Recall Information

Description

Ford is recalling certain model year 1998-2003 windstar vehicles manufactured from September 1, 1997 through February 28, 2003 and currently registered or originally sold in connecticut, delaware, district of columbia, illinois, indiana, iowa, kentucky, maine, maryland, massachusetts, michigan, minnesota, missouri, new hampshire, new jersey, new york, ohio, pennsylvania, rhode island, vermont, west virginia, and wisconsin. After many years of vehicle service in these areas, corrosion can weaken the rear axle, making it susceptible to torsional stress. Corrosion and stress can lead to cracks which if undetected can propagate and result in a complete fracture of the axle.

Safety Risk

A fractured axle can affect vehicle handling and increase the risk of a crash.

Remedy

Ford Motor Company has authorized your dealer to inspect the rear axle of your vehicle for cracks or perforations free of charge parts and labor. If the axle passes inspection, the dealer is authorized to complete an axle reinforcement repair.

Next Steps

Description

In certain vehicles that had the recall service performed under either safety recall 10S13 NHTSA numbers 10V-385 and 12V-193 or 12S30 NHTSA number 12V-195, the brackets may have been misinstalled, potentially limiting the effectiveness of the recall service repair in addressing the safety defect. Ford has identified approximately 500 reports of brackets that were misinstalled as part of recall service under either safety recall 10S13 or 12S30. Also, at the request of NHTSA, Ford reviewed three crash vehicles and determined all three vehicles had misinstalled rear axle reinforcement brackets, but the root cause of the accidents was inconclusive.

Safety Risk

Safety recalls 10S13 and 12S30 were conducted to address the risk that the combined effects of corrosion and stress can lead to cracks which, if undetected, can propagate and result in a complete fracture of the axle. In addition, a misinstalled rear axle reinforcement bracket may limit the effectiveness of the recall repair to reduce the propensity for an axle fracture. A fractured rear axle may affect vehicle handling, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy

Ford Motor Company has authorized your dealer to inspect the rear axle reinforcement brackets that were previously installed. If the rear axle reinforcement brackets were installed improperly, your dealer will replace the rear axle free of charge parts and labor if necessary.

Next Steps

Description

On your vehicle, localized overheating of the engine cylinder head may cause the cylinder head to crack, causing an oil leak that may result in a fire in the engine compartment NHTSA recall 13V-583.

Safety Risk

A fuel leak in the presence of an ignition source may result in a fire.

Remedy

Ford Motor Company has authorized your dealer to make repairs to address potential overheating that may result in a fire in the engine compartment, and to inspect the installation of the fuel line jumper and replace it if necessary. These enhancements and repairs will be completed free of charge parts and labor.

Next Steps

Description

A door latch with a broken pawl spring tab typically results in a "door will not close" condition. Should the customer be able to latch the door, there is a potential that the door may unlatch while driving. Ford is aware of two allegations of injury (soreness) resulting from an unlatched door bouncing back when the customer attempted to close it, and one accident allegation when an unlatched door swung open and struck the adjacent vehicle while the driver was pulling into a parking space.

Safety Risk

A door latch with a broken pawl spring tab typically results in a "door will not close" condition. Should the customer be able to latch the door, there is a potential the door may unlatch while driving, increasing the risk of injury.

Remedy

Parts are now available to repair your vehicle. Ford Motor Company has authorized your dealer to replace all four door latches free of charge parts and labor.

Next Steps

Description

Vehicle description: minivans and passenger vehicles. A restraint control module (rcm) or a side or front crash sensor may have been assembled with one or more of the screws that mount the circuit board in the housing missing. If some or all of the screws are missing, the performance of the occupant restrains could be affected.

Safety Risk

In some cases, less than the intended level of protection in the event of a crash.

Remedy

Dealers will inspect the rcm and crash sensors and, if necessary, replace them.

Next Steps

Description

Vehicle description: mini vans equipped with auxiliary rear air-conditioning. If the auxiliary air-conditioning blower Motor stops turning while in the medium-low blower speed setting, there is the potential that the resistor may become hot and smoke.

Safety Risk

The Motor could potentially catch on fire.

Remedy

Dealers will install a jumper wire that will ensure that the medium-low blower speed setting is protected by the thermal limiter. Owner notification began augsut 27, 2001. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact Ford at 1-866-436-7332.

Next Steps

Description

Ford is recalling certain model year 1999-2003 windstar vehicles originally sold in or currently registered in the States of connecticut, delaware, the district of columbia, illinois, indiana, iowa, kentucky, maine, maryland, massachusetts, michigan, minnesota, missouri, new hampshire, new jersey, new york, ohio, pennsylvania, rhode island, utah, vermont, west virginia, and wisconsin. A separation of a front lower control arm rear attaching bracket may result in a lower control arm separation. A separation of both front subframe rear body mounts may result in separation of the steering intermediate shaft.

Safety Risk

This could result in reduced steering control increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy

Dealers will inspect both front lower control arm rear attaching brackets, and both body mount attachments at the rear of the front subframe, and make the necessary repairs free of charge.

Next Steps

Description

Ford is recalling certain 1997 through 2003 model year Ford F-150, 2004 model year Ford F-150 heritage, 1997 through 1999 model year F-250 less than 8,500 lbs. Gross vehicle weight rating - gvwr, and 2002 and 2003 Lincoln blackwood vehicles manufactured from June 20, 1995, through August 4, 2004, originally sold, or currently registered in, connecticut, delaware, illinois, indiana, iowa, kentucky, maine, maryland, massachusetts, michigan, minnesota, missouri, new hampshire, new jersey, new york, ohio, pennsylvania, rhode island, vermont, west virginia, wisconsin, and the district of columbia. Prolonged exposure to road deicing chemicals may cause severe corrosion of the fuel tank straps which secure the tank to the vehicle.

