The defect
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: MULTI-PURPOSE VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH 4.0L ENGINES AND ALL-TIME 4-WHEEL DRIVE (A4WD) POWERTRAINS. THE GENERIC ELECTRONIC MODULE (GEM) COULD EXPERIENCE A CONDITION REFERRED TO AS "LOCK-UP" IN WHICH THE GEM CONTROLLED ELECTRONIC FUNCTIONS (E.G., FRONT WINDSHIELD WIPERS, INTERIOR LIGHTS, 4X4 SYSTEM, ETC.) COULD NOT BE TURNED ON OR, IN SOME CASES IF THE FUNCTION IS ON, COULD NOT BE TURNED OFF.
The risk
AN INOPERATIVE WINDSHIELD WIPER SYSTEM COULD AFFECT DRIVER VISIBILITY, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.
The remedy
DEALERS WILL INSTALL A RESISTOR IN THE GEM CIRCUIT.
NHTSA's own wording · initiated by ODI
Vehicles covered
| Model | Model years |
|---|---|
| Ford Explorer | 1999, 2000 |
| Mercury Mountaineer | 1999, 2000 |
Components: ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FUSES AND CIRCUIT BREAKERS
Model years in this recall
NHTSA complaints and the number of recall campaigns for each model year this recall covers.
| Model | Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ford Explorer | 1999 | 1,348 | 9 |
| Ford Explorer | 2000 | 952 | 9 |
| Mercury Mountaineer | 1999 | 151 | 7 |
| Mercury Mountaineer | 2000 | 123 | 6 |
Other electrical system recalls in 2000
24 of the 541 recall campaigns reported to NHTSA in 2000 concerned the electrical system; FORD MOTOR COMPANY filed 963 campaigns in all.
| 00V416000 12 Dec 2000 | DAIMLERCHRYSLER CORPORATION |
| 00V411000 6 Dec 2000 | FORD MOTOR COMPANY |
| 00V410000 5 Dec 2000 | NISSAN NORTH AMERICA, INC. |
| 00V374000 13 Nov 2000 | GENERAL MOTORS CORP. |
| 00V373000 13 Nov 2000 | GENERAL MOTORS CORP. |
| 00V259002 8 Nov 2000 | HYUNDAI CARIBBEAN-PUERTO RICO |
| 00V351000 30 Oct 2000 | FORD MOTOR COMPANY |
| 00V339000 24 Oct 2000 | MITSUBISHI AMERICA |
NHTSA recalls (public domain) · all recalls of 2000