RoadVitals

1989 Ford E-150 Fuel system Problems

Owner-reported complaints naming the fuel system system, filed with NHTSA

Data refreshed

Fuel system reportsComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
8
Latest Jul 1, 2008
Share of all reportsThis category as a share of every owner report on file for this model year. One report can name more than one component, so the categories overlap.
26%
of 31 total
Crash or fire reportedReports in this category whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. The reporter's own answer on the NHTSA form, not a verified finding.
0
Injuries or deaths reportedTotals the submitters entered on their own reports in this category. Not verified by NHTSA and not a casualty statistic.
0

What this page shows

Reports naming fuel storage or delivery — tanks, pumps, lines, injectors and fuel leaks. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 1989 Ford E-150 submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 8 reports on file name it.

Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.

Owner reports naming fuel system

Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed

Fuel system
Filed Jul 1, 2008

NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID# 91V146000 REFERS TO A SAFETY RECALL FOR A FAULTY DUAL FUEL TANK SELECTOR VALVE IN FORD ECONOLINE VANS EQUIPPED WITH DUAL FUEL TANKS BUILT BETWEEN 1989 AND 1991 AND OTHER SIMILAR MODELS . I HAVE CONTACTED FORD TO INVESTIGATE , BUT THERE ARE NO RECORDS THAT CONFIRM OR DISAFFIRM MY VEHICLE'S INCLUSION IN THIS RECALL. BASICALLY, I DON'T KNOW IF MY VAN WAS AFFECTED BY THIS RECALL AND IF ANY RECALL SERVICES WERE PERFORMED. I AM EXPERIENCING A FAULT IN THE DUAL FUEL TANK SYSTEM. IT SEEMS THAT THE FUEL SELECTOR VALVE WILL NOT SWITCH TO THE MAIN TANK, AND WHEN FILLED, THE MAIN TANK WILL FLOW PAST THE FILLER CAP AND CAUSES A FUEL LEAKAGE, WHICH CAN RESULT IN A FIRE WHEN EXPOSED TO A SOURCE OF IGNITION. I CONTACTED A LOCAL FORD DEALER WHO ADVISED ME THAT NO RECALL SERVICE CAN BE PERFORMED TO REMEDY THIS PROBLEM BECAUSE MY VIN# DOES NOT REGISTER IN THE FORD RECALL DATABASE. AGAIN, FORD CANNOT CONFIRM OR DISAFFIRM ANY RECALL SERVICES PERFORMED ON MY VEHICLE. I AM NOT THE ORIGINAL OWNER OF THIS VEHICLE SO I DO NOT HAVE ANY SERVICE RECORDS PRIOR TO 2005. IN AN ATTEMPT TO CORRECT THIS CONCERN, I HAVE ALREADY REPLACED THE SECONDARY FUEL PUMP, AS ADVISED BY MY LOCAL MECHANIC. I HAVE ALSO OVERHAULED BOTH FUEL TANKS TO CHECK FOR CLOGGING, OR ANY FOREIGN MATERIALS, AND I HAVE REPLACED SEVERAL SEALS AND MISC. HARDWARE IN THE FUEL SYSTEM. THIS CONCERN HAS BEEN A PROBLEM SINCE I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE IN 2005. I AM ONLY ABLE TO OPERATE MY VEHICLE ON THE AUXILLARY (REAR) FUEL TANK WITH A 13 GALLON CAPACITY. WHEN THE SELECTOR SWITCH IS ON THE FRONT TANK, THE VEHICLE WILL EVENTUALLY STALL AS IF IT IS OUT OF FUEL. WHEN THE FUEL SELECTOR SWITCH IS SET TO THE REAR TANK, I AM ABLE TO OPERATE THE VEHICLE NORMALLY WITH THE EXCEPTION OF THE LIMITED RANGE DUE TO THE SMALL AUXILLARY FUEL TANK. *TR

NHTSA ID
10232970
Incident
Jun 1, 2005
Mileage
94,000 mi
Fuel system
Filed Apr 25, 2008

VAN DIED,TOWED TO MECHANICS SHOP,WAS TOLD SWITCH VALVE BETWEEN TANKS WAS PROBLEM, LOOKED ON NHTSA WEBSITE ABOUT RECALLS. FORD VAN 89 E-150 WITH DUEL GAS TANKS. FORD SAFETY RECALL NUMBER IS 91S39 WENT TO FORD WEB SITE,CALLED THEM ON PHONE, CUSTOMER SERVICE AND LOCAL DEALERSHIP. BOTH SAID THERE WAS NO RECALL ON MY VAN. *TR

NHTSA ID
10225733
Incident
Apr 25, 2008
Mileage
138,000 mi
Fuel system
Filed Jul 7, 1998

VEHICLE HAS AUXILIARY FUEL TANK. WHEN FIRST TANK IS FILLED WITH GAS IT CAUSES SPILLAGE OF SECOND TANK. CAUSE UNKNOWN. *AK

NHTSA ID
825116
Fuel system
Filed Oct 29, 1997

WHEN ONE FUEL TANK ON A DUAL FUEL TANK ASSEMBLY FILLS UP IT OVERFLOWS, LEAKING GAS. *AK

NHTSA ID
817969
Fuel system
Filed Mar 4, 1997

THE VEHICLE'S DUAL GAS TANK IS INOPERATIVE, CAUSING FRONT GAS TANK TO OVERFILL/SPILL WHEN REAR IS SWITCHED. *AK

NHTSA ID
809635
Incident
Jul 1, 1994
Fuel system
Filed Jul 16, 1996

FUEL IS LEAKING FROM THE GAS TANK OF THE VEHICLE. *AK

NHTSA ID
986943
Incident
Jan 1, 1996
Fuel system
Filed Jul 28, 1995

HE FUEL TANK SELECTOR VALVE MALFUNCTIONED CAUSING FUEL TO SPILL. SEE RECALL MFG RECALL N0.91S39. NHTSA 91V146. *AK

NHTSA ID
969509
Incident
Aug 14, 1994
EngineFuel system
Filed Jun 14, 1995

THE PLASTIC FUEL LINE MELTED OFF THE FUEL TANK, CAUSING FUEL TO LEAK OUT OF THE FUEL TANK. *AK

NHTSA ID
966899
Incident
Mar 20, 1995

Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.

Other components reported on this vehicle

Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own

Elsewhere on this vehicle

Data sources

Data on this page last refreshed .