1997 FORD F-150 Complaints

THE REAR FUEL TANK SUPPORT STRAP ON MY 1997 FORD F150 HAS CORRODED AND FAILED. THE FUEL TANK HAS BEEN SUPPORTED FOR AN INDETERMINATE AMOUNT OF TIME BY THE OPTIONAL MANUFACTURER PROTECTIVE SKID PLATE, WHICH WAS ORDERED NEW WITH THE TRUCK.

FUEL TANK STRAPS RUSTED OR BROKE ON MY 1997 FORD F150 PICKUP TANK FELL TO THE GROUND. *TR

STRAPS THAT HOLD GAS TANK BROKE. UPDATED 08/08/11 *BF THE CONSUMER STATED THE STRAPS BROKE AT THE FRAME AND WERE CORRODED AND SHOWED SIGNS OF STRESS FRACTURES IN THE METAL WHERE THE METAL FORMED AROUND THE TANK AND WAS MOUNTED TO THE FRAME. THE CONSUMER NOTICED THE FUEL NOZZLE HAD A CRACK IN IT AND HAD PULLED LOOSE FROM THE TANK. UPDATED 08/15/11 *TR

JUST DRIVING MY 1997 FORD F-150 AND HAVE HAD 2 SPARK PLUGS FLY OUT THE TRUCK. MOTOR THEN RUNS ROUGH AND CONTINUES TO OPERATE FOR SOME TIME BEFORE YOU GET ANY ENGINE LIGHT. AFRAID TO LET WIFE USE TRUCK CAUSE IT COULD CATCH FIRE. *TR

FUEL TANK PARTIALLY DROPPED FROM VEHICLE. ATTEMPTED TO DRIVE TRUCK AFTER IT WAS UNUSED FOR 3 WEEKS AND FOUND A PROBLEM WITH THE BREAKS. PEDAL GOING DOWN TO FLOOR. DID NOT DRIVE VEHICLE. LOOKED UNDER VEHICLE TO INVESTIGATE BRAKE PROBLEM AND SAW FUEL TANK REAR HANGING DOWN. DON'T KNOW HOW LONG IT WAS LIKE THAT. REAR STRAP RUSTED COMPLETELY THROUGH AND FAILED. TANK WAS BEING SUPPORTED BY FILL AND VENT HOSES. HAS NOT YET BEEN REPAIRED. *TR

THE FUEL STRAP BROKE CAUSING FUEL TANK TO FALL OFF OF VEHICLE WHILE I WAS DRIVING ON THE ROAD. FUEL TANK FELL TO GROUND AND WAS DRAGGED CAUSING SEVERAL HOLES IN TANK AND FUEL SPILL. FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS CALLED TO ASSIST WITH FUEL SPILL. TANK WAS REMOVED FROM VEHICLE BY FIRE DEPARTMENT AND THEN TOWED TO SERVICE STATION FOR REPLACEMENT. UPDATED 08/08/11 *BF THE CONSUMER STATED THE FRONT STRAP FAILED. THE STRAP HAD A PLASTIC COVERING ON THREE SIDES OF IT. THE TOP SIDE WAS NOT COVERED AND IT WAS COVERED IN RUST IN THE MIDDLE. THE REAR STRAP WAS IN THE SAME CONDITION. UPDATED 08/15/11 *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 FORD F-150. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING 50 MPH WHEN HE HEARD AN ABNORMAL DRAGGING SOUND. WHEN HE INSPECTED THE VEHICLE, HE SAW THAT THE FRONT FUEL TANK STRAP WAS FRACTURED AND LEANING ON THE GROUND. A LOCAL MECHANIC REPLACED THE FUEL TANK AND THE STRAPS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 147,000 AND THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 146,000. UPDATED 07/20/11*LJ UPDATED 08/05/11

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 FORD F-150. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THERE WAS A LEAK FROM THE FUEL LEAK TANK WHICH CAUSED CORROSION OF ONE OF THE FUEL TANK STRAPS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A LOCAL MECHANIC WHO ADVISED THAT THE LEAK WAS COMING FROM THE TOP OF THE FUEL TANK. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE CONTACT CALLED TWO AUTHORIZED DEALERS WHO STATED THAT THEY WERE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 227,720 AND THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 225,000.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 FORD F-150. WHILE ADDING FUEL TO THE VEHICLE THE CONTACT NOTICED FUEL LEAKING FROM UNDERNEATH THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT STATED APPROXIMATELY HALF A GALLON OF FUEL HAD SPILLED ON THE GROUND. THE CONTACT WAS UNABLE TO TELL IF THE FUEL TANK STRAPS WERE BROKEN OR DETERMINE THE CONDITION OF THEM. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE HOME. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THERE WAS AN OPEN INVESTIGATION UNDER NHTSA ACTION NUMBER EA11006(FUEL SYSTEM, OTHER:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY FUEL SYSTEM, OTHER:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY:MOUNTING FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY:MOUNTING) THAT MAY BE RELATED TO THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 98,000. UPDATED 07/08/11*LJ UPDATED 07/15/11

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 FORD F150. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE ADDING FUELING TO THE VEHICLE ONE OF THE FUEL STRAPS THAT HELD UP THE FUEL TANK BROKE CAUSING THE FUEL TANK TO SPILL ON THE GROUND. THE CONDITION OF THE STRAPS WERE UNKNOWN. THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN HOME AND PARKED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND A CLAIM WAS FILED. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THERE WERE NO RECALLS AND THE CONTACT WOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE REPAIR COST. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.