- Vehicles
- 113,200
- Built between
- Jul 1988 – Mar 1989
- Models
- 2
- Recall type
- Vehicle
- Initiated by
- Manufacturer
- Owners notified
- 9 June 1989
- Repaired
- Not reported
- Unrepaired
- Not reported
Does this affect my vehicle?
This recall covers vehicles built between July 1988 and March 1989. If yours was built outside that window, it is not part of this recall.
- 1989 Ford ThunderbirdBuilt July 1988 to March 1989
- 1989 Mercury CougarBuilt July 1988 to March 1989
What the defect is
Due to contact between the brake caliper of the inboard front wheel and the front stabilizer bar, there may be increased brake pedal travel following low speed turning maneuvers.
What could happen
This could cause a reduction in brake performancethat could result in an accident.
What gets fixed
INSTALL ACORN TYPE FRONT SUSPENSION STRUT NUTS TO ELIMINATE STABILIZER BAR TO BRAKE CALIPER CONTACT.
Timeline
- Vehicles builtJuly 1988 to March 1989
- Recall reported to NHTSA19 May 1989
- Owners notified9 June 1989
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 May 1989.
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
System: brakes/suspension.vehicle description: passenger cars.
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.