The defect
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: MULTI-PURPOSE PASSENGER VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH 4.0L SINGLE OVERHEAD CAM ENGINES. THE ENGINE FUEL LINES CAN BE DAMAGED IF THE VEHICLE IS JUMP STARTED AND THE GROUND CABLE IS ATTACHED TO THE FUEL LINE BRACKET THAT IS LOCATED NEAR THE BATTERY. SINCE THE BRACKET IS NOT GROUNDED, THE STAINLESS STEEL FUEL LINE BRAID COULD ACT AS A GROUND POTENTIALLY OVERHEATING THE PTFE INNER LINER OF THE FUEL LINE RESULTING IN DAMAGE TO THE FUEL LINE.
The risk
THE FUEL LINES CAN LEAK, AND IN THE PRESENCE OF AN IGNITION SOURCE, A FIRE COULD POTENTIALLY RESULT.
The remedy
DEALERS WILL INSTALL A WARNING LABEL ON THE FUEL LINE BRACKET ADVISING OWNERS NOT TO USE IT FOR A JUMP START GROUND. ALSO A REVISED BOLT WILL BE INSTALLED IN THE ALTERNATOR BRACKET TO PROVIDE A CONVENIENT JUMP START GROUND LOCATION.
NHTSA's own wording · initiated by MFR
Vehicles covered
| Model | Model years |
|---|---|
| Ford Explorer | 1997, 1998 |
| Mercury Mountaineer | 1997, 1998 |
Components: FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:HOSES, LINES/PIPING, AND FITTINGS
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 | 1997 | 1,731 | 7 |
| Ford Explorer | 1998 | 1,959 | 9 |
| Mercury Mountaineer | 1997 | 328 | 6 |
| Mercury Mountaineer | 1998 | 236 | 5 |
Other fuel system, gasoline recalls in 1998
40 of the 367 recall campaigns reported to NHTSA in 1998 concerned the fuel system, gasoline; FORD MOTOR COMPANY filed 963 campaigns in all.
| 98V332000 23 Dec 1998 | VOLKSWAGEN OF AMERICA,INC |
| 98V318000 14 Dec 1998 | NEWMAR CORPORATION |
| 98V312000 7 Dec 1998 | FORD MOTOR COMPANY |
| 98V302000 1 Dec 1998 | POLARIS INDUSTRIES, INC. |
| 98V294000 10 Nov 1998 | BAYERISCHE MOTOREN WERKE |
| 98V289000 9 Nov 1998 | INTERNATIONAL TRUCK AND ENGINE |
| 98V287000 9 Nov 1998 | AMERICAN SUZUKI MOTOR CORP. |
| 98V269000 27 Oct 1998 | FORD MOTOR COMPANY |
NHTSA recalls (public domain) · all recalls of 1998