Where would the world be without Ford? The automotive company has given us so many vehicles that are now household names. Cars created by Ford have truly helped shape the trajectory of the American automobile industry. If you picture a muscle car in your mind’s eye, it’s most likely a Ford Mustang. Envision one of the hottest hatchbacks, and chances are; it’s a Ford Fiesta. But in the same way that Ford has had such an impact with their cars in a positive light, the pendulum once swung in the opposite direction - with the doomed Ford Pinto.
Ford’s Pinto has become somewhat of a legend in the automotive world, but not in a good way. The drama and nightmarish events that the Ford Pinto has been a part of seems like a scary story that you would tell around the campfire - aside from the fact that it’s all true.
Everyone knows someone who knows someone else who has had their world rocked by a Ford Pinto, and not in a good way. These little subcompact cars are notorious for multiple safety issues, despite only being in production for less than a decade.
A small (no pun intended) hint at the unfortunate series of missteps that plagued the Ford Pinto is that the word “pinto” holds a derogatory meaning in many Spanish-speaking countries.
We will let you Google that one for yourself, but we’ve got you covered when it comes to the horrifying story behind the Ford Pinto.
The Ford Pinto's Background
In the 1960s, smaller economy cars from Japanese and European automakers made American car buyers do a double take. Ford also took note, and of course wanted their very own fighter in the ring. They needed a car that could compete with the likes of the Volkswagen Beetle and the Datsun 510. Thus, the creation of the Pinto began.
The Pinto began its life as an idea in 1967, because Ford wanted to produce a lightweight car that would be under 2,000 pounds. They also wanted it to cost less than $2,000, which would be equivalent to about $17,845 today.
From the first vision of this little pony to its inception, the Ford Pinto saw a rapid completion in 25 months, which became a record at the time. But we know what can happen when corners are cut. When Ford released their first subcompact vehicle in the form of a Pinto, the base model price was $1,850. The low price of the Pinto undercut much of the competition.
Produced from 1971 to 1980, Ford’s new car was available as a fastback two-door, a two-door station wagon, or a three-door hatchback (also known as the Runabout).
The Dangers Of Ford Pinto Ownership
Notorious is an understatement for the legacy of the Ford Pinto. With the history that the Pinto has, you would never guess that over three million left the factory line during its production run. A major issue with the Pinto gained the attention of the relentless media, and even eyes from Washington.
Uncovering the problems with the Ford Pinto almost damaged Ford's reputation to a point of no return. The heart of the controversy for the Ford Pinto was its flawed fuel system that opened the door to lawsuits and controversy, forever tainting the image of the Pinto. Specifically, the placement of the fuel system near the rear end. This made the Pinto prone to fires and possible explosions from impact. Unfortunately, these events ended up happening, and tragically, even led to fatalities. The issue with the fuel system was significant enough to warrant changes from the NHTSA (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration) to test for 20 mph rear end collisions. Subsequently, there were stricter standards proposed to where the placement of the fuel system should be.
While the placement of the fuel system for the Pinto was not unusual at all for cars at the time, the leaking and fires from the fuel system at even lower speeds made the issue deadly. By 1974 there was a petition from the Center for Auto Safety to get the NHTSA to issue a recall on Ford’s Pinto. However, the NHTSA stated there was not enough evidence to support the claims to issue an investigation.
The Ford Pinto: "The Little Carefree Car" - Or Was It?
Taking a pause from the carnage that the Ford Pinto left in its wake, this just wasn't a good car, period. In fact, most gearheads would go so far as to say the Pinto is one of the worst cars of all time.
The rushed production of the Pinto shows in more ways than ignorance of its faulty fuel tanks. Shoddy quality and a mediocre ride made the Pinto bad from the beginning. One complaint about the quality of the Pinto came from the uncomfortable seats, when another spoke about its cheap build that just didn't quite feel safe...wonder why?
Ford Earned Well-Deserved Criticism For The Ford Pinto
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By 1977, an article written by Mother Jones called out Ford for being complacent with the issues of rear end accidents leading to fires. Media attention grew, and forced the hand of the NHTSA to investigate the issue and produce findings that furthered the fiasco - by showing that the Pinto was prone to fires. In 1978, Ford received about 117 lawsuits involving rear end collisions.
These incidents led to an award of $3.5 million, down from what the jury originally awarded which totaled $256,306,000 in the case known as Grimshaw v. Ford Motor Co. Another case known as Indiana v. Ford Motor Co. brought about criminal charges against the company, which was a landmark case. This was the first time a company had ever been convicted with criminal charges for the defective cars.
While the Ford Pinto still remains horrifying even decades later, Ford has improved its standing in the automotive world in the years since. Let's hope that they have learned their lesson.
Sources: Ford, Auto Safety, Chicago Tribune, NHTSA