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NHTSA campaign 03V280000 · Ford campaign 03S03

Ford and Mercury Recall 03V-280: FORD/SPEED CONTROL CABLE

NHTSA recall 03V280000 (Ford campaign 03S03) was reported by FORD MOTOR COMPANY on August 5, 2003, with 448,005 vehicles potentially affected (per NHTSA). NHTSA's record lists the Ford Explorer, Mercury Mountaineer, Ford Explorer Sport and more for model years 1999–2001. Owners were notified on August 29, 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 03V280000 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
03V280000 (also written 03V-280 or 03V280)
Filed by
FORD MOTOR COMPANY
Ford campaign number
03S03
Report received
Potentially affected
448,005 vehicles (per NHTSA)
Component
Vehicle Speed Control — Cables
Owners notified

Vehicles listed for this recall

NHTSA's recall record lists these vehicles for recall 03V280000. 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 Explorer

    • 1999, 2000, 2001 · Vehicles built March 5, 1999 – December 24, 2000 (per NHTSA)

  • Ford Explorer Sport

    • 2001 · Vehicles built September 24, 1999 – July 31, 2000 (per NHTSA)

  • Ford Explorer Sport Trac

    • 2001 · Vehicles built September 24, 1999 – July 31, 2000 (per NHTSA)
All Ford recalls

Mercury

  • Mercury Mountaineer

    • 1999, 2000, 2001 · Vehicles built March 5, 1999 – December 24, 2000 (per NHTSA)
All Mercury recalls

NHTSA's recall notice

As NHTSA's recall record states it for campaign 03V280000.

Defect description

ON CERTAIN SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH SPEED CONTROL AND 4.0L SOHC ENGINES, IF THE STRAND COVER ON THE SPEED CONTROL CABLE BECOMES FLARED AT THE END, THE SPEED CONTROL CABLE MAY BIND WHEN THE SPEED CONTROL IS ACTIVATED.

Safety consequence

THE THROTTLE RETURN SPRING FORCE MAY NOT BE SUFFICIENT TO OVERCOME THE BINDING CONDITION WHEN THE SPEED CONTROL IS DISENGAGED. BRAKING FUNCTION WOULD BE MAINTAINED THOUGH STOPPING DISTANCES MAY BE INCREASED.

Manufacturer remedy

DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE SPEED CONTROL CABLE AND, IF NECESSARY, REPLACE IT. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN AUGUST 29, 2003. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT FORD AT 1-800-392-3673.

Notes

FORD RECALL NO. 03S03.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 03V280000

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.