The defect
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. THE TERMINALS AT THE HEADLIGHT SWITCH AND WIRING HARNESS CONNECTOR CAN EXPERIENCE HEAT DAMAGE AS A RESULT OF OVERHEATING.
The risk
THE DAMAGE COULD RESULT IN DISTORTION OF THE TERMINAL CAUSING AN OPEN CIRCUIT IN THE INSTRUMENT PANEL ILLUMINATION, PARKING LAMP, AND TAIL LAMP CIRCUITS.
The remedy
DEALERS WILL INSTALL A HEADLAMP SWITCH WIRING CONNECTOR CONTAINING BRONZE TERMINALS AND AN INSPECTION, AND REPLACEMENT IF NECESSARY, OF THE HEADLAMP SWITCH.
NHTSA's own wording · initiated by ODI
Vehicles covered
| Model | Model years |
|---|---|
| Ford Contour | 1996, 1997, 1998 |
| Mercury Mystique | 1996, 1997, 1998 |
Components: EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS:SWITCH
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 | 1996 | 563 | 8 |
| Ford Contour | 1997 | 218 | 5 |
| Ford Contour | 1998 | 846 | 9 |
| Mercury Mystique | 1996 | 185 | 7 |
| Mercury Mystique | 1997 | 71 | 4 |
| Mercury Mystique | 1998 | 231 | 8 |
Other exterior lighting recalls in 1999
17 of the 392 recall campaigns reported to NHTSA in 1999 concerned the exterior lighting; FORD MOTOR COMPANY filed 963 campaigns in all.
| 99V347002 20 Dec 1999 | NISSAN NORTH AMERICA, INC. |
| 99V355000 17 Dec 1999 | GENERAL MOTORS CORP. |
| 99V356000 17 Dec 1999 | GENERAL MOTORS CORP. |
| 99V358000 17 Dec 1999 | MAZDA (NORTH AMERICA),INC |
| 99V347001 10 Dec 1999 | FORD MOTOR COMPANY |
| 99V305002 1 Nov 1999 | MITSUBISHI CARIBBEAN |
| 99V273001 20 Oct 1999 | GENERAL MOTORS CORP. |
| 99V273002 15 Oct 1999 | AMERICAN SUZUKI MOTOR CORP. |
NHTSA recalls (public domain) · all recalls of 1999