1997 Ford F-250 fuel system, gasoline problems

“The contact owns a 1997 Ford F-250. The contact stated that the fuel strap failed and there was a hole in the fuel tank. The contact stated that there was fuel leaking from the vehicle. There were no warning lights illuminated. The contact stated that the failure was related to NHTSA Campaign Number: 11V385000 (Fuel System, Gasoline) and 00V231000 (Fuel System, Gasoline). The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, but the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 133,000.”

“DRIVING THE VEHICLE AT A SLOW SPEED OVER A GRAVEL ROAD, THE STRAPS AND/OR THEIR ATTACHMENT POINTS TO THE FRAME FAILED, ALLOWING THE TANK TO DROP AND MAKE CONTACT WITH THE ROAD. THIS WAS PRIOR TO FORD'S RECALL REGARDING THE STRAPS AND A REPAIR WAS MADE AT THE LOCAL SHOP. REPAIRS CONSISTED OF A NEW TANK, SENDING UNIT AND STRAPS. THE SHOP INDICATED THAT THE STRAPS HAD FAILED BUT NEW STRAPS COULD NOT BE FITTED BECAUSE, EITHER BECAUSE OF THE MECHANICAL ACTION OF TEARING AWAY THE TANK OR BECAUSE OF DETERIORATION, THE MOUNTING POINTS WERE NOT IN SUFFICIENTLY GOOD SHAPE TO REATTACH THE STRAPS. THE SHOP FASHIONED AN ATTACHMENT CONSISTING OF CHAINS SUSPENDING THE TANK FROM THE FRAME. SUBSEQUENTLY, ON RECEIVING FORD'S RECALL NOTICE REGARDING THE STRAPS, I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A FORD DEALER WHO, AFTER AN ATTEMPT TO REPAIR, INDICATED THE VEHICLE NEEDED MORE WORK TO IMPLEMENT THE CORRECTION. THE DEALER (AND I) SPOKE TO A FORD REPRESENTATIVE WHO INITIALLY AUTHORIZED THE REPAIR BUT, WHEN THE EXTEND OF THE REQUIRED REPAIR WAS SOMEWHAT GREATER THAN ANTICIPATED, WAS OVERRULED BY SOMEONE ELSE AT FORD AND FORD DENIED THE REPAIR. THE TRUCK EFFECTIVELY COULD NOT BE INSPECTED IN THE…”

“THE FUEL TANK STRAPS FAILED ON MY TRUCK CAUSING THE FUEL TANK TO DETACH AND MAKE CONTACT WITH THE GROUND WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION. I HAD THE TANK AND RELATED PARTS REPLACED AT A LOCAL SHOP. HOWEVER, THE MECHANIC INFORMED ME THAT THE MOUNTING POINTS FOR THE VEHICLE'S GAS TANK STRAPS WERE ALSO RUSTED AND NEW STRAPS COULD NOT BE INSTALLED IN THE NORMAL MANNER. WHEN THE RECALL WAS ISSUED I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A LOCAL FORD DEALER THAT ATTEMPTED AN OFFICIAL REPAIR OF THE STRAPS BUT CONCLUDED THE MOUNTING BRACKETS WERE TOO DAMAGED TO INSTALL NEW STRAPS. WHETHER THE DEFECT WAS ALL CORROSION OR A COMBINATION OF CORROSION AND THE EFFECTS OF THE TANK BEING RIPPED FROM THE REMAINING MOUNTS WHEN THE STRAPS FAILED WAS NOT DETERMINED. THE DEALER AND I CALLED A FORD COMPANY REPRESENTATIVE WHO INITIALLY AGREED TO HAVE FORD COVER THE REPAIR OF THE VEHICLE BUT THIS WAS LATER RESCINDED BY A SUPERIOR AND I LEFT WITH AN UNSAFE, INCOMPLETE REPAIR. I WOULD LIKE THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ASSOCIATION TO EXAMINE THE INCIDENCE OF STRUCTURAL AND MOUNTING BRACKET FAILURES DUE TO PREMATURE CORROSION NOT LIMITED TO THE STRAPS THEMSELVES. SEVERAL LOCAL MECHANICS HAVE COMMENTED…”

“NOVEMBER,2005 WOKE UP TO HEAVY ODOR OF GAS COMING FROM MY ATTACHED GARAGE FOUND MY 1997 F-250 TRUCK HAD LOST GALLONS OVERNITE TOOK TO LOCAL FORD DEALER TOLD ME TANK RUSTY,UNDER SKID PLATE& SPARE TIRE. COST ME $734.27 I SAID IS THERE A PROBLEM WITH THESE TANKS,WAS ASKED ABOUT RECALL WAS TOLD NO RECALL-WENT HOME CALLED FORD MOTOR CO.TOLD THEM MY SITUATION &COSTS FOR A GARAGE KEPT,RARELY SAW SNOW & METICULOUSLY KEPT UP INSIDE & OUT TRUCK ,THEY WERE NO HELP AT ALL. SOLD THIS TRUCK APPROX 2006 TO MY FRIEND WHO OWNS A LOCAL HARLEY DAVIDSON BUSINESS,IT IS STILL RUNNING AND LOOKING GREAT. THEN BOUGHT 1997 F-150 AT LOCAL FORD DEALER 5/14/12 THAT I GOT A RECALL ON FOR THE SAME PROBLEM, HAD WORK DONE FOR THEFUEL TANK/STRAP ASY TOOK IT IN DONE AT NO COST,I BELIEVE I AM OWED A REFUND & INTEREST ON THE $734.27 ON THE 1997 F250 IN MY GARAGE ALSO WERE 2 HARLEYS ONE BEING A COLLECTIBLE I FEEL FORD CHOSE TO KEEP THIS MATTER HUSHED AND I COULD HAVE LOST EVERYTHING. I BELIEVE I AM DUE A REFUND ASAP I SHOULD NOT HAVE HAD TO PAY FOR FORD MOTOR COMPANY'S MISTAKES AND ATTEMPTED COVER UP. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME & ATTENTION TO MY LONG OVERDUE MATTER, ANY HELP TO RIGHT THIS WRONG WOULD…”

“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 FORD F-250. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED AND TURNED OFF, THE CONTACT NOTICED AN OVERPOWERING GASOLINE SMELL COMING FROM THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE. AFTER EXAMINING THE VEHICLE, THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE FUEL TANK WAS LEAKING NEXT TO THE FUEL TANK STRAPS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER:11V385000 APPLIED TO HIS VEHICLE AND THAT THE FUEL TANK NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 180,000.”

“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 FORD F-250. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS INCLUDED IN THE RECALL ASSOCIATED WITH NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 11V385000 (FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY:MOUNTING). THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER AND THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE VEHICLE COULD NOT BE REPAIRED BECAUSE THE FUEL TANK WAS ALSO RUSTED. THE MANUFACTURER DENIED ANY ASSISTANCE WITH REPAIRS. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 142,000.”