Hearth Record

Service brakes, hydraulic: brake fluid low warning: lamp (Mercury and Ford)

Vehicle recall 96V-016. NHTSA received FORD MOTOR COMPANY’s report on Jan 25, 1996.

NHTSA’s own record, on nhtsa.gov

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The short answer

NHTSA received FORD MOTOR COMPANY’s report on Jan 25, 1996. Copied from NHTSA on Oct 25, 2026.

Every line below is in NHTSA’s own words, with its source beside it.

What’s wrong with it?

CONSEQUENCE OF NON-COMPLIANCE: IF THE SWITCH MALFUNTIONS, THE BRAKE SYSTEM WARNING LAMP WILL EITHER REMAIN ILLUMINATED CONTINUOUSLY OR FAIL TO LIGHT AS INTENDED WHEN THE FLUID LEVEL FALLS TO A CERTAIN LEVEL. IN EITHER CASE, THE VEHICLE OPERATOR WOULD NOT BE WARNED OF A LOW BRAKE FLUID LEVEL CONDITION.

THE BRAKE SYSTEM FLUID LEVEL INDICATOR LAMP SWITCH CAN MALFUNCTION.

THIS DOES NOT COMPLY WITH FMVSS NO. 105, “HYDRAULIC BRAKE SYSTEMS.”

Source:

NHTSA, Recalls flat file before 2010. Released Oct 25, 2026. Updated daily.

  • NHTSA’s part: Service brakes, hydraulic: brake fluid low warning: lamp.

What should you do?

DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE BRAKE SYSTEM FLUID LEVEL INDICATOR LAMP SWITCHES.

Source:

NHTSA, Recalls flat file before 2010. Released Oct 25, 2026. Updated daily.

  • How to reach the firm: SYSTEM: BRAKES; HYDRAULIC; SWITCH; BRAKE WARNING; FMVSS NO. 105.VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. 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.
  • Check a vehicle by its VIN at NHTSA: the recalls still open on it are listed there.

Which ones are recalled?

NHTSA counts 76,500 vehicles potentially involved, across everything this recall names.

Source:

NHTSA, Recalls flat file before 2010. Released Oct 25, 2026. Updated daily.

  • Mercury Sableand 1996, before the model years listed here
  • Ford Taurusand 1996, before the model years listed here

Who is recalling it?

  • Made by FORD MOTOR COMPANY.
Source:

NHTSA, Recalls flat file before 2010. Released Oct 25, 2026. Updated daily.

What the record doesn’t say

  • NHTSA’s recall file doesn’t say whether anyone was hurt.
  • Whether one vehicle or seat has been fixed: only its maker, or NHTSA’s lookup with a VIN, can say.
  • This recall names only model years before 2015, which have no pages here. Your VIN, at NHTSA, says which recalls are open on a vehicle.
  • How many have been returned or fixed isn’t in the notice.
Source:

Hearth Record wrote these lines.

Sources

Source:

Vehicle, car seat, tire and vehicle equipment recalls, owner complaints and crash ratings are from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Copied on Oct 25, 2026.

How to read a record

Four things every record does, shown on an example record made up for this guide.

An example record, made up for this guide

An example nursing home

Made up for this guide: no real place is shown

Not fully inspected in over two years (CMS flag)

11 health citations at the latest inspection cycle

The state average is 14.3.

Source:

CMS, State and US Averages and Health Deficiencies. Released Oct 28, 2026. Updated monthly.

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1 of 4

Every fact names its source.

Who published it, when, and how often it changes sit beside each fact, with a link to the agency’s own file.

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