Hearth Record

Steering: steering wheel/handle bar (Mercury and Ford)

Vehicle recall 78V-212. NHTSA received FORD MOTOR COMPANY’s report on Oct 4, 1978.

NHTSA’s own record, on nhtsa.gov

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The short answer

NHTSA received FORD MOTOR COMPANY’s report on Oct 4, 1978. Copied from NHTSA on Oct 28, 2026.

Every line below is in NHTSA’s own words, with its source beside it.

What’s wrong with it?

The notice gives no hazard in a field of its own.

THE LOWER STEERING SHAFT ASSEMBLIES CONTAIN COUPLING RIVET PINS WHICH WERE NOT RIVETED SECURELY ENOUGH DURING MANUFACTURE.

CONSEQUENTLY ONE OR BOTH OF THE PINS COULD LOOSEN FROM THE FLANGE OF THE FLEXIBLE COUPLING DURING VEHICLE OPERATION.

IF ONE PIN IS LOOSE, FREE PLAY WOULD RESULT.

IF BOTH PINS WORK LOOSE, LOSS OF STEERING CONTROL WOULD OCCUR.

ALSO, THE SHAFT ASSEMBLY MAY NOT CONTAIN A METAL REINFORCEMENT BETWEEN ONE OR BOTH OF THE RIVET PINS AND THE RUBBER FLEXIBLE COUPLING.

AS A RESULT, THE RUBBER FLEXIBLE COUPLING COULD TEAR AND PRODUCE A NOISE OR LOOSE FEELING IN THE STEERING SYSTEM.

Source:

NHTSA, Recalls flat file before 2010. Released Oct 28, 2026. Updated daily.

  • NHTSA’s part: Steering: steering wheel/handle bar.

What should you do?

THE DEALER WILL INSPECT AND, IF NECESSARY, REPLACE THE STEERING SHAFT ASSEMBLY, WITHOUT CHARGE TO OWNER.

Source:

NHTSA, Recalls flat file before 2010. Released Oct 28, 2026. Updated daily.

  • How to reach the firm: VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES.SYSTEM: STEERING; STEERING COLUMN COUPLING.CONSEQUENCES OF DEFECT: LOSS OF STEERING CONTROL COULD CAUSE A LOSS OF VEHICLECONTROL AND AN ACCIDENT.
  • Check a vehicle by its VIN at NHTSA: the recalls still open on it are listed there.

Which ones are recalled?

NHTSA counts 32,000 vehicles potentially involved, across everything this recall names.

Source:

NHTSA, Recalls flat file before 2010. Released Oct 28, 2026. Updated daily.

  • Mercury Marquisand 1979, before the model years listed here
  • Ford LTDand 1979, before the model years listed here

Who is recalling it?

  • Made by FORD MOTOR COMPANY.
Source:

NHTSA, Recalls flat file before 2010. Released Oct 28, 2026. Updated daily.

What the record doesn’t say

  • NHTSA’s recall file doesn’t say whether anyone was hurt.
  • Whether one vehicle or seat has been fixed: only its maker, or NHTSA’s lookup with a VIN, can say.
  • This recall names only model years before 2015, which have no pages here. Your VIN, at NHTSA, says which recalls are open on a vehicle.
  • How many have been returned or fixed isn’t in the notice.
Source:

Hearth Record wrote these lines.

Sources

Source:

Vehicle, car seat, tire and vehicle equipment recalls, owner complaints and crash ratings are from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Copied on Oct 28, 2026.

How to read a record

Four things every record does, shown on an example record made up for this guide.

An example record, made up for this guide

An example nursing home

Made up for this guide: no real place is shown

Not fully inspected in over two years (CMS flag)

11 health citations at the latest inspection cycle

The state average is 14.3.

Source:

CMS, State and US Averages and Health Deficiencies. Released Oct 28, 2026. Updated monthly.

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Every fact names its source.

Who published it, when, and how often it changes sit beside each fact, with a link to the agency’s own file.

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