1997 Ford F-150 Fuel System Problems

I filled the fuel tank and let the vehicle set in my drive over night. In the morning as I was approaching the vehicle in preparation to drive to work, I smelled a strong odor of gasoline. I looked under the vehicle and saw a wet spot about 3 feet in diameter. The wet spot was gasoline. As i was investigating the leak, I noticed the front fuel tank retaining band rusted in two and fuel tank hanging low. Further investigation revealed there was a leak from the fuel pump access seal and hose connecting the filler neck to the tank. I had just driven the vehicle 130 miles the day before filling the fuel tank. If it hadn't been for the leaking fuel, I would have not have discovered that the tank was only secured by one badly rusted retaining band and would have continued to operate the vehicle normally and probably ultimately the second band would have broken allowing the fuel tank to fall from the vehicle. Ford informed there was a recall and the vehicle had been repaired in 2011. I purchased the vehicle in Jan. 30, 2012 and drive it daily.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 FORD F-150. THE CONTACT HAD TAKEN THE VEHICLE TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC TO HAVE HIS BRAKES SERVICED. WHILE THERE, HE WAS INFORMED OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 00V231000 (FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE). THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO VANCOUVER FORD, INC. (6801 NE 40TH ST, VANCOUVER, WA 98661) WHERE HE WAS INFORMED BY THE MECHANIC THAT THE RECALL REQUIRED FOR HIM TO CHECK THE PVC VALVE AND THE FUEL LINE. AS PER THE MECHANIC, THERE WERE NO ISSUES WITH THE VEHICLE AND NO REPAIRS WERE PERFORMED ON THE VEHICLE. THE RECALL WAS THEN REMOVED FROM HIS VIN. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE AT A COMPLETE STOP, THE VEHICLE STALLED AND SHUTOFF WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT WHILE AT A COMPLETE STOP WHILE DEPRESSING THE BRAKE PEDAL, THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED FORWARD WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT REPLACED THE PCV VALVE AND THE PCV HOSE HIMSELF HOWEVER, THE FAILURE PERSISTED. THE MANUFACTURER HAD BEEN NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND THE PREVIOUS RECALL ON HIS VEHICLE. THE MANUFACTURER INFORMED HIM THAT THERE WERE NO RECALLS ON HIS VEHICLE AND OFFERED HIM NO FURTHER ASSISTANCE. THE VEHICLE HAD YET TO BE REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 154,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 FORD F-150. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED, THERE WAS A STRONG ODOR OF FUEL COMING FROM THE VEHICLE. IN ADDITION, FUEL LEAKED FROM THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND CONFIRMED THAT THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 11V385000 (FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE). THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 258,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 FORD F-150. THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT ONE OF THE FUEL TANK STRAPS FAILED DUE TO EXCESSIVE CORROSION. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, BUT WAS NOT DIAGNOSED BECAUSE THE VEHICLE WAS NOT MANUFACTURED WITHIN THE STATE. THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 11V385000 (FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE). THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 126,000.

FUEL TANK STRAPS ARE UNDER RECALL FOR RUST AND HAVE BEEN REPLACED TO HAVE THE FUEL TANK TO START TO LEAK. THE WHOLE FUEL TANK IS RUSTED UP AND IS DANGEROUS. FORD WILL NOT REPLACE THE FUEL TANK. THERE IS A DANGER THAT THE FUEL WILL CATCH ON FIRE AND WILL BE HAZARD TO THE DRIVER AS WELL AS OTHER MOTORISTS.

HAD FUEL TANK STRAP RECALL DONE ON 3/16/2015 ON MY 1997 FORD F150. PICKED TRUCK UP FROM DEALER ON 3/20/2015 AND TOOK IT TO MY HOME AND PARKED IT BY THE HOUSE. I LEFT MY HOUSE WITH MY OTHER CAR FOR A COUPLE OF HOURS AND WHEN I RETURNED HOME I COULD SMELL A STRONG ODOR A GAS. UPON INSPECTION OF MY TRUCK I FOUND GAS LEAKING FROM THE FUEL TANK AT THE LOCATION OF THE FUEL TANK STRAPS. I CONTACTED FORD AND THEY SAD THEY ARE NOT GOING TO DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT. MY TRUCK WAS FINE WHEN I TOOK IT IN FOR THE RECALL AND NOW AFTER THE RECALL THE TANK IS LEAKING BECAUSE THE OLD STRAPS CORRODED AND DAMAGED THE TANK. TRUCK GOES IN FOR SAFETY RECALL AND COMES BACK UNDRIVABLE BECAUSE OF A FIRE SAFETY ISSUE ( LEAKING FUEL TANK ) HOW CAN THIS BE ACCEPTABLE OR SAFE. *TR

