Ford Motor Company: Wheels
Ford Motor Company reported this defect to federal regulators on Aug 5, 2003 and put the number of vehicles at risk at 29,946. The repair is free for as long as the recall stands.
The defect
ON CERTAIN POLICE AND TAXI VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH STEEL WHEELS, SOME OF THE WHEELS MAY DEVELOP CRACKS IN THE RIM NEAR THE WELD LINE THAT CONNECTS THE RIM TO THE DISK.
The risk
THE CRACKS CAN ULTIMATELY RESULT IN RAPID AIR LOSS FROM THE TIRE AND COULD AFFECT VEHICLE CONTROL, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.
The remedy
DEALERS WILL INSPECT AND REPLACE THE FOUR ROAD WHEELS AND SPARE WHEEL WITH THE MANUFACTURING DATE CODES OF AUGUST 18, 2001 THROUGH SEPTEMBER 22, 2002. IN ADDITION, FORD IS PROVIDING EXTENDED WARRANTY COVERAGE FOR WHEELS ON 2003 CROWN VICTORIA POLICE INTERCEPTOR AND TAXIS BUILT FROM OCTOBER 1, 2002 THROUGH APRIL 29, 2003. THESE WHEELS ARE EXHIBITING CRACKS AT A SUBSTANTIALLY LOWER RATE THAN THOSE WHEELS INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN ON AUGUST 8, 2003. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT FORD AT 1-800-392-3673.
2 model years covered
Newest first| Vehicle | Complaints | Recalls | Fires | Crashes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2003 Ford Crown Victoria | 249 | 7 | 4 | 16 |
| 2003 Ford Cvpi | 78 | 4 | 0 | 1 |
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 03V279000.
Full record for the 2003 Ford Crown Victoria → · Recalls carrying a do-not-drive advisory → · Where this data comes from →