Ford Motor Company: Safety Recalls in 1979

WINDSHIELDS MAY HAVE BEEN INSTALLED ON THESE VEHICLES WITHOUT THE APPLICATION OF A BUTYL PRIMER ON THE MOUNTING SURFACE OF THE GLAZING. THE PRIMER IS REQUIRED TO ENSURE ADEQUATE RETENTION OF THE WINDSHIELD TO ITS OPENING FLANGE. THIS CONSTITUTES A NON-COMPLIANCE WITH FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 212, "WINDSHIELD MOUNTING".

THE RECLINING SEAT ASSEMBLIES MAY HAVE A POOR QUALITY OR A MISSING WELD IN THE SEAT BACK FRAME. THIS COULD CAUSE ADDITIONAL LOADING ON OTHER SUPPORTIVE ELEMENTS IN THE SEAT WHICH COULD RESULT IN LOOSENING AND EVENTUAL BREAKAGE OF THE SEAT BACK.

THE GEAR SHIFT SELECTOR LEVER MAY BREAK DURING SHIFTING.

THE INVOLVED VEHICLES DO NOT CONFORM TO FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 105, "HYDRAULIC BRAKE SYSTEMS". REAR AXLE ASSEMBLIES INTENDED FOR OTHER VEHICLES MAY HAVE BEEN INSTALLED IN THE INVOLVED VEHICLES. THE WHEEL CYLINDERS MAY NOT BE THE CORRECT SIZE. THIS COULD AFFECT BRAKING PERFORMANCE.

THE PARKING PAWL ACTUATING ROD IN THE TRANSMISSION MAY HAVE AN INSUFFICIENT OR CRACKED WELD. THIS CAN CAUSE THE PARK CAM END TO SEPARATE FROM THE ROD ITSELF, PREVENTING THE PARKING PAWL FROM ENGAGING THE PARKING GEAR WHEN THE SELECTOR IS PLACED IN THE PARK POSITION.

THE OPTIONAL TANDEM SUSPENSION ASSEMBLY MAY HAVE BEEN INSTALLED USING A STANDARD BEAM END ADAPTER KIT, RATHER THAN THE REQUIRED SPECIAL KIT. PROGRESSIVE DETERIORATION COULD OCCUR TO THE ADAPTER TO BEAM END BUSHING JOINT, POSSIBLY RESULTING IN FRACTURE OF THE BEAM TO AXLE ATTACHING BOLTS.

THE INVOLVED VEHICLES WERE BUILT WITH AN ALUMINUM REAR BUMPER REINFORCEMENT ATTACHED TO TWO STEEL MOUNTING SURFACES. IN CLIMATES WHERE LARGE AMOUNTS OF ROCK SALT ARE USED, THE ALUMINUM REINFORCEMENT COULD EXPERIENCE CORROSION WHERE IT ATTACHES TO THE VEHICLE.

DIMENSIONAL DIFFERENCES IN THE 1980 VERSUS THE 1979 ASSEMBLIES MAY ALLOW THE INNER BRAKE LINING/SHOE TO MOVE OUTWARD TO A POSITION WHERE IT IS NO LONGER RETAINED IN THE SHOE SLOT WHEN THE FRONT BRAKE INNER LININGS BECOME WORN TO THE POINT OF NEEDING REPLACEMENT. THE INNER BRAKE SHOE COULD THEN WEDGE BETWEEN THE ROTOR AND SPINDLE, POSSIBLY CAUSING A SUDDEN LOCK-UP OF ONE FRONT WHEEL. THIS CAN OCCUR WITHOUT BRAKE APPLICATION AND WOULD ADVERSELY AFFECT STEERING CONTROL. THESE DIMENSIONAL DIFFERENCES COULD ALSO ALLOW ADDITIONAL TRAVEL OF THE BRAKE PISTON SUCH THAT A LOSS OF BRAKE FLUID FROM THE FRONT BRAKE SYSTEM MAY OCCUR. THIS WOULD RESULT IN INCREASED STOPPING DISTANCES.

THE INVOLVED VEHICLES MAY HAVE BEEN PRODUCED WITH REAR AXLE SHAFTS (RIGHT OR LEFT) THAT DID NOT RECEIVE PROPER HEAT TREATMENT OF THE BEARING JOURNALS.

THE STOP LAMP SWITCH MAY HAVE BEEN INSTALLED IN A LOW PRESSURE PART OF THE HYDRAULIC BRAKE SYSTEM. CONSEQUENTLY, THERE MAY BE INSUFFICIENT PRESSURE TO ACTUATE THE LAMP SWITCH AND ILLUMINATE THE STOP LAMPS DURING LIGHT BRAKE APPLICATIONS.

