NHTSA safety recall

Recall 78V212000

Steering › Steering Wheel/handle Bar — Ford, Mercury · reported 4 Oct 1978 · 32,000 vehicles potentially affected

What's wrong

THE LOWER STEERING SHAFT ASSEMBLIES CONTAIN COUPLING RIVET PINS WHICH WERE NOT RIVETED SECURELY ENOUGH DURING MANUFACTURE. CONSEQUENTLY ONE OR BOTH OF THE PINS COULD LOOSEN FROM THE FLANGE OF THE FLEXIBLE COUPLING DURING VEHICLE OPERATION. IF ONE PIN IS LOOSE, FREE PLAY WOULD RESULT. IF BOTH PINS WORK LOOSE, LOSS OF STEERING CONTROL WOULD OCCUR. ALSO, THE SHAFT ASSEMBLY MAY NOT CONTAIN A METAL REINFORCEMENT BETWEEN ONE OR BOTH OF THE RIVET PINS AND THE RUBBER FLEXIBLE COUPLING. AS A RESULT, THE RUBBER FLEXIBLE COUPLING COULD TEAR AND PRODUCE A NOISE OR LOOSE FEELING IN THE STEERING SYSTEM.

The fix

THE DEALER WILL INSPECT AND, IF NECESSARY, REPLACE THE STEERING SHAFT ASSEMBLY, WITHOUT CHARGE TO OWNER.

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES.SYSTEM: STEERING; STEERING COLUMN COUPLING.CONSEQUENCES OF DEFECT: LOSS OF STEERING CONTROL COULD CAUSE A LOSS OF VEHICLECONTROL AND AN ACCIDENT.

NHTSA campaign
78V212000
Filed by
Ford Motor Company
Report received
4 Oct 1978
Owners notified
30 Jun 1979
Potentially affected
32,000

Vehicles covered by this recall

Whether a particular car is affected and still unrepaired depends on its VIN — a model year being listed does not mean every car of that year is included. Check any VIN free on CarLogs, or at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

1979 Ford Ltd 1979 Mercury Marquis

Is this car's recall fixed?

Recall repairs are free at any franchised dealer, for the life of the vehicle. A CarLogs report shows the recall status for a specific VIN as reported by the manufacturer — whether it's open or repaired, and whether the fix is available yet.

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation recall database. Look up another campaign →