NHTSA Complaint #10459094 — 2002 FORD ECONOLINE

FUEL PUMP FAILED WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE AT FREEWAY SPEEDS ON 101 SOUTH ON THE WALDO GRADE APPROACHING THE GOLDEN GATE BRIDGE. VEHICLE LOST POWER HALF WAY UP THE GRADE AND SLOWED TO 10 MPH. LIMPED VEHICLE TO OFF RAMP. I AM AN ASE CERTIFIED MASTER MECHANIC, I ALSO HOLD MY CALIFORNIA SMOG LICENSE. I'VE WORKED AS A MECHANIC FOR 30 YEARS. UPON GETTING THE VEHICLE HOME I DIAGNOSED THE CONCERN I FOUND THE FUEL TANK FULL OF METAL THAT HAD FLAKED FROMT HE WALLS OF THE FUEL TANK. I FOUND THE FUEL PICKUP IN THE TANK PLUGGED WITH FILINGS, THE FUEL PUMP RUINED, AND THE FUEL FILTER FULL OF METAL AND RUST. I SENT THE TANK TO WHO COATED THE FUEL TANK FOR ME. STATED THAT HE CONTINUOUSLY SEES THESE FORD TANK COMING FROM ALL THE DEALERSHIPS IN THE AREA. UPON DOING SOME RESEARCH ON THE INTERNET I FOUND THAT THIS IS A WIDESPREAD PROBLEM WITH FORD FUEL TANKS. MY TOTAL COST FOR THIS REPAIR IN PARTS AND REPAIRS TO THE FUEL TANK HAS COME TO $1,200.00 WHOLESALE COST, NOT INCLUDING MY LABOR OR ANY PARTS RETAIL MARKUP. I HAVE OWNED THIS VEHICLE SINCE NEW AND ALWAYS RUN GOOD QUALITY FUEL IN MY VEHICLE AND TOPPED UP THE TANK WEEKLY OR MORE OFTEN TO REDUCE THE POSSIBILITY OF MOISTURE IN MY FUEL SYSTEM. I HAVE NOT FILLED UP THE FUEL TANK AND RUN THE ENGINE YET, AND HOPE THAT THERE IS NO FURTHER DAMAGE TO MY FUEL INJECTORS OR FUEL SYSTEM. IF THERE IS I COULD BE OUT ANOTHER $4,000 TO 5,000 JUST IN PARTS. I AM CURIOUS AS TO WHY IF THERE SEEMS TO BE SUCH A WIDESPREAD PROBLEM OUR GOVERNMENT HAS NOT RECALLED THESE VEHICLES? IT IS CLEAR TO ME THAT FORD IS PRODUCING VEHICLES WITH SUBSTANDARD FUEL SYSTEMS AND THAT THERE IS A KNOWN DEFECT THAT FORD IS NOT OWNING. THE PUBLIC SHOULD NOT BE HELD LIABLE OFR FORD'S DESIGN FLAWS. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6) *TT