CONTACTED RECALL HOTLINE AND THEY STATED MULTIPLE LETTERS WERE SENT OUT FOR THIS PROGRAM SO THEY ARE NOT ELIGIBLE FOR RELATED DAMAGES. I RECEIVED SAFETY RECALL NOTICE OCTOBER 2014 AND TOOK TRUCK TO GET RECALL FIXED WITHIN 2 MONTHS FROM WHEN I GOT A NOTICE OF RECALL . *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 FORD F-150. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FUEL TANK STRAPS FRACTURED. TWO YEARS PRIOR, THE VEHICLE WAS SERVICED ACCORDING TO NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 11V385000 (FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE). THE DEALER STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NO LONGER ELIGIBLE FOR ANY REPAIRS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 140,000. UPDATED 11/20/14*LJ THE CONSUMER STATED THERE WAS GAS LEAKING FROM THE TOP OF THE GAS TANK. IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT THE RUBBER PORTION OF THE GAS LINE CONNECTED TO DUCT BILL CLIP FITTING ROTTED AWAY. UPDATED 5/4/2015 *JS

1997 FORD F150 4.6L 4X4 FUEL LINE IS LEAKING ABOVE THE TRANSMISSION WHERE THE LINES CONNECT BETWEEN THE FUEL FILTER AND THE TOP REAR OF ENGINE. FUEL LINES ARE RUBBING ON THE FRAME OF THE TRUCK. FORD HAS RECALLED OVER 600,000 OF THIS MODEL TRUCK FOR THIS PROBLEM IN AUGUST, 2000, (FORD MFG. RECALL# 00S22) BUT AFTER SPEAKING WITH FORD MOTOR COMPANY, THEY STATED THAT MY TRUCK WAS NOT A PART OF THE RECALLED TRUCKS EVEN THOUGH MY TRUCK FIT ALL OF THE CRITERIA, SUCH AS MODEL, DATE, TIME, AND PLACE OF MANUFACTURE TO THE LETTER. I WAS TOLD THAT LESS THAN ONE PERCENT OF TRUCKS WERE AFFECTED EVEN THOUGH FORD RECALLED OVER 600,000 OF THESE TRUCKS FOR THIS ISSUE.I'VE HAD A PREVIOUS ISSUE WITH FUEL TANK FALLING OUT OF TRUCK DUE TO FAULTY STRAPS. FORD REPLACED STRAPS, BUT WOULD NOT REPAIR DAMAGED FUEL TANK. THE FUEL SYSTEM IN THIS TRUCK IS VERY SUSPECT. *TR

I WENT TO A AUTOMOTIVE SHOP TO HAVE SOME BRAKE WORK DONE ON MY 1997 FORD F-150 TRUCK. THE MECHANIC SAID I HAVE SOMETHING TO SHOW YOU & WHAT THEY SHOW WAS ONE OF MY FUEL TANK STRAP WAS BROKEN AND ALSO THEY SAID MY GAS TANK DROP DOWN A LITTLE.SO I CALL A FORD DEALER & THEY SAY THERE NO RECALL ON MY 1997 FORD F-150 FUEL TANK STRAP IN VIRGINIA BUT IN OTHER STATES IT IS. I TOLD THEM ACCORDING TO THE NHTSA , IT IS ! NO HELP FROM FORD DEALER. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 FORD F-150. WHILE PARKED, THE CONTACT SMELLED AN ODOR OF FUEL OUTSIDE OF THE VEHICLE AND NOTICED ONE OF THE REAR FUEL TANK STRAPS FRACTURED WHICH CAUSED THE FUEL TANK TO PARTIALLY DETACH. THERE WAS A RECALL UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 11V385000 (FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY:MOUNTING); HOWEVER THE VEHICLE WAS NOT ORIGINALLY SOLD OR CURRENTLY REGISTERED IN THE STATES MENTIONED IN THE RECALL DEFECT. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE PROBLEM. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 246,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 FORD F-150. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 11V385000 (FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE). AFTER THE REPAIR WAS PERFORMED, THE CONTACT SMELLED FUEL AND NOTICE A LEAK. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE STRAPS HAD BEEN REPLACED AND THE FUEL TANK HAD A PINHOLE FRACTURE, WHICH WAS LEAKING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 78,000.

STOPPED TO FILL UP GAS TANK AND AS PUMPING THE GAS STARTED LEAKING OUT OF THE FILLER NECK TO THE TOP OF THE TANK. *TR *JS

NOTICED GAS PORING FROM TANK AS I WAS REFILLING. LOOKED UNDER TO SEE STRAP ROTTED AND BROKEN. SCHEDULED TO HAVE STRAP FIXED FRI 4/6/12 BUT FROM WHAT I READ,THEY WONT FIX LEAK CAUSED BY STRAP. SO TANK WILL CONTINUE TO LEAK. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 FORD F150. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH, THE FUEL TANK STRAPS FRACTURED AND THE FUEL TANK DETACHED FROM THE VEHICLE ABNORMALLY. THE FUEL TANK DETACHED AND SPILLED NINETEEN GALLONS OF FUEL ONTO THE GROUND. A HAZMAT TEAM WAS NOTIFIED TO ASSIST WITH THE CLEAN-UP AND THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A LOCAL MECHANIC WHO REPLACED THE FUEL TANK, SENSORS, THE FUEL TANK STRAPS AND THE FUEL TANK HOSES. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE BUT ADVISED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 11V385000 (FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE: STORAGE: TANK ASSEMBLY: MOUNTING) DUE TO THE STATE THE CONTACT RESIDED. THE MANUFACTURER OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 139,429.

AFTER REPLACEMENT OF THE FUEL TANK STRAPS PER CAMPAIGN NUMBER 11V385000, I FOUND THAT WHEN I WAS REFUELING THE GASOLINE WAS POURING OUT FROM UNDER THE CAR AT ABOUT 1.5 GALLONS. WENT BACK TO THE DEALER BECAUSE I THE PROBLEM WASN'T PRESENT TILL THE STRAPS WERE REPLACED. I WAS TOLD I NEEDED A NEW FUEL FILLER NECK WHICH WAS NOT COVERED BY THE ORIGINAL RECALL, SO I WENT TO PRIVATE SHOP FOR A LESS EXPENSIVE REPAIR. UPON INSPECTION IN REPLACING THE FUEL FILLER NECK, MY MECHANIC NOTIFIED ME THAT I ALSO NEEDED A NEW GAS TANK BECAUSE OF CORROSION OF BOTH THE FILLER NECK AND THE TANK. THIS TANK STRAP RECALL COST ME MORE IN PARTS AND LABOR THAN THE STRAPS ALONE COST FORD. WOULD I HAVE BEEN BETTER OFF LETTING THE TANK DROP AND CATCH ON FIRE IN MY FULLY COVERED 1997 VEHICLE? THE INSURANCE MONEY ALONE WOULD'VE GOTTEN ME A BETTER VEHICLE, BUT I LOVE MY TRUCK! HOPING ENOUGH COMPLAINTS WILL INITIATE AND INVESTIGATION AND RECALL SO I CAN GET MY REIMBURSEMENT. FOR NOW, I WILL HOLD ONTO THE OLD TANK AND ALL THE PARTS IN CASE I NEED PROOF OF PROBLEM. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 FORD F-150. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DEALER REPAIRED THE FUEL STRAPS UNDER THE RECALL ASSOCIATED WITH NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 11V385000 (FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY:MOUNTING), BUT THE DEFECTIVE STRAPS CREATED A HOLE IN THE FUEL TANK AND CAUSED A FUEL LEAK. BOTH THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOTIFIED, BUT DENIED ANY ASSISTANCE WITH REPAIRS BECAUSE THE FUEL TANK WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. THE FUEL TANK WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 133,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 FORD F-150. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS INCLUDED IN THE RECALL UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 11V385000 (FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY:MOUNTING). THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER AND THE FUEL TANK STRAPS WERE REPLACED UNDER THE RECALL. THE DEALER ALSO STATED THAT THE FUEL TANK WAS FRACTURED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE FUEL TANK WAS NOT REPLACED BECAUSE THAT REPAIR WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 133,000.

THE DEALER REPAIRED THE FUEL STRAPS UNDER THE RECALL ASSOCIATED WITH NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 11V385000 (FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY:MOUNTING), BUT THE DEFECTIVE STRAPS CREATED A HOLE IN THE FUEL TANK AND CAUSED A FUEL LEAK. BOTH THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOTIFIED, BUT DENIED ANY ASSISTANCE WITH REPAIRS BECAUSE THE FUEL TANK WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. THE FUEL TANK WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 81000. *JS

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 FORD F-150. THE CONTACT STATED THAT AFTER HAVING THE VEHICLE REPAIRED UNDER THE RECALL ASSOCIATED WITH NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 11V385000 (FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY:MOUNTING), THE FUEL TANK DEVELOPED A LEAK. AN AUTHORIZED DEALER VERIFIED THAT THE LEAK DEVELOPED WHILE PERFORMING THE REPAIRS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 118,123.