NHTSA Complaint #10434055 — 2003 FORD F-150

MY 2003 FORD F-150 WAS SUBJECT TO RECALL TO REPLACE THE GAS TANK MOUNTING STRAPS WHICH ARE KNOWN TO CORRODE AND FAIL. THE FUEL TANK ON THE TRUCK HAD SIGNIFICANT RUST UNDER ONE OF THE STRAPS, RESULTING IN A LEAK IN THE AREA UNDER THE STRAP. WHEN I BROUGHT THE TRUCK IN FOR THE RECALL WORK I NOTIFIED THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT THAT THE TANK WAS LEAKING UNDER THE STRAP. I WAS TOLD AS LONG AS THE TANK WAS LEAKING AS A RESULT OF THE STRAP FAILURE AND NOT LEAKING AT A SEAM OR ELSEWHERE ON THE TANK, FORD WOULD REPLACE THE TANK. I WAS LATER NOTIFIED THAT FORD DENIED THE TANK REPLACEMENT DUE TO THE FACT THAT IT WAS ALREADY LEAKING. I WAS TOLD THAT IF THE RESULT OCCURRED AS A RESULT OF THE REPAIR THEN FORD WOULD REPLACE THE TANK AT NO COST TO ME BUT SINCE IT WAS ALREADY LEAKING, THEY WOULDN'T TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE TANK REPAIR, ONLY THE REPLACEMENT OF THE STRAPS. AS A RESULT, I REPLACED THE TANK AT MY OWN EXPENSE. THE FUEL TANK THAT WAS REMOVED FROM THIS TRUCK WAS IN VERY GOOD CONDITION WITH THE EXCEPTION OF THE RUST UNDER THE FUEL TANK STRAP. THERE WAS NO LEAKAGE AT ANY OF THE SEAMS OR ANYWHERE ELSE ON THE TANK. THE FAILURE OF THE TANK, IN MY OPINION, IS A DIRECT RESULT OF THE CORROSION OF THE STRAPS. FORD HAS ACKNOWLEDGED THIS AS A PROBLEM BUT WILL ONLY REPAIR TANKS (AT THEIR EXPENSE) THAT BEGIN LEAKING DURING THE COURSE OF THE REPAIR. I FEEL THAT THIS IS A SEVERE SAFETY ISSUE THAT FORD IS AWARE OF AND THEREFORE THE CURRENT RECALL FOR FUEL TANK STRAPS SHOULD IMMEDIATELY BE EXPANDED TO INCLUDE THE INSPECTION OF TANKS AND THE FREE REPLACEMENT OF ANY TANK SHOWING CORROSION IN THE VICINITY OF THE FAILED STRAPS. *TR