Ford Exterior Lighting: Switch

Ford is recalling about 2,900 vehicles over a problem with the exterior lighting. Headlamps could turn off while vehicle is being driven orremain on after vehicle is parked.

Campaign
89V171000
Manufacturer
FORD MOTOR COMPANY
Reported
13 October 1989
Vehicles
2,900
Built between
Sep 1989 – Sep 1989
Models
2
Recall type
Vehicle
Initiated by
Manufacturer
Owners notified
4 October 1989
Repaired
Not reported
Unrepaired
Not reported

Does this affect my vehicle?

This recall covers vehicles built between September 1989 and September 1989. If yours was built outside that window, it is not part of this recall.

  • 1990 Ford TaurusBuilt September 1989 to September 1989
  • 1990 Mercury SableBuilt September 1989 to September 1989

What the defect is

An incorrect transistor may cause autolamp system light sensor module malfunction.

What could happen

Headlamps could turn off while vehicle is being driven orremain on after vehicle is parked. Loss of headlights while driving at nightcould be hazardous to the driver and other trafific.

What gets fixed

REPLACE LIGHT SENSOR MODULES.

Timeline

  1. Vehicles builtSeptember 1989 to September 1989
  2. Recall reported to NHTSA13 October 1989
  3. Owners notified4 October 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 13 October 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: autolamp headlamp control.vehicle description: passenger cars with autolamp headlamp control system.

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.

Same component

Same brand