| NHTSA Campaign Number: |
97V203000 |
| Vehicle/Equipment Make: |
FORD |
| Vehicle/Equipment Model: |
CONTOUR |
| Model Year: |
1997 |
| Manufacturer Campaign Number: |
|
| Manufacturer Component Description: |
FUEL SYSTEM, OTHER:STORAGE |
| Manufacturers Involved in Recall: |
FORD MOTOR COMPANY |
| Manufacturered: |
19960418 - 19961217 |
| Type of Report: |
V (Vehicle, Equipment or Tire) |
| Potential Number of Units Affected: |
1800 |
| Date Owner Notified By Manufacturer: |
19980209 |
| Recall Initiated By: |
19980209 |
| Manufacturer Responsible For Recall: |
FORD MOTOR COMPANY |
| Report Received Date: |
19971117 |
| Record Creation Date: |
19971120 |
| Regulation Part Number: |
|
| Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard Number: |
|
| Defect Summary: |
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: BI-FUEL VEHICLES MODIFIED TO RUN ON EITHER GASOLINE OR COMPRESSED NATURAL GAS (CNG). THE NATURAL GAS FUEL TANKS HAVE A SOLENOID SHUT-OFF VALVE THAT STOPS FUEL FLOW FROM THE FUEL TANK IN THE EVENT OF CERTAIN MODERATE TO SEVERE COLLISIONS. IF THE VEHICLE IS IN A COLLISION AND THE NATURAL GAS FUEL LINE IS DAMAGED, THE SYSTEM COULD LEAK NATURAL GAS. |
| Consequence Summary: |
FUEL LEAKAGE IN THE PRESENCE OF AN IGNITION SOURCE COULD RESULT IN A FIRE. |
| Corrective Summary: |
FORD HAS REQUESTED OWNERS OF THESE VEHICLES TO HAVE THE CNG FUEL SYSTEM DISABLED UNDER A PREVIOUS RECALL CAMPAIGN AND TO ONLY USE GASOLINE FUEL UNTIL A PERMANENT CORRECTIVE ACTION IS DEVELOPED. OWNERS ARE BEING ALERTED TO THIS SOLENOID VALVE CONCERN AT THIS TIME. THE TIMING OF CORRECTIVE ACTIONS IS BEING DELAYED TO ALLOW BOTH CONDITIONS TO BE REMEDIED AT ONE TIME. IN THE MEANTIME, THERE IS NOT RISK AS LONG AS THE NATURAL GAS SYSTEM HAS BEEN DISABLED AND THE VHEICLE IS ONLY OPERATED ON GASOLINE. |
