On certain pickup trucks equipped with a diesel or V-10 engine, the front suspension spring/shock towers may crack and eventually separate from the vehicle frame. If the left side tower cracking goes undetected by the operator and separates from the frame, the shock tower may damage the rear wheel brake lines. If this happens, this may result in reduced system pressure creating the potential for increased stopping distances.
Safety Risk
No risk description available.
Remedy
Spring/shock towers will be inspected and vehicles exhibiting cracking will have the towers replaced with a tower that incorporates reinforcement. Vehicles that do not exhibit cracking will have a weld on reinforcement added.
On certain vehicles, the lower control arm attaching brackets may crack due to fatigue and cause the lower control arm to separate from the engine cradle. If this occurs, the transmission half-shaft may pull out of the transaxle and result in a loss of motive power, increasing the risk of a motor vehicle accident.
Safety Risk
No risk description available.
Remedy
Engine cradle will be reinforced at the point of attachment to the lower control arm.
On certain vehicles, the front suspension lower control arms may have been inadequately welded between the pivot tube and the arm. The inadequate welding may allow the tube to separate from the arm. If this happens, a loss of vehicle control may result.
Safety Risk
No risk description available.
Remedy
Lower control arms will be replaced with ones built to current production standards.
On certain vehicles, inadequate lubrication of the inside of the front suspension lower ball joints can result in damage to the ball joints and possible ball joint separation from the steering knuckle arms. This could result in loss of vehicle control.
Safety Risk
No risk description available.
Remedy
Lower ball joints will be replaced on affected vehicles.
On certain vehicles, the front suspension lower ball joints may prematurely wear out due to improper finishing of the surface of the spherical portion of the ball joints between the front lower arm and knuckle. Although a loosening ball joint will emit some noise, in the worst case the ball joint may separate without prior warning. A separated ball joint can result in an apparent sudden loss of power, reduced steering control and a possible crash.
Safety Risk
No risk description available.
Remedy
The front suspension lower ball joints will be replaced.
Certain vehicles equipped with 17 inch chrome steel wheels may lose clamp load on the wheel due to insufficient wheel contact area with the hub. In some cases the contact area may deform, resulting in a loss of lug nut torque. Loss of lug nut torque could cause vibration or separation of a wheel and tire from the vehicle, which could potentially result in loss of vehicle control and a crash without prior warning.
Safety Risk
No risk description available.
Remedy
Dealers will retorque the wheel lug nuts to 110 lb-ft. and install a label on the road wheels that specifies that the wheel lug nuts be torqued to 110 lb-ft any time the wheel is removed.
On certain 2 door models, corrosion of the front coil springs can result from loss of the protective paint coating and heavy road salt exposure. This corrosion may cause pits to form on the spring surface resulting in possible fatigue failure. If a broken spring comes out of the lower seat, it may contact the tire and cause it to deflate. This could result in loss of vehicle control and a crash.
Safety Risk
No risk description available.
Remedy
Front coil springs will be replaced with ones that have been coated with zinc phosphate.
On certain vehicles equipped with chrome plated aluminum wheels, the wheels may have a mounting surface that was not machined correctly. This would cause the wheel studs to break and the tire and wheel assembly to separate from the vehicle. If this were to occur while the vehicle was in motion, a vehicle crash could result without prior warning.
Safety Risk
No risk description available.
Remedy
Dealers will inspect wheels and replace all wheels with date codes indicating that they may not have been machined correctly. The wheel mounting studs at any location where a suspect wheel was installed will also be replaced.
Certain 4X4 vehicles with the Off Road and High Front GAWR option packages and 4X2 with the Sport option package do not comply with the requirements of CMVSS 120 - Tire Selection and Rims. The Compliance Label on these vehicles does not contain the correct tire and rim identification information as required by the standard.
Safety Risk
No risk description available.
Remedy
A Compliance Label partial overlay containing the correct tire and rim size and instructions for affixing this label to the vehicle will be sent to owners.
On certain motorcycles with 19 inch front wheels, the front tire may deflate prematurely which could result in an accident causing personal injury to the occupant or bystanders.
Safety Risk
No risk description available.
Remedy
Front inner tube will be replaced on affected units.
Certain vehicles may have a condition which could result in one of the rear suspension trailing arm bolts breaking. If this were to occur while the vehicle was in motion, vehicle control would be affected and a crash could occur without prior warning.
Safety Risk
No risk description available.
