Hearth Record

Seat belts (Mercury and Ford)

Vehicle recall 83V-013. NHTSA received FORD MOTOR COMPANY’s report on Feb 17, 1983.

NHTSA’s own record, on nhtsa.gov

Watch and the shortlist are kept with a free account, on every device. Your watch list. NHTSA’s own record is on nhtsa.gov.

The short answer

NHTSA received FORD MOTOR COMPANY’s report on Feb 17, 1983. Copied from NHTSA on Oct 26, 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 PORTION OF THE ROOF ABOVE FRAME (RAIL) TO WHICH THE SHOULDER BELT IS ANCHORED MAY HAVE A SLOT THAT CAN COMPROMISE THE STRENGTH OF THE SHOULDER BELT ANCHOR UNDER CERTAIN SEVERE LOADS.

(THE SUSPECT AREA IS NOT VISIBLE.) CONSEQUENTLY, SOME VEHICLES INCLUDED IN THIS RECALL MAY NOT MEET THE 3000 POUND ANCHORAGE STRENGTH REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD 210, “SEAT BELT ASSEMBLY ANCHORAGES”.

Source:

NHTSA, Recalls flat file before 2010. Released Oct 26, 2026. Updated daily.

  • NHTSA’s part: Seat belts.

What should you do?

THE DEALER WILL INSPECT AND, IF NECESSARY, REINFORCE THE ROOF RAIL INNER PANEL SURROUNDING THE DRAINAGE HOLE AT NO COST TO OWNER.

Source:

NHTSA, Recalls flat file before 2010. Released Oct 26, 2026. Updated daily.

  • How to reach the firm: VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES; STATION WAGON MODELS ONLY.SYSTEM: INTERIOR SYSTEMS; FRONT UPPER TORSO RESTRAINT (SHOULDER BELT)ANCHORAGE.CONSEQUENCES OF DEFECT: IN VERY SEVERE FRONT END COLLISIONS, THE PROTECTIONAFFORDED FRONT SEAT OCCUPANTS MAY BE REDUCED.NOTE: THIS RECALL SHOULD IN NO WAY DISCOURAGE THE USE OF THE BELTS PRIOR TOHAVING THE DEFECT CORRECTED.
  • Check a vehicle by its VIN at NHTSA: the recalls still open on it are listed there.

Which ones are recalled?

NHTSA counts 245,000 vehicles potentially involved, across everything this recall names.

Source:

NHTSA, Recalls flat file before 2010. Released Oct 26, 2026. Updated daily.

  • Mercury Lynxand 1981 and 1982, before the model years listed here
  • Ford Escortand 1981 and 1982, before the model years listed here

Who is recalling it?

  • Made by FORD MOTOR COMPANY.
Source:

NHTSA, Recalls flat file before 2010. Released Oct 26, 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 26, 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.

1 of 4

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.

Sign in

A free account keeps your watch list, shortlists, comparisons and saved searches on every device, and can email you when something you watch changes. Browsing never needs one.