The defect
UNDER CERTAIN CONDITIONS, THE CLIMATE CONTROL BLOWER DOES NOT OPERATE AS INTENDED. THE BLOWER COULD (1) STICK ON "HIGH;" (2) OPERATE ERRATICALLY WITH BLOWER OUTPUT VARYING BETWEEN NO BLOWER AND MAXIMUM BLOWER; OR (3) NOT OPERATE AT ALL DUE TO MALFUNCTION OF THE TEMPERATURE CONTROL MODULE.
The risk
BLOWER MALFUNCTIONS LIMITING OR STOPPING OUTPUT CAN ADVERSELY AFFECT WINDSHIELD DEFROSTING AND DEFOGGING PERFORMANCE INCREASING THE POTENTIAL FOR A VEHICLE ACCIDENT.
The remedy
DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE SEMI-AUTOMATIC TEMPERATURE CONTROL MODULES WITH MODULES CONTAINING REVISED SOFTWARE.
NHTSA's own wording · initiated by MFR
Vehicles covered
| Model | Model years |
|---|---|
| Ford Thunderbird | 1996 |
| Mercury Cougar | 1996 |
Components: EQUIPMENT:APPLIANCE:AIR CONDITIONER
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 Thunderbird | 1996 | 233 | 2 |
| Mercury Cougar | 1996 | 62 | 2 |
Other equipment recalls in 1996
13 of the 297 recall campaigns reported to NHTSA in 1996 concerned the equipment; FORD MOTOR COMPANY filed 963 campaigns in all.
| 96V194002 27 Dec 1996 | WINNEBAGO INDUSTRIES, INC. |
| 96V194003 16 Dec 1996 | TIFFIN MOTOR HOMES |
| 96V224000 5 Nov 1996 | HOLIDAY RAMBLER CORP. |
| 96V208000 25 Oct 1996 | WINNEBAGO INDUSTRIES, INC. |
| 96V161000 29 Aug 1996 | FORD MOTOR COMPANY |
| 96V194001 8 Aug 1996 | FLEETWOOD ENT., INC. |
| 96V145000 1 Aug 1996 | WINNEBAGO INDUSTRIES, INC. |
| 96V125000 2 Jul 1996 | FREIGHTLINER CORPORATION |
NHTSA recalls (public domain) · all recalls of 1996