Remedy
Dealers will replace the rear suspension trailing arm fasteners.
Note: 1996-99 crown victoria police, fleet and ngv and lincoln town car limousine equipped with a lower control arm ball joint containing a one piece bearing and 1990-96 crown victoria police, fleet and ngv and lincoln town car limousine that were serviced with either a ball joint containing an one piece bearing or a front lower control arm with a one piece bearing.
High bearing loads can lead to thinning and eventual cracking of the lower control arm ball joint. This can result in separation of the ball and cap of the joint. Should this occur, the control arm to which the cap is mounted will drop to the ground. Should this occur while the vehicle is moving, reduced steering control could result in a collision.
Note: 22.5x8.25 Inch, 15 degree drop center, one piece, tubeless, aluminum dual wheels.
Cracks may develop near the mounting area of certain wheels. These cracks can propagate from hole to hole and eventually result in wheel separation.
Safety Risk
No risk description available.
Remedy
wheels will be replaced with new, standard production wheels.
On certain vehicles, corrosion from winter road salt may cause pits to form on the lower coil of the front springs. These pits may allow cracks to develop, which can result in the breakage of the lower spring coil. If the front coil spring breaks, it may become displaced from its seated position and cause damage to a tire which in turn could result in loss of vehicle control.
Safety Risk
No risk description available.
Remedy
A spring guide will be installed which will prevent a broken coil from contacting and damaging a tire.
NOTE: 4X4 VEHICLES.
IF THE VEHICLE IS SUBJECTED TO REAR AXLE LOADING WHICH EXCEEDS THE GROSS AXLE WEIGHT RATING, THE REAR LEAF SPRINGS MAY BE OVERSTRESSED RESULTING IN A POSSIBLE SPRING FATIGUE FRACTURE. A FRACTURED SPRING LEAF COULD SPLAY INWARD AND CONTACT THE FUEL TANK RESULTING IN POSSIBLE FUEL LEAKAGE. FUEL LEAKAGE IN THE PRESENCE OF AN IGNITION SOURCE COULD RESULT IN A FIRE.
Safety Risk
No risk description available.
Remedy
REAR SPRINGS WILL BE INSPECTED AND AN ADDITIONAL CLIP WILL BE INSTALLED ON THE FORWARD END OF THE REAR SPRINGS TO PREVENT FUEL TANK CONTACT IN THE EVENT OF A LEAF FRACTURE. ALL FRACTURED SPRINGS WILL BE REPLACED.
NOTE: VEHICLES SOLD OR CURRENTLY REGISTERED IN ONTARIO, QUEBEC, AND THE ATLANTIC PROVINCES.
THE FRONT COIL SPRINGS MAY FRACTURE AS A RESULT OF CORROSION IN COMBINATION WITH SMALL TRANSVERSE CRACKS IN THE SPRINGS. THERE IS A POTENTIAL FOR TIRE DEFLATION FROM INTERACTION OF A BROKEN FRONT COIL SPRING AND THE TIRE. THIS COULD RESULT IN LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL AND A CRASH WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING.
Safety Risk
No risk description available.
Remedy
A SPRING CATCHER BRACKET WILL BE INSTALLED WHICH WILL PREVENT A FRACTURED SPRING FROM CONTACTING A TIRE.
A WELD FRACTURE MAY OCCUR ON THE HANGER BRACKET OF THE FRONT TRANSVERSE LINKS. THIS COULD RESULT IN SEPARATION OF THE BRACKET WITH SUBSEQUENT FAILURE OF THE LOWER SUSPENSION MOUNTING AND LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL.
Safety Risk
No risk description available.
Remedy
FRONT TRANSVERSE LINKS WILL BE INSPECTED AND REPLACED IF NECESSARY.
ON CERTAIN VEHICLES, THE LUG NUTS ON THESE VEHICLES MAY NOT CREATE SUFFICIENT CLAMP LOAD ALLOWING WHEEL MOVEMENT IN RELATION TO THE HUB/ROTOR MOUNTING SURFACE. THIS COULD RESULT IN LOOSENING OF THE LUG NUTS, STUD FATIGUE FAILURE, AND THE POTENTIAL FOR A WHEEL TO SEPARATE FROM THE VEHICLE.
Safety Risk
No risk description available.
Remedy
WHEEL STUDS WILL BE INSPECTED AND WHEEL LUG NUTS WILL BE REPLACED WITH REVISED VERSIONS.
