Hearth Record

Engine and engine cooling: cooling system: fan (Ford and Mercury)

Vehicle recall 80V-144. NHTSA received FORD MOTOR COMPANY’s report on Nov 7, 1980.

NHTSA’s own record, on nhtsa.gov

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The short answer

NHTSA received FORD MOTOR COMPANY’s report on Nov 7, 1980. Copied from NHTSA on Oct 20, 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.

SOME OF THE FLEXIBLE FIVE-BLADE ENGINE COOLING FANS MAY BE SUBJECT TO HIGH BLADE STRESSES THAT CAN RESULT FROM RESONANT VIBRATION INPUTS OCCURRING DURING NORMAL VEHICLE OPERATION.

THIS CAN LEAD TO FATIGUE CRACKING OF THE BLADES.

PORTIONS OF THE BLADE MAY SEPARATE FROM THE FAN ASSEMBLY WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING.

Source:

NHTSA, Recalls flat file before 2010. Released Oct 20, 2026. Updated daily.

  • NHTSA’s part: Engine and engine cooling: cooling system: fan.

What should you do?

DEALER WILL REPLACE FAN WITH AN IMPROVED FIVE-BLADED VERSION WITHOUT CHARGE TO OWNER.

Source:

NHTSA, Recalls flat file before 2010. Released Oct 20, 2026. Updated daily.

  • How to reach the firm: VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH 351 CID ENGINES AND AIRCONDITIONING.SYSTEM: ENGINE COOLING; FAN.CONSEQUENCES OF DEFECT: BLADE FRAGMENTS PROPELLED FROM A ROTATING FAN MAY CAUSEDAMAGE TO UNDERHOOD COMPONENTS AND PERSONAL INJURY TO BYSTANDERS IF THE HOOD ISOPEN.
  • Check a vehicle by its VIN at NHTSA: the recalls still open on it are listed there.

Which ones are recalled?

NHTSA counts 209,100 vehicles potentially involved, across everything this recall names.

Source:

NHTSA, Recalls flat file before 2010. Released Oct 20, 2026. Updated daily.

  • Ford LTD IIand 1977, before the model years listed here
  • Mercury Cougarand 1977, before the model years listed here
  • Ford Thunderbirdand 1977, before the model years listed here

Who is recalling it?

  • Made by FORD MOTOR COMPANY.
Source:

NHTSA, Recalls flat file before 2010. Released Oct 20, 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 20, 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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