Recall 86V173000 scope
Recall 86V173000
CHOPPER DESIGNS • STEERING:LINKAGES:DRAG:LINK:CONNECTION • reported Dec 30, 1986 • • 28,791 units affected
View official record on NHTSA.gov · federal source of truth
- Campaign
- 86V173000
- Manufacturer
- CHOPPER DESIGNS
- Component
- STEERING:LINKAGES:DRAG:LINK:CONNECTION
- Make
- FORD
- Model Years
- 1985–1986
- Affected Units
- 28,791
- Country
- US
- Data As Of
- Apr 5, 2026
What this recall is about, in plain English
RUBBER THAT ENCASES BALL STUD AND SOCKET JOINT (CONNECTS STEERING DRAG LINK AND PITMAN ARM) MAY DETERIORATE AND CAUSE METAL TO METAL CONTACT. INSTALL NEW DRAG LINK ASSEMBLIES WITH STEEL BALL AND SOCKET JOINTS AT THE PITMAN ARM CONNECTIONS.
Synthesized from the NHTSA defect summary, consequence, and remedy fields shown below.
This recall describes a safety risk and the remedy is still pending. Affected vehicles should be parked or driven only as needed until the manufacturer issues guidance. Always verify directly with the manufacturer or your dealer using the campaign number.
Defect Summary
RUBBER THAT ENCASES BALL STUD AND SOCKET JOINT (CONNECTS STEERING DRAG LINK AND PITMAN ARM) MAY DETERIORATE AND CAUSE METAL TO METAL CONTACT. CONSEQUENCE OF DEFECT: COMPLETE SEPARATION OF THE DRAG LINK TO PITMAN ARM CONNECTION COULD OCCUR RESULTING IN LOSS OF STEERING CONTROL.
Remedy
INSTALL NEW DRAG LINK ASSEMBLIES WITH STEEL BALL AND SOCKET JOINTS AT THE PITMAN ARM CONNECTIONS.
Key Dates
Affected Vehicles
2 vehicles under this recall
Official Sources & Documents
Links to NHTSA.gov and Part 573 recall reports when available — hosted by NHTSA, not TruckCodex
Documents hosted on nhtsa.gov. Links open in a new tab.
How to Act on This Recall
- Owners: Contact your authorized dealer to schedule the remedy at no cost. Remedy is covered under 49 U.S.C. 30120.
- Fleets: See the Fleet Recall Workflow Guide for the operator workflow to sweep your VIN list against this and other open campaigns.
- Looking up a specific VIN? Check VIN against NHTSA for open recalls on that vehicle.
- NHTSA contact: Vehicle Safety Hotline 1-888-327-4236.
How to verify your vehicle is affected
- Find your VIN. Locate your 17-character Vehicle Identification Number on the lower-left corner of your windshield, on the driver's-door jamb sticker, or on your vehicle registration. The VIN is the only reliable way to confirm whether a specific vehicle falls under a recall — make/model/year alone is not enough.
- Check your VIN on this site. Enter the VIN at /vin/ to see every open recall tied to your specific vehicle, including 86V173000. Our lookup pulls directly from the NHTSA recall database and refreshes daily.
- Cross-reference with the official NHTSA recall search. For a second source of truth, run the same VIN through https://www.nhtsa.gov/recalls. If both this site and NHTSA show the same campaign as open for your VIN, it applies — schedule the repair.
- Contact your dealer if affected. Bring the campaign number, your VIN, and your registration to an authorized dealer for the make. The dealer performs the remedy at no cost. If you've already paid for a related repair, bring the receipt — the manufacturer is required to reimburse pre-recall repairs that addressed the same defect.