The Ford F150 is the best selling truck in the United States, and a staple of Ford motor Company. Last Fall a probe was opened by the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration covering Ford F-150′s from model years 1997 through 2001. Ford suffered a massive image crisis when the Ford Pinto had fuel tank issues in the 1970′s. The company is being much more proactive this time around.
The concerns center around steel straps that hold the fuel tank in place. Sometimes, when one or both of these steel straps that hold the tank rust and/or break, a fire could result. At this point a mandatory recall has not been issued, but as the probe expands, the likelihood of a recall becomes more real.
To date there were 306 consumer complaints, 175 filed with the NHTSA and 156 with Ford.
“Among the incidents reported to NHTSA or Ford, 243 involved the fuel tank dropping below the vehicle and/or dragging on the ground, 95 involved fuel leakage, and nine included reports of sparks from the tank being dragged on the road,” the NHTSA filing said.
The probe now involves about 2.7 million vehicles.