NEW YORK, Aug. 1 (Kyodo) — Ford Motor Co. is recalling a total of 1.1 million pickup trucks over a problem related to metal straps holding gas tanks that could rust and cause the tanks to fall, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said Monday.
The recall covers three types of pickup trucks, including certain 1997 through 2004 F-150 models, the NHTSA said. The vehicles subject to the recall were either sold or registered in northern U.S. states, including New York and Illinois, where deicing chemicals are used to clear roads, it said.
The NHTSA said the metal straps holding the tanks may corrode due to prolonged exposure to deicing chemicals containing salt and cause the tanks to fall, leading to fuel leaks, a potential fire hazard.
F-150 is Ford's mainstay model and boasts the largest unit sales in the United States, where pickup trucks have strong popularity.