NHTSA Complaint #10246134 — 1998 FORD F SERIES

THIS WAS NOT A PARTICULARLY BAD INCIDENT, BUT IT COULD VERY WELL HAVE BEEN. I CONSIDER IT A 'CLOSE CALL' FROM WHICH THERE IS A WARNING TO BE HEARD. THE STRAPS HOLDING UP THE GAS TANK ON MY F-150 RUSTED THROUGH, DROPPING THE TANK [FORTUNATELY AT LOW SPEED WHERE I COULD STOP FAST - EVEN SO, ANOTHER FOOT OR SO AND I WOULD HAVE BURST THE TANK AGAINST A SEWER GRATING]. THE TANK WAS RUST-FREE, AS WERE THE VERTICAL PARTS OF THE STRAPS. I THINK THAT THE PLASTIC PAD BETWEEN THE STRAPS AND THE TANK HELD WATER AGAINST THE STRAP, RUSTING IT. THE PAD WRAPS AROUND THE STRAP, AND I BELIEVE SCOOPED WATER THROWN BY THE TIRES. I SUGGEST EITHER A PAD REDESIGN TO ELIMINATE THIS, OR THAT THE STRAPS BE OF STAINLESS. THE STRAPS APPEARED TO BE INTACT, BUT THE METAL WAS PRETTY MUCH CONVERTED TO RUST WITHOUT CHANGING SHAPE. IT IS NOT LIKE THE STRAPS WERE VISIBLY RUSTED AWAY. I SUSPECT THAT THE PAD HELD THE RUST IN PLACE. I HAD CHANGED THE OIL NOT TOO LONG BEFORE AND NOTICED NOTHING WRONG. I DO NOT SPECIFICALLY RECALL LOOKING AT THE STRAPS, BUT I DO TRY TO LOOK AROUND WHEN I AM UNDER THE TRUCK JUST TO SEE IF ANYTHING IS FUNKY. HAD I BEEN GOING AT ANY DECENT SPEED, NOT IN A PARKING LOT, I SUSPECT I WOULD HAVE BURNED TO DEATH.... THE REPAIR WAS SIMPLE; REPLACE THE STRAPS AND TWO PLASTIC VENT HOSE CONNECTIONS THAT FAILED. JACKING UP THE TANK [FULL] AND TYING IT UP SO THE TRUCK COULD BE PULLED UP ON A TILTBED WAS A HASSLE, MAINLY SINCE I DID NOT HAVE THE APPROPRIATE TOOLS ON HAND. A SIMPLE INSPECTION WOULD HAVE PREVENTED THIS INCIDENT, THOUGH IT WOULD HAVE TO HAVE BEEN MORE THAN JUST A VISUAL INSPECTION; POKING THE STRAP WITH A PICK TO VERIFY IT WASN'T ALL RUST JUST LOOKING LIKE SURFACE RUSTED METAL.. BUT YOUR SYSTEM WILL NOT TAKE THAT NUMBER, SAYING IT IS INVALID. IT IS A 1998 F-150 4WD, EXTENDED CAB, STICK SHIFT, WITH AC. *TR