8.4% of complaints about the 1998 Ford Contour came in the first year, which is unremarkable for a 1998 vehicle — around the middle of the 180 model-years on record. The median complaint arrives at 3.5 yr in service. The most-reported system is electrical system (120 complaints), typically at 3.9 yr or about 85,000 miles.
FEDERAL MOGUL IS RECALLING 6,903 AFTERMARKET BALL JOINT ASSEMBLIES SHIPPED BETWEEN NOVEMBER 9, 2007 AND MARCH 26, 2008, WHICH MAY HAVE BEEN PACKAGED WITH INCORRECT NUTS. THE PART NUMBERS PACKAGED WITH INCORRECT NUTS ARE: K7147, K7329, K8683, AND 104353. THESE PARTS WERE MADE FOR USE ON THE VARIOUS VEHICLES LISTED ABOVE.
THE NUTS INCLUDED IN THE PACKAGING FOR THESE BALL JOINT ASSEMBLIES ARE MISSING THE INTENDED PREVAILING TORQUE (SELF-LOCKING) FEATURE. IF THE INCORRECT NUT WAS TO BECOME LOOSE, THE JOINING MEMBERS MAY LOOSEN LEADING TO A SEPARATION OF THE BALL JOINT. THIS MAY RESULT IN LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL, POSSIBLY RESULTING IN A VEHICLE CRASH.
CERTAIN AFTERMARKET BRAKE HYDRAULIC MASTER CYLINDERS SOLD AS REPLACEMENT BRAKE CYLINDERS FOR CERTAIN FORD, DAIMLERCHRYSLER, AND JEEP PASSENGER VEHICLES. THESE BRAKE CYLINDERS WERE SOLD UNDER THE BRAND NAMES OF NAPA, RAYBESTOS, AIMCO, AC DELCO, CARQUEST, BENDIX, AND WAGNER. ONLY PRODUCTS THAT WERE MANUFACTURED FROM JULY 27, 2005 THROUGH JANUARY 17, 2006 (DATE CODES 0529 THROUGH 0602) ARE SUBJECT TO THIS RECALL. WHEN SUBJECT TO VERY COLD TEMPERATURES, AN INTERNAL SEAL IN THE MASTER CYLINDER COULD LOSE FLEXIBILITY AND MAY CAUSE BRAKE FLUID TO LEAK.
LOSS OF BRAKE FLUID CAN LEAD TO A DECREASE IN BRAKE LINE PRESSURE AND AN INCREASE IN STOPPING DISTANCE, WHICH CAN RESULT IN A VEHICLE CRASH.
THIS IS NOT A SAFETY RECALL IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE SAFETY ACT. HOWEVER, IT IS DEEMED A SAFETY IMPROVEMENT CAMPAIGN BY THE AGENCY. VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: 1998 FORD CONTOUR/MERCURY MYSTIQUE PASSENGER VEHICLES BUILT AT THE KANSAS CITY ASSEMBLY PLANT. THE FRONT COIL SPRINGS COULD POTENTIALLY FRACTURE DUE TO CORROSION.
SOME TIRES HAVE DEFLATED DUE TO CONTACT WITH A BROKEN SPRING.
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES BUILT AT THE KANSAS CITY ASSEMBLY PLANT AND ORIGINALLY SOLD IN OR CURRENTLY REGISTERED IN THE STATES OF CONNECTICUT, DELAWARE, ILLINOIS, INDIANA, IOWA, MAINE, MARYLAND, MASSACHUSETTS, MICHIGAN, MINNESOTA, MISSOURI, NEW HAMPSHIRE, NEW JERSEY, NEW YORK, OHIO, PENNSYLVANIA, RHODE ISLAND, VERMONT, WEST VIRGINIA, AND WISCONSIN, AND THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA. THE FRONT COIL SPRINGS MAY FRACTURE AS A RESULT OF CORROSION IN HIGH CORROSION ENVIRONMENTS. DEPENDING ON THE LOCATION OF THE FRACTURE, A BROKEN SPRING COULD MOVE PAST THE SPRING SEAT AND CONTACT A FRO
SOME TIRES HAVE DEFLATED DUE TO CONTACT WITH A BROKEN SPRING.
ON CERTAIN MY 1996-1998 PASSENGER VEHICLES BUILT AT THE KANSAS CITY, CUAUTITLAN ASSEMBLY PLANTS OR ON MY 1999 PASSENGER VEHCLES BUILT AT THE AUTOMOTIVE ALLIANCE INTERNATIONAL ASSEMBLY PLANTS, THE ROUGH SURFACE OF THE HEATER BLOWER RESISTOR'S STAINLESS STEEL BLADES CAN DAMAGE THE COPPER SURFACE OF THE WIRING HARNESS CONNECTOR. THE DAMAGE COULD, OVER TIME, CAUSE INCREASED RESISTANCE IN THE CONNECTOR AND, DUE TO SUBSEQUENT TERMINAL RELAXATION, RESULT IN AN OPEN CIRCUIT CONDITION.
