NHTSA Complaint #10544301 — 2010 FORD F-150

VEHICLE STALLED AS IF OUT OF FUEL, DESPITE HAVING BEEN RECENTLY FILLED WITH GAS. FUEL MONITORING SYSTEM (TANK LEVEL GAGE AND RANGE COMPUTER) INDICATED THAT VEHICLE WAS USING FUEL AT MUCH HIGHER RATE THAN NORMAL. FOR EXAMPLE, NORMAL RANGE OF THIS TRUCK WHEN 36 GALLON TANK IS FULL IS APPROXIMATELY 570 MILES. AFTER 250 MILES, GAUGE WAS SHOWING TANK OUT OF FUEL AND RANGE COMPUTER WAS INSTRUCTING ME TO REFUEL. REFILLING ONLY REQUIRED 15 GALLONS, INDICATING REDUCED TANK STORAGE CAPACITY. AFTER PERFORMING RESEARCH VIA INTERNET, SUSPECTED BENT FUEL PUMP MOUNT DUE TO FAILED TANK PURGE VALVE. BROUGHT VEHICLE TO DEALER FOR SERVICE WHO FOUND STORED P-1450 CODE WHICH INDICATED A PRIOR FAILURE OF THE FUEL VENT PURGE VALVE. DEALER DROPPED THE TANK, REMOVED THE FUEL PUMP ASSEMBLY AND VERIFIED THAT THE MOUNTING SYSTEM FOR THE PUMP ASSEMBLY HAD BEEN SEVERELY BENT WHEN TANK COLLAPSED UNDER ATMOSPHERIC PRESSURE. NEGATIVE GAGE PRESSURE INSIDE OF TANK CAUSED PLASTIC FUEL TANK TO COLLAPSE, SEVERELY BENDING FUEL PUMP MOUNTING HARDWARE WHICH IS CONSTRUCTED OF TWO 3/16" DIAMETER STEEL RODS. APPARENTLY THE PURGE VALVE FAILED AND EITHER THERE IS NO PRESSURE RELIEF SYSTEM, OR IT FAILED. DEALER REPLACED PUMP AND PURGE SOLENOID VALVE AT OWNER COST OF $950+. DEALER INDICATED THAT THERE WAS NO LIABILITY FROM EITHER DEALER OR MANUFACTURER. MY CONCERNS IS SIMPLE....HOW CAN THE DESIGN OF THE FUEL SYSTEM ALLOW THE TANK TO COLLAPSE AT ALL? MY CASE RESULTED IN PUMP HARDWARE DAMAGE, BUT IT SEEM VERY PLAUSIBLE THAT FUEL TANK DAMAGE OR FAILURE IS VERY POSSIBLE, POTENTIALLY LEADING TO SPILLED FUEL AND FIRE. *JB