Ford Motor Company: Steering › Linkages
Ford Motor Company reported this defect to federal regulators on Nov 6, 2002 and put the number of vehicles at risk at 446,569. The repair is free for as long as the recall stands.
The defect
CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES HAVE LOOSE PINCH BOLTS THAT SECURE THE LOWER CONTROL ARM TO THE STEERING KNUCKLE HAVE BEEN REPORTED.
The risk
LOOSE PINCH BOLTS COULD EXHIBIT NOISE, VIBRATION AND, IN EXTREME CASES IF LEFT UNCORRECTED, SEPARATION OF THE JOINT OR FRACTURE OF THE BALL JOINT STUD, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.
The remedy
DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE STEERING KNUCKLE PINCH BOLT FOR TIGHTNESS AND CORRECT AS NECESSARY. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN FEBRUARY 10, 2003. OWNERS WHO DO NOT RECEIVE THE FREE REMEDY WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME SHOULD CONTACT FORD AT 1-866-436-7332.
2 model years covered
Newest first| Vehicle | Complaints | Recalls | Fires | Crashes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2001 Ford Focus | 1,761 | 14 | 47 | 172 |
| 2000 Ford Focus | 3,686 | 18 | 118 | 248 |
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 02V289000.
Full record for the 2001 Ford Focus → · Recalls carrying a do-not-drive advisory → · Where this data comes from →