THE OPEN CIRCUIT COULD LEAD TO ELECTRICAL ARCING THAT COULD MELT THE CONNECTOR HOUSING MATERIAL CREASING THE POTENTIAL FOR A FIRE.
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: BI-FUEL VEHICLES. THESE VEHICLES MAY HAVE A FUEL TANK FILLER PIPE GROMMET THAT COULD HAVE BEEN DAMAGED DURING THE INSTALLATION OF THE BI-FUEL SYSTEM. IF THE GROMMET IS DAMAGED, FUEL COULD LEAK. FUEL LEAKAGE IN THE PRESENCE OF AN IGNITION SOURCE COULD RESULT IN A FIRE. DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE FUEL TANK FILLER PIPE GROMMET.
IF THE GROMMET IS DAMAGED, FUEL COULD LEAK. FUEL LEAKAGE IN THE PRESENCE OF AN IGNITION SOURCE COULD RESULT IN A FIRE.
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES NOT EQUIPPED WITH THE ANTI-LOCK BRAKING SYSTEM (ABS). A PRESSURE CONSCIOUS REDUCING VALVE (PCRV) IN THE REAR BRAKES MAY BE SUBJECT TO CORROSION AND RESULT IN MALFUNCTION, WHEN OPERATED IN AREAS THAT USE SALT COMPOUNDS ON THE ROADWAY FOR DE-ICING OR DUST CONTROL.
IF BOTH PCRV'S MALFUNCTION, VEHICLE HANDLING COULD BE ADVERSELY AFFECTED DURING BRAKING AS A RESULT OF THE REAR WHEELS LOCKING, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. THE AIR BAG SENSOR WIRING PIGTAIL INSULATION CAN BECOME BRITTLE AND CRACK OVER TIME DUE TO ACCUMULATION OF WATER IN THE PIGTAIL PROTECTIVE CONVOLUTE IN COMBINATION WITH HIGH UNDERHOOD TEMPERATURES RELATED TO THE ROUTING OF THE WIRING PIGTAIL NEAR THE RADIATOR. THIS CAN RESULT IN ENVIRONMENTAL STRESS CRACKING OF THE INSULATION.
IN SOME CASES, THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT CAN ILLUMINATE AND THE AIR BAG SUPPLEMENTAL RESTRAINT SYSTEM DISABLED.
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. THE ACCELERATOR CABLE MAY HAVE BEEN MANUFACTURED WITH A BURR ON OR NEAR THE END OF THE CABLE SLEEVE INTERIOR. THIS BURR COULD FRAY THE CORE WIRE RESULTING IN THE ACCELERATOR NOT RETURNING TO IDLE WHEN THE ACCELERATOR IS RELEASED.
THIS CONDITION CAN RESULT IN THE THROTTLE STICKING, BINDING, OR CAUSING HIGH ENGINE RPM.
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. THE TERMINALS AT THE HEADLIGHT SWITCH AND WIRING HARNESS CONNECTOR CAN EXPERIENCE HEAT DAMAGE AS A RESULT OF OVERHEATING.
THE DAMAGE COULD RESULT IN DISTORTION OF THE TERMINAL CAUSING AN OPEN CIRCUIT IN THE INSTRUMENT PANEL ILLUMINATION, PARKING LAMP, AND TAIL LAMP CIRCUITS.
AIR BAG: DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 30MPH ANOTHER CAR PULLED OUT IN FRONT, HIT THE BRAKES AND CAR DID NOT STOP IN TIME, RAN INTO THE PASSENGER'S SIDE OF THE OTHER CAR, AND THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. LIGHT HAD BEEN FLASHING PREVIOUSLY, AND DEALER LOOKED AT IT AND SAID THEY COULD NOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG WITH IT. *AK
CONSUMER WAS DRIVING DOWN STREET WHEN BOTH AIR BAGS DEPLOYED, DRIVER WAS INJURED, BURNED. RESULTED IN ACCIDENT. *AK *ML
WHEN DRIVING AT ANY SPEED THE VEHICLE VIBRATES AND THE VEHICLE CUTS OFF WITHOUT GIVING ANY PRIOR WARNING. ALSO, WHEN APPLYING BRAKES THEY ARE HARD AND FOOT GOES ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR. CONSUMER TOOK THE VEHICLE IN FOR REPAIRS THREE TIMES, AND THE DEALER HAD TO REPLACED THE AIR BAG DUE TO THE FACT THAT THIERE WASN'T ANY AIR IN THE AIR BAG. *AK
THE INTERLOCK SYSTEM MALFUNCTIONED. WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE INTERLOCK SYSTEM MALFUNCTIONED, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO STALL AND COULD POTENTIALLY CAUSE AN ACCIDENT. *AK