Ford Motor Company: Safety Recalls in 1980

SOME OF THE SUBJECT VEHICLES MAY HAVE BEEN BUILT WITH FRONT WHEEL BRAKE HOSES THAT ARE TOO LONG. THIS MAY MAKE IT POSSIBLE FOR THE BRAKE HOSE TO CONTACT A FRONT TIRE DURING A FULL LEFT OR RIGHT TURN, WHICH COULD RESULT IN CHAFING OF THE BRAKE HOSE AND SUBSEQUENT BRAKE FLUID LEAKAGE.

ON SOME OF THE INVOLVED VEHICLES, THE BRAKE PUSHROD TO BRAKE PEDAL RETAINING PINS MAY BE MISSING OR LOOSE. INSECURELY INSTALLED OR MISSING RETAINERS COULD RESULT IN DISENGAGEMENT OF THE BRAKE PUSHROD AND TOTAL LOSS OF SERVICE BRAKING.

SOME OF THE INVOLVED VEHICLES HAVE ELECTRICAL RELAY SYSTEMS WHICH MAY BE SUSCEPTIBLE TO WATER LEAKAGE INTO THE RELAY CASE. WATER ENTRY MAY CAUSE A SHORT CIRCUIT WITHIN THE RELAY.

DURING A CHANGE IN ASSEMBLY PROCEDURES, CERTAIN OF THE MID-SHIP FUEL TANK STRAPS MAY HAVE BEEN IMPROPERLY INSTALLED OR MISLOCATED. AS A RESULT, THEY FAIL TO CONFORM TO FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 301, "FUEL SYSTEM INTEGRITY". IN THE EVENT OF A COLLISION, EXCESSIVE FUEL SPILLAGE MAY OCCUR.

SOME OF THE FLEXIBLE FIVE-BLADE ENGINE COOLING FANS MAY BE SUBJECT TO HIGH BLADE STRESSES THAT CAN RESULT FROM RESONANT VIBRATION INPUTS OCCURRING DURING NORMAL VEHICLE OPERATION. THIS CAN RESULT IN THE BLADES CRACKING DUE TO FATIGUE, AND PORTIONS OF THE BLADE MAY SEPARATE FROM THE FAN ASSEMBLY WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING.

SOME OF THE FLEXIBLE FIVE-BLADE ENGINE COOLING FANS MAY BE SUBJECT TO HIGH BLADE STRESSES THAT CAN RESULT FROM RESONANT VIBRATION INPUTS OCCURRING DURING NORMAL VEHICLE OPERATION. THIS CAN LEAD TO FATIGUE CRACKING OF THE BLADES. PORTIONS OF THE BLADE MAY SEPARATE FROM THE FAN ASSEMBLY WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING.

ON CERTAIN VEHICLES, METAL FASTENERS THAT WERE USED TO SECURE THE CARPETING TO THE FLOOR PAN MAY HAVE ACCIDENTALLY PENETRATED THE TOP OF THE FUEL TANK. THIS WOULD RESULT IN A SLIGHT FUEL LEAK.

THE INVOLVED VEHICLES WERE PRODUCED WITHOUT SURLYN-COATED FOIL INSULATORS BETWEEN THE ISOLATOR AND BRACKET ASSEMBLIES AND THE REAR BUMPER REINFORCEMENTS. AN EPOXY COATING WAS ALSO OMITTED FROM THE BRACKET ASSEMBLIES. WHEN EXPOSED TO THE CORROSIVE ACTION OF ROAD SALT, THE ALUMINUM REAR BUMPER REINFORCEMENT COULD EXPERIENCE GALVONIC CORROSION AT THE ATTACHMENT SURFACES. THIS WOULD REDUCE THE STRENGTH OF THE REINFORCEMENTS AND COULD RESULT IN BUMPER SEPARATION.

