Clockspring recall - how big a deal?
 

I'm looking for an '05 - '07 F-150 and I'm finding a large number
of their carfax reports list a recent recall dated: 4/12/2011

Recall # 11S18
CLOCKSPRING TO DRIVER SIDE FRONTAL AIR BAG WIRE
HARNESS REPLACEMENT


Is this recall still covered if the vehicle is out of warranty?
What are the characterizations of this failure?

Just don't want to avoid buying a vehicle that requires
me to pay for the recall.

All recalls are free of charge to the owner. This one is a pretty big deal, in that the clockspring wiring could come in contact with the air bag wiring causing a deployment of the airbag. If you are looking at one for sale that hasn't had this done, tell the owner/dealer to get it done before the sale.

At first it was thought that just one assembly plant was to blame, but they expanded to cover just about all of the 04-08s. The recall itself is not a big deal - it being fixed that is. My service took 1.5 hours
The chaffing of the airbag wire against the clockspring is a big deal. Once the wire's casing is rubbed through the airbag can deploy randomly, causing pretty decent injuries. The airbag light is supposed to illuminate prior to deployment as an indicator that the wiring has gone south.

I just had mine done, i have a 04 F150 with 104,000 miles, so ya, way out of warranty, but like they said above, all recalls are free of charge no matter the mileage or waranty.

THAT's what I needed to hear THANK YOU.


I'd feel better taking it to a dealer AFTER I buy it vs. "hoping"
the private seller or used car place actually had it done.

you can see if it was done by taking the VIN to a dealer and he will look it up

So who's the F150 going to be for? Are you ditching your Ex or getting rid of the wife's ride?

We are expanding the fleet.

It's for a place we just bought in Nevada.
We have a spare household stuff we want to haul out there from FL
later this year and then we'll have the p/u for our use when we fly
out to visit family. We are WAY outside of the "free" delivery zone from
stores, so the F150 will let us haul big items back w/o needing to
rent/borrow trailers.

Very cool. Congrats on the place in NV, and the new truck. Have you found one yet, or just on the hunt?

Thanks, it's a "dry heat" compared to FL :-kneeslap
Just searching at the moment.

[QUOTE=MCDavis;10458765] The recall itself is not a big deal - it being fixed that is. My service took 1.5 hours
QUOTE]

I had the recall fixed on my truck while it was in the shop getting an alignment. I waited for them to finish and it took an hour tops to do both.

1.5 hours was from the time I dropped it off (had to get back to the office) and the time they called. That was my only measure of time it took, since I was not waiting for it.

I had the recall done last week. Took the dealer approx 1 hour to do the work. Better safe than sorry.

I just got a letter in the mail last week about it. Still have to have it done though.