NHTSA Complaint #10070392 — 1998 FORD E SERIES

I HAVE A 1998 FORD DIESEL VAN THAT I HAVE JUST PURCHASE ABOUT A COUPLE OF MONTHS AGO. THE FORMER OWNER GAVE ME A CLUE OF A PROBLEM THAT I DIDN'T PICK ON WHEN I BOUGHT IT. HE SAID DON'T FILL THE TANK FULL OR THE FUEL WILL OVERFLOW. WELL IT DOES OVERFLOW FULL OR NOT BUT WORST WITH A FULL TANK. FORD AND THE NHTSA HAD ISSUED A RECALL FOR POSSIBLE CRACKING OF FUEL TANKS IN VAN'S LIKE MINE. THE RECALL WAS FOR 1997 THRU 2001 ECONOLINE_VAN'S. I TOOK IT TO A FORD DEALERSHIP IN CHARLESTON SC BUT THEY REFUSED TO LOOK AT IT AND TOLD ME THAT NO RECALL WAS EVER MADE ON MY VAN. I CALLED FORD CUSTOMER CARE AND THEY SAID THE SAME THING. BUT A RECALL WAS MADE ON JUNE 29, 2000. THE FUEL TANK DOES NOT APPEAR TO LEAK WHILE STOPPED EVEN IF THE MOTOR IS RUNNING AND I HAVE LET IT RUN FOR MORE THAN A HOUR. IT LEAKS VERY BAD WHILE UNDERWAY. THE WIRING HARNESS THAT RUNS BY THE FUEL TANK AND JUST UNDERNEATH IT IS FULL OF DIESEL FUEL. I OPEN UP THE HARNESS PLASTIC COVER AND DRAIN THE FUEL FROM IT BUT IT WILL FILL UP AGAIN AS SOON AS I DRIVE THE VAN. ALTHOUGH I HAVE TRIED TO PIN POINT THE SOURCE OF THE LEAK I HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO DO SO. I CLEAN THE TANK BUT THE FUEL WILL REAPPEAR WITH NO VISIBLE SOURCE OF LEAK. THIS HAS GOT ME SCARED AND SINCE FORD WILL NOT LOOK AT IT UNLESS I AGREE TO PAY FOR REPAIRS AND I AM AT LOST AS TO WHAT TO DO NOW. I FEEL THAT THIS PROBLEM IS JUST LIKE ALL THE OTHER VAN'S THAT THEY HAVE ALREADY REPAIRED OR INSTALL INSULATORS TO PROTECT THE TANK FROM CRACKING IF IT IS NOT LEAKING. I BELIEVE FORD SHOULD LOOK AT THE VAN AND FIXED AT THEIR EXPENSE IF THE TANK IS INDEED CRACK LIKE I SUSPECT. I FOUND THAT A RECALL # 01V114000 WAS MADE ON MARCH 30, 2001 FOR POSSIBLE FUEL TANK CRACKING IN 1998 E350 VAN'S. I ALSO FOUND THAT NHTSA HAD ALSO ISSUE A TSB #15113 FOR 1998 FORD E350 VANS FOR POSSIBLE FUEL FILL VALVE SEALING CONDITION. I THINK RECALLS ARE MORE IMPORTANT ANYWAY AND CAN BE VERIFIED.