Ford Recalls 1.1 Million Trucks for Gas Tank Problem
08/02/2011
Ford is recalling 1.1 million trucks for a problem with the gas tank’s assembly. In cold weather states, road deicing chemicals exposed to the trucks over time could cause severe corrosion of the straps that secure the fuel tank to the truck, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reports.
The corrosion could cause one or both straps that attach the fuel tank to the truck to break or separate, which could cause the fuel lines to detach from the tank, causing it to potentially fall off the truck. If the fuel tank falls off and hits the ground, fuel could leak and cause a fire, NHTSA says.
The recall affects certain model-year 1997-2004 Ford F-150, 1997-1999 Ford F-250 and 2002-2003 Lincoln Blackwood trucks. Recalled trucks were originally sold in Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, West Virginia, Wisconsin and the District of Columbia. Ford and Lincoln dealers will replace the fuel tank straps free of charge with ones that have increased corrosion protection.
If you own one of the 1.1 million affected trucks, Ford will notify you about the recall, which starts September 12. Since the recall affects trucks of specific weights and trim levels, you may want to contact Ford at 1-866-436-7332 to see if your truck is included. You can also contact NHTSA at 1-888-327-4236 or visit
www.safecar.gov and search for NHTSA campaign number 11V385000. Ford’s recall number is 11S21.
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