Selling a Ford Festiva that no longer runs

The newest Festiva is a 1993, and NHTSA's file on it is short: 168 complaints and two recalls, both about the front seat belts. If you still drive yours, the belt buckles are the thing to check.

Designed by Mazda, built by Kia, sold by Ford

Kia calls it the World Car Project: a three-country deal in which Mazda drew the car, Kia built it and Ford sold it. Kia began shipping it to the US as the Ford Festiva in late 1987, for the 1988 model year. Kia assembled it at its Sohari plant in Gwangmyeong and at its Gwangju plant.

US cars had one engine, Mazda's 1.3-liter B3 four. Base models came with a four-speed manual and the LX with a five-speed. A 1990 facelift swapped the carburetor for fuel injection, and from then on buyers chose a five-speed manual or an optional three-speed automatic. That automatic was not new: the EPA already lists one for 1989. The EPA rated a 1988 five-speed at 35 mpg combined. From 1994 the second generation came to North America under a new name, the Ford Aspire.

Two recalls, both on the belts

95V103 reaches 1988-1991 Festivas. Several carmakers recalled buckles under that number; Ford's share was about 265,000 cars, and that figure also counts 1987-1989 Mercury Tracers. The red plastic release buttons on the front buckles, marked PRESS, can crack, and bits of a broken button can drop inside the buckle so it no longer works right. The remedy told owners to check both front buckles themselves: look the red button over for cracks, latch each belt, tug on it, then press the release and make sure the latch plate pops free.

90V045 covers 268 cars from 1990. In cold weather the Fasten Seat Belts light might not come on at key-on. Ford replaced the instrument clusters.

Seat belts are also what owners complained about most: 93 of the 168 complaints, 28 on the 1988 and 38 on the 1989. The file does not tie those complaints to either recall. Next come the electrical system (16), suspension (9) and engine and cooling (6). Fifteen complaints report a fire.

NHTSA numbers by model year

Everything in the table was counted from NHTSA's bulk data files on October 10, 2026. A complaint lands in the fire column when the owner reported one. Because 95V103 names four model years, the per-year recall figures total five, not two.

The one 1994 complaint, about an air bag, was filed under a model year when the Aspire had taken over.

What to do with one that won't run

None of the sources here gives a repair price for a Festiva, so weigh a mechanic's written quote against what a running one would sell for. The youngest Festiva is now 33 model years old, so find out what a running one actually sells for before paying for work. Our junk car guide covers how to tell which side of that line yours is on, and the part out or sell whole page compares the two routes.

How pickup works

1. Jot down the VIN (on the dash or the title), the mileage and what's wrong.
2. Request an offer online, or ring (877) 421-6008.
3. Point us to it: a garage, a back lot, a field or the street. Pickup is free anywhere in the US.
4. Leave it together. Keep the wheels, the engine and the converter on the car, and note any part that is missing.
5. Sign it over with the title and ID. Lost the title? Start with the no-title guide. For plates, see after you sell.

Other small Fords: the Aspire, Escort and Fiesta, or the full Ford lineup.