NHTSA recall 04V332000
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 | 04V332000 |
| Manufacturer's number | 04S17 |
| Manufacturer | FORD MOTOR COMPANY |
| Reported | 2004-07-15 |
| Owners notified | 2005-01-10 |
| Component | SUSPENSION:FRONT:SPRINGS:COIL SPRINGS |
| Units potentially affected | 899060 |
What is wrong
ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES ORIGINALLY SOLD IN OR CURRENTLY REGISTERED IN THE STATES OF CONNECTICUT, DELAWARE, ILLINOIS, INDIANA, IOWA, KENTUCKY, MAINE, MARYLAND, MASSACHUSETTS, MICHIGAN, MINNESOTA, MISSOURI, NEW HAMPSHIRE, NEW JERSEY, NEW YORK, OHIO, PENNSYLVANIA, RHODE ISLAND, VERMONT, WEST VIRGINIA, WISCONSIN, AND THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, THE FRONT COIL SPRINGS COULD FRACTURE DUE TO CORROSION ASSOCIATED WITH SALT USED ON THE ROADWAYS DURING THE WINTER. A FRACTURED SPRING COULD MOVE PAST THE SPRING SEAT AND CONTACT A FRONT TIRE.
What can happen
IF THIS OCCURS, THE TIRE MAY RUPTURE RESULTING IN A RAPID AIR LOSS, WHICH COULD RESULT IN A CRASH.
The remedy
DEALERS WILL INSTALL PROTECTIVE SPRING SHIELDS. IN ADDITION, FORD IS EXTENDING THE WARRANTY COVERAGE OF THE FRONT COIL SPRINGS IN ALL OTHER STATES, FOR FRACTURE ONLY, UP TO 10 YEARS OF SERVICE OR 150,000 MILES, WHICHEVER OCCURS FIRST. IF THE VEHICLE HAS ALREADY ACCUMULATED MORE THAN 150,000 MILES, THIS COVERAGE WILL LAST UNTIL JULY 31, 2005. IF EITHER FRONT COIL SPRING FRACTURES, DEALERS WILL REPLACE BOTH FRONT SPRINGS AT NO CHARGE TO THE OWNER. AN INTERIM NOTICE WAS SENT TO OWNERS ON AUGUST 2, 2004. PARTS ARE NOW AVAILABLE FOR THE 2000-2001 MY VEHICLES AND OWNERS WERE SENT A LETTER ON JANUARY 10, 2005, ADVISING THEM TO BRING IN THEIR VEHICLES FOR REPAIR PARTS ARE EXPECTED TO BE AVAILABLE FOR THE 1999 MY VEHICLES BY THE END OF FEBRUARY 2005 AND OWNERS OF THESE VEHICLES WILL BE NOTIFIED THEN. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT FORD AT 1-800-392-3673.
Notes
FORD RECALL NO. 04S17.CUSTOMERS CAN ALSO CONTACT THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION'S AUTO SAFETY HOTLINE AT 1-888-DASH-2-DOT (1-888-327-4236).
| 1999 FORD TAURUS | Built 1998-03-28 to 2001-08-13. |
|---|---|
| 2000 FORD TAURUS | Built 1998-03-28 to 2001-08-13. |
| 2001 FORD TAURUS | Built 1998-03-28 to 2001-08-13. |
| 1999 MERCURY SABLE | Built 1998-03-28 to 2001-08-13. |
| 2000 MERCURY SABLE | Built 1998-03-28 to 2001-08-13. |
| 2001 MERCURY SABLE | Built 1998-03-28 to 2001-08-13. |
A vehicle with no link is not in this site's catalog, which covers cars, multipurpose vehicles and trucks by model year. The campaign is from data as of 2026-10-19.
Investigated as PE04044
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.
| PE04044 | Preliminary evaluation, opened 2004-05-24, closed 2004-08-16. FRONT SUSPENSION COIL SPRING FRACTURE. SUSPENSION:FRONT; SUSPENSION:FRONT:SPRINGS:COIL SPRINGS. |
|---|
From NHTSA's investigation file, as of 2026-10-19. The JSON has NHTSA's summary of each.
Bulletins for the same vehicles and component
| TSB160068 | 2021-12-20. Service bulletin. Safety recall 04S17 - Front coil springs - requests for recall service action |
|---|---|
| 16-0068 | 2020-12-07. Service bulletin. For 1999-2001 Taurus or Sable vehicles Safety Recall 04S17 has been issued for vehicles that are operated in high corrosion areas for an extended period, where the front coil springs could potentially fracture. A fractured front coil spring could move past the spring seat and contact a front tire. If a front coil spring should fracture and come in contact with a tire, the tire may rupture resulting in rapid air loss, which could increase the risk of a crash without warning. |
| TSB-14-0165 | 2015-08-01. Service bulletin. MERCURY/FORD: SAFETY RECALL REGARDING FRONT COIL SPRINGS CAN FRACTURE ON VEHICLES OPERATING FOR EXTENDED PERIODS IN HIGH CORROSION AREAS. MODEL 1999-01 TAURUS, SABLE. *PE |
| TSB-14-0149 | 2015-01-27. Service bulletin. MERCURY/FORD: FRONT COIL SPRINGS CAN FRACTURE, AFTER OPERATING, FOR AN EXTENDED PERIOD OF TIME, IN HIGH CORROSION AREAS, MOVE MOVE PAST SPRING SEAT AND CONTACT RUPTURE FRONT TIRE, RESULTING RAPID AIR LOSS. MODEL 1999-2001 TAURUS, SABLE. *PE |
| 04M04 | 2004-10-18. Service bulletin. FRONT COIL SPRING EXTENDED WARRANTY COVERAGE. CUSTOMER SATISFACTION PROGRAM 04M04. |
| 17094 | 2003-10-10. Service bulletin. RATTLING OR CLUNKING NOISE FROM THE FRONT SUSPENSION UNDER NORMAL DRIVING CONDITIONS. *TT |
| 16710 | 2003-07-28. Service bulletin. RATTLING OR CLUNKING NOISE FROM THE FRONT SUSPENSION UNDER NORMAL DRIVING CONDITIONS. *TT *JB |
| 5249 | 2001-01-13. Service bulletin. INFORMATION ON VEHICLES EXHIBITING STEERING WHEEL SHIMMY, VIBRATION OR GRUNT ON SLOW SPEED TURNS. *TT |
| 8199 | 2000-06-08. Service bulletin. SOME VEHICLES MAY EXHIBIT A RATTLING OR CLUNKING NOISE FROM THE FRONT END (FRONT STABILIZER LINK) UNDER NORMAL DRIVING CONDITIONS. |
| 0025 | 2000-06-07. Service bulletin. VEHICLE MAY EXPERIENCE A BUSSING OR GROANING AND OR RATTLING NOISE FROM THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE, VEHICLES BUILT BEFORE 12-11-99. *MJS |
A bulletin is the manufacturer's note to its dealers. It is not part of this recall.