A new problem

[larry n]

My 2003 keeps coming up with unusual problems. The other day I noticed the check engine light icon appeared on the dash. So thinking it was nothing much to fix I brought it to my local Ford dealer in Southern Florida. They decided that it was not a sensor but a leak in the fuel system by doing a smoke test. They called me up and told me the gas tank was bad and needed to be replaced. I told them send it out and have it repaired. Could not due because the tank is plastic. They said they would do a nation wide search to see if any new old stock was available since they told me the car is considered "obsolete" due to its age. More bad news came when they said the only tank available would be a used one which they hope would be in better condition and cost would be including diagnostics $900. I might add the car has only 20,00 miles on it. The dealer told me they had to do the same thing for three other birds and this is going to be a consistent problem for our cars.

I am starting to feel that maybe it's time to sell the car. If I were to get into a minor fender bender and since no replacement parts are available except perhaps used the insurance company would probably total the car.

[007Cruiser]

Google “plastic gas tank repair”. There are many options available.

[BillyL]

I agree with 007Cruiser. I would try to have the tank repaired before investing in a used one. Try contacting a local marine repair facility and/or fiberglass shop. I am surprised to hear your ford dealer suggested this is a common problem for the birds. Yours is the first I have heard of, including on this forum. Fuel pump failures are a reoccurring topic, but not tanks. Good luck and please repost your outcome.

[carntz]

I wish I understood why service departments in general are appearing to become more dishonest or lazy. i am not sure which. i live in a small town next to a fairly good sized town in Washington State. My local Ford dealer was purchased by the local "Big Shot" Toyota dealer. I had a 2015 Mustang convertible in there before"The Big Teasy" they told me nothing was wrong with the 3rd member, then there was, then they ordered parts, then they said there was nothing wrong and supposedly sent the parts back. After I insisted all of a sudden they took the rear end down and showed me cracked bearings, score marks and then told me they couldn't rebuild it and had to order a new rear end from Saginaw( the manufacturer) The Mustang was laid up for almost two months. By the way of course this was all under warranty and they are a Lincoln dealer. i am thankful my mechanic was a service writer at the former Ford dealership that I used for over 2 decades. Side note the Mustang was sold 1 week after getting out of the shop This dealership will never see the retro EVER.

[larry n]

I suggested using an epoxy repair. The problem is that their is no gas leakage but its coming from a small tube on top of the tank that I think is used to control emissions. They said they tried this and was not successful on other cars. They also felt this is a liability issue for them. I'm at a disadvantage with them. I found a used tank from a wreck for $150 as opposed to their used one for $400. If I supplied mine and it too was defective I would have to pay for labor twice and find another one to replace where as they would be responsible for replacement and one labor charge.

In the fifteen years I have spent approximately $3000 for repairs. I guess this is not too bad. I will once again let the Ford dealer due the repair. What bothers me most is that their are no new parts available for the car and must rely on scavenged used ones if your able to find them

[Quickdraw]

I would just ignore the check engine light - of course the danger here is that something else can go wrong and you would miss it... but I think it would go into "cripple" mode if something else serious went bad. It sounds to me this is just a sensor related issue. The EPA wants gas tanks sealed now so no fumes escape... sounds like your sensor detects this small leak. For 100 years there was nothing to prevent fumes from escaping the tank so your little crack isn't going to cause any harm. And I am of the opinion that dealers often tell customers that "something or other is a common problem" (even if its the first time they have seen the problem) as it shifts your suspicion of being ripped off from blaming the dealer to blaming the manufacturer.

[Quickdraw]

Oops... duplicate post...

[Brad]

I find it interesting that they say that you need a new tank but also want to charge you $900. for diagnostics (which suggests to me that they actually don't know.) Do you know the location of the sensor? (inside the cabin, side, bottom, etc) If you have a crack in the tank and you keep it full all the time and there is no gas leaking to me that suggests that the alleged "crack" is on the top of the tank or from a related component. Did they give you the code?

[jerrym3]

The mechanics at my local Ford dealer are paid by the job, which is probably typical for most automobile repair shops. It's in their best interests dollar-wise to come up with the highest cost solution to a repair job, or recommend preventative maintenance that may or may not be required.

Not picking on Ford. It's just business.

[ISSYRO]

I suggested using an epoxy repair. The problem is that their is no gas leakage but its coming from a small tube on top of the tank that I think is used to control emissions. They said they tried this and was not successful on other cars. They also felt this is a liability issue for them. I'm at a disadvantage with them. I found a used tank from a wreck for $150 as opposed to their used one for $400. If I supplied mine and it too was defective I would have to pay for labor twice and find another one to replace where as they would be responsible for replacement and one labor charge.

In the fifteen years I have spent approximately $3000 for repairs. I guess this is not too bad. I will once again let the Ford dealer due the repair. What bothers me most is that their are no new parts available for the car and must rely on scavenged used ones if your able to find them

[ISSYRO]

Larry I may have your workaround. I believe I had the same issue with the leak from the hoses above the gas tank. I have a post on it which I’ll pass along.
Fill your gas tank and then reset the check engine light with an OBD. The light will stay off till the tank reaches a point of volume in the tank where the fumes cause the code to go off. My fix is that I never let the gas tank go below say 3/4 to 7/8 of full. The code will not register you keep gasoline in the tank to that level. Now Of course there will be times you take longer trips and the tank will go down but no problem if the code goes off. The escaping fumes are so minimal that it is not a danger to you or the engine. Purchase your own OBD for anywhere around 20 to 40 dollars and reset the code whenever it comes on. No need to spend money in an issue which to me is an idiot system and idiot light. I have passed 2 emission test with this problem!

[ISSYRO]

Do a search on PO442

[Tbear]

I had the same problem with my 03. It would not pass the emissions test in Texas so I had to fix it. The leak was on the top of the tank and composed of hairline cracks around the connection to the evap canister. The connection is formed into the plastic tank. I asked them to use some type of epoxy to repair it and they found something that would work. They said that it appeared to be caused by something hitting the tank and driving it upwards into the bottom of the car. I have Borlas on that car, so they got the blame by the Ford dealer.

[Welker]

Generally speaking, when I have a real problem the last place I take the car is to Ford Service. I have never heard more excuses for solving problems than at Ford. I don't think it is dishonesty but a kind of slovenly attitude toward doing any real work. Almost any reputable mechanic has better access to parts than does Ford. In fact, when I was told by the local Ford dealer that the electrical harness was bad and there were no replacements available any place in the country I found a replacement myself on the internet but the harness maker assured me the problem was not in the harness but in the main module which Ford again told me was unavailable. I had the car towed to my own mechanic who ordered the main module and it arrived in a box from the local dealer who said it was unavailable. They are essentially a lot of lazy, unskilled people who always look for an easy way out the problem....for them.

[Jimr]

I think most any body shop can plastic weld the tank.