Ford Motor Company: Engine and Engine Cooling › Engine › Gasoline
Ford Motor Company reported this defect to federal regulators on May 28, 1996 and put the number of vehicles at risk at 240,000. The repair is free for as long as the recall stands.
The defect
THIS IS NOT A SAFETY RECALL IN ACCORDANCE WITH FEDERAL REGULATION 573. HOWEVER, IT IS DEEMED A SAFETY IMPROVEMENT CAMPAIGN BY THE AGENCY. THE FRONT END ACCESSORY DRIVE (FEAD) SERPENTINE DRIVE BELT CAN DETACH FROM THE ENGINE PULLEYS DURING CERTAIN ENGINE OPERATIONS. THE DIESEL ENGINE CAN CAUSE THE BELTS TO STRETCH IN EXCESS OF THE TENSIONER CAPACITY AND THE BELT DETACHES FROM THE PULLEYS.
The risk
BELT FAILURES CAN RESULT IN THE LOSS OF POWER STEERING ASSIST AND THE LOSS OF BRAKE ASSIST ONCE THE VACUUM RESERVOIR IS DEPLETED. ALSO FEAD BELT FAILURE POSES A RISK OF ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRE IN VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSIONS IF IT RESULTS IN THE TRANSMISSION OIL COOLER HOSE RUPTURE.
The remedy
DEALERS WILL INSTALL A NEW TENSIONER, DRIVE BELT, BELT GUIDE AND AN IMPROVED IDLER PULLEY.
5 model years covered
Newest first| Vehicle | Complaints | Recalls | Fires | Crashes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1994 Ford E-Series | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 1994 Ford F Series | 7 | 1 | 4 | 0 |
| 1993 Ford F Series | 5 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| 1992 Ford E-Series | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 1992 Ford F Series | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
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 96I003000.
Full record for the 1994 Ford E-Series → · Recalls carrying a do-not-drive advisory → · Where this data comes from →