The defect
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 FRONT TIRE.
The risk
SOME TIRES HAVE DEFLATED DUE TO CONTACT WITH A BROKEN SPRING.
The remedy
DEALERS WILL INSTALL SPRING CATCHER BRACKETS. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN OCTOBER 23, 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 1-866-436-7332.
NHTSA's own wording · initiated by MFR
Vehicles covered
| Model | Model years |
|---|---|
| Ford Contour | 1998 |
| Mercury Mystique | 1998 |
Components: SUSPENSION:FRONT:SPRINGS:COIL SPRINGS
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 | 1998 | 846 | 9 |
| Mercury Mystique | 1998 | 231 | 8 |
Other suspension recalls in 2001
44 of the 461 recall campaigns reported to NHTSA in 2001 concerned the suspension; FORD MOTOR COMPANY filed 963 campaigns in all.
| 01V377000 11 Dec 2001 | JAYCO, INC. |
| 01V363000 29 Nov 2001 | FREIGHTLINER CORPORATION |
| 01V361000 28 Nov 2001 | GENERAL COACH AMERICA, INC. |
| 01V359000 13 Nov 2001 | MONACO COACH CORP. |
| 01V338000 2 Nov 2001 | BLUE BIRD BODY COMPANY |
| 01V317001 22 Oct 2001 | COACHMEN INDUSTRIES, INC. |
| 01V332000 17 Oct 2001 | FORD MOTOR COMPANY |
| 01V328000 11 Oct 2001 | MONACO COACH CORP. |
NHTSA recalls (public domain) · all recalls of 2001