Ford Power Train: Transfer Case (4-Wheel Drive)

Ford is recalling about 75,000 vehicles over a problem with the power train. This condition can cause a loss of vehicle control, and, if the expelled fluid contacts the exhaust system, a vehicle fire could occur.

Campaign
97V204000
Manufacturer
FORD MOTOR COMPANY
Reported
13 November 1997
Vehicles
75,000
Built between
Jan 1992 – Jan 1997
Models
1
Recall type
Vehicle
Initiated by
Manufacturer
Owners notified
16 February 1998
Repaired
Not reported
Unrepaired
Not reported

Does this affect my vehicle?

This recall covers vehicles built between January 1992 and January 1997. If yours was built outside that window, it is not part of this recall.

  • 1992-1997 Ford AerostarBuilt January 1992 to January 1997

What the defect is

Vehicle description: all wheel drive passenger minivans. These vehicles can develop powertrain bending resonance or transfer case output shaft bushing displacement. The powertrain bending resonance or the output shaft bushing displacement can result in structural failure of the transmission and/or transfer case. Fluid explusion, driveshaft separation or loss of vehicle drive can result.

What could happen

This condition can cause a loss of vehicle control, and, if the expelled fluid contacts the exhaust system, a vehicle fire could occur.

What gets fixed

DEALERS WILL INSTALL A NEW TRANSFER CASE REAR OUTPUT SHAFT BUSHING AND AN ALUMINUM DRIVESHAFT WILL BE INSTALLED.

Timeline

  1. Vehicles builtJanuary 1992 to January 1997
  2. Recall reported to NHTSA13 November 1997
  3. Owners notified16 February 1998

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 November 1997.

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

Owner notification is expected to begin february 16,1998.OWNERS who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact ford at 1-800-392-3673.ALSO contact the national highway traffic safety administration's auto safety hotline at 1-800-424-9393.

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