples available for this selection.
2025-05	None	No examples available for this selection.
2025-06	None	No examples available for this selection.
2025-07	None	No examples available for this selection.
2025-08	None	No examples available for this selection.
2025-09	None	No examples available for this selection.
2025-10	None	No examples available for this selection.
2025-11	None	No examples available for this selection.
2025-12	None	No examples available for this selection.
2026-01	None	No examples available for this selection.
2026-02	None	No examples available for this selection.
2026-03	None	No examples available for this selection.
2026-04	None	No examples available for this selection.
2026-05	None	No examples available for this selection.
2026-06	None	No examples available for this selection.
2026-07	None	No examples available for this selection.
2026-08	None	No examples available for this selection.
2026-09	None	No examples available for this selection.
2026-10 (partial)	None	No examples available for this selection.

Emerging complaint spikes

Complete months in the latest six months with at least 10 complaints, at least twice the preceding 12-month average, and at least three square-root deviations above that average.

This is a descriptive screening rule, not a statistical defect finding. Publicity and reporting changes can increase submissions.

No complete months meet the spike thresholds for this selection.

Equal-age model-year comparison

Model-wide cumulative reports during the first three or five calendar years, starting with the model year (age 0). Only fully elapsed windows are compared.

Observation windowFirst model yearSecond model year

1996: 0 complaints · 2000: 0 complaints

Equal observation windows
Model year	Through age 0	Through age 1	Through age 2
1996	0	0	0
2000	0	0	0

Date coverage across each selected cohort

Date basis for all complaints in selected model years
Year	Incident dates used	Filing date fallbacks	Excluded dates
1996	1	0	0
2000	2	0	0

Incident date is preferred when valid and no later than filing; otherwise filing date is used. Model year approximates age. Equal observation time does not adjust for sales, distance driven or reporting delays. One complaint linked to multiple model years can appear in each cohort.

Components reported together

Each cell counts unique complaints naming both components. Open a nonzero cell for examples.

Component co-occurrence matrix
Component	Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Gasoline	Electrical System:Ignition:Switch	Structure:Body	Electrical System:Ignition	Electrical System:Wiring:Front Underhood	Electrical System:Wiring:Interior/Under Dash	Engine And Engine Cooling:Cooling System:Radiator Assembly	Engine And Engine Cooling:Exhaust System
Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Gasoline	—	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Electrical System:Ignition:Switch	0	—	0	0	0	0	0	0
Structure:Body	0	0	—	0	0	0	0	0
Electrical System:Ignition	0	0	0	—	0	0	0	0
Electrical System:Wiring:Front Underhood	0	0	0	0	—	0	0	0
Electrical System:Wiring:Interior/Under Dash	0	0	0	0	0	—	1 ODI 523749 THERMOSTAT FAILED. Look up ODI 523749 at NHTSA ↗	0
Engine And Engine Cooling:Cooling System:Radiator Assembly	0	0	0	0	0	1 ODI 523749 THERMOSTAT FAILED. Look up ODI 523749 at NHTSA ↗	—	0
Engine And Engine Cooling:Exhaust System	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	—

Co-reporting does not establish that one component caused another concern.

Recurring narrative patterns

Specific keyword mentions beyond broad component labels. Matching includes negations and comparisons and does not confirm a diagnosis.

Search patterns

2 patterns with matching reports.

Stalling or loss of power

4 mentions · 28.6% of complaints

Median mileage: Unavailable (0 usable records).

ODI 523712

VEHICLE STALLS, REPLACE EXHAUST SYSTEM AND IGN MODULE, PROBLEM STILL EXIST.

Look up ODI 523712 at NHTSA ↗

ODI 556357

IGNITION MODULE FAILED CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO STALL INTERMITTENTLY. NLM

Look up ODI 556357 at NHTSA ↗

ODI 883297

WHILE DRIVING ON HIGHWAY ENGINE WOULD STALL WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING. SOMETIMES HAS TO DRIVE OFF ROAD FOR A COUPLE MUNITES, THEN RESTART VEHICLE AGAIN.*AK

Look up ODI 883297 at NHTSA ↗

Matching rule

\b(stall\w*|loss of power|lost power|engine shut\w* off)\b

Oil consumption or dilution

1 mentions · 7.1% of complaints

Median mileage: Unavailable (0 usable records).

ODI 481975

BURNING OIL SMELL INSIDE OF VEHICLE, ALSO OIL LEAKING/SMOKE EMITTING FROM TAILPIPE. *SKD

Look up ODI 481975 at NHTSA ↗

Matching rule

\b(oil consumption|burn\w* oil|consum\w* oil|oil dilution|gas(?:oline)? in (?:the )?oil)\b