SOME OF THE INVOLVED VEHICLES WERE PRODUCED WITH AN ENGINE COMPARTMENT WIRE ASSEMBLY THAT MAY HAVE BEEN ROUTED ABOVE THE AIR CONDITIONING SUCTION HOSE. THIS HOSE MAY PUSH UP ON THE WIRING HARNESS CAUSING IT TO CONTACT THE HOOD PROP ROD BRACKET ATTACHING BOLT. THIS COULD LEAD TO PENETRATION OR CHAFING OF THE WIRING INSULATION.

ON CERTAIN VEHICLES, THE RIGHT AND LEFT HAND REAR BRAKE BACKING PLATE ATTACHMENT BOLTS MAY NOT HAVE BEEN TIGHTENED TO THE CORRECT SPECIFICATIONS. BACKING PLATE BOLTS MAY NOT BE ABLE TO WITHSTAND THE LOADS EXPERIENCED DURING TRUCK SHIPMENT. IF THE BOLTS LOOSEN FROM THE SPINDLE DURING OPERATION, BACKING PLATE MOVEMENT MAY RESULT IN WEAKENING OR PREMATURE WEAR OF ONE OR BOTH REAR BRAKE TUBES. THIS COULD LEAD TO LOSS OF BRAKE FLUID.

THE INVOLVED VEHICLES MAY START IN REVERSE GEAR. THIS DOES NOT COMPLY WITH FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 102, "TRANSMISSION SHIFT LEVER SEQUENCE, STARTER INTERLOCK, AND TRANSMISSION BRAKING AFFECT". SOME OF THESE VEHICLES MAY BE EQUIPPED WITH A DEFECTIVE NEUTRAL START SWITCH THAT OCCASIONALLY PERMITS ENGINE STARTING WITH THE TRANSMISSION SHIFT LEVER IN THE REVERSE ("R") POSITION.

CERTAIN VEHICLES WERE EQUIPPED WITH FRONT BRAKE HOSE ASSEMBLIES THAT WERE INCORRECTLY MANUFACTURED BY THE SUPPLIER. THESE ASSEMBLIES, BOTH RH AND LH, WERE INCORRECTLY BUILT WITH THE FITTINGS MISORIENTED BY 90 DEGREES. THIS COULD CAUSE CHAFING OF THE BRAKE HOSE THROUGH CONTACT WITH THE ADJACENT TIRE DURING FULL TURNS. CONTINUED CHAFING COULD RESULT IN A BRAKE FLUID LEAK.

SOME OF THE ENGINE COOLING FANS ON THE INVOLVED VEHICLES MAY BE SUBJECT TO HIGH BLADE STRESSES THAT CAN RESULT FROM RESONANT VIBRATION INPUTS OCCURRING DURING NORMAL VEHICLE OPERATION.

THE INVOLVED VEHICLES WERE MANUFACTURED WITHOUT THE MIDSHIP FUEL TANK PROTECTIVE SHIELDS. AS A RESULT, THEY DO NOT CONFORM TO FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 301, "FUEL SYSTEM INTEGRITY", DUE TO EXCESSIVE FUEL SPILLAGE UPON FRONTAL IMPACT.

THE INVOLVED VEHICLES DO NOT HAVE A PROTECTIVE FUEL TANK SHIELD. AS A RESULT THE 137 INCH AND 161 INCH WHEELBASE CHASSIS CABS FAIL TO CONFORM TO FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 301, "FUEL SYSTEM INTEGRITY". IF THE ABOVE VEHICLES UNDERGO FRONTAL IMPACT, THE DRIVE SHAFT FRONT UNIVERSAL JOINT MAY COME INTO CONTACT WITH THE FUEL TANK, RESULTING IN FUEL SPILLAGE.

THE INVOLVED CHASSIS CABS WERE IMPROPERLY EQUIPPED WITH OUTSIDE REARVIEW MIRRORS WITH A REFLECTIVE SURFACE AREA OF TWENTY SQUARE INCHES, WHICH DOES NOT COMPLY WITH FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 111, "REARVIEW MIRRORS". THIS REQUIRES VEHICLES WITH A GVWR OF MORE THAT 10,000 LBS. TO BE EQUIPPED WITH OUTSIDE REARVIEW MIRRORS OF NOT LESS THAN FIFTY SQUARE INCHES OF REFLECTIVE SURFACE AREA.

