The defect
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES, LIGHT DUTY TRUCKS, SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES, AND MINI VANS EQUIPPED WITH TRW SEAT BELT BUCKLE ASSEMBLIES. THE BUCKLE BASE OF THESE SEAT BELT ASSEMBLIES WERE NOT PROPERLY HEAT TREATED AND THEREFORE DO NOT PASS THE LOAD BEARING REQUIREMENT OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 209, "SEAT BELT ASSEMBLIES."
The risk
IN THE EVENT OF A VEHICLE CRASH, THE OCCUPANT MAY NOT BE PROPERLY RESTRAINED.
The remedy
DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE DATE CODE ON CERTAIN SEAT BELT BUCKLES OF YOUR VEHICLE AND REPLACE ALL SEAT BELT BUCKLES THAT FALL WITHIN THE SUSPECT DATE CODE RANGE. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN OCTOBER 26, 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 1-800-392-3673.
NHTSA's own wording · initiated by MFR
Vehicles covered
| Model | Model years |
|---|---|
| Ford Contour | 2000 |
| Ford Escort | 2000 |
| Ford Explorer | 2000 |
| Ford F-150 | 2000 |
| Ford Ranger | 2000 |
| Ford Windstar | 2000 |
| Lincoln Town Car | 2000 |
| Mercury Mountaineer | 2000 |
| Mercury Mystique | 2000 |
| Mercury Villager | 2000 |
Components: SEAT BELTS
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 Contour | 2000 | 199 | 5 |
| Ford Escort | 2000 | 98 | 1 |
| Ford Explorer | 2000 | 952 | 9 |
| Ford F-150 | 2000 | 1,075 | 6 |
| Ford Ranger | 2000 | 670 | 3 |
| Ford Windstar | 2000 | 1,675 | 15 |
| Lincoln Town Car | 2000 | 108 | 8 |
| Mercury Mountaineer | 2000 | 123 | 6 |
| Mercury Mystique | 2000 | 63 | 3 |
| Mercury Villager | 2000 | 71 | 2 |
Other seat belts recalls in 2000
40 of the 541 recall campaigns reported to NHTSA in 2000 concerned the seat belts; FORD MOTOR COMPANY filed 963 campaigns in all.
| 00V273009 28 Dec 2000 | HOME & PARK MOTORHOMES |
| 00V392000 21 Nov 2000 | SUBARU OF AMERICA, INC. |
| 00V364000 13 Nov 2000 | FORD MOTOR COMPANY |
| 01V097007 13 Nov 2000 | MONACO COACH CORP. |
| 00V368000 9 Nov 2000 | FORD MOTOR COMPANY |
| 00V348000 30 Oct 2000 | FORD MOTOR COMPANY |
| 00V352000 30 Oct 2000 | MERCEDES-BENZ USA, LLC. |
| 00V347000 30 Oct 2000 | GENERAL MOTORS CORP. |
NHTSA recalls (public domain) · all recalls of 2000