Vehicle recall 78V108000 · May 15, 1978
Mercury Cougar, Ford Custom and 3 more models
The involved vehicles are equipped with shoulder harness retractors that may not lock.
Source: NHTSA data as of September 22, 2026. Last refreshed Sep 23, 2026, 2:43 AM UTC.
- Summary
- 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".
- Remedy
- The dealer will replace the seat belt assemblies if necessary, without charge to owner.
- Notes
- Vehicle description: passenger vehicles.system: interior; seat belt retractors, shoulder.consequences of defect: a passenger not properly restrained could be subject topersonal injury in the event of a sudden stop or accident.
Recall details
- NHTSA campaign
- 78V108000
- Reported to NHTSA
- May 15, 1978
- Filed by
- FORD MOTOR COMPANY
- Owner notification
- September 9, 1978
- Vehicles potentially affected
- 110,000
- Initiated by
- the manufacturer
- Components
- Seat belts › Front › Retractor
Vehicles covered
As listed by NHTSA. A recall usually covers only some vehicles of each model and year, often a production date range.
- Ford Custom (1978): 1978
- Ford Custom 500 (1978): 1978
- Ford LTD II (1978): 1978
- Ford Thunderbird (1978): 1978
- Mercury Cougar (1978): 1978
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.