VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH 3.8L ENGINES AND ORIGINALLY SOLD OR CURRENTLY REGISTERED

Feb 26, 1997 — Recall Campaign #97V025000

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH 3.8L ENGINES AND ORIGINALLY SOLD OR CURRENTLY REGISTERED IN THE FOLLOWING STATES: ALASKA, COLORADO, IOWA, IDAHO, ILLINOIS, INDIANA, KANSAS, MASSACHUSETTS, MAINE, MICHIGAN, MINNESOTA, MISSOURI, MONTANA, NORTH DAKOTA, NEBRASKA, NEW HAMPSHIRE, NEW YORK, OHIO, PENNSYLVANIA, SOUTH DAKOTA, VERMONT, WISCONSIN, AND WYOMING. WATER CAN ACCUMULATE WITHIN THE SPEED CONTROL CABLE CONDUIT. IF ENOUGH WATER ACCUMULATES, IT COULD FREEZE WITHIN A LOW AREA OF THE CABLE ROUTING WHEN EXPOSED TO A LONG TERM COLD SOAK AT TEMPERATURES AT LEAST SEVERAL DEGREES BELOW FREEZING.

The recall was influenced by the manufacturer with about 212,700 units affected.

See recall notice

NHTSA Safety Recall Notice

97V025000

Manufacturer:	Ford Motor Company
Recall date:	February 26, 1997
NHTSA Campaign #:	97V025000
Units affected:	212,700

Description:: VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH 3.8L ENGINES AND ORIGINALLY SOLD OR CURRENTLY REGISTERED IN THE FOLLOWING STATES: ALASKA, COLORADO, IOWA, IDAHO, ILLINOIS, INDIANA, KANSAS, MASSACHUSETTS, MAINE, MICHIGAN, MINNESOTA, MISSOURI, MONTANA, NORTH DAKOTA, NEBRASKA, NEW HAMPSHIRE, NEW YORK, OHIO, PENNSYLVANIA, SOUTH DAKOTA, VERMONT, WISCONSIN, AND WYOMING. WATER CAN ACCUMULATE WITHIN THE SPEED CONTROL CABLE CONDUIT. IF ENOUGH WATER ACCUMULATES, IT COULD FREEZE WITHIN A LOW AREA OF THE CABLE ROUTING WHEN EXPOSED TO A LONG TERM COLD SOAK AT TEMPERATURES AT LEAST SEVERAL DEGREES BELOW FREEZING.
Consequeces:: DRIVER CONTROL OF VEHICLE SPEED USING THE SPEED CONTROL SYSTEM OR THE ACCELERATOR CONTROL SYSTEM WOULD BE DIMINISHED INCREASING THE RISK OF A VEHICLE CRASH.
Corrective action:: DEALERS WILL ADD A BOOT TO THE SPEED CONTROL CABLE.
Notes:: OWNER NOTIFICATION:OWNER NOTIFICATION IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN APRIL 7, 1997.NOTE: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 1-800-392-3673.ALSO CONTRACT THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION'S AUTO SAFETY HOTLINE AT 1-800-424-9393.

Affects the following:

1994 LINCOLN CONTINENTAL Complaints
TRANSMISSION FAILURE WHILE DRIVING INTO WORK ON INTERSTATE HIGHWAY. TOTAL REBUILD REQUIRED AT 87456 MILES ON CAR, COST $1800.;
1995 FORD TAURUS Complaints
THIS PAST SUNDAY, ON JUNE 11, 2017 I WAS DRIVING HOME FROM A GRADUATION PARTY AND THERE WAS A LOUD "POW" ONCE I ACCELERATED FROM A STOP. MY STEERING WAS VERY STIFF (AS IF I WAS DRIVING AN ANCIENT LARGE TRUCK WITH NO POWER STEERING, ALSO MY EXHAUST SYSTEM AT LEAST PARTIALLY CAME UNDUN. I WAS ABLE TO GET THE CRIPPLED CAR TO OUR REGULAR REPAIR SHOP, WHO TOLD ME THAT I HAD A SUBFRAME RUST-COLLAPSE. I HAD TALKED TO A SHADETREE MECHANIC FRIEND, WHO SAID THAT IT WASN'T AN ACTUAL SUBFRAME COLLAPSE, BUT THE NEXT LAYER UP, THE ENGINE CRADLE WHOSE SLEEVES ARE NO THICKER STEEL THAN THE UNIBODY SHEETMETAL. ONE OF THE SLEEVES RUSTED THROUGH. SUPPOSEDLY THE ENGINE CRADLE SLEEVES ARE REMOVABLE/OR THE CRADLE ITSELF. MY MECHANIC FRIEND AND THE TOW FELLOW THAT BROUGHT MY CAR BACK TO MY HOME, BOTH SAID THAT WHAT HAPPENED IS QUITE RARE, THEY NEVER HEARD OF SUCH AN INCIDENT. THE CRADLE RUST THROUGH CAUSED MY FRONT SUBFRAME TO PARTIALLY COLLAPSE AND THE ENGINE IS TILTED DOWN ON THE RIGHT-FRONT. THIS DISCONNECTED THE EXHAUST AND BOUND-UP MY RACK-AND-PINION STEERING, RENDERING THE CAR UNSAFE TO DRIVE. THIS CAR IS NOT A RUST-BUCKET, NO RUSTY BODY PANEL HOLES, AND EVERYTHING ELSE STILL WORKS! JUST THE PAINT AND CLEARCOAT ARE FLAKING-OFF. I HAVE LOOKED ON THE INTERNET AND SEARCHED LOCAL SALVAGE YARDS, BUT CANNOT FIND A GOOD ENGINE CRADLE/SLEEVES. YET, THERE ARE SCADS OF GOOD TAURUS ENGINES CHEAPLY AVAILABLE. WHY DIDN'T FORD OFFER REPLACEMENT ENGINE CRADLE/SLEEVES? WAS THERE NO RECALL? I'D BET I'M NOT THE ONLY PERSON THIS HAPPENED TO!! I WOULD LIKE TO GET THIS CAR FIXED! I HAVE PHOTOS OF THE SUBFRAME FALLEN AFTER THE ENGINE CRADLE FAILURE. PLEASE SEND ME AN E-MAIL ADDRESS I CAN UPLOAD THEM TO. I LOSE THIS PAGE IF I TRY TO UPLOAD HERE (4TH TIME!);
1995 MERCURY SABLE Complaints
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1995 MERCURY SABLE. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH, THE TRANSMISSION JERKED SEVERELY WITH EXTREME HESITATION. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING WHO STATED THAT THE REAR SUBFRAME WAS COMPLETELY CORRODED, WHICH CAUSED DAMAGE TO THE TRANSMISSION. THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 93V106000 (STRUCTURE). THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN WAS INVALID. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 103,219.;