1997 FORD F-150 Complaints

OBSERVED FUEL TANK HANGING DOWN FROM UNDERNEATH VEHICLE. ON CLOSER INSPECTION THE REAR FUEL TANK STRAP WAS FOUND TO BE HEAVILY CORRODED AND BROKEN ALLOWING THE FUEL TANK TO FALL AWAY FROM THE VEHICLE. THE FRONT STRAP WAS OBSERVED TO BE HEAVILY CORRODED AS WELL BUT LUCKILY STILL HOLDING THE FRONT PORTION OF THE TANK UP. *KB

FUEL TANK IS RUSTED AND THE STRAPS RUSTED AND FELL OFF GIVING THE FUEL TANK NO SUPPORT. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 FORD F-150. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT A LOW SPEED, THE VEHICLE HIT A BUMP AND THE FUEL TANK FELL ONTO THE GROUND. THE CONTACT EXAMINED THE VEHICLE AND NOTICED THAT BOTH STRAPS WHICH HELD THE FUEL TANK IN PLACE WERE CORRODED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 176,000. UPDATED 08/31/11 *BF THE FUEL TANK, STRAPS, PUMP AND FILTER WERE ALL REPLACED. UPDATED 09/07/11

I LAST DROVE MY TRUCK ON 06/20/2011. WHEN I WOKE UP TO FEED MY ANIMALS I HEARD A SOUND LIKE A BIRD CAUGHT UNDER MY TRUCK. I LOOKED UNDER THE DRIVERS SIDE FENDER AND SAW FLAMES. I POPPED THE HOOD AND SAW THE MASTER CYLINDER WAS ON FIRE. I GRABBED MY FIRE EXTINGUISHER FROM MY BARN AND PUT THE FIRE OUT.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 FORD F-150. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 55 MPH, A LOUD NOISE EMITTED FROM THE OUTSIDE OF THE VEHICLE. UPON REACHING HER DESTINATION, THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE FUEL TANK WAS PARTIALLY DETACHED FROM THE VEHICLE AND DRAGGING ON THE GROUND. THE FUEL TANK SUSTAINED DAMAGE, AND THE CONTACT USED A SEPARATE STRAP TO REATTACH THE TANK. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT BOTH STRAPS WHICH HELD THE FUEL TANK IN PLACE FRACTURED DUE TO CORROSION. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNAVAILABLE. UPDATED 08/31/11 *BF UPDATED 2/9/12 *CN

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 FORD F150. THE CONTACT STATED BOTH FUEL TANK STRAPS COMPLETELY RUSTED. THE FUEL TANK WAS NOT DAMAGED DUE TO THE FAILURE AND WAS TEMPORARILY SECURED WITH ANOTHER TYPE OF METAL STRAP. IN ADDITION, THE FUEL FILLER NECK HOSE EXHIBITED A CRACK. THE DEALER WAS NOTIFIED AND THEY INFORMED THE FUEL FILLER NECK HOSE WAS NO LONGER BEING MANUFACTURED. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED. CURRENTLY THERE IS AN OPEN INVESTIGATION ASSOCIATED WITH NHTSA ACTION NUMBER EA11006 (FUEL SYSTEM, OTHER:TANK ASSEMBLY). THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE DEFECT. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 190,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 FORD F-150. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN FOR ROUTINE MAINTENANCE WHEN THE TECHNICIAN ADVISED THAT ONE OF THE FUEL TANK STRAPS WAS FRACTURED AND THE OTHER SHOWED SIGNS OF SEVERE RUST AND COULD FRACTURE AT ANY GIVEN MOMENT. THE TECHNICIAN ADVISED THE CONTACT NOT TO FILL THE FUEL TANK TO CAPACITY AND ALSO ADVISED NOT TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 140, 000. UPDATED 0831/11*LJ UPDATED 09/01/11

THE STRAPS HOLDING THE FUEL TANK RUSTED AND SNAPPED CAUSING THE TANK TO DROP FROM THE VEHICLE. I WAS ONLY DOING ABOUT 25 MPH AT THE TIME SO THE TANK DID NOT RUPTURE. I HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO A LOCAL FORD DEALER BECAUSE I SAW A NEWS REPORT ABOUT A RECALL OF THE STRAPS. TO MY SURPRISE THERE IS NO RECALL AND I MUST PAY OUT OF POCKET. THE STRAPS WERE RUSTY DUE TO THE AGE AND LOCATION, BUT THIS SHOULD NOT HAPPEN. *TR

WE WERE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD AT ABOUT 25 MPH AFTER WE DECIDED NOT TO TAKE THE FREEWAY TO GET TO OUR DESTINATION. WE HEARD A HUGE CLUNK/DROP NOISE AND SEVERE SCRAPING SOUND SO WE PULLED OFF IMMEDIATELY TO FIND THAT THE GAS TANK IN OUR 1997 FORD F-150 HAD FALLEN AND WAS DRAGGING ON THE GROUND. THE STRAP(S) HAD APPARENTLY RUSTED OFF. THE TRUCK WAS TOWED TO A LOCAL FORD DEALERSHIP WHERE THE WORK WILL BE DONE ON MONDAY. WE HOPE THAT ONLY THE STRAPS WILL HAVE TO BE REPLACED AND THAT NO DAMAGE TO THE FUEL TANK OR LINES WAS DONE (OR WILL BE DONE) DURING THE MOVING OF THE TRUCK DURING TOWING OR FOR REPAIR. I AM FEARFUL OF WHAT COULD HAVE HAPPENED HAD WE BEEN DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY AT 60-70 MPH AND SPARKS BEEN CREATED. THE GAS TANK WAS ABOUT 3/4 WAY FULL. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 FORD F-150. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE HE WAS DRIVING, ANOTHER VEHICLE CUT HIM OFF WHICH CAUSED HIM TO APPLY EXTREME PRESSURE TO THE BRAKES IN ORDER TO STOP THE VEHICLE. UPON DEPRESSING THE BRAKES, HE NOTICED THAT THE SEAT BELT LATCH WAS VERY LOOSE, AND CAUSED HIM TO LUNGE FORWARD INTO THE STEERING WHEEL. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THEY WERE UNABLE TO OFFER ANY ASSISTANCE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 166,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 168,000. UPDATED 08/31/2011 *LN *TR