- Vehicles
- 481,049
- Built between
- Aug 1983 – Aug 1985
- Models
- 3
- Recall type
- Vehicle
- Initiated by
- NHTSA investigation
- Owners notified
- 19 July 1989
- Repaired
- Not reported
- Unrepaired
- Not reported
Does this affect my vehicle?
This recall covers vehicles built between August 1983 and August 1985. If yours was built outside that window, it is not part of this recall.
- 1984-1985 Ford EscortBuilt August 1983 to August 1985
- 1984 Ford EXPBuilt August 1983 to August 1985
- 1984-1985 Mercury LynxBuilt August 1983 to August 1985
What the defect is
External cracks above the number 3 cylinder (1984 models) or rocker arm cover gaskets splitting (1985 models) could allow oil to leak onto the exhaust manifold.
What could happen
Engine oil leaking onto a hot exhaust manifold couldresult in an engine compartment fire.
What gets fixed
REPLACE CRACKED CYLINDER HEADS (1984 MODELS); REPLACE ROCKER ARM COVER GASKETS (1985 MODELS).
Timeline
- Vehicles builtAugust 1983 to August 1985
- Recall reported to NHTSA12 June 1989
- Owners notified19 July 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 12 June 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
- 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
System:engine/cylinder heads, rocker arm cover gaskets.vehicle description:passenger cars with 1.6L and 1.9L engines.
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.