Ford Motor Company: Exterior Lighting › Tail Lights › Switch
Ford Motor Company reported this defect to federal regulators on Mar 12, 2001 and put the number of vehicles at risk at 157,000. The repair is free for as long as the recall stands.
The defect
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH ADJUSTABLE PEDALS. IF THE GREASE FROM THE ADJUSTABLE PEDAL ASSEMBLY ENTERS THE STOP LAMP SWITCH, IT CAN CONTAMINATE THE CONTACTS LEADING TO CARBON BUILD UP, AND POTENTIALLY, A SHORT CIRCUIT.
The risk
A SHORT CIRCUIT COULD LEAD TO EITHER THE BRAKE LAMPS STAYING ON, OR TO A LOSS OF BRAKE LAMP FUNCTION, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.
The remedy
DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE BRAKE LAMP SWITCH AND WIPE DOWN THE ADJUSTABLE PEDAL ASSEMBLY TO REMOVE EXCESS GREASE. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN MARCH 22, 2001. 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.
4 model years covered
Newest first| Vehicle | Complaints | Recalls | Fires | Crashes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2001 Ford Taurus | 1,037 | 10 | 15 | 92 |
| 2001 Mercury Sable | 430 | 9 | 7 | 32 |
| 2000 Ford Taurus | 1,195 | 8 | 25 | 102 |
| 2000 Mercury Sable | 464 | 7 | 8 | 34 |
What this page is, and what to do next
A recall is not an opinion. It is a Part 573 report a manufacturer is required by federal law to file once it decides a defect poses an unreasonable risk to safety, and it commits them to repairing the vehicle at no cost to the owner. The three passages above are the manufacturer’s own wording as published by NHTSA.
This page describes the campaign. It cannot tell you whether one particular car has already been through the shop — that is tracked by VIN, and only the manufacturer knows it. Check yours at nhtsa.gov/recalls or with a franchised dealer, quoting campaign number 01V078000.
Full record for the 2001 Ford Taurus → · Recalls carrying a do-not-drive advisory → · Where this data comes from →