Vehicle recall 97V180000 · October 20, 1997
Ford Mustang and Windstar
Vehicle description: passenger vehicles and mini vans.
Source: NHTSA data as of September 22, 2026. Last refreshed Sep 23, 2026, 2:43 AM UTC.
- Summary
- Vehicle description: passenger vehicles and mini vans. Tearing of the bond between the inner and outer hood panels during minor front end collisions can result in a gap at the leading edge of the hood. Air forced between the inner and outer panels can produce enough pressure to force the outer panel upward.
- Consequence
- This condition can result in total separation of the outer hood panel.
- Remedy
- Dealers will inspect the hood area for any damage along the leading edge of the hood. If there is any evidence of bond separation, the hood will be replaced. If there is no evidence of bond separation, additional adhesive will be applied between the inner and outer hood panels.
- Notes
- Owner notification began November 10, 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
- 97V180000
- Reported to NHTSA
- October 20, 1997
- Filed by
- FORD MOTOR COMPANY
- Owner notification
- November 10, 1997
- Vehicles potentially affected
- 769,000
- Initiated by
- NHTSA’s Office of Defects Investigation
- Components
- Structure › Body › Hood
Vehicles covered
As listed by NHTSA. A recall usually covers only some vehicles of each model and year, often a production date range.
- Ford Mustang (1994-1996): 1996, 1995, 1994
- Ford Windstar (1995-1996): 1996, 1995
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.