NHTSA recall 97V144000
Fuel system, gasoline › Storage › Tank assembly
Ford Escort and 1 more
The defect
Vehicle description: passenger vehicles equipped with 1.9L engines, built at the hermosillo or wayne assembly plants and originally sold or currently registered in nevada, florida, hawaii, texas, california, louisiana, georgia, south carolina, mississippi, oklahoma, alabama and arkansas. cracks can develop in the fuel tank near the heat shield attachment resulting in fuel leakage if the cracks go through the fuel tank wall.
The risk
Fuel leakage in the presence of an ignition source can result in a vehicle fire.
The remedy
Dealers will remove the heat shield attachments. this will not affect heat shield location or function, as the attachments are intended to keep the shield in place until the fuel tank IS installed in the vehicle. after installation, the fuel tank straps retain the heat shield.