NHTSA Complaint #10744202 — 2015 FORD E-350

ON 6/23/15 ONE OF OUR VANS HAD THE REAR STRAP HOLDING THE FUEL TANK BREAK AND DROP THE REAR OF THE TANK TO THE ROAD. THE VAN IS CONVERTED TO 4X4 BY QUADVAN IN PORTLAND BUT NO MODIFICATION IS MADE TO THE FUEL SYSTEM AND IT WAS SOLD BY A FORD DEALER BRAND NEW. OUR LOCAL FORD DEALER HERE FIXED THE STRAP BUT PROBABLY WITH THE SAME PART. YESTERDAY 7/27/15 OUR SECOND OF TWO VANS WE BOUGHT AT THE SAME TIME HAD THE SAME THING HAPPEN. THE FIRST TIME WAS ON A WASHBOARD SECTION OF MAUNA KEA MOUNTAIN WHERE WE RUN TOURS AT APPROX 15MPH, THE SECOND INCIDENT WAS ON HIGHWAY AT APPROX 35 MPH ON THE WAY TO MAUNA KEA MOUNTAIN. WE ARE VERY EXPERIENCED MECHANICALLY AND NOTE THAT UNIQUELY FORD IS USING AN ALLOY FINAL ATTACHMENT TO THE FRAME WHEREAS OUR PREVIOS DOZENS OF FORD VANS HAVE ALL USED A STEEL FINAL ATTACHMENT. IN 25 YEARS WE HAVE HAD NO SUCH PROBLEM WITH OUR MANY MANY FORD VANS. AS ANY LATEST MODEL FORD VAN IN THE NOW DISCONTINUED E350 SERIES COULD HAVE THIS PROBLEM IF DRIVEN ON ROUGH ROADS WE FEEL IT IS AN INHERENT FAULT AND SHOULD BE SUBJECT OF A RECALL. A WORST CASE SCENARIO IS THAT THE FRONT OF THE TANK DROPS AND CONTACTS THE ROAD CAUSING A FIREBALL AND IMMOLATION OF ALL ONBOARD..!! WE HAVE CONTACTED NEWBERG FORD IN PORTLAND OREGON AND ARE IN CORRESPONDENCE WITH THEM TO LET FORD KNOW.