Vehicle recall 96V135000 · July 18, 1996
Ford Crown Victoria and Lincoln Town Car
The pitman arms were not fully lubricated at the assembly plant.
Source: NHTSA data as of September 22, 2026. Last refreshed Sep 23, 2026, 2:43 AM UTC.
- Summary
- The pitman arms were not fully lubricated at the assembly plant. The "ball joint" at the outer end of the pitman arm can become contaminated and corrode.
- Consequence
- Such corrosion can result in abnormal wear of the joint, resulting in separation of the joint. Loss of steering control can occur increasing the risk of a vehicle accident.
- Remedy
- Dealers will inspect the vehicles and if the joint is found to have significant wear, the arm will be replaced. Those pitman arms not replaced will have the "ball joint" fully greased.
- Notes
- System: steering; linkages; arm; pitman. Vehicle description: police interceptors, commercial fleet, taxi, limousines, or livery/trailer tow packages. Owner notification: owner notification is expected to begin August 19, 1996. Note: 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 1-800-392-3673. Also contact the national highway traffic safety administration's auto safety hotline at 1-800-424-9393.
Recall details
- NHTSA campaign
- 96V135000
- Reported to NHTSA
- July 18, 1996
- Filed by
- FORD MOTOR COMPANY
- Owner notification
- August 28, 1996
- Vehicles potentially affected
- 72,000
- Initiated by
- NHTSA’s Office of Defects Investigation
- Components
- Steering › Linkages
Vehicles covered
As listed by NHTSA. A recall usually covers only some vehicles of each model and year, often a production date range.
- Ford Crown Victoria (1995-1996): 1996, 1995
- Lincoln Town Car (1995-1996): 1996, 1995
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