THE HEADLAMP SWITCHES ON THE INVOLVED VEHICLES MAY FAIL WITHOUT WARNING AND CAUSE LOSS OF VEHICLE INSTRUMENT AND ROAD LIGHTS.

A NUMBER OF WHEEL ASSEMBLIES ON THE INVOLVED VEHICLES MAY HAVE SUBSTANDARD WELDS IN THE AREA WHERE THE DISC IS ATTACHED TO THE RIM. SUBSTANDARD WELDS CAN CAUSE CRACKS TO OCCUR IN THE WHEEL ASSEMBLY. RAPID LOSS OF AIR PRESSURE IN THE TIRE OR SEPARATION OF THE WHEEL RIM FROM THE DISC COULD RESULT.

THE CAST HUBS ON SOME OF THE INVOLVED VEHICLES WERE IMPROPERLY MANUFACTURED. THEY MAY BE SUBJECT TO HIGH MILEAGE FATIGUE CRACKS AT THE INNER BEARING AREA OR ALONG THE FLANGE PORTIONS TO WHICH THE WHEELS ARE MOUNTED.

THE WHEEL ASSEMBLY MAY CONTAIN SUBSTANDARD WELDS IN THE AREA WHERE THE DISC IS ATTACHED TO THE RIM. AS A RESULT, CRACKS CAN FORM IN THE WHEEL ASSEMBLY, CAUSING AIR LOSS AND AN UNDERINFLATED TIRE.

THE AIR CONDITIONERS ON SOME VEHICLES CONTAIN BLOWER MOTOR RESISTORS THAT MAY CAUSE OVERHEATING OF THE HOUSING MATERIAL.

THE INCORRECTLY INSTALLED LEFT FRONT BRAKE HOSES MAY ALLOW FOR CONTACT BETWEEN THE FRONT BRAKE HOSES AND THE FRONT TIRES WHEN THE FRONT WHEELS ARE IN FULL RIGHT OR LEFT TURN POSITIONS. IF CONTACT IS MADE, THE HOSE COULD WEAR AND ALLOW BRAKE FLUID TO LEAK OUT.

CERTAIN VEHICLES MAY NOT CONTAIN THE SPECIFIED BODY MOUNTED HEAT SHIELDS. THIS COULD CAUSE HIGH FLOOR PAN TEMPERATURES WHEN THE ENGINE IS IDLED FOR EXTENDED PERIODS OF TIME. FOULED SPARK PLUGS OR OTHER ENGINE CONDITIONS COULD FURTHER INCREASE EXHAUST TEMPERATURES.

THE INVOLVED VEHICLES WERE PRODUCED WITH FRAMES THAT MAY HAVE INADEQUATELY WELDED #2 CROSSMEMBER ASSEMBLIES. THIS COULD OCCUR IF CERTAIN MANUAL WELD OPERATIONS WERE NOT PERFORMED DURING FRAME FABRICATION. SEVERE OPERATING CONDITIONS WHICH MAY OCCUR IN POLICE DUTY, MAY CAUSE CRACKING AROUND THE GUSSET, ALLOWING IT TO SEPARATE FROM THE FRAME.

THE INVOLVED VEHICLES WERE PRODUCED WITH BRAKE PUSH-ROD TO BRAKE PEDAL RETAINING PINS WHICH WERE NOT HEAT-TREATED AS SPECIFIED. THIS COULD ALLOW THE BRAKE PEDAL TO BECOME DISENGAGED FROM THE PUSH-ROD.

SOME VEHICLES WERE PRODUCED WITH BRAKE CONTROL VALVES AND BRAKE TUBES INTENDED FOR USE IN VEHICLES WITHOUT TRAILER TOW PACKAGES.

SOME OF THESE VEHICLES WERE PRODUCED WITH MISINDEXED FRONT BRAKE HOSES WHICH COULD CONTACT A TIRE OR WHEEL IN A FULL-TURN CONDITION. CHAFING AND WEAR TO THE BRAKE HOSE COULD RESULT IN LOSS OF BRAKE FLUID AND FRONT WHEEL BRAKING CAPABILITY.

WITH THE ENGINE OPERATING AT HIGH SPEED, THE PLASTIC ENGINE FAN FINGER GUARDS MAY CONTACT THE ENGINE FAN AND BREAKAGE OF THE GUARD MAY OCCUR. THIS COULD CAUSE FRAGMENTS OF THE FINGER GUARD TO SCATTER.

