NHTSA Campaign 00V422000

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

Issued by FORD MOTOR COMPANY · Reported Dec 27, 2000 · 220,000 vehicles affected

What's wrong

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH 4.0L SOHC ENGINES AND STILL RETAIN THE ORIGINAL THROTTLE BODY (PART NUMBERS 97JF-9E926AB OR 97JF-9E926-AC). SOME OF THE ORIGINAL THROTTLE BODIES INSTALLED ALLOWED A GAP BETWEEN THE PLATE AND BORE TO BE BUILT TOO NARROW. THIS REDUCED CLEARANCE ALLOWED THE ENGINE DEPOSITS NORMALLY PRESENT IN THE THROTTLE BODY TO CONTACT OR BRIDGE THE GAP. IF THE ENGINE DEPOSITS BRIDGED THE GAP BETWEEN THE THROTTLE PLATE AND BORE AND THEN HARDENED, ON THE INITIAL APPLICATION OF THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL AFTER THE ENGINE HAS COOLED, THE OPERATOR WOULD NEED TO APPLY ADDITIONAL FORCE TO THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL TO BREAK THE BRIDGE.

Consequence

THIS COULD RESULT IN ENGINE SURGE WHEN THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL BREAKS FREE.

Remedy

DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE ORIGINAL THROTTLE BODIES.

Vehicles affected by this recall

Make Model Year Units
FORD EXPLORER 1997 220,000
FORD EXPLORER 1998 220,000
MERCURY MOUNTAINEER 1997 220,000
MERCURY MOUNTAINEER 1998 220,000

Source: NHTSA Campaign 00V422000 on nhtsa.gov. To check the current repair status for a specific vehicle, use our free VIN decoder.