NHTSA Campaign 99V310001

STRUCTURE:BODY:HATCHBACK/LIFTGATE:SUPPORT DEVICE/STRUT

Issued by FORD MOTOR COMPANY · Reported Nov 3, 1999 · 470,582 vehicles affected

What's wrong

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: ON CERTAIN SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES, THE HYDRAULIC LIFT CYLINDER BRACKET WELDS COULD FRACTURE.

Consequence

WITH A BROKEN BRACKET WELD, THERE IS A POTENTIAL FOR THE LIFTGATE BRACKET TO GRADUALLY BEND INWARD ALLOWING THE LIFT CYLINDER BALL STUD TO DISENGAGE, UNEXPECTEDLY ALLOWING THE LIFTGATE TO FALL FROM AN OPEN POSITION.

Remedy

DEALERS WILL INSTALL LIFTGATE REINFORCEMENT BRACKETS. DEPENDING UPON THE CONDITION OF THE LIFTGATE SHEET METAL IN THE AREA OF THE BRACKET, DEALERS MAY ALSO INSTALL A LARGER REINFORCEMENT.

Vehicles affected by this recall

Make Model Year Units
FORD EXPLORER 1993 470,582
FORD EXPLORER 1994 470,582
FORD EXPLORER 1995 470,582

Source: NHTSA Campaign 99V310001 on nhtsa.gov. To check the current repair status for a specific vehicle, use our free VIN decoder.