The defect
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: MINI VANS ORIGINALLY SOLD OR CURRENTLY REGISTERED IN THE FOLLOWING STATES: ALABAMA, ARIZONA, ARKANSAS, CALIFORNIA (10 SOUTHERN COUNTIES OF LOS ANGELES, ORANGE, SAN BERNADINO, SAN DIEGO, RIVERSIDE, VENTURA, SANTA BARBARA, SAN LUIS OBISPO, IMPERIAL, AND KERN), FLORIDA, GEORGIA, HAWAII, LOUISIANA, MISSISSIPPI, NEVADA (CLARK COUNTY), OKLAHOMA, SOUTH CAROLINA, AND TEXAS, AND IN THE U.S. TERRITORIES COVERED BY THE FEDERAL STATUTES. THE UPPER PORTION OF THE FUEL TANK CAN DEVELOP SMALL CRACKS DUE TO EXTENDED EXPOSURE TO VERY HIGH AMBIENT TEMPERATURES. FUEL VAPOR OR LEAKAGE COULD OCCUR AT THESE CRACKS.
The risk
IF AN IGNITION SOURCE IS PRESENT, A FIRE COULD RESULT.
The remedy
DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE FUEL TANK, REGARDLESS OF MILEAGE, THROUGH MARCH 31, 2002. THIS COVERAGE WILL ONLY BE FOR STRUCTURAL CRACKS AT THE TOP OF THE TANK AND WILL NOT INCLUDE OTHER DAMAGE CAUSED BY AN ACCIDENT OR ROAD DEBRIS.
NHTSA's own wording · initiated by ODI
Vehicles covered
| Model | Model years |
|---|---|
| Ford Aerostar | 1988, 1989, 1990 |
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 Aerostar | 1988 | 177 | 4 |
| Ford Aerostar | 1989 | 260 | 5 |
| Ford Aerostar | 1990 | 195 | 6 |
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