Summary
The Ford Club Wagon has 8 recalls spanning 1977 to 1996, with the most serious recent issue being a 1996 model year parking brake that may not hold the vehicle on a steep grade, allowing it to roll away after being parked.
The 1996 recall is a compliance issue where the parking brake system cannot meet the required holding force on a 20% incline, raising the risk of an unattended rollaway. Going back through the production run, the 1980 model year had wheel assemblies with cracks near the lug bolt holes that could spread and cause a partial or complete wheel and tire separation while driving. The 1979 model year carries three separate concerns: wheel rims with weak spot welds between the disc and rim that can develop fatigue cracks and lead to air loss or a tire blowout; C-6 automatic transmissions with parking pawl rods that can deform over time, making the shift lever hard to move and potentially preventing the transmission from locking into park; and missing underbody heat shields on vehicles with 300 or 460 cubic inch engines, which increases heat exposure near the rear floor. On 1978 models, the steering tie rod adjusting sleeve clamps can fracture and allow the sleeve to separate from the tie rod, causing an abrupt and complete loss of steering. The 1978 model also has an issue limited to twelve-passenger configurations where tempered glass was used in the rear doors instead of required laminated glass, which can shatter differently in a collision and affects emergency exit performance. The earliest recall covers 1977 models with 460 cubic inch engines and a specific four-barrel carburetor where the secondary throttle plates can stick open after a full-throttle application, causing the vehicle to continue accelerating uncontrolled.
