Leaking Fuel Flares Up Once Again
Question: I have a 1991 Ford Escort, which I purchased new that year. It began to leak gas when I filled the tank up all the way.
Eventually the car was recalled for this problem, and a dealer installed a new fuel pump in 1993.
Now, the car is leaking gas again when the tank is filled up. Do you think I’ll be able to get this fixed under the same recall? Could the replacement pump have been installed incorrectly?
--N.V.
Answer: Ford representatives were uncertain about whether they would fix this gas leak under the recall, saying it depends on the merits of the individual case.
If you get an unsatisfactory response, you should insist that Ford make the repair under the recall. Aside from brake failure, leaking gas is one of the most dangerous safety conditions that can affect a car.
When fuel is leaking from a car, it really doesn’t take much to ignite it and set off a full-blown fire. That’s why car makers usually bend over backward to fix fuel leaks.
It is doubtful that the dealer installed the replacement pump incorrectly. Instead, the original pump was defective because of a weak solder joint between a tube and a mounting plate.
If the fuel is leaking the same way it was originally, the replacement pump may very well suffer from the same defect. Of course, the idea with a recall is that a newly designed pump should have been used.
Under federal law, motorists have an unlimited amount of time to take a car back under a safety recall, according to a spokesman for the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
Auto manufacturers often like to say they are voluntarily recalling a vehicle to make safety repairs. In fact, they have no choice in the matter on any vehicle less than 8 years old when the defect is discovered.
The reason Ford officials are noncommittal in this case is that your car has 120,000 miles on it.
Apparently, there is a limit as to how long Ford will honor a recall, even for a safety item. The company argues that this may not necessarily be premature failure of a part, but normal wear and tear.
What is “premature failure”? It isn’t written down in law anywhere, which makes it a subjective issue. But certainly a part that is known to be defective and that fails at an average of 60,000 miles is a sorry example of American engineering.
You ought to call Ford customer relations at (800) 392-3673. Have your vehicle identification number with you and discuss the problem before you get inside a dealership.
* Vartabedian cannot answer mail personally but will attempt to respond in this column to automotive questions of general interest. Do not telephone. Write to Your Wheels, 1875 I St. N.W., No. 1100, Washington, DC 20006 or e-mail to Ralph.Vartabedian@latimes.com.
