Recalls
| Campaign | Manufacturer | Manufacturing date | Type | # of units affected | Date Owner notified Mfg | Recall Initiated by | Manufacturers of recalled vehicles/products | Report Recieved Date | Record Creation Date | Regulation Part Number | FMVSS Number | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SEATS - FRONT ASSEMBLY - RECLINER | ||||||||||||||||
| 03V281000 | FORD MOTOR COMPANY | from 05/13/1997 to 12/24/2000 | V (Vehicle) | 1552880 | 08/29/2003 | ODI | FORD MOTOR COMPANY | 08/05/2003 | 08/07/2003 | |||||||
| Defect Summary | On certain sport utility vehicles equipped with high back seats, the upper bolt on the driver | |||||||||||||||
| Consequence Summary | The driver could potentially lose contact with the steering wheel or foot pedals during such an event, increasing the risk of a crash. | |||||||||||||||
| Corrective Summary | 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. | |||||||||||||||
| Notes | Ford recall no. 03s04.customers can also contact the national highway traffic safety administration | |||||||||||||||
Bulletins
| Bulletin | Bulletin date | Replacement Bulletin | Item no. | Summary | Added |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SEATS | |||||
| 11759 | 08/01/1998 | 615261 | Some vehicles may come in for a bent front seat back recliner lever. *tt | 01/10/2001 | |
| 13218 | 09/01/1999 | 6090591 | Information regarding seat that willl not move forward. *mjs | 03/21/2000 | |
| 7079 | 09/01/1999 | 6090430 | Information regarding seat that will not move forward. *mjs | 03/20/2000 | |
| 982515 | 12/21/1998 | 603653 | Conditions with the front seat back lever bent. *yc | 03/01/1999 | |
| SEATS - FRONT ASSEMBLY - POWER ADJUST | |||||
| 11809 | 08/01/1998 | 615306 | Some vehicles may exhibit a seat squeak / rattle / rock from the front power seat track. *tt | 01/12/2001 | |
| 4701 | 08/01/1998 | 615241 | Some vehicles may exhibit a seat squeak / rattle / rock from the front power seat track. *tt | 01/10/2001 | |
| 982019 | 10/12/1998 | 603704 | Concerns with the power seat control button ( knob ) may detach from the switch actuator. *yc | 03/03/1999 | |
| SEATS - FRONT ASSEMBLY - RECLINER | |||||
| 4642 | 08/01/1998 | 615180 | Some vehicles may come in for a bent front seat back recliner lever. *tt | 01/03/2001 | |
Investigations
| NHTSA ID | Manufacturer | Date open | Date close | Subject | Recall campaign | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SEATS - FRONT ASSEMBLY - RECLINER | ||||||
| PE03020 | FORD MOTOR COMPANY | 05/21/2003 | 09/05/2003 | FRONT SEAT BACK RECLINER ATTACHMENT | 03V281000 | |
| By letter dated august 4, 2003, ford notified the agency that it is conducting a voluntary safety recall (nhtsa recall no. 03v281) involving certain model year (my) 1998-2001 ford explorer / mercury mountaineer 4-door, my 1998-2000 ford explorer 2-door and my 2001-2002 ford explorer sport and sport trac vehicles equipped with high back seats.complaints allege that the driver's seat back reclined without warning.a bolt between the upper seat recliner attachment and the seat back frame may fracture.ford will replace the bolt that attaches the seat recliner mechanism to the seat back frame on the driver side seat.based on ford's safety recall action, this investigation is closed. | ||||||
Consumer Complaints
| Fail date | miles | occurences | Purchase date |
|---|---|---|---|
| SEATS | |||
| 10/01/1998 | |||
| When driving with any body pressure on seat the seat will move. dealer contacted and cannot remedy problem. problem still exists. provide further information. *ak | |||
| SEATS - FRONT ASSEMBLY - RECLINER | |||
| 09/14/2004 | 68500 | 2 | |
| The drivers seat was broke, because the bolt had broken. the consumer had the seat repaired at her expense. there was a recall on the seat and the consumer needed to take the vehicle back to the dealer to have the seat repaired again. the dealership was no longer in business. the consumer was also told that she would be reimbursed for the first repair. now they are refusing a refund since it has been a year. 03v281000. *jb | |||
| 1 | |||
| Dealership performed the recall repairs under recall 03v281000. the dealer who performed the recall asserted that the left front recliner control was not part of the recall scope and they refused to repair the component. *la the recliner control lever broke due to metal failure. the consumer did not have the ability to recline the seat back. *jb | |||
| 2 | |||
| Vehicle continued to experience problems with the driver's seat bolt after recall was performed. *ph the consumer stated the vehicle experienced a problem with the seats prior to receiving the recall. the replacing bolt was still not providing the proper support needed to keep the driver's seat from experiencing looseness, which occurred while the vehicle was in motion, which caused the consumer to make frequent stops to bring the seat back to its proper position. *jb *nm | |||
| 09/19/2003 | 1 | 06/14/1998 | |
| I received a recall notice for my 1998 mercury mountaineer for a seat recliner bolt. i made an appointment with my dealership. they told me that thy could not repair and do the recall as the seat would not recline. the lever to recline the seat broke off in my hand about six months ago. i figured that was the shabby craftsmanship that was being repaired. now i have an auto still in need of safety repair and the dealership refuses to fix it. i have call mercury directly and they told me its up to the dealer. *jb | |||
| 03/01/2002 | 1 | 07/01/1998 | |
| Handle to adjust vertical seat alignment broke off. dealer said it was common vehicle problem.*ak | |||
| 02/18/2000 | 1 | 10/01/1997 | |
| Lever to lower seatback has been bending each time i get out for last year, now it broke off. i became handicapped little over a year ago and have to slide out of seat to ground. lever has been bending for i have to go over it, and i have to re-bend it to access electric lumbar button. | |||
| 1 | 05/01/1998 | ||
| Front seat back adjustment is located on left, when driver exits the vehicle and bends the lever, bending the lever causes stress & damage. yh | |||
| SEATS - FRONT ASSEMBLY - SEAT HEATER/COOLER | |||
| 04/19/2002 | 50 | 01/01/2000 | |
| The brakcet for the sliding seat on the passenger side floorboard got so hot that it blistered my thumb when i bumped it trying to get the inhaler that i dropped. my daughter had been having asthma attacks in this auto. i now have her ride with someone else and the attacks have stopped. becuase the mercury's floorboard gets so hot, i no longer allow my children to ride in it.*ak | |||
| 03/09/2002 | 50 | 01/01/2001 | |
| The front floorboard overheated. the front seats became warm as if a seat heater was turned on. the vehicle has none. the front tires began making a whomping sound as if flat. i pulled over checked the tire pressure. it was normal. i continued to my destination. the abs light and airbag light then began to flash. i continued to drive. upon reaching my destination, i reached under the passenger side seat to get the keys i dropped. i accidently bumped the seat bracket with my left tall finger blistering it. | |||
| 02/11/2002 | 50 | 01/01/2001 | |
| Seat bracket was hot enough to blister the skin when touched. *ak | |||