Friday, August 7, 2026
RecallGazette

Vehicle problems, recalls & safety intelligence

Ford Contour 1996–1998technical service bulletin

Bulletin BC3274970207 · NHTSA communication 51872 · issued Feb 7, 1997

Technical service bulletin
communication type
Exterior Lighting
component
1996–1998
model years
23
vehicle entries

Official summary

Replacement headlamp bulbs - several aftermarket companies are offering replacement bulbs with a higher wattage that are not dot approved - sold with disclaimer of "for off-road use only" - the bulbs draw more current than the oem bulbs and can result in actuation of the shor circuit protection feature. *tw

What a TSB means. Technical service bulletins are repair guidance manufacturers send to dealers — they are not recalls, and repairs are not automatically free (warranty extensions are an exception worth checking). The full document is available via NHTSA’s vehicle lookup.