# NHTSA recall 02V323000

A recall listed here may apply to a vehicle of this year, make and model. Only the manufacturer can say whether it applies to one vehicle: check the VIN with the official lookups.

- Published by: NHTSA \(United States\)
- Campaign number: 02V323000
- Manufacturer's number: 02S44
- Manufacturer: FORD MOTOR COMPANY
- Reported: 2002\-12\-09
- Owners notified: 2003\-02\-11
- Component: AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:SENSOR/CONTROL MODULE\-INACTIVE
- Units potentially affected: 396217

## What is wrong

ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES, THE INTEGRATED AIR BAG MONITOR \(IABM\) CAN BE CONTAMINATED WITH WATER OR OTHER LIQUIDS AND COULD EXPERIENCE INTERNAL ELECTRICAL SHORTING.


## What can happen

THIS MAY, IN TURN, CAUSE THE AIR BAG READINESS LIGHT TO ILLUMINATE AND IN VERY RARE OCCURRENCES, AIR BAG DEPLOYMENT, MELTED WIRING, OR FIRE MAY OCCUR.


## The remedy

DEALERS WILL INSTALL THE SHIELD OVER THE IABM AND APPLY NYOGEL GREASE TO THE CONNECTOR.  OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN FEBRUARY 11, 2003.  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\-866\-436\-7332.


## Notes

CUSTOMERS CAN ALSO CONTACT THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION'S AUTO SAFETY HOTLINE AT 1\-888\-DASH\-2\-DOT \(1\-888\-327\-4236\).


## Vehicles this campaign lists

- [1997 FORD ESCORT](/makes/ford/escort/1997/recalls.md). Built 1995\-11\-02 to 1997\-09\-05.
- [1997 MERCURY TRACER](/makes/mercury/tracer/1997/recalls.md). Built 1995\-11\-02 to 1997\-09\-05.

## Investigated as EA02008

This recall followed 1 NHTSA investigation. An investigation is NHTSA looking into a possible defect. It is not a finding that a defect exists, and it does not say that any one vehicle is affected.

- EA02008: Engineering analysis, opened 2002\-06\-10, closed 2002\-12\-11. WATER INTRUSION INTO AIRBAG MONITOR. AIR BAGS.

From NHTSA's investigation file, as of 2026-10-19. JSON: [/v1/recalls/nhtsa/02V323000/investigations](/v1/recalls/nhtsa/02V323000/investigations)

## Check a VIN

- [NHTSA recall lookup by VIN, United States](https://www.nhtsa.gov/recalls)
- [Transport Canada recall search, Canada](https://wwwapps.tc.gc.ca/Saf-Sec-Sur/7/VRDB-BDRV/search-recherche/menu.aspx?lang=eng)

JSON: [/v1/recalls/nhtsa/02V323000](/v1/recalls/nhtsa/02V323000)

[Report an error on this page](https://github.com/wenmar-pro/wenmar-open/issues/new?template=data_correction.yml&title=Data%20correction%3A%20NHTSA%20recall%2002V323000&page=https%3A%2F%2Fopen.wenmarpro.com%2Frecalls%2Fnhtsa%2F02V323000&vehicle=NHTSA%20recall%2002V323000)