- Vehicles
- 358
- Built between
- Jun 1978 – Jun 1978
- Models
- 2
- Recall type
- Vehicle
- Initiated by
- Manufacturer
- Owners notified
- 14 August 1978
- Repaired
- Not reported
- Unrepaired
- Not reported
Does this affect my vehicle?
This recall covers vehicles built between June 1978 and June 1978. If yours was built outside that window, it is not part of this recall.
- 1978 Ford FairmontBuilt June 1978 to June 1978
- 1978 Mercury ZephyrBuilt June 1978 to June 1978
What the defect is
Transmission shift control rods were installed that were intended for use with the steering columns of a prior design level. Attachment of the shift control rod with the steering column shift lever grommet will allow relative movement between these parts. Continued usage could result in grommet wear and deterioration of the shift control function, with the potential for starting in gear or an inability to engage the parking gear.
What gets fixed
DRIVER WILL INSPECT AND, IF NECESSARY, INSTALL NEW TRANSMISSION SHIFT LINKAGE PARTS, WITHOUT CHARGE TO OWNER.
Timeline
- Vehicles builtJune 1978 to June 1978
- Recall reported to NHTSA19 June 1978
- Owners notified14 August 1978
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 19 June 1978.
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.
Official source
- Recalling manufacturer
- FORD MOTOR COMPANY
- Recall initiated by
- MFR
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
Vehicle description: passenger vehicles equipped with automatic transmissionsand steering column mounted shift controls.system: transmission; shift linkage.consequences of defect: if the vehicle is parked without engaging the parkingbrake, it could roll free, causing injury and damage to persons and property inits path.note: since the vehicle may inadvertently be started in gear, the parking brakeshould be firmly applied while starting the engine, prior to correction of theproblem.
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.