Ford Motor Company recently announce a recall of its model year 2007 Five-Hundred and the Mercury Montego sedans. Mercury, a subsidiary of Ford Motor Co. was recently discontinued after the 2011 model year. 2,945 vehicles in total are being recalled. The vehicles called into question were manufactured between September 5th and 11th, 2006.
The problem lies in poor welding between the fuel tank and the fuel filler neck. A crash could cause a crack in the joint. An improper seal could cause fuel vapors to seep out. The emission malfunction indicator light should come on to signify vaporous chemicals if this were to occur.
If the crash is serious enough, the weld may snap and break between the fuel tank and filler neck, causing the fuel tank to leak, increasing the risk of a fire, excessive vehicle damage, great bodily injury or accidental death!
Besides the emissions light coming on, you may also detect a fuel leak by a strong, pungent odor or visible leakage, for example a puddle or stain forming in the same spot in your garage or where ever you park your car.
Because of the relatively easy detection of a fuel leak, owners may have already taken their affected vehicle in to be fixed, in which case Ford Motor Co. will reimburse drivers. Ford started mailing out notification letters to owners on the 15th of August and alerting dealerships to inspect and replace the fuel tank system as needed for FREE.