Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 1978 Fairmont.
The 1978 Ford Fairmont generated only two total owner complaints across all systems, with powertrain issues registering as the primary reported concern area, while manufacturer data documents ten separate recall actions for this production year. This pattern of exceptionally low owner-reported failure rates combined with substantial factory-issued corrections positions the 1978 model as a low-dissatisfaction entry in the Fairmont's reliability record, suggesting effective remediation of issues through recall campaigns rather than persistent mechanical deficiencies. For analytical purposes, the discrepancy between minimal complaint volume and double-digit recall counts indicates that systemic problems were largely addressed through manufacturer intervention before generating widespread owner reports.
Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.
| Overall length | 194.1 in |
| Overall width | 66.9 in |
| Overall height | 55.1 in |
| Wheelbase | 105.9 in |
Owner-reported issues, recalls, investigations and service bulletins on record with NHTSA — an unfiltered look at what owners actually experience.
Owner complaints about the 1978 Ford Fairmont dominate in one area — the power train, 2 of 2 reports (100%), well ahead of the next concern. None of this vehicle's 10 recall campaigns target the power train, so those reports read as owner-reported wear-and-tear rather than an acknowledged defect. 0 of the reports describe a crash and 0 a fire — a small share of the total, but worth weighing against the power train pattern above. These are tallies of what owners actually reported to the federal government, not an editorial score — and higher-selling models naturally rack up more reports.
All 2 complaints on record, top 1 components.
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.
Showing 2 of 10 campaigns on record for this vehicle.
CERTAIN FEDERAL-MOGUL AFTERMARKET FUEL PUMPS SOLD UNDER THE BRAND NAMES OF CARTER, ACCUFLOW, NAPA, TRUFLOW, PARTS DEPO, AND PARTS MASTER, SHIPPED BETWEEN AUGUST 2006 AND JULY 2007 FOR USE ON THE VEHICLES LISTED ABOVE… Remedy: FEDERAL-MOGUL WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND REPLACE THE DEFECTIVE FUEL PUMPS FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON OCTOBER 15, 2007. OWNERS CAN CONTACT FEDERAL-MOGUL AT 248-354-7700.
BECAUSE OF ITS POSITION, THE WIRING ASSEMBLY MAY CHAFE AGAINST THE COWL-TO-BRAKE PEDAL SUPPORT BRACE WHICH IS LOCATED UNDER THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. Remedy: THE DEALER WILL INSTALL PROTECTIVE SHIELDS ON THE BRAKE PEDAL SUPPORT BRACE AND PERFORM REPAIRS, IF NECESSARY.
Showing 1 of 1 bulletins on record with NHTSA.
| Bulletin | Date | Component | Summary |
|---|---|---|---|
| 80-11-2 | 1980-06-01 | Service Brakes, Hydraulic | UNKNOWN |
The most common OBD-II codes for this vehicle's emissions system. These are standardized SAE J2012 definitions, not vehicle-specific fault reports.
Decode factory build data for a specific vehicle by VIN.
Cross-vehicle references for the kinds of data on this page.
NHTSA lists 10 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.