Water intrusion into airbag monitor

An NHTSA Engineering Analysis into Ford vehicles. Closed 11 December 2002.

Investigation
EA02008
Type
Engineering Analysis
Opened
10 June 2002
Closed
11 December 2002

What NHTSA investigated

By letter of december 6, 2002, ford notified the agency that it would conduct a safety recall on all 1997 ford escort and mercury tracer vehicles.ford found that electrical shorting of the integrated air bag monitor (iabm)due to liquid intrusion of water or engine coolant can occur in the subject vehicles.ford and lincoln mercury dealers will install a protective shield over the iabm and apply nyogel grease to it's electrical connector.see ford's december 6, 2002 defect and noncompliance information report for details.

The recall that followed

  1. Ford — Air Bags: Sensor/Control Module-Inactive02V3230009 December 2002396,217 vehicles

Vehicles covered

MakeModelModel years
FordESCORT1997
MercuryTRACER1997

Source

From NHTSA’s investigation file, rebuilt daily. To report a problem with your own vehicle, go to nhtsa.gov/report-a-safety-problem. All open investigations.