Ted Mooney, P.E. RET
- Pine Beach, NJ
The authoritative public forum
for Metal Finishing since 1989
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Corrosion and fuel blockage in Ford diesel fuel tanks
Q. After the engine froze, my truck was towed to the nearest Ford dealer in Annapolis, Maryland. Without hesitation, the service manager diagnosed the problem as little slivers from the fuel tank getting into the fuel injection system. According to the service manager, the cost of repairing the fuel system is $2,800.00. However, if the slivers were in the engine, a new engine could be another $4,000.00 to $6,000.00. The entire cost of the repair could be more than the truck is worth. When I asked the service manager how he knew what was wrong with the truck without even looking at it, he replied that he's seen so many of these trucks with the same problem, he's lost count. He said I should consider myself lucky because I had an earlier model. He had a 2008 truck in the repair bay that was costing the owner $6,000.00. I asked him to call the Ford rep. He said he didn't have to. He knew the guidelines and Ford wouldn't pay. I asked again if he could just contact Ford because I had an extended warranty. The service manager refused. I'm considering driving my mother's 1995 Honda, which has never required a new fuel tank in fourteen years, to Ford headquarters in Detroit with big letters saying, "No Ford Bailout." Why should I have to pay Ford twice for their problem and a third time with my hard earned money to pay for a bailout so they can keep making the same defective product? Is it me? Does this make sense to anyone? Is anyone paying attention? Does anyone else want to drive to Detroit?
Kathie
- Gettysburg, Pennsylvania
January 20, 2009
Q. I've got 2-2007 Ford LCFs. I've had both right at 2 years. One has been GREAT and has about 75,000 miles on it. The other has been nothing but trouble this time of year. Dec 07 thru Jan 08 we had to replace about 20 injectors and a couple fuel pumps, etc. Around Feb 08 I thought things were fixed. Then in December I started having troubles again....same thing as last year! In 6 weeks this truck has broke down 5 times and then been in the shop anywhere from 2 days to 2 weeks each time.
I've lost count of the injectors replaced this year but it's 10-15 already as well as a new fuel pump and several other things that I'm not tech savvy enough to remember or repeat. After taking 2 weeks for the last repair we got the truck back on Monday. Yesterday, 2 days later we drove the truck for the first time and it broke down 3 hrs away before my driver even got to his first stop for the day. I am fed up!
This has cost me thousands in truck rentals and overtime for drivers, not to mention MY TIME running back and forth and dealing with all of this.
I'm furious right now and don't know what to do. I do not know if this is related to the problems everyone else is having but they have been blaming it on fuel. Ironically, both of these exact same trucks is filled up with the same fuel, every day, same time, same station, etc. 1 has the problems, the other does NOT! I've been lucky that it has all been covered under warranty but the extra money and time has just been ridiculous!
Any help?
- Mount Olive, Illinois
January 29, 2009
This is a follow up to my January post. Shortly after I posted I ended up getting tough with Ford. After a couple more breakdowns after my post I finally told my dealer "congratulations, the truck is now yours". I just left it there and told them they were gonna be buying it back. It took 2 months but I finally reached an agreement with them, my dealer acting on my behalf to buy back an LCF with 120,000 miles on it. I wouldn't say I was made whole but I did get more than I would have had I sold it outright ... and my problems were passed onto someone else.
Ironically the 2nd LCF had the engine blow at around 70,000 miles. I figured in 2 1/2 years I had over $100,000 of warranty work done on those 2 trucks.
- Mt Olive, Illinois
December 23, 2009
Thanks, Kory. Readers should keep in mind that "lemon laws" apply regardless of any claim a dealer makes and anything you sign!
Dealers often make you sign forms that you'll use binding arbitration and surrender lemon law rights so that when you go back to them they can show you the contract you signed and try to mislead and intimidate you. Pay little attention, it's probably bogus regardless of your signature!
I know this because I complained to the NJ Div. of Consumer Protection that their "lemon laws" were doing me no good because the dealer would not sell me a car without me signing a document "surrendering" my lemon law rights. NJ assured me that because the documents are contrary to public policy they have no standing. Yes, a dealer who asks you to sign this is demonstrating that he wants to mislead you and cheat you, but at least in NJ you can smile & sign because a contract contrary to public law has no legal standing :-)
Regards,
Ted Mooney, P.E.
