Campaign - T Top Water Leaks
83ford2July, 1983
To: All Ford and Lincoln-Mercury Dealers
Subject: Owner Notification Program M21 - Certain 1981 and 1982-Model Mustang and Capri Vehicles Equipped With T-Roofs
Reference: All-Dealer Letter Dated June, 1983 - same subject
The referenced All-Dealer letter announced Owner Notification Program M21 which provides owners of affected vehicles 36 month/36,000 mile coverage for the repair of water leaks related to the T-Roof system. The program also includes reimbursement of prior owner-paid repairs of T-Roof system-related water leaks that were made within 36 months of the vehicle in-service date or 36,000 miles of operation, whichever occurred first.
The technical and administrative instructions you received at that time requested your service personnel to thoroughly inspect the T-Roof weatherstrips to determine if they require replacement. Replacement was to be performed only if the T-Roof weatherstrips were found to be unserviceable because of one of the following conditions described on the referenced pages shown in the "T-Roof Water Leak Repair Procedures" book previously provided to you.
^ Cut (page 13) - Generally, the result of an improperly adjusted door glass.
^ Permanent Set (page 15) - Weatherstrip has been twisted by the hatch glass and cannot be reshaped.
^ Wear (page 16) - Continuous rubbing by an improperly adjusted door glass will wear a hole in the weatherstrip.
To help assure that serviceable weatherstrips are not replaced, it is essential that the inspection instructions be followed carefully. If serviceable T-Roof weatherstrips are replaced, and if the replacement procedures are not performed precisely as described in the book, there is the potential for the new weatherstrips to be mispositioned when installed, thereby creating a water leak condition that did not previously exist.
To preclude unnecessary replacement, effective immediately, your service manager must obtain authorization from your Ford Parts and Service Division District Office to replace T-Roof weatherstrips on vehicles eligible for repair under Owner Notification Program M21. Form 1863 claims submitted without authorization will be returned unpaid. Please circulate this letter to your service and parts personnel so that they are aware of this requirement.