NHTSA campaign 02V323000 · Ford campaign 02S44
Ford and Mercury Recall 02V-323: FORD/INTEGRATED AIR BAG MONITOR CONTAMINATION
- Recall influenced by NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation
NHTSA recall 02V323000 (Ford campaign 02S44) was reported by FORD MOTOR COMPANY on December 9, 2002, with 396,217 vehicles potentially affected (per NHTSA). NHTSA's record lists the Ford Escort and Mercury Tracer for the 1997 model year. Owners were notified on February 11, 2003, per NHTSA.
Updated daily from NHTSA's recall files
Is my vehicle included?
This page lists, by model year, the vehicles NHTSA's recall record names for campaign 02V323000 in the model years try.vin imports (1995 and later); NHTSA's own record can list more. A model year on the list doesn't mean every vehicle of that year is included, and some may already have been repaired.
To see whether a specific vehicle is included and still needs the repair, enter its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Free VIN check: decode a VIN to see its year, make and model.
Key facts
- NHTSA campaign
- 02V323000 (also written 02V-323 or 02V323)
- Filed by
- FORD MOTOR COMPANY
- Ford campaign number
- 02S44
- Report received
- Potentially affected
- 396,217 vehicles (per NHTSA)
- Component
- Air Bags — Frontal — Sensor/Control Module-Inactive
- Owners notified
Vehicles listed for this recall
NHTSA's recall record lists these vehicles for recall 02V323000. try.vin imports model years 1995 and later, so NHTSA's own list can be longer. Model years with a try.vin recall page link to it. Build dates are NHTSA's range for a model year (per NHTSA); a vehicle built in that range is not necessarily included.
Ford
Ford Escort
- 1997 · Vehicles built November 2, 1995 – September 5, 1997 (per NHTSA)
Mercury
Mercury Tracer
- 1997 · Vehicles built November 2, 1995 – September 5, 1997 (per NHTSA)
NHTSA's recall notice
As NHTSA's recall record states it for campaign 02V323000.
Defect description
ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES, THE INTEGRATED AIR BAG MONITOR (IABM) CAN BE CONTAMINATED WITH WATER OR OTHER LIQUIDS AND COULD EXPERIENCE INTERNAL ELECTRICAL SHORTING.
Safety consequence
THIS MAY, IN TURN, CAUSE THE AIR BAG READINESS LIGHT TO ILLUMINATE AND IN VERY RARE OCCURRENCES, AIR BAG DEPLOYMENT, MELTED WIRING, OR FIRE MAY OCCUR.
Manufacturer remedy
DEALERS WILL INSTALL THE SHIELD OVER THE IABM AND APPLY NYOGEL GREASE TO THE CONNECTOR. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN FEBRUARY 11, 2003. OWNERS WHO TAKE THEIR VEHICLES TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON AN AGREED UPON SERVICE DATE AND DO NOT RECEIVE THE FREE REMEDY WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME SHOULD CONTACT FORD AT 1-866-436-7332.
Notes
CUSTOMERS CAN ALSO CONTACT THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION'S AUTO SAFETY HOTLINE AT 1-888-DASH-2-DOT (1-888-327-4236).
Sources
Official NHTSA notice for recall 02V323000
Campaign details come from NHTSA's recall files, which try.vin imports once a day. The plain-language subject and the completion rate come from the U.S. Department of Transportation's Recalls Data dataset. How try.vin reads recall data.