Dealer Letter: Overview

January, 1987

To:
Selected Ford of Canada Dealers

Attention:
Dealer Principal, Dealer Service Manager, Dealer Parts Manager

Reference:
VIN Attributes Verification and serial number listing of vehicles mailed November 29, 1986.

Subject:

Safety Recall 86S21 - Certain 1987 Tempo and Topaz Vehicles - Incorrect and Inconsistent Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) Between Vehicle and Vehicle Documents

NOTE:
Please read all of this bulletin and ensure that your Service and Parts Personnel are familiar with its contents. Any Questions should be directed to your Regional Service Manager or his representative.

Vehicles Involved

Certain 1987 model Tempo and Topaz vehicles produced at the Kansas City Assembly Plant as follows:

^ Manual transmission equipped units produced on October 16 and 17, 1986.

^ Automatic transmission equipped units produced from October 20, 1986 through October 22, 1986.

Description Of Condition

The subject vehicles may have been produced with discrepancies between VIN's (position 8 and 9) as shown on the VIN tags (cowl mounted and warranty card) and on Safety Compliance Decals. Affected vehicles were built with 2.3L CFI engines, and should therefore contain an "X" in position 8 of the VIN. Some vehicles equipped with 2.3L CFI engines may display VIN's (on one or more of the above items) containing an "R" in position 8. VIN code "R" indicates a 2.3L-IV engine. VIN position 9 is also affected in correcting this error, as the content of position 9 is affected by the content of position 8. Canada Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (CMVSS) No. 115. "Vehicle Identification Number" specifies that a vehicle's VIN must contain coding which uniquely distinguishes VIN amongst engine types.

To determine if a correction is necessary, it will be necessary to inspect affected VIN plates, Safety Compliance Decals and pertinent vehicle documents as required. Any tag or document of and affected vehicle containing a VIN with "R" in position 8 must be replaced with one containing an "X" in that position, and with an appropriate revision to position 9. A Ford of Canada representative must be present at the time of this service action for each involved unit.

Dealers were provided a VIN Attributes Verification questionnaire (Attachment I) and a listing of vehicles delivered to them requiring inspection and verification of VIN information.

Notification Of Owner/Dealer Actions

The enclosed list identifies vehicles delivered to your dealership which are involved in this recall. Other eligible vehicles may be brought to your dealership by their owners for this recall service. Those units also are to be inspected and corrected, if necessary, as promptly as possible. If the owner of any eligible vehicle does not have a Customer Notification and Dealer Claim Form (FCS-1864), a blank 1864 should be completed by you and sent in for reimbursement. To determine whether a vehicle is eligible, you may wish to utilize the Computer Assisted Recall System (CARES) or the On-Line Automotive Service Information System (OASIS).

Vehicle owners whose names and addresses are shown on the enclosed recall listing are being notified by First Class Mail. If you have knowledge that a suspect vehicle has been sold, but the owner's name and address does not appear on the listing, please contact the owner immediately and provide a copy of the owner letter. If the owner of any vehicle cannot be contacted or does not make an appointment to have his or her vehicle corrected, the 1864 Form should be appropriately annotated and returned to us with the owner's name and address indicated so that we can handle further notification.

Dealership Responsibilities

Dealers are obligated to perform this recall service promptly following tender of the vehicle by the owners. It is important that you promptly report to your Regional Service Office any instance in which an owner will not allow you to complete this recall because of objections to scheduling or for any other reason.

For any suspect vehicle received and already delivered to an owner, it is imperative that you contact the owner immediately, and advise the owner to return the vehicle to your dealership without delay for the inspection/correction.