NHTSA Complaint #10761834 — 1999 FORD F SERIES

WHILE INSPECTING MY VEHICLE FOR FUEL STRAP RECALL 11S21, IT WAS NOTED THAT THE FRAME OF MY F150 WAS RUSTED THROUGH AT THE LOCATION WHERE THE NEW STRAP WOULD BE INSTALLED. MY FORD DEALER TOLD ME THAT THEY COULD NOT REPLACE THE RECALLED STRAP UNTIL THE FRAME WAS REPAIRED (AT MY EXPENSE). FORD DOES NOT REPAIR THE FRAME UNDER THE RECALL, ONLY REPLACES THE STRAP. I FEEL THAT FORD SHOULD DO THE FRAME REPAIR AS PART OF THE RECALL, AS THE STRAP WAS LESS RUSTY THAN THE FRAME. THE STRAPS, IN MY OPINION, WERE OF SIMILAR QUALITY AS THE FRAME, ONLY THINNER METAL. MY TRUCK HAS BEEN VERY WELL MAINTAINED, BUT THE UNDERCARRIAGE HAS BEEN RUSTING EXCESSIVELY SINCE NEW. I OWN MUCH OLDER FORD VEHICLES WITH NO SUCH ISSUE; MY OPINION IS THAT FORD SOURCED POOR QUALITY MATERIALS WHEN BUILDING THESE MODEL YEAR TRUCKS. I ALSO HAVE RUST HOLES IN THE TRANSMISSION DIPSTICK TUBE AND EXHAUST MANIFOLDS. NO REASON FOR THIS EXCESSIVE CORROSION, SINCE I HAVE BEEN DILIGENT ABOUT MAINTAINING THIS TRUCK. MY 1982 FORD VAN HAS NO SUCH ISSUES, AND IT HAS NOT BEEN CARED FOR AS WELL AS THIS TRUCK. THANKS FOR YOUR HELP.