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey
December 24, 2009
Sometimes you just get lucky. When my 2002 F-250 diesel was new, I replaced the tank with a Transfer-Flow 48 gallon unit in prep for a trip to Alaska.
After 131,000 miles I'm sure I'd be in the same "tank" as everyone else, otherwise.
- Woodbine, Maryland
February 7, 2009
!! I am currently going through the same problem. My F350 Box truck stalled in traffic. When towed to the dealer, I was given the same excuse that there was rust in the fuel tank and that it was my fault. It also needs fuel filters, etc. because of the delamination of the fuel tank. I was told the same story that I purchased bad gas, and that the delamination was "above the fill line" in the tank (they must have x-ray vision). I purchased an extended warranty from Stevens Ford in Patchogue, NY when I bought the vehicle. Then when this problem occurred they said "it is not covered under the warranty." Thank God for the internet. After reading all the complaints I am going to contact regarding the class action suit. I am printing all the letters on this link and bringing them to my dealer (who currently has my truck and is telling me they are "sending an inspector to look at the fuel tank"). I will also be filing a complaint at NHTSA.GOV and with the Better Business Bureau. This has to stop. We are paying to bail Ford out and this is the reason why. We are being robbed blind with this. It has to stop NOW! BOYCOTT FORD. I have been a loyal FORD customer my whole life. I will definitely never buy a FORD again if they don't own up to their mistake!
Rich Busch- Islip, New York
April 7, 2009
Best thing I ever did was have my Ford F-150 gas tank "renu" like new. A local business in Rockville did a fantastic job and lifetime warranty so will never have any gas tank problems again. Got no action with Ford and I'm done with them.
- Rockville, Maryland
April 27, 2009
We are going to be replacing the FOURTH tank in our 2002 Ford E350 van. Ford really needs to accept this as their responsibility! I have field a complaint with NHTSA and will be going to the BBB. I will be more than willing to join a class action lawsuit this has gotten to be a VERY expensive and time consuming problem. The gas tanks should not be doing this!
- Mattituck, New York
May 14, 2009
Just went thru what you all went thru. Also called to see how much it would be to recondition my old tank which I kept. the guy told me he has seen this problem a lot with Ford diesel tanks. Filed a complaint with nhsta. I can't find a lawyer who will do a class action, still looking! I get all my fuel from 1 station, Chevron. I also have a Dodge 2500 diesel, and run a lot of other equipment with the same fuel never have had this problem with anything but the Ford. Considering small claims court. I would be glad to join a class action.
Joel Grothsteel erection - Huntington Beach, California
May 30, 2009
June 18, 2009
My experience has been the problem is isolated to one particular tank model. This tank is generally on any F-Series having a number on the tank itself (YC35-9K007-F8) and is usually on any cab with flatbed, regardless of the year model. If you discover your F-Series having this tank number on a white tag attached to the tank, the first thing you need to do is have the fuel filter checked for contamination. So far, I have checked all of my fleets fuel filters for contamination, and the result is, I have had to reline three tanks and will need to have two more relined, all related to this tank number. The remaining trucks I have that have a different number have not experienced fuel filter contamination.
Ford is telling me that the fuel tank liner problem is directly related to bio-fuels greater than 5% in the diesel fuel. This response is typical when Ford does not want to replace millions of fuel tanks at their expense. I have proved this conclusion from Ford to be completely wrong, but cannot get anyone from Ford to talk to me directly.
When the fuel tank liner fails, the tank needs to be relined or replaced, the fuel pump and fuel filter needs to be replaced, and the total cost is around $2,000 to fix. I strongly suggest anyone that has Ford F-Series trucks to check all fuel filters for contamination, record the fuel tank number, and if you do discover the above problem, to call your dealership to have them report this to their Ford representative. Until this is done, Ford will assume it's bio-fuel related.
