Vehicle recall 97V159000 · September 22, 1997
Mercury Cougar and Ford Thunderbird
Vehicle description: passenger vehicles originally sold or currently registered in the states of connecticut, district of columbia, delaware, iowa, illinois, indiana, kentucky,…
Source: NHTSA data as of September 22, 2026. Last refreshed Sep 23, 2026, 2:43 AM UTC.
- Summary
- Vehicle description: passenger vehicles originally sold or currently registered in the states of connecticut, district of columbia, delaware, iowa, illinois, indiana, kentucky, massachusetts, maryland, maine, michigan, minnesota, missouri, new hampshire, new jersey, new york, ohio, pennsylvania, rhode island, vermont, wisconsin, and west virginia. Movement of the fuel lines causes the nylon fuel line jumper to chafe against the floor pan. This wear can cause a pin hole in the fuel line resulting in fuel leakage.
- Consequence
- This fuel leakage results in dampness and fuel odor, and if an ignition source was present, a fire could result.
- Remedy
- Dealers will install a plastic convolute covering around the fuel lines. If the lines show a leak, the lines will be replaced first.
- Notes
- Owner notification is expected to begin October 27, 1997. 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
- 97V159000
- Reported to NHTSA
- September 22, 1997
- Filed by
- FORD MOTOR COMPANY
- Manufacturer campaign
- 97S84
- Owner notification
- October 27, 1997
- Vehicles potentially affected
- 125,000
- Initiated by
- NHTSA’s Office of Defects Investigation
- Components
- Fuel system, gasoline › Delivery › Hoses, lines/piping, and fittings
Vehicles covered
As listed by NHTSA. A recall usually covers only some vehicles of each model and year, often a production date range.
- Ford Thunderbird (1992-1993): 1993, 1992
- Mercury Cougar (1992-1993): 1993, 1992
Has your Ford been repaired?
Recalls here come from NHTSA’s records for the model and year. Not every vehicle of a model is included in every recall, and this site can’t see whether a repair has been done. Only a VIN lookup can tell you that.
NHTSA’s VIN search doesn’t show recalls that were already repaired, recalls more than 15 years old, or some small manufacturers’ recalls. Recall repairs are free.