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NHTSA campaign 03V281000 · Ford campaign 03S04

Ford and Mercury Recall 03V-281: FORD/HIGH BACK SEATS

  • Recall influenced by NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation

NHTSA recall 03V281000 (Ford campaign 03S04) was reported by FORD MOTOR COMPANY on August 5, 2003, with 1,552,880 vehicles potentially affected (per NHTSA). NHTSA's record lists the Ford Explorer, Mercury Mountaineer, Ford Explorer Sport and more for model years 1998–2002. 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 03V281000 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
03V281000 (also written 03V-281 or 03V281)
Filed by
FORD MOTOR COMPANY
Ford campaign number
03S04
Report received
Potentially affected
1,552,880 vehicles (per NHTSA)
Component
Seats — Front Assembly — Recliner
Owners notified

Vehicles listed for this recall

NHTSA's recall record lists these vehicles for recall 03V281000. 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

    • 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001 · Vehicles built May 13, 1997 – December 24, 2000 (per NHTSA)

  • Ford Explorer Sport

    • 2001, 2002 · Vehicles built September 24, 1999 – August 16, 2002 (per NHTSA)

  • Ford Explorer Sport Trac

    • 2001, 2002 · Vehicles built September 24, 1999 – August 16, 2002 (per NHTSA)
All Ford recalls

Mercury

  • Mercury Mountaineer

    • 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001 · Vehicles built May 13, 1997 – December 24, 2000 (per NHTSA)
All Mercury recalls

NHTSA's recall notice

As NHTSA's recall record states it for campaign 03V281000.

Defect description

ON CERTAIN SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH HIGH BACK SEATS, THE UPPER BOLT ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE HIGH BACK SEAT, THAT ATTACHES THE SEAT RECLINER MECHANISM TO THE SEAT BACK FRAME, COULD FRACTURE. IF THE BOLT FRACTURES AND DOES NOT JAM IN THE SEAT BACK FRAME, THE SEAT BACK MAY RECLINE UNTIL IT MAKES CONTACT WITH AN OBJECT BEHIND THE SEAT, SUCH AS THE SECOND ROW SEAT CUSHION.

Safety consequence

THE DRIVER COULD POTENTIALLY LOSE CONTACT WITH THE STEERING WHEEL OR FOOT PEDALS DURING SUCH AN EVENT, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.

Manufacturer remedy

DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE DRIVER SEAT UPPER BOLT WITH A METAL SPACER AND BOLT. IN ADDITION, SEATS WITH TUBULAR BACK FRAMES WILL HAVE THE FULLY THREADED LOWER RECLINER BOLT REPLACED WITH A PARTIALLY THREADED BOLT. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN ON AUGUST 29, 2003. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT FORD AT 1-800-392-3673.

Notes

FORD RECALL NO. 03S04.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 03V281000

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.