8/3/2011 1:11:00 AM
NEWS BRIEFS
Ford Recalls 1.1m F-Series Pickups Over Fuel Tank Fasteners

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Ford Motor Co. agreed to recall about 1.1 million F-Series pickups due to potential fire hazards related to faulty fuel tank fasteners.
 

The straps that hold the fuel tank in place reportedly are prone to rusting, which can lead to the tank breaking free and drag along the road.
 

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said that as a result of the corrosion, one or both straps may fail allowing the fuel lines to separate from the tank. In some cases, this can cause the tank to contact the ground and may result in a fuel leak presenting a fire hazard.
 

The vehicles being recalled include the 1997 – 2004 Ford F-150, 2004 Ford F-150 Heritage, and1997 – 1999 Ford F-250 trucks with a gross vehicle weight under 8,500 pounds. Also included in the recall are the 2002 – 2003 Lincoln Blackwoods.

The automaker is recalling fewer than half of the vehicles originally investigated by the NHTSA, the Los Angeles Times reports. That investigation covered 2.7 million trucks, but Ford said it was recalling only vehicles sold or registered in states where road salt is used heavily.
 

The states in which the recall applies are 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 and Wisconsin. The District of Columbia also is included.
 

The agency said it learned of 243 cases in which gas tanks broke free and dragged on the ground. In one of those cases, a fire destroyed the vehicle. There were nine reports of the dragging tanks causing sparks.
 

“When the tank drops, it remains attached to the vehicle only by the fuel filler hose and/or supply lines, or in rare instances, by the skid plate, if present,” investigators reported in May. 
 

“This raises the possibility that the weight of the dropped tank could sufficiently strain the hoses and fittings to cause separation and fuel leaks between those components,” the report stated.

“The fire hazard created by the leaking gasoline is increased by the possible presence of sparks created by the metal tank being dragged along the road.” ©2011 GlobalFastenerNews.com