- Fort Worth, Texas
This is a follow-up of my previous post. We also have discovered two more trucks having the same problem. We have a 2005 F-550 that has two tanks. The tank number on my previous 3 trucks matches one of the two tanks YC35-9K007-F8, and the 2nd tank 5C34-9K007-RA). We also have a 2006 F-350 that has two tanks with these same tank numbers. I think the source to the problem is coming from two areas. I feel that these two tanks were not manufactured correctly that relate to recent additives in diesel fuels. The reason is, I have trucks that are 9 years old up to 3 years old, and the tank problem just started on all of these 5 trucks since last spring. There must have been a fuel additive change prior to last spring to cause this that relate to the manufacturing of these two tanks. My 2008 F-450 doesn't have either one of these tank numbers and do not show any evidence of fuel tank liner failure.
John Stabile [returning]- Saginaw, Texas
June 24, 2009
A. Ford did resolve this issue when they produced the 2008 models. The 2008 F-Series tanks are identical to the 1999-2007 F-Series, but the 2008 tanks have a different tag number than the previous years as mentioned. Until Ford makes this a recall, the only resolution you have is to upgrade to 2008 and newer F-Series.
John Stabile [returning]- Fort Worth, Texas
November 13, 2009
Q. I am also having this problem with my 99 E350. Please feel free to contact me with any info anyone might have on a fix, or if an additional name for a class action suit is needed.
David Dechow- Abingdon, Illinois
August 23, 2009
September 22, 2009
Have a 2006 F550 Diesel w/ 26K miles and 5 months out of warrantee. Brought it to dealer and was told the fuel tank was delaminating from the diesel we were using. Needs new pump, fuel lines, injectors blown out and cleaned ... $2500. We have been using the same 2 stations for 10 years and have 2 other, older Ford trucks and no problems. This truck is only 3 years old.
I called Ford and they said they knew of it happening on trucks and blame it on the fueling stations. (Like we all fuel up at the same place) But it was up to the dealer to credit or not credit the repair.
My dealer took off $800 for the $2500 repair, but it is not his fault. His dealership did not build the trucks. I was told that it has been happening so much that if he was to fix everyone at no charge he would be out of business.
This is clearly a defect and FORD will not acknowledge it.
I was driving at 40 mph w/ a trailer when my truck bogged and died and would not start. I had to get another truck to move trailer then to move truck. Traffic was backed up for a mile. It is a Safety issue and everyone needs to contact the NHTSA (National Highway Traffic Administration) http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/ and call up to file a complaint.BR>
The phone # is (888) 327-4236
These are the people who would make Ford recall the tanks due to a safety problem.
landscape contractor - manalapan, New Jersey
I am the Engineer at an Emergency Ambulance Dept. and have had 2 of my ambulances break down because of this problem. I use Shell diesel in my trucks because of fear of cheap diesel. The lining of the tanks rusted and got sucked into the entire fuel system. My cost $4100 apiece for new tanks, s ending units, pumps, filters and lines. Ford is becoming less and less reliable of a chassis for me so I'm switching to GM. I'm hoping I can recover some of my money some day when the recall finally happens.
ROB TOBIN- maple shade, New Jersey
September 24, 2009
!!. I own an '05 f-450 dump w 50,000 miles. Loses power when you try to reach speeds of 50 and above. Pulled filters found brown/gray debris in housing and stuck to filter. Raised dump body opened fuel tank found same material throughout tank. peeling from top and sides. Only use Sunoco diesel fuel. Doing work myself. Looking to get paid back from Ford.
Brandon Heronmasonry - Belmar, New Jersey
October 20, 2009
I was driving on the highway after picking one F-350 up from the dealership for the third time in a 10 day period, it died on me during rush hour. Finally the dealer realized that the tank was bad and correctly fixed the problem after the injectors were replaced and a high pressure hose. Of course he charged me 1000 and blamed it on bad diesel fuel. Now I have 3 other F-350's and one Lcf all with the same fuel tank problems. All of my diesel was bought at either Shell or Exxon. I think it's time to drop the hammer down on Ford.
landscape contractor - Dallas, Texas
November 20, 2009
I just had my fuel tank replaced in my 2006 F-550. A few months ago when it started to run sluggishly, I took it into my mechanic and he thought someone had poured silver paint in my tank. Had to replace the filters, injectors, etc. I put a locking gas cap on and thought it was just bad luck. A few weeks ago, it did the same thing. This time he found the same silver material and found the lining inside the tank coming off. Ford is hiding behind the vehicle being out of warranty, when it is obviously a defect. I hope enough people get behind this to force Ford to acknowledge their problem and reimburse us. I'm out $1900.00 for this repair bill, and that doesn't include the first repair.
