1998 FORD CROWN VICTORIA Fuel System, Gasoline Problems

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH ON NORMAL ROAD CONDITIONS, THERE WAS A CLICKING SOUND COMING FROM THE REAR END OF THE VEHICLE COUPLED WITH A SMELL GAS THEN THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO LOOSE POWER. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO DEALER WHO DETERMINED THE ENGINE COMPUTER NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THERE WAS AN ACTION # PE02071 CONCERNING THE FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE: STORAGE: TANK ASSEMBLY THAT THE CONTACT BELIEVES RELATES TO THE PROBLEMS WITH THE VEHICLE.*AK

CONSUMER CONCERNED WITH THE SAFETY OF 1998 CROWN VICTORIA GAS TANK. *TS *NM THE MANUFACTURER ONLY COVERED THE COST OF REPLACING RETROFIT FUEL TANKS ON POLICE CARS AND LIMOUSINES. THE CONSUMER WOULD LIKE TO BE REIMBURSED FOR THE COST OF THE PARTS. HE GOT A FORD DEALER TO INSTALL THE PARTS FREE. *NM

Mileage: 36,437

CONSUMER WAS CONCERNED ABOUT THE POSSIBLE FUEL TANK PROBLEM REGARDING HIS VEHICLE, HOWEVER THE MANUFACTURER ONLY RECALLED THE POLICE INTERCEPTOR VEHICLE'S. *PH *JB

WHEN DRIVING ONLY AT LOW SPEED INTAKE MANIFOLD WILL OVERHEAT WITH NO WARNING, AND CONSUMER IS FORCED TO PULL OVER. DEALER NOTIFIED. *AK

INTAKE MANIFOLD HAS CRACKED. FORD HAS EXTENDED WARRANTY ON VEHICLE'S MAKE AND MODEL; HOWEVER, THIS VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED DUE TO VIN. *AK *TT

A FUEL OR BRAKE LINE DROPS OUT OF A CLIP UNDER GAS TANK. THIS IS NOT AN ISOLATED SITUATION. I'VE SEEN THIS LINE DRAGGING ABOUT 4" ABOVE THE HIGHWAY ON OTHER CROWN VICTORIA'S AND MERCURY GRAND MARQUIS THAT I PASS ON MY WAY TO AND FROM WORK. IT COULD RUPTURE IF THE UNDERCARRIAGE MAKES CONTACT WITH THE PAVEMENT, SUCH AS ELEVATED DRIVEWAYS, PARKING LOT ENTRANCES, OR POT HOLES. IT COULD ALSO BE TORN BY ROAD DEBRIS. MY NEIGHBOR PUT MY LINE BACK IN THE CLIP FOR ME. HE THOUGHT IT WAS PROBABLY A FUEL LINE, BUT HE WAS NOT SURE. IF IT IS A FUEL LINE AND IT RUPTURES WHEN THE UNDERCARRIAGE MAKES CONTACT WITH THE PAVEMENT, A SPARK COULD IT IGNITE THE GASOLINE CAUSING A LIFE THREATENING SITUATION. IF IT IS A BRAKE LINE, IT COULD BE POTENTIALLY LIFE THREATENING IF IT BECOMES RUPTURED OR TORN. WHATEVER TYPE OF LINE IT IS, THE PROBLEM COULD EASILY BE RECTIFIED BY REPLACING THE CLIP WITH ONE THAT WOULD NOT PERMIT THE LINE TO BECOME DISLODGED DURING NORMAL DRIVING. MY CAR HAS NEVER BEEN OFF THE ROAD. ALL MY DRIVING HAS BEEN HIGHWAY OR CITY DRIVING AND SOMEHOW THE LINE BECAME DISLODGED. *AK

