Recalls
| Campaign | Manufacturer | Manufacturing date | Type | # of units affected | Date Owner notified Mfg | Recall Initiated by | Manufacturers of recalled vehicles/products | Report Recieved Date | Record Creation Date | Regulation Part Number | FMVSS Number | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE | ||||||||||||||||
| 04V421000 | FORD MOTOR COMPANY | from 05/25/1999 to 11/30/2001 | V (Vehicle) | 88600 | 04/16/2004 | MFR | FORD MOTOR COMPANY | 08/30/2004 | 08/30/2004 | |||||||
| Defect Summary | On certain passenger vehicles, contamination of the filter in the fuel delivery module (fdm) can reduce, and eventually block, the flow of fuel to the engine. | |||||||||||||||
| Consequence Summary | This may cause engine hesitation, loss of power, surging, and other similar symptoms. over time, the filter may become sufficiently blocked to cause the engine to stall, which could result in a crash. | |||||||||||||||
| Corrective Summary | This action is deemed a safety improvement campaign and is not being conducted under the safety act. all owners will be notified of the problem, and dealers will replace the fdm with a new design at no charge if the owner reports that the vehicle exhibits any of the identified symptoms. the free replacement will be available for a period of 10 years following the original purchase of the vehicle, with no mileage limit. the campaign began on april 16, 2004. owners should contact ford at 1-800-392-3673. | |||||||||||||||
| Notes | Ford recall no. 04n02.customers can also contact the national highway traffic safety administration | |||||||||||||||
Bulletins
| Bulletin | Bulletin date | Replacement Bulletin | Item no. | Summary | Added |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE - STORAGE - TANK ASSEMBLY - FILLER PIPE AND CAP | |||||
| 14516 | 01/01/2000 | 620469 | Vehicles built before jun 21, 2000, an improved fuel filler tank grommet is now available for service. *tt | 08/09/2001 | |
| FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE - STORAGE - TANK ASSEMBLY - MOUNTING | |||||
| 14516 | 12/01/2000 | 616850 | Information on improved fuel tank filler pipe grommet. *tt | 03/14/2001 | |
| FUEL SYSTEM, OTHER | |||||
| 0398 | 05/12/2003 | 10002780 | Malfunction indicator lamp (mil) illumination with diagnostic trouble codes p0442, p0455, p0456, p0457, p1442 or check fuel cap lamp illuminated with diagnostic trouble code p0457. *tt | 09/17/2003 | |
| 14971 | 06/01/2001 | 622767 | Some vehicles built through 02-01-2001 may exhibit the fuel level indicator intermittently dropping to empty withfuel in the tank. *tt | 10/22/2001 | |
| 14837 | 04/01/2001 | 619323 | Information on vehicles exhibiting a fuel level indication intermittently dropping to empty with fuel in the fuel tank. *tt | 05/23/2001 | |
| FUEL SYSTEM, OTHER - DELIVERY | |||||
| 04N02 | 05/01/2004 | 10007005 | Engine hesitation, loss of power, surging, and other similar symptoms as a result of contamination of the fuel pump. this program extends the coverage of the fuel delivery module (fdm). *tt *mj | 05/21/2004 | |
Consumer Complaints
| Fail date | miles | occurences | Purchase date |
|---|---|---|---|
| FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE | |||
| 12/05/2011 | 164729 | ||
| During periodic maintenance the dealer discovered the passenger side fuel tank strap had corroded and broke. likely cause was the salt and chemicals applied to the roads during the winter. the driver side strap was intact but would likely fail in the future. i was informed the fuel tank straps were special order since they do not normally fail. returned the next day to have both straps replaced. fortunately the issue was discovered before the tank separated from the vehicle. this is the same issue with ford trucks of the same vintage. | |||
| 06/28/2011 | 140000 | ||
| Tl- the contact owns a 2000 mercury cougar. while accelerating at any speed, the contact stated that the vehicle would hesitate and would stall at any time. the dealer and manufacturer were notified and made the contact aware of the nhtsa campaign id number: 04v421000 (fuel system, gasoline) recall, but the vin was not associated. the failure was not remedied. the failure mileage was 140,000 and the current mileage was 141,000. nw | |||
| 07/30/2011 | 92500 | ||
| My 2000 mercury cougar suddenly started sputtering, bucking, and in less than two minutes stopped in traffic. it would crank but not start. i had to have it pushed off the road out of traffic. it was taken to a repair shop where the mechanic told me it was a faulty fuel pump system. when looking online for recalls or safety improvement campaigns, on the ford website, they acknowledged that cougars have had problems with the fuel pump system. the website did not specify any model year. when looking on another website and searching recalls, the 2000 cougar had no recalls or safety improvement campaigns. what is interesting to me is that the other three model years, 1999, 2001, and 2002, all had recalls on the fuel pump system. ford moter company issued an extended manufacturer's warranty on the fuel pump system for those three model years until december 2010. my husband and i both called ford motor company regarding our problem and were told