Hearth Record

Vehicle speed control (Mercury and Ford)

Vehicle recall 97V-074. NHTSA received FORD MOTOR COMPANY’s report on Apr 30, 1997.

NHTSA’s own record, on nhtsa.gov

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The short answer

NHTSA received FORD MOTOR COMPANY’s report on Apr 30, 1997. Copied from NHTSA on Oct 20, 2026.

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

What’s wrong with it?

ALTHOUGH THE VEHICLE CAN BE CONTROLLED BY EITHER APPLYING THE SERVICE BRAKES OR SHIFTING THE TRANSMISSION TO NEUTRAL, INCREASED BRAKE PEDAL EFFORTS OR SOME INCREASE IN STOPPING DISTANCE CAN RESULT.

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: MULTI-PURPOSE PASSENGER VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH 5.0L ENGINES ORIGINALLY SOLD OR CURRENTLY REGISTERED IN THE STATES OF ALASKA, IDAHO, IOWA, MAINE, MICHIGAN (UPPER PENINSULA ONLY), MINNESOTA, MONTANA, NEBRASKA, NEW HAMPSHIRE, NEW YORK, NORTH DAKOTA, SOUTH DAKOTA, VERMONT, WISCONSIN, AND WYOMING.

THESE VEHICLES, WHEN OPERATED FOR EXTENDED PERIODS OF TIME AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS AND TEMPERATURES BELOW -20 DEGREES FARENHEIT, DO NOT RETURN TO IDLE DUE TO ICE IN THE THROTTLE BODY.

Source:

NHTSA, Recalls flat file before 2010. Released Oct 20, 2026. Updated daily.

  • NHTSA’s part: Vehicle speed control.

What should you do?

DEALERS WILL INSTALL A REVISED PCV SYSTEM WITH WATER HEATED VACUUM SOURCE.

Source:

NHTSA, Recalls flat file before 2010. Released Oct 20, 2026. Updated daily.

  • How to reach the firm: OWNER NOTIFICATION:OWNER NOTIFICATION IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN MAY 19, 1997.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 23,000 vehicles potentially involved, across everything this recall names.

Source:

NHTSA, Recalls flat file before 2010. Released Oct 20, 2026. Updated daily.

  • Mercury Mountaineerand 1996 and 1997, before the model years listed here
  • Ford Explorerand 1996 and 1997, before the model years listed here

Who is recalling it?

  • Made by FORD MOTOR COMPANY.
Source:

NHTSA, Recalls flat file before 2010. Released Oct 20, 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 20, 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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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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