Does the 1978 Ford Pinto have any recalls?

3 recalls found in NHTSA data as of September 22, 2026, covering: fuel system, gasoline, engine and engine cooling, seat belts. Recalls apply to the model and year; whether a particular vehicle is included, and whether it has been repaired, depends on its VIN.

How do I check if my 1978 Ford Pinto recall has been fixed?

Enter your 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls, or ask a Ford dealer. Recall repairs are free. NHTSA's VIN search doesn't list recalls that were already repaired.

How many complaints have owners filed about the 1978 Ford Pinto?

1 complaint filed with NHTSA. Complaints are unverified reports from the public that NHTSA uses to decide what to investigate.

1978 Ford Pinto recalls

Source: NHTSA data as of September 22, 2026. Last refreshed Sep 23, 2026, 2:43 AM UTC.

3 recalls found in NHTSA data as of September 22, 2026

For the 1978 Ford Pinto. These apply to the model and year, not to one particular vehicle: check your VIN to see whether yours is included and whether it has been repaired.

Has your Ford been repaired?

Recalls here come from NHTSA’s records for the model and year. Not every vehicle of a model is included in every recall, and this site can’t see whether a repair has been done. Only a VIN lookup can tell you that.

NHTSA’s VIN search doesn’t show recalls that were already repaired, recalls more than 15 years old, or some small manufacturers’ recalls. Recall repairs are free.

1978 Ford Pinto recalls, newest first

August 27, 2007NHTSA 07E06400034,000 vehicles potentially affected

Fuel system, gasoline › Delivery › Fuel pump

Aftermarket equipment: applies only if this part was installed

Summary: Certain federal-mogul aftermarket fuel pumps sold under the brand names of carter, accuflow, napa, truflow, parts depo, and parts master, shipped between August 2006 and July 2007 for use on the vehicles listed above. The fuel pump diaphragm in certain production runs may have been improperly installed or inadequately tested which may cause the fuel pump to leak.
Consequence: A leaking fuel pump could create a vehicle fire hazard.
Remedy: Federal-mogul will notify owners and replace the defective fuel pumps free of charge. The recall began on October 15, 2007. Owners can contact federal-mogul at 248-354-7700.

This recall on nhtsa.gov

March 1, 1983NHTSA 83V02500083,000 vehicles potentially affected

Engine and engine cooling › Cooling system › Fan

Summary: The flexible blade engine cooling fan blades may crack and break off. This may be caused by high blade stresses that can result from vibration during vehicle operation.
Remedy: Dealer will replace the defective engine cooling fan at no cost to owner.

This recall on nhtsa.gov

March 8, 1978NHTSA 78V0470001,956 vehicles potentially affected

Seat belts › Front › Retractor

Summary: The automatic locking rear seat belt retractors on certain vehicles may fail to lock due to binding of the locking pawl against the retractor housing. This binding is caused by retractor housing deformation which occurred during assembly. As a result the passengers would be restrained only by the fully extended belt. This fails to comply with federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 208, "occupant crash protection".
Remedy: Dealer will inspect and, if necessary, replace one or both rear seat belt assemblies free of charge.

This recall on nhtsa.gov

Owner complaints

Owners have filed 1 complaint about the 1978 Ford Pinto with NHTSA. Complaints are unverified reports from the public; NHTSA uses them to decide what to investigate.

Crashes reported: 0
Fires reported: 0
Injuries reported: 0
Deaths reported: 0

Most complained-about components

Electrical system › Wiring › Interior/under dash1

Other Ford Pinto years

Other 1978 Ford models

Questions

Does the 1978 Ford Pinto have any recalls?: 3 recalls found in NHTSA data as of September 22, 2026, covering: fuel system, gasoline, engine and engine cooling, seat belts. Recalls apply to the model and year; whether a particular vehicle is included, and whether it has been repaired, depends on its VIN.
How do I check if my 1978 Ford Pinto recall has been fixed?: Enter your 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls, or ask a Ford dealer. Recall repairs are free. NHTSA's VIN search doesn't list recalls that were already repaired.
How many complaints have owners filed about the 1978 Ford Pinto?: 1 complaint filed with NHTSA. Complaints are unverified reports from the public that NHTSA uses to decide what to investigate.