- The problem
- The involved vehicles are equipped with shoulder harness retractors that may not lock. Should the vehicle experience a sudden deceleration or impact, the front seat occupant may not be restrained by the shoulder harness portion of the three-point seat belt system. Furthermore, the shoulder harness retractors may not allow extraction of the shoulder belt webbing due to a pre-locked condition. This is a non-compliance to the emergency locking retractor performance requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 209, "Seat belt assemblies".
- The fix
- The dealer will replace the seat belt assemblies if necessary, without charge to owner.
Vehicle safety record
1978 Ford Custom Problems, complaints & recalls
No owner complaints about the 1978 Ford Custom have been filed with NHTSA. It is covered by 2 recalls, the latest in May 1978 for the retractor.
NHTSA data checked
CAbout as many problems as a typical Custom year, for its age
- Complaints
- 0
- Recalls
- 2
- Crashes
- 0
- Fires
- 0
- Injuries
- 0
- Deaths
- 0
1978 Ford Custom recalls 2
Recall repairs are free. Your dealer fixes them whether or not you bought the car there - check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see if yours is done. What to do
- The problem
- Some of the involved vehicles may have been equipped with lr78-15 "c" load range truck tires instead of lr78-15 "b" load range passenger car tires. The wheels presently on the involved vehicles are intended for use with passenger vehicle tires and were not rated for the higher maximum air pressure and load ratings molded into the sidewall of the lr78-15 "c" load range truck tires.
- The fix
- The dealer will inspect and, if necessary, replace "c" load range tires with "b" load range tires, without charge.
What owners say
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No complaints about the 1978 Ford Custom yet
No owner has filed a complaint about this vehicle with NHTSA. If yours has a problem, share it here and report it to NHTSA.
Ford Custom: every year compared
All Custom yearsQuestions about the 1978 Ford Custom
Does the 1978 Ford Custom have any recalls?
Yes - NHTSA lists 2 recalls for the 1978 Ford Custom: retractor (May 1978); tires (March 1978). Recall repairs are free at any authorized dealer. Enter your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see whether yours has been fixed.
How many complaints has the 1978 Ford Custom had?
None have been filed with NHTSA so far.
Is the 1978 Ford Custom a reliable vehicle?
Its Safety Index is 58 out of 100 (grade C: about as many problems as a typical Ford Custom year, for its age). The index weighs complaints, crashes, fires, injuries, deaths and recalls against how long the vehicle has been on the road, compared with the same model's other years. It is not a measure of every repair - read the complaints and owner experiences, and have any used vehicle inspected before you buy.
What should I do if my 1978 Ford Custom has a problem?
If it is a safety problem, stop driving it if it is unsafe and contact your dealer. Report it to NHTSA at nhtsa.gov/report-a-safety-problem - enough reports start investigations and recalls - and share your experience here so other owners know what to look for.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) complaints and recalls, checked . Complaints are owners' own reports and are not verified. How we use the data