Ford Motor Co. announced that it will be recalling about 1.1 million F-series pickups. The recall is being conducted as a result of faulty fuel tank fasteners – metal straps that cradle the fuel tank are prone to rusting, and can lead to the tank to break free and drag along the road. The vehicles that are being recalled include the model year 1997 – 2004 Ford F-150, model year 2004 Ford F-150 Heritage, and model year 1997 – 1999 Ford F-250 trucks with a gross vehicle weight under 8,500 pounds. Also included in the recall are the 2002 – 2003 Lincoln Blackwoods.

Commenting on the faulty tank fasteners, NHTSA, in its official bulletin, said that as a result of the corrosion, one or both straps may fail allowing the fuel lines to separate from the tank. In some cases, this may cause the tank to contact the ground and may result in a fuel leak presenting a fire hazard.

As a remedy, the American automaker said it will notify its owners and instruct them to take their vehicles to a Ford or Lincoln dealer to have the fuel tank straps replaced with straps that have increased corrosion protection.