NHTSA Complaint #10334070 — 2002 DODGE DAKOTA

I HAD JUST FILLED THE GAS TANK IN MY 2002 DODGE DAKOTA PICKUP TRUCK AND WAS DRIVING NORTH AT 70 MPH ON INTERSTATE 93 IN NEW HAMPSHIRE THIS PAST FRIDAY WHEN THE STRAPS HOLDING THE FUEL TANK IN PLACE UNDER THE TRUCK BROKE AND THE GAS TANK LITERALLY FELL OFF THE TRUCK. I PULLED OVER AND SAW THAT THE TANK WAS BEING SUSPENDED ONLY BY THE HOSES CONNECTING THE TANK TO THE FUEL FILLER OPENING. I CALLED A TOW TRUCK WHICH LOADED THE TRUCK ONTO ITS TILT BODY. BY THE TIME WE HAD GONE 10 MILES TO A GARAGE, THE GAS TANK HAD COMPLETELY SEPARATED FROM THE HOSES AND HAD FALLEN TO THE FLOOR OF THE TOW TRUCK BED, SLOSHING GAS EVERYWHERE. THANKFULLY, WE WERE ABLE TO UNLOAD THE DAKOTA WITHOUT SETTING OFF THE FUEL, BUT THIS COULD HAVE BEEN A HUGE ACCIDENT. THE TWO STRAPS HOLDING THE FUEL TANK IN PLACE WERE MADE OUT OF METAL AND HAD RUSTED THROUGH. IT SEEMS TO ME THAT THIS IS AN UNACCEPTABLE DESIGN FLAW. MY VEHICLE COULD HAVE LOST ITS GAS TANK AT FULL SPEED. THE GAS COULD HAVE IGNITED, BLOWN UP ME AND MY TRUCK AND CAUSED COLLATERAL DAMAGE TO OTHER VEHICLES ON THE ROAD. *TR