Hearth Record

Seats: front assembly: recliner (Mercury and Ford)

Vehicle recall 81V-102. NHTSA received FORD MOTOR COMPANY’s report on Sep 8, 1981.

NHTSA’s own record, on nhtsa.gov

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The short answer

NHTSA received FORD MOTOR COMPANY’s report on Sep 8, 1981. 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.

THE HOUSING PLATES ON THE DRIVER SEAT BACK LATCH RECLINER ASSEMBLIES WERE MANUFACTURED WITH SUBSTANDARD MATERIAL PRODUCTS.

THIS TAINTED STEEL WAS USED TO PRODUCE SEATBACK LATCHES FOR BOTH THE RIGHT AND LEFT SIDE SEAT ASSEMBLIES.

UNDER CERTAIN CONDITIONS, THE DEFECTIVE HOUSING PLATES MAY DISTORT, ALLOWING THE LOCKING TEETH TO DISENGAGE AND TEAR OFF.

THIS PERMITS THE SEATBACK TO PIVOT BACKWARDS.

Source:

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

  • NHTSA’s part: Seats: front assembly: recliner.

What should you do?

UPON INSPECTION, BOTH DRIVER AND PASSENGER SEAT LATCH/RECLINER ASSEMBLIES, ON VEHICLES EXHIBITING THE SUSPECT DATE CODES, WILL BE REPLACED.

Source:

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

  • How to reach the firm: VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES.SYSTEM: INTERIOR; SEAT BACK LATCH/RECLINER ASSEMBLY HOUSING PLATE.CONSEQUENCES OF DEFECT: A BACKWARD PIVOTING OF THE DRIVER”S SEATBACK WITHOUTPRIOR WARNING MAY CAUSE A LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL AND, POSSIBLY, 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 6,500 vehicles potentially involved, across everything this recall names.

Source:

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

  • Mercury Capriand 1981, before the model years listed here
  • Ford Mustangand 1981, 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.

From the homeNone yet. Replies and paid listings aren’t open, and when they open they will sit here, below the record.

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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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