Complaint 474976
1997 FORD E-350 • FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:HOSES, LINES/PIPING, AND FITTINGS • incident Apr 12, 2004
Complaint Summary
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:HOSES, LINES/PIPING, AND FITTINGS
Owner Narrative
HIGH PRESSURE FUEL RETURN LINE FAILED AS I WAS READY TO DEPART FOR THE DAY. I HAD STOPPED AFTER DRIVING ABOUT 300 FEET; UPON EXITING I SMELLED A STRONG FUEL ODOR AND NOTICED A FUEL TRACK LEADING FROM MY VEHICLE. FUEL WAS LEAKING BADLY ONTO THE HEAT SHIELD ABOVE THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER OR MUFFLER. HAD THE FAILURE OCCURED WHEN THE ENGINE WAS HOT, THERE WOULD HAVE BEEN A FIRE BOMB. IT HAD TO BE TOWED TO THE NEAREST FORD DEALER. THEY REPLACED PART [XXX], A $143.39 TUB ASSEMBLY-FUEL LINE, WHICH IS A COMPOSITE METAL AND HIGH PRESSURE PLASTIC FUEL LINE. TOTAL BILL WAS $443.93 AND A TWO DAY DELAY IN DEPARTURE. I HAVE THE FAILED PART WHICH, WHEN RETURNED TO ME, WAS BENT (BY THE MECHANIC) AT THE POINT OF FAILURE OF THE PLASTIC LINE 1 INCH FROM WHERE IT WAS BONDED TO THE METAL SEGMENT. 1997 FORD ECONOLINE E350 VAN CONVERSION VIN [XXX] (V-10 ENGINE). FORD WEB SITE SHOWS NO RECALL FOR THIS VIN. CONSEQUENCES COULD HAVE BEEN CATASTROPHIC! UPDATED 07/26/2012 *JS INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Owner-submitted narrative on file with NHTSA. Complaint narratives are self-reported and have not been verified.
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