NHTSA campaign 99V243000 · Ford campaign 99S23

Ford and Mercury Recall 99V-243: FORD/AIR BAG SENSOR ASSEMBLY

Recall influenced by NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation

NHTSA recall 99V243000 (Ford campaign 99S23) was reported by FORD MOTOR COMPANY on September 8, 1999, with 280,481 vehicles potentially affected (per NHTSA). NHTSA's record lists the Ford Contour and Mercury Mystique for the 1998 model year. Owners were notified on September 27, 1999, 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 99V243000 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.

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Key facts

NHTSA campaign: 99V243000 (also written 99V-243 or 99V243)
Filed by: FORD MOTOR COMPANY
Ford campaign number: 99S23
Report received: September 8, 1999
Potentially affected: 280,481 vehicles (per NHTSA)
Component: Air Bags — Frontal — Sensor/Control Module-Inactive
Owners notified: September 27, 1999

Vehicles listed for this recall

NHTSA's recall record lists these vehicles for recall 99V243000. 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 Contour
- 1998 · Vehicles built January 2, 1997 – August 24, 1998 (per NHTSA)

All Ford recalls

Mercury

Mercury Mystique
- 1998 · Vehicles built January 2, 1997 – August 24, 1998 (per NHTSA)

All Mercury recalls

NHTSA's recall notice

As NHTSA's recall record states it for campaign 99V243000.

Defect description

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. THE AIR BAG SENSOR WIRING PIGTAIL INSULATION CAN BECOME BRITTLE AND CRACK OVER TIME DUE TO ACCUMULATION OF WATER IN THE PIGTAIL PROTECTIVE CONVOLUTE IN COMBINATION WITH HIGH UNDERHOOD TEMPERATURES RELATED TO THE ROUTING OF THE WIRING PIGTAIL NEAR THE RADIATOR. THIS CAN RESULT IN ENVIRONMENTAL STRESS CRACKING OF THE INSULATION.

Safety consequence

IN SOME CASES, THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT CAN ILLUMINATE AND THE AIR BAG SUPPLEMENTAL RESTRAINT SYSTEM DISABLED.

Manufacturer remedy

DEALERS WILL INSTALL AIR BAG SENSORS WITH REVISED WIRING INSULATION. IN ADDITION, VEHICLES WHICH HAVE THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED WILL HAVE A NEW AIR BAG DIAGNOSTIC MONITOR INSTALLED.

Notes

FORD RECALL NO. 99S23. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN SEPTEMBER 27, 1999.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 1-888-DASH-2-DOT (1-888-327-4236).

Sources

Official NHTSA notice for recall 99V243000

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.