Seats:front Assembly:recliner

NHTSA recall 81V102000 · announced September 8, 1981 · filed by Ford Motor Company · 6,500 units affected

The problem

THE HOUSING PLATES ON THE DRIVER SEAT BACK LATCH RECLINER ASSEMBLIES WERE MANUFACTURED WITH SUBSTANDARD MATERIAL PRODUCTS. THIS TAINTED STEEL WAS USED TO PRODUCE SEATBACK LATCHES FOR BOTH THE RIGHT AND LEFT SIDE SEAT ASSEMBLIES. UNDER CERTAIN CONDITIONS, THE DEFECTIVE HOUSING PLATES MAY DISTORT, ALLOWING THE LOCKING TEETH TO DISENGAGE AND TEAR OFF. THIS PERMITS THE SEATBACK TO PIVOT BACKWARDS.

What to do

UPON INSPECTION, BOTH DRIVER AND PASSENGER SEAT LATCH/RECLINER ASSEMBLIES, ON VEHICLES EXHIBITING THE SUSPECT DATE CODES, WILL BE REPLACED.

Notes

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES.SYSTEM: INTERIOR; SEAT BACK LATCH/RECLINER ASSEMBLY HOUSING PLATE.CONSEQUENCES OF DEFECT: A BACKWARD PIVOTING OF THE DRIVER"S SEATBACK WITHOUTPRIOR WARNING MAY CAUSE A LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL AND, POSSIBLY, AN ACCIDENT.

Vehicles covered by this recall

• 1981 Ford Mustang
• 1981 Mercury Capri

Source: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration public recall data. This page reports official records and is not legal, medical, or repair advice.