The defect
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES PREVIOUSLY SERVICED UNDER FORD SERVICE BULLETIN 97-17-9 FROM AUGUST 1997 THROUGH DECEMBER 1997. THESE VEHICLES WERE INADVERTENLY EQUIPPED WITH AN 18-GALLON FUEL TANK RATHER THAN THE 16-GALLON AS SPECIFIED. THE 18-GALLON TANK HAS A SECOND VALVE LOCATION WHERE A SHIPPING PLUG SHOULD BE INSTALLED.
The risk
IF THIS SHIPPING PLUG IS DISPLACED, FUEL LEAKAGE CAN RESULT. FUEL LEAKAGE IN THE PRESENCE OF AN IGNITION SOURCE COULD POTENTIALLY RESULT IN A FIRE.
The remedy
DEALERS WILL INSTALL THE CORRECT FUEL TANK.
NHTSA's own wording · initiated by MFR
Vehicles covered
| Model | Model years |
|---|---|
| Ford Taurus | 1996 |
| Mercury Sable | 1996 |
Components: FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY
Model years in this recall
NHTSA complaints and the number of recall campaigns for each model year this recall covers.
| Model | Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ford Taurus | 1996 | 825 | 6 |
| Mercury Sable | 1996 | 304 | 5 |
Other fuel system, gasoline recalls in 1998
40 of the 367 recall campaigns reported to NHTSA in 1998 concerned the fuel system, gasoline; FORD MOTOR COMPANY filed 963 campaigns in all.
| 98V332000 23 Dec 1998 | VOLKSWAGEN OF AMERICA,INC |
| 98V318000 14 Dec 1998 | NEWMAR CORPORATION |
| 98V312000 7 Dec 1998 | FORD MOTOR COMPANY |
| 98V302000 1 Dec 1998 | POLARIS INDUSTRIES, INC. |
| 98V294000 10 Nov 1998 | BAYERISCHE MOTOREN WERKE |
| 98V289000 9 Nov 1998 | INTERNATIONAL TRUCK AND ENGINE |
| 98V287000 9 Nov 1998 | AMERICAN SUZUKI MOTOR CORP. |
| 98V269000 27 Oct 1998 | FORD MOTOR COMPANY |
NHTSA recalls (public domain) · all recalls of 1998