Safety Risk

As a result of the corrosion, one or both straps may fail allowing the fuel lines to separate from the tank, or in some cases, causing the tank to contact the ground. Either scenario may result in a fuel leak presenting a fire hazard.

Remedy

Ford Motor Company has authorized your dealer to install either new fuel tank straps or a new fuel tank strap reinforcement kit. Both include additional corrosion protection and are provided free of charge parts and labor.

Next Steps

Description

Vehicle description: passenger and sport utility vehicles, pickup trucks, and minivans. Equipped with seat belts supplied by trw. It is possible that the driver's and/or front passenger's outboard seat belt buckle may not fully latch. Ford crown victoria built at st. Thomas assembly plant from 4/17/00 - 5/29/01 mercury grand marquis built at st. Thomas assembly plant from 4/17/00 - 5/29/01. Lincoln town cars built at wixom assembly plant from 3/27/00 - 5/30/01. Lincoln navigators built at michigan truck plant from 4/11/00 - 5/31/01. Ford windstars built at oakville assembly plant from 3/23/00 - 5/30/01. Ford rangers built at twin cities plant from 3/28/00 - 5/30/01, and also at the edison plant from 3/13/00 - 5/25/01. Ford F-150 truck built at norfolk plant from 4/18/00 - 5/25/00; at ontario plant from 5/10/00 - 5/28/01; at kansas city plant from 9/11/99 - 5/25/01; and at cuautitlan plant from 5/16/00 - 6/9/01. Ford super duty F-250, F-350, F-450, and F-550 trucks built at kentucky plant from 4/17/00 - 5/27/01; and at cuautitlan plant from 5/16/00 - 6/19/01. Ford excursions built at kentucky plant from 4/17/00 - 10/2/00. Ford expeditions built at michigan truck plant from 4/11/00 - 5/31/01.

Safety Risk

In the event of a crash, the restraint system may not provide adequate occupant protection, increasing the risk of personal injury to the seat occupant.

Remedy

Dealers will inspect the front outboard seat belt buckles and if the buckle fails the inspection process, it will be replaced. Owner notification began July 25, 2001. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact Ford at 1-866-436-7332.

Next Steps

Description

In some minivans, water and other contaminants (dirt, salt, etc.) can enter into the right rear passenger compartment due to a missing body sealer.

Safety Risk

This could cause a short circuit in the electrical connector at the rear wire harness. A short circuit can lead to malfunctions of the rear lighting system, reverse park-aid system, or trailer tow electrical system. A sustained short circuit can result in melted connectors and potentially lead to a fire.

Remedy

Dealers will inspect the electrical connector and surrounding area for absence of body sealing and corrosion. If corrosion is present, dealers will service the body gaps, repair corroded connectors, and apply a protective patch to the connector assembly and body hole. If corrosion is not present but the body sealer is missing, dealers will service the body gaps and apply a protective patch to the connector assembly and body hole. Owner notification began April 5, 2002. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact Ford at 1-866-436-7332.

Next Steps

Description

Certain passenger vehicles, limousines, and mini vans were built with a newly designed restraint control module (rcm). In some cases, the rcm does not recognize certain system faults that could result in an air bag or seat belt pre-tensioner unexpectedly activating during the self-test sequence at vehicle start-up.

Safety Risk

This condition could result in personal injury.

Remedy

Dealers will replace the rcm in these vehicles. Owner notification began September 14, 2000. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact Ford at 1-866-436-7332.

Next Steps

Description

Vehicle description: mini vans. Contaminants such as water, salt, and windshield washer solution can enter the wiper Motor cover assembly through pinholes on the exterior of the cover that are used in the molding process. In addition, on certain of the vehicles built between February and August 2000, a switch located in the plastic cover of the wiper Motor gear case could malfunction and overheat. Either of these conditions could potentially result in loss of intermittent wiper function, loss of wiper park function, complete loss of wiper function, smoke, or ignition of the plastic cover material. Contaminant entry could also result in unintended wiper Motor operation.

Safety Risk

Switch malfunction is most likely to occur when the intermittent setting of the wipers is being used, or when snow or ice obstructs the blades from returning to the "parked" position at the bottom of the windshield. Loss of visibility while driving increases the risk of a crash.

Remedy

Dealers will install a new wiper cover with improved sealing and water resistance. Owner notification begain August 27, 2001. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact Ford at 1-866-436-7332.

Next Steps

Description

Vehicle description: minivans and passenger vehicles. A restraint control module (rcm) or a side or front crash sensor may have been assembled with one or more of the screws that mount the circuit board in the housing missing. If some or all of the screws are missing, the performance of the occupant restrains could be affected.

Safety Risk

In some cases, less than the intended level of protection in the event of a crash.

Remedy

Dealers will inspect the rcm and crash sensors and, if necessary, replace them.

Next Steps

Description

Vehicle description: minivans equipped with an adjustable pedal option. The driver floor mat could interfere with the accelerator pedal.

Safety Risk

This can result in a stuck throttle, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy

Dealers will replace both front driver and passenger side floor mats in the vehicle. Owner notification began July 6, 2001. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact Ford at 1-866-436-7332.

Next Steps

Description

Certain minivans fail to comply with the requirements of federal Motor vehicle safety standard no. 225, "child restraint anchorage system." during testing, a third row bench floor-to-seat latch released before the strength requirement was met. Identical latches are used in the second row of seats.

Safety Risk

If the latches on the second or third row seats of the vehicle release in a crash, the potential for occupant injury is increased.

Remedy

Dealers will replace the seat-to-floor latches on the second and third row of seats. Owner notification began on November 21, 2003. Owners should contact Ford at 1-866-436-7332.

Next Steps