The defect
CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH ADJUSTABLE PADELS ARE BEING RECALLED IN ORDER TO ADJUST THE BRAKE AND ACCELERATOR PEDALS TO A MINIMUM OF 50 MM OF LATERAL SEPARATION. SIMULTANEOUS APPLICATION OF BOTH THE BRAKE AND ACCELERATOR PEDALS COULD RESULT IN AN INCREASE IN ENGINE RPM.
The risk
THIS COULD RESULT IN A CUSTOMER EXPERIENCING AN "UNINTENDED VEHICLE SPEED INCREASE" OR A PERCEIVED "UNABLE TO STOP" CONDITION.
The remedy
OWNERS WILL BE INSTRUCTED AS TO THE PROPER WAY TO SET THE POSITION OF THE PEDALS AND TO TAKE THEIR VEHICLES TO A DEALER TO HAVE THE SPACING BETWEEN THE BRAKE AND ACCELERATOR PEDALS MEASURED. IF THE SPACING IS FOUND TO BE LESS THAN 50 MM, THE DEALER WILL ADJUST THE PEDALS TO INCREASE THE DISTANCE BETWEEN THEM TO GREATER THAN 50 MM. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN OCTOBER 28, 2002. OWNERS WHO DO NOT RECEIVE THE FREE REMEDY WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME SHOULD CONTACT FORD AT 1-866-436-7332.
NHTSA's own wording · initiated by ODI
Vehicles covered
| Model | Model years |
|---|---|
| Ford Taurus | 2000, 2001, 2002 |
| Mercury Sable | 2000, 2001, 2002 |
Components: SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:PEDALS AND LINKAGES
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 Taurus | 2000 | 1,195 | 8 |
| Ford Taurus | 2001 | 1,037 | 9 |
| Ford Taurus | 2002 | 1,426 | 3 |
| Mercury Sable | 2000 | 464 | 7 |
| Mercury Sable | 2001 | 430 | 8 |
| Mercury Sable | 2002 | 440 | 3 |
Other service brakes, hydraulic recalls in 2002
26 of the 434 recall campaigns reported to NHTSA in 2002 concerned the service brakes, hydraulic; FORD MOTOR COMPANY filed 963 campaigns in all.
| 02V343000 30 Dec 2002 | IC CORPORATION |
| 02V309000 15 Nov 2002 | INTERNATIONAL TRUCK AND ENGINE |
| 02V302000 13 Nov 2002 | BLUE BIRD BODY COMPANY |
| 02V278000 22 Oct 2002 | MONACO COACH CORP. |
| 02V280000 17 Oct 2002 | FREIGHTLINER CORPORATION |
| 02V268000 1 Oct 2002 | TOYOTA MOTOR NORTH AMERICA, INC. |
| 02V257001 18 Sept 2002 | DAEWOO MOTOR DE PUERTO RICO |
| 02V257000 18 Sept 2002 | DAEWOO MOTOR AMERICA |
NHTSA recalls (public domain) · all recalls of 2002