- Vehicles
- 43,626
- Built between
- From Feb 1997
- Models
- 2
- Recall type
- Vehicle
- Initiated by
- NHTSA investigation
- Owners notified
- 15 July 2005
- Repaired
- Not reported
- Unrepaired
- Not reported
Does this affect my vehicle?
This recall covers vehicles built between February 1997 and an unspecified date. If yours was built outside that window, it is not part of this recall.
- 1997 Ford Crown VictoriaBuilt March 1997 to unknown
- 1997 Mercury MarquisBuilt February 1997 to unknown
What the defect is
On certain passenger vehicles built with electronic traction control, the rear brake line may chafe due to contact between it and a floor pan stiffening rib, and a brake fluid leak may occur.
What could happen
The brake pedal may develop a "spongy" feel and drops of brake fluid may be observed beneath the vehicle. Over time brake performance may be compromised and stopping distances could be extended which could lead to a crash.
What gets fixed
DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE SUBJECT VEHICLES FOR CONTACT BETWEEN THE BRAKE TUBE AND FLOOR PAN STIFFENING RIB. IF CONTACT IS EVIDENT, BUT NO ABRASION OR LEAKS EXIST, THE BRAKE TUBE WILL BE REPOSITIONED TO PRECLUDE FURTHER CONTACT AND POTENTIAL ABRASION. IF INDICATION OF ABRASION OR A LEAK IS EVIDENT, DEALERS WILL REPAIR THE BRAKE LINE. THIS CAMPAIGN BEGAN ON JULY 15, 2005.
Timeline
- Vehicles builtFebruary 1997 to unknown
- Recall reported to NHTSA14 March 2005
- Owners notified15 July 2005
Your rights
A safety recall repair is free. Under US federal law the manufacturer must fix a safety defect at no cost to you — no charge for parts, labor or diagnosis — whether or not you are the original owner. A dealer cannot charge you for recall work, and cannot require you to have bought the vehicle from them.
That entitlement is not unlimited. It applies where the vehicle was first sold less than 15 years before the recall was announced — 5 years for tires. Past that a manufacturer may still do the repair free of charge, and many do, but they are no longer obliged to. This recall was reported on 14 March 2005.
To arrange the repair, contact any franchised dealer for the brand. If a dealer refuses the work or tries to charge for it, you can report that to NHTSA at nhtsa.gov/recalls or on 1-888-327-4236.
Manufacturer contact
Owners may contact ford at 1-800-392-3673.
Official source
- Manufacturer's recall number
- 04B26
- Recalling manufacturer
- FORD MOTOR COMPANY
- Recall initiated by
- ODI
Everything on this page — the models listed, the build dates and the repair figures — comes from the manufacturer's filing to NHTSA and describes the vehicle line as a whole, not any individual car. Only the manufacturer can confirm whether a specific vehicle is affected, and whether its recall work has already been carried out. Check yours by VIN and read the official notice at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Additional notes
Ford campaign no. 04B26.THIS action is deemed a safety improvement campaign and is not being conducted under the safety act.the company has informed NHTSA that it will provide the modifications described above free of charge.
Check your own vehicle
This page describes the recall, not any one car. To see which recalls cover a specific vehicle, search by make, model and year.
A VIN lookup here identifies your vehicle and shows recalls issued for that make, model and year. It cannot tell you what is still open on your individual car - only the manufacturer knows that. Search by VIN instead, or check your VIN at nhtsa.gov for whether a recall is still open on your individual car.