CERTAIN AIR BRAKE ANTI-LOCK MODULATORS COULD MALFUNCTION DURING OPERATION OF THE ANTI-LOCK SYSTEM. A NYLON PISTON WITHIN THE MODULATOR AIR VALVE SYSTEM CAN SWELL FROM EXPOSURE TO SYSTEM CONTAMINANTS. CONTINUED EXPOSURE MAY CAUSE THE PISTON TO SWELL TO THE EXTENT THAT INTERFERENCE WITH THE CYLINDER WALL WILL RESULT, CAUSING MOMENTARY STICKING OR A PERMANENT JAM. THIS CAN RESULT IN TEMPORARY OR PERMANENT LOSS OF BRAKING FOR THE AFFECTED AXLE.

USE OF AN ALTERNATE ALUMINUM ALLOY WHICH HAS A LOWER STRENGTH IN HOT STATE, MAY ALLOW CRACKING OF BRAKE PEDAL LEVERS. REPEATED BRAKING OR HIGH BRAKE PEDAL LOADING MAY RESULT IN COMPLETE FRACTURE WHICH WOULD PREVENT APPLICATION OF THE SERVICE BRAKES.

VEHICLES FAIL TO CONFORM TO FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 110, "TIRE SELECTIN AND RIMS". TIRE PLACARDS MAY LIST INCORRECT INFORMATION IN REGARD TO INFLATION PRESSURES.

THE AIR BRAKE LINES MAY BE ROUTED TOO CLOSE TO THE EXHAUST MUFFLER. BECAUSE THE AIR BRAKE LINES ARE MADE OF NYLON MATERIAL, HEAT FROM THE EXHAUST MUFFLER CAN WEAKEN THE BRAKE LINE TUBES, POSSIBLY CAUSING THEM TO RUPTURE. TUBE RUPTURE COULD RESULT IN LOSS OF AIR IN THE SECONDARY AIR BRAKE SYSTEM.

AN INCORRECT STEERING GEAR FLANGE MAY HAVE BEEN INSTALLED, WHICH MAY SLIP AND CAUSE EVENTUAL LOSS OF STEERING CONTROL.

THE INVOLVED VEHICLES WERE ASSEMBLED WITH IMPROPERLY MANUFACTURED STEERING ARM KNUCKLES. SHOULD AN IMPROPERLY MANUFACTURED STEERING ARM KNUCKLE FRACTURE AND SEPARATE, THE STEERING LINKAGE TIE ROD MAY DISENGAGE FROM THE KNUCKLE.

THE INVOLVED VEHICLES WERE MANUFACTURED WITHOUT A FUEL TANK SHIELD AT THE FRONT RIGHT CORNER OF THE MIDSHIP FUEL TANK. AS A RESULT, THE VEHICLES DO NOT CONFORM TO FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 301, "FUEL SYSTEM INTEGRITY". IN THE EVENT OF A VEHICLE ACCIDENT, EXCESSIVE FUEL SPILLAGE COULD RESULT.

THE INVOLVED VEHICLES WERE BUILT WITH SAFETY COMPLIANCE CERTIFICATION LABELS THAT CONTAINED INCORRECT GVWR AND GAWR WEIGHT INFORMATION. THE GVWR"S COULD BE OVERSTATED BY UP TO 197 LBS., DUE TO AN ERROR IN THE REPORTING OF INCREMENTAL OPTION WEIGHTS USED TO DERIVE THE GVWR"S AND GAWR"S.

THE WORD "LIGHTS" WAS OMITTED FROM THE PANEL APPLIQUE IDENTIFYING THE HEADLAMP SWITCH. WITHOUT THIS IDENTIFICATION THE INVOLVED VEHICLES DO NOT CONFORM TO FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 101, "CONTROLS AND DISPLAYS".

THE INVOLVED VEHICLES DO NOT CONFORM TO FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 212, "WINDSHIELD MOUNTING", IN THAT SOME OF THE VEHICLES WERE BUILT WITHOUT THE SPECIFIED WINDSHIELD WEATHERSTRIP RETAINING COMPONENTS.

SOME OF THE INVOLVED VEHICLES DO NOT HAVE THE HAIR PIN CLIP USED TO RETAIN THE PUSHROD TO THE BRAKE PEDAL PUSHROD PIN INSTALLED. IF THIS CLIP IS MISSING, THE PUSHROD MAY BECOME DISENGAGED FROM THE BRAKE PEDAL PUSHROD PIN.

THE INVOLVED VEHICLES MAY HAVE BEEN BUILT WITH INCORRECT WELD NUTS THAT ATTACH THE REAR PORTION OF THE FRONT OUTBOARD SEAT TRACK TO THE FLOOR PAN. THE INCORRECT NUTS HAVE AN OVERSIZE DIAMETER AND THREAD, AND UPON FRONT SEAT TRACK ANCHOR BOLT INSTALLATION, THE THREADS MAY HAVE BEEN STRIPPED.