THE FUEL FILLER TUBE HAS A FLAP IN IT WHERE THE TUBE CONNECTS TO THE TANK TO PREVENT SPILLAGE IN THE EVENT OF A COLLISION OR UPSET. THE FLAP HAS STUCK IN A PARTIALLY OPEN POSITION CAUSING THE FUEL NOT TO FLOW FREELY INTO THE TANK. IN THIS OPEN POSITION, THE FLAP DOES NOT DO IT JOB OF KEEPING FUEL IN TANK. THEREFORE IN THE EVENT OF AN OVERTURNED VEHICLE THE FUEL WOULD LEAK OUT CREATING A FIRE HAZARD

THE FUEL FILLER TUBE HAS A FLAP IN IT WHERE THE FOLLER TUBE CONNECTS TO THE FUEL TANK. THE FLAP IS THERE TO PREVENT SPILLAGE IN THE EVENT OF COLLISION OR UPSET. THE FLAP HAS STUCK IN A PARTIALLY OPEN POSITION PREVENTING FREE FLOWING OF FUEL. IN ADDITION, IN THE EVENT OF AN UPSET, THE FUEL WOULD FLOW OUT OF THE TANK CREATING A FIRE HAZARD. INASMUCH AS SAFETY IS INVOLVED, I BELIEVE FORD MOTOR COMPANY SHOULD ISSUE A RECALL.*AK

THE GAS PUMP SHUT-OFF SWITCH CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO QUIT RUNNING ON 2 OCCASIONS, THE SECOND TIME THE POWER BRAKES AND STEERING QUIT WORKING AS WELL, THE CONSUMER STATES THAT A REPAIR LETTER WAS SENT OUT MARCH OF 1999. *SLC

RUBBER HOSE THAT COMES FROM THE GAS TANK IS EXPOSED TOO LOW TO THE GROUND WHERE IT CAN BE HIT IF GOING OVER A BUMP OR POTHOLE. *AK

I HAVE NOTICED ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS, WHEN BEGINNING TO FUEL THE VEHICLE, WHEN THE FUEL CAP IS REMOVED THERE IS A DECREASE IN ENGINE POWER. ON THE DATE REPORTED WHEN THE FUEL CAP WAS REMOVED, THE ENGINE STOPPED. *AK

WHILE ON A TRIP TO ARIZONA I RENTED A CAR FROM HERTZ. I WAS DRIVING FROM SEDONA TO PHOENIX ON I17 WHEN THE ENGINE LOST POWER AND STOPPED SUDDENLY. AT THE TIME I WAS PASSING IN THE LEFT LANE ON A GRADE OF ABOUT 15 DEGREES AT 70MPH. THE ENGINE STOPPED BECAUSE THE FUEL SHUT OFF SWITCH IN THE TRUNK CUT OFF FUEL TO THE ENGINE. I HAD TO PULL OVER TO THE SHOULDER OF THE ROAD, OPEN THE TRUNK AND PRESS A RED BUTTON TO PROCEED. APPARENTLY THIS IS A COMMON ENOUGH PROBLEM WITH FORD AUTOMOBILES THAT HERTZ PRINTED A PHAMPLET DESCRIBING THE PROBLEM AND RESOLUTION. THIS IS A DANGEROUS CONDITION. THE UNEXPECTED SHUT-DOWN OF AN ENGINE COULD CAUSE AN ACCIDENT.

TWO RUBBER HOSES EXTEND OUT OF EACH SIDE OF THE FUEL TANK, WITH THE WORDS "GAS/FUEL" PRINTED ON THEM. DRIVING VEHICLE OVER A ROCK COULD POSSIBLELY RUPTURE THE HOSE ALLOWING FUEL TO LEAK RESULTING IN A FIRE.

THE FUEL LINE IS EXPOSED UNDER THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE AND SOMETIMES DRAGS THE GROUND.

VEHICLE WITH THE POLICE INTERCEPTOR PACKAGE ARE DEFECTIVE. WHEN VEHICLE RUNS OVER ROUGH SURFACE, THE AUTOMATIC FUEL SHUTOFF IS ACTIVATED AND THE ENGINE SHUTS DOWN.