2002 Ford Explorer, 2002 Mercury Mountaineer Recall: VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES
NHTSA campaign 01V171000 · Tires · filed May 24, 2001 · verified Sep 13, 2026
The defect
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES. THE RIGHT SIDE TIRES MAY HAVE HORIZONTAL CUTS ON THE EDGE OF THE TREAD THAT COULD HAVE OCCURRED DURING VEHICLE ASSEMBLY.
The risk
OVER TIME, THE TIRE COULD FAIL, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.
Check whether your specific vehicle is affected
Recall campaigns often cover only certain VIN ranges. Enter your VIN on the official NHTSA site to confirm whether your vehicle is included and whether the repair is still open.
Check VIN on NHTSA →The fix — what to do
DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE TIRES AND, IF ANY SLICES ARE FOUND, THE CUT TIRES WILL BE REPLACED. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN JUNE 7, 2001. 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 1-888-DASH-2-DOT (1-888-327-4236).
Affected vehicles
Related recalls
More Ford Explorer recalls
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Other campaigns involving Ford vehicles
Source: NHTSA recall database, campaign 01V171000 (manufacturer number 01S18). Data last verified Sep 13, 2026.