The defect
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 risk
THE OPEN CIRCUIT COULD LEAD TO ELECTRICAL ARCING THAT COULD MELT THE CONNECTOR HOUSING MATERIAL CREASING THE POTENTIAL FOR A FIRE.
The remedy
DEALERS WILL INSTALL A NEW HEATER BLOWER RESISTOR AND A NEW WIRE JUMPER HARNESS. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN AUGUST 29, 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 1-800-392-3673.
NHTSA's own wording · initiated by ODI
Vehicles covered
| Model | Model years |
|---|---|
| Ford Contour | 1996, 1997, 1998 |
| Mercury Cougar | 1999 |
| Mercury Mystique | 1996, 1997, 1998 |
Components: ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
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 | 1996 | 563 | 8 |
| Ford Contour | 1997 | 218 | 5 |
| Ford Contour | 1998 | 846 | 9 |
| Mercury Cougar | 1999 | 454 | 7 |
| Mercury Mystique | 1996 | 185 | 7 |
| Mercury Mystique | 1997 | 71 | 4 |
| Mercury Mystique | 1998 | 231 | 8 |
Other electrical system recalls in 2001
35 of the 461 recall campaigns reported to NHTSA in 2001 concerned the electrical system; FORD MOTOR COMPANY filed 963 campaigns in all.
| 01V387000 17 Dec 2001 | FREIGHTLINER CORPORATION |
| 01V370000 13 Dec 2001 | PIERCE MANUFACTURING,INC. |
| 01V366000 4 Dec 2001 | MERCEDES-BENZ USA, LLC. |
| 01V369000 20 Nov 2001 | AMERICAN TRANSPORTATION CORP. |
| 01V350000 15 Nov 2001 | AMERICAN TRANSPORTATION CORP. |
| 01V294000 17 Sept 2001 | KAWASAKI MOTORS CORP. |
| 01V288000 10 Sept 2001 | DAIMLERCHRYSLER CORPORATION |
| 01V292000 10 Sept 2001 | MONACO COACH CORP. |
NHTSA recalls (public domain) · all recalls of 2001