The defect
ON CERTAIN SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH HIGH BACK SEATS, THE UPPER BOLT ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE HIGH BACK SEAT, THAT ATTACHES THE SEAT RECLINER MECHANISM TO THE SEAT BACK FRAME, COULD FRACTURE. IF THE BOLT FRACTURES AND DOES NOT JAM IN THE SEAT BACK FRAME, THE SEAT BACK MAY RECLINE UNTIL IT MAKES CONTACT WITH AN OBJECT BEHIND THE SEAT, SUCH AS THE SECOND ROW SEAT CUSHION.
The risk
THE DRIVER COULD POTENTIALLY LOSE CONTACT WITH THE STEERING WHEEL OR FOOT PEDALS DURING SUCH AN EVENT, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.
The remedy
DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE DRIVER SEAT UPPER BOLT WITH A METAL SPACER AND BOLT. IN ADDITION, SEATS WITH TUBULAR BACK FRAMES WILL HAVE THE FULLY THREADED LOWER RECLINER BOLT REPLACED WITH A PARTIALLY THREADED BOLT. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN ON AUGUST 29, 2003. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT FORD AT 1-800-392-3673.
NHTSA's own wording · initiated by ODI
Vehicles covered
| Model | Model years |
|---|---|
| Ford Explorer | 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001 |
| Ford Explorer Sport | 2001, 2002 |
| Ford Explorer Sport Trac | 2001, 2002 |
| Mercury Mountaineer | 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001 |
Components: SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:RECLINER
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 | 1998 | 1,959 | 9 |
| Ford Explorer | 1999 | 1,348 | 9 |
| Ford Explorer | 2000 | 952 | 9 |
| Ford Explorer | 2001 | 375 | 6 |
| Ford Explorer Sport | 2001 | 188 | 5 |
| Ford Explorer Sport | 2002 | 133 | 3 |
| Ford Explorer Sport Trac | 2001 | 167 | 4 |
| Ford Explorer Sport Trac | 2002 | 144 | 2 |
| Mercury Mountaineer | 1998 | 236 | 5 |
| Mercury Mountaineer | 1999 | 151 | 7 |
| Mercury Mountaineer | 2000 | 123 | 6 |
| Mercury Mountaineer | 2001 | 22 | 3 |
Other seats recalls in 2003
15 of the 527 recall campaigns reported to NHTSA in 2003 concerned the seats; FORD MOTOR COMPANY filed 963 campaigns in all.
| 03V530000 12 Dec 2003 | ACCUBUILT, INC. |
| 03V514000 10 Dec 2003 | SAAB CARS USA, INC. |
| 03V459000 6 Nov 2003 | FORD MOTOR COMPANY |
| 03V402000 16 Oct 2003 | MID BUS CORPORATION |
| 03V364000 8 Oct 2003 | BLUE BIRD BODY COMPANY |
| 03V346000 29 Sept 2003 | GENERAL MOTORS CORP. |
| 03V345000 15 Sept 2003 | FERRARI NORTH AMERICA |
| 03V235000 1 Jul 2003 | ALFA LEISURE,INC. |
NHTSA recalls (public domain) · all recalls of 2003