ON CERTAIN VEHICLES, TWO FUEL LINE BRACKETS WERE INCORRECTLY POSITIONED, ALLOWING THE FUEL LINE TO COME INTO CONTACT WITH THE LEFT HAND FRONT BRAKE JOUNCE HOSE. CONTACT WITH THE FUEL LINE, WHICH HAS A METAL OUTER SHIELD, COULD CAUSE CHAFING OF THE BRAKE HOSE.

DUE TO COMPUTER INPUT ERROR WHICH RESULTED IN AN INCORRECT BUILD SCHEDULE, SOME VEHICLES WERE SHIPPED WITHOUT THE REQUIRED EXHAUST SYSTEM HEAT SHIELDS. WHEN THE VEHICLE IS IDLED OVER AN EXTENDED PERIOD OF TIME, A MISSING EXHAUST HEAT SHIELD MAY RESULT IN DANGEROUSLY HIGH FLOOR PAN TEMPERATURES.

CERTAIN VEHICLES WERE PRODUCED WITH WHEEL ASSEMBLIES THAT MAY HAVE CRACKS NEAR THE BOLT HOLES IN THE WHEEL DISC. DURING VEHICLE USE, THE CRACKS COULD GRADUALLY INCREASE AND RESULT IN PARTIAL OR COMPLETE SEPARATION OF THE WHEEL AND TIRE ASSEMBLY FROM THE VEHICLE.

STOP LAMP SWITCHES ON CERTAIN VEHICLES MAY HAVE BEEN CONTAMINATED WITH OIL, WHICH COULD DEGRADE THE CONTACTS AND RESULT IN A LOSS OF STOP LAMP FUNCTION.

MISBUILT WIRING HARNESSES MAY HAVE BEEN INSTALLED ON CERTAIN VEHICLES. THIS WOULD ALLOW THE POWER WINDOWS TO BE OPERATED WHILE THE IGNITION KEY IS TURNED OFF, A CONDITION WHICH FAILS TO COMPLY WITH FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 118, "POWER OPERATED WINDOW SYSTEMS".

CERTAIN VEHICLES WERE NOT EQUIPPED WITH A FRONT PROTECTIVE SHIELD FOR THE MID-SHIP FUEL TANK. THESE VEHICLES DO NOT COMPLY WITH FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 301, "FUEL SYSTEM INTEGRITY". IN THE EVENT OF A FRONTAL COLLISION, EXCESSIVE FUEL SPILLAGE MAY OCCUR.

THE ACCESSORY FEED WIRE ASSEMBLY MAY HAVE BEEN PINCHED BENEATH A MOUNTING BOLT BY THE CLIMATE CONTROL AIR DUCT ASSEMBLY. IF THIS CONDITION EXISTS, A HIGH RESISTANCE "SHORT" MAY OCCUR AND CAUSE THE WIRE TO OVERHEAT.

ON CERTAIN VEHICLES, THE PINCH BOLT AND NUT USED TO ATTACH THE INTERMEDIATE STEERIING SHAFT TO THE STEERING COLUMN WERE OMITTED DURING ASSEMBLY. THIS COULD RESULT IN SEPARATION OF THE STEERING SHAFT FROM THE STEERING COLUMN.

CERTAIN VEHICLES MAY HAVE BEEN ASSEMBLED WITHOUT THE SPECIFIED EXHAUST SYSTEM HEAT SHIELDS. THE ABSENCE OF THESE SHIELDS COULD CAUSE HIGH FLOOR PAN TEMPERATURES AND SMOLDERING OF THE FLOOR COVERINGS UNDER CERTAIN DRIVING OR ENGINE MALFUNCTION CONDITIONS.