Dennis cozzetti- Tucson, Arizona
December 10, 2009
The Company I work for has approximately 400 units with this fuel tank, We have replaced approximately 100-200 tanks, about 80 fuel pumps and 600 fuel injectors as a result of this fuel tank issue with the Ford diesel trucks built between 1999-2007. Ford told us it was from Biodiesel fuel, NO true. This all started when the Ultra low sulfur fuel was introduced into the market, within a few weeks the lining inside the tanks on our fleet started to come loose, clog up the fuel pickup and starve the fuel injectors leading to multiple failures. We have since started replacing the fuel tank with the "new design" from Ford and they are starting to rust from the inside thru the coating and causing clogged fuel filters now.
It has been very frustrating since Ford does not back their product.
Shop Employee - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
January 7, 2010
There is now a movement to go forward with a class action suit. Also, the NHSTA is aware that the problem with the fuel tanks are a safety issue.
Alan Karlin- Valley Stream, New York
February 28, 2010
March 1, 2010
I just spoke to a Mr. lewis at NHTSA.GOV
He stated that there are only two(2)complaints regarding the problem at hand.
I wish that you all would get in touch with NHTSA.GOV 1-888-327-4236 AND FILE YOUR COMPLAINT
Also, there a KEVIN FORD from Dallas, Texas (january 21, 2009 on this site) who says that he has a lawyer who has agreed to get involved
My e mail addrs is
- Valley Stream, New York
2005 Ford F-450 has been just diagnosed with the same problem- flaking off of the inside of the fuel tank. Ford's response was that it is not their problem. Any recourse?
Mike Kobus- Placerville, California
March 30, 2010
This is the second fuel tank that delaminated, Ford would not help sued last year Ford motor corp they know of problem won't do anything, replaced tank less than 1 year same issue, suing dealership small claims court this month, extended warranty cancelled because ford has truck listed as pick up not dump that it has been since purchase in 2005. please email any questions/ comments to email address , attorney is in New Jersey, have notified national safety , consumer affairs etc, no help, truck still down cannot afford second tank, losing business and home because of this situation, I carry time sensitive material have broken down 3 times in traffic no warning. can use any assistance, Ford will not help anyone it is a true disgrace.
Scott Redding- Centereach, New York
April 6, 2010
May 12, 2010
I have a 94 E350 Box truck with 250,000 mile, 02 f250 4X4 with 155,000 miles, and 03 E350 Box truck with 58,000 miles. All 3 are 7.3 diesels. we fill all 3 at the same gas station. Only the 03 has this gas tank problem. At 42,000 the Ford dealer said he replaced the fuel tank because of rust. At 58,000 miles it quit running and the same dealer now tells us the he only steam cleaner ⇦this on eBay or Amazon [affil links] the tank to get it to the end of the warrantee which expired at 50,000 miles. He wants $2,200 plus $400 installation to replace it. Fat Chance!
T J Hobbs- San Antonio, Texas
We are experiencing the same with our 2000 F450 and I've heard of fleets needing new fuel tanks because of this.
There is a back order on fuel tanks as of now. So my truck sits until Ford Customer Care Solution team finds me a tank.
My truck we bought used to pull a 5th wheel has only 60,000 miles on it. Last summer we put a new fuel pump in because it was clogged.
I have put in a complaint with the NHTSA and did mention that the tanks are on back order.
There are no tanks to be had via internet searches or anything else at this point.
- Charlotte, North Carolina
May 20, 2010
June 10, 2010
Hi - I am with a law firm that is investigating complaints about fuel tank delamination problems in certain Ford Diesel trucks/vans. If you own a Ford with diesel fuel tank problems and want to learn more about our investigation, please feel free to give us a call toll-free at (866) 981-4800 or send us an email at .
Thanks,
Dave
- San Francisco, California, USA
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