If you own a 1997-2001 F-150 Ford pickup, you might wonder if the fuel tank is about to fall off. Why would you be wondering this? Perhaps you’d be wondering this because of the recent announcement made by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).
On September 13, 2010, NHTSA announced it will be investigating this hazard. The probe was opened on September 7, 2010. NHTSA is attempting to determine whether 1.4 million Ford F-150 pickups should be recalled due to the potential rusting of the straps that hold the fuel tank in place.
According to NHTSA, one or both mounting straps have broken due to rust in 28 of the 32 cases it has reviewed. The broken straps caused the fuel tank to drop from the frame, allowing the tank to be either dragged or completely detached from the vehicle. Six of the thirty-two cases involved complaints of fuel spilling when the tank dropped or detached. So far, no injuries or fires have been alleged in these incidents.
Importance of investigation
You may be wondering why NHTSA is spending money and time on investigating rusting mounting straps on older models of the F-150. After all, it’s only logical to expect some rusting on older vehicles, isn’t it? For example, it’s quite natural for vehicles exposed to salt to rust quickly. So any vehicles exposed to sea breezes, salt water, or salt used to thaw icy roads will most likely rust more quickly than those not exposed.
Since the probe is for 1997-2001 models, the vehicles certainly could be considered to be older vehicles, ranging from 9-13 years old. The report didn’t say how many of these had been exposed to natural conditions that could cause corrosion. However, NHTSA is concerned because they don’t want the Ford F-150 to turn into another Toyota-type fiasco, in case there is a defect in the straps.
Like the Toyota models that have been recalled in recent years, the F-150 pickup is one of the longtime best-selling vehicles in the United States. It’s the vehicle Ford promoted as one of the company’s finest vehicles, and still is a very popular vehicle to own. Most of the 1.4 million vehicles that were sold between 1997-2001 are still in use.
Cautionary warning
It’s important to remember that these vehicles are not actually being recalled at this time. NHTSA and Ford Motor Company are only in the investigation stage of determining whether there’s actually a need for a recall. According to NHTSA’s spokesman, Wes Sherwood, the Ford Motor Company is completely cooperating with NHTSA and helping with the investigation voluntarily. However, if you do happen to own a Ford F-150 pickup truck, you may want to check the fuel tank mounting straps yourself. It would be a very bad experience to have the tank fall off while driving down the road, especially if fuel spilled. It would also be a bad experience to have one fall on the road in front of you while you were driving closely behind a F-150 pickup. Of course, it would also be a bad experience if the fuel tank fell on you while working underneath the truck.
If you find that the fuel tank mounting straps have rusted out on your 1997-2001 Ford F-150 pickup, you should report it to NHTSA right away. You should also contact the Ford Motor Company to see if they will replace them for you. Although NHTSA hasn’t determined a need for a recall yet, the company may be willing to spring for the cost of replacement in order to avoid further embarassment.
References:
ABC News
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
USA Today
WXYZ News
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