NHTSA campaign 97V203000
Ford Recall 97V-203: FORD/CNG SOLENOID VALVE
NHTSA recall 97V203000 was reported by FORD MOTOR COMPANY on November 17, 1997, with 1,800 vehicles potentially affected (per NHTSA). NHTSA's record lists the Ford Contour for model years 1996–1997. Owners were notified on February 9, 1998, 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 97V203000 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.
Ford VIN check: decode a VIN to see its year, make and model.
Key facts
- NHTSA campaign
- 97V203000 (also written 97V-203 or 97V203)
- Filed by
- FORD MOTOR COMPANY
- Report received
- Potentially affected
- 1,800 vehicles (per NHTSA)
- Component
- Fuel System, Other — Storage
- Owners notified
Vehicles listed for this recall
NHTSA's recall record lists these vehicles for recall 97V203000. 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
All Ford recallsNHTSA's recall notice
As NHTSA's recall record states it for campaign 97V203000.
Defect description
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: BI-FUEL VEHICLES MODIFIED TO RUN ON EITHER GASOLINE OR COMPRESSED NATURAL GAS (CNG). THE NATURAL GAS FUEL TANKS HAVE A SOLENOID SHUT-OFF VALVE THAT STOPS FUEL FLOW FROM THE FUEL TANK IN THE EVENT OF CERTAIN MODERATE TO SEVERE COLLISIONS. IF THE VEHICLE IS IN A COLLISION AND THE NATURAL GAS FUEL LINE IS DAMAGED, THE SYSTEM COULD LEAK NATURAL GAS.
Safety consequence
FUEL LEAKAGE IN THE PRESENCE OF AN IGNITION SOURCE COULD RESULT IN A FIRE.
Manufacturer remedy
FORD HAS REQUESTED OWNERS OF THESE VEHICLES TO HAVE THE CNG FUEL SYSTEM DISABLED UNDER A PREVIOUS RECALL CAMPAIGN AND TO ONLY USE GASOLINE FUEL UNTIL A PERMANENT CORRECTIVE ACTION IS DEVELOPED. OWNERS ARE BEING ALERTED TO THIS SOLENOID VALVE CONCERN AT THIS TIME. THE TIMING OF CORRECTIVE ACTIONS IS BEING DELAYED TO ALLOW BOTH CONDITIONS TO BE REMEDIED AT ONE TIME. IN THE MEANTIME, THERE IS NOT RISK AS LONG AS THE NATURAL GAS SYSTEM HAS BEEN DISABLED AND THE VHEICLE IS ONLY OPERATED ON GASOLINE.
Notes
OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN FEBRUARY 9, 1998.OWNERS WILL BE NOTIFIED WHEN SERVICE KITS ARE AVAILABLE.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 1-800-392-3673.ALSO CONTACT THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION'S AUTO SAFETY HOTLINE AT 1-800-424-9393.
Sources
Official NHTSA notice for recall 97V203000
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.