- Vehicles
- 195,732
- Built between
- Apr 1983 – Aug 1984
- Models
- 2
- Recall type
- Vehicle
- Initiated by
- NHTSA investigation
- Owners notified
- 20 June 1986
- Repaired
- Not reported
- Unrepaired
- Not reported
Does this affect my vehicle?
This recall covers vehicles built between April 1983 and August 1984. If yours was built outside that window, it is not part of this recall.
- 1984 Ford TempoBuilt April 1983 to August 1984
- 1984 Mercury TopazBuilt April 1983 to August 1984
What the defect is
The forward bolt that provides part of the attachment between the driver's seat back assembly and the seat cushion frame may be subject to fatigue fracture. Consequence of defect: if this bolt breaks, the driver and seat back will fall back, which could result in the driver losing control of the car and possibly lead to an accident.
What gets fixed
REPLACE SCREWS THAT ATTACH DRIVER'S SEAT BACK ASSEMBLY TO THE SEAT CUSHION FRAME.
Timeline
- Vehicles builtApril 1983 to August 1984
- Recall reported to NHTSA24 June 1986
- Owners notified20 June 1986
Your rights
A safety recall repair is free. Under US federal law the manufacturer must fix a safety defect at no cost to you — no charge for parts, labor or diagnosis — whether or not you are the original owner. A dealer cannot charge you for recall work, and cannot require you to have bought the vehicle from them.
That entitlement is not unlimited. It applies where the vehicle was first sold less than 15 years before the recall was announced — 5 years for tires. Past that a manufacturer may still do the repair free of charge, and many do, but they are no longer obliged to. This recall was reported on 24 June 1986.
To arrange the repair, contact any franchised dealer for the brand. If a dealer refuses the work or tries to charge for it, you can report that to NHTSA at nhtsa.gov/recalls or on 1-888-327-4236.
Official source
- Recalling manufacturer
- FORD MOTOR COMPANY
- Recall initiated by
- ODI
Everything on this page — the models listed, the build dates and the repair figures — comes from the manufacturer's filing to NHTSA and describes the vehicle line as a whole, not any individual car. Only the manufacturer can confirm whether a specific vehicle is affected, and whether its recall work has already been carried out. Check yours by VIN and read the official notice at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Additional notes
System: driver's seat back. Vehicle description: passenger cars.
Check your own vehicle
This page describes the recall, not any one car. To see which recalls cover a specific vehicle, search by make, model and year.
A VIN lookup here identifies your vehicle and shows recalls issued for that make, model and year. It cannot tell you what is still open on your individual car - only the manufacturer knows that. Search by VIN instead, or check your VIN at nhtsa.gov for whether a recall is still open on your individual car.