The problem
Vehicle description: light duty pickup trucks and chassis. The tires on these vehicles were damaged during mounting onto the wheels. Only trucks produced at the cuautitlan, mexico plant between september 1, 1996, and july 17, 1997, were affected by the defect.
The risk
The bead area of the tire was cut which could result in air loss. Sudden air loss could occur resulting in a loss of vehicle control.
The fix
Due to the age of the vehicles and this recall affecting original equipment tires only, ford will no longer accept claims for this campaign.
Contacts
Ford recall no. 97S90. Owner notification began december 1, 1997. Owners who take their vehicles to a firestone dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact firestone at 1-800-457-6281. Also contact the national highway traffic safety administration's auto safety hotline at 1-800-424-9393.
What to do
- Check your VIN. Enter it at nhtsa.gov/recalls - it shows whether this recall applies to your vehicle and whether the repair has been done.
- Call a dealer. Any authorized Ford dealer will do the repair free, whether or not you bought the vehicle there. Quote campaign 97V187000.
- Ask about parts and a loaner. If parts aren't available yet, ask what to do in the meantime.
- Keep your paperwork. If you paid for this repair before the recall, you may be able to get reimbursed - here's how.