CNN Money announced that another major automobile recall put Ford trucks in the spotlight this past August, with their recall of more than 1.1 million full-sized trucks due to safety problems with the gas tank. The recall was made public on August 1, 2011 by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).
This safety recall results from the potential failure of the straps that secure the gas tank to the bottom of the vehicle. As they age, the “straps securing the gas tank to the vehicle could rust, allowing the tank to come loose and drag on the ground,” CNN Money explains. The friction of the gas tank against the ground can, and has, resulted in potentially dangerous fires. According to CNN Money, “Ford is aware of three fires and one injury that have resulted from the problem,” a Ford spokesman explained.
The models by this recall include Ford F-150 trucks, model years 1997 through 2003, and Ford F-250 trucks with model years from 1997 through 1999, CNN reports. The recall also affects some Lincoln Blackwood trucks, a luxury version of the F-150 manufactured by the Ford Motor Company, with model years 2002 and 2003.
This Ford truck recall is mainly limited to truck owners who live in areas of the United States where climates get cold enough for ice to form on the roads, the news source explains. Cities in these climates tend to use corrosive substances, like ice salts, that are damaging to the tank straps on the trucks, increasing the risk of the gas tank breaking loose and dragging on the road.
This recall comes just months after another Ford F-150 recall of 144,000 trucks due to air bag problems. With regard to this latest recall, it is important that owners in states with colder climates and greater snow fall totals contact a Ford dealership. CNN reports that Ford dealers began replacing the faulty tank straps free of charge last month. Despite these two separate recalls this year, CNN explains that the “Ford F-series truck has been the best-selling U.S. passenger vehicle for nearly 30 years.”
If you or a loved one has been injured as a result of problems with the gas tank strap or air bags in any of the affected Ford or Lincoln models, contact Newsome Law Firm and fill out a case evaluation form today. Our team of attorneys has experience specific to complications associated with automobile recalls. Not only can they give you the legal guidance you need, they can help you get the compensation you deserve.
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Reference:
Valdes-Dapena, Peter. (August 1, 2011) “Ford recalls 1 million trucks for faulty gas tanks.” Retrieved on October 28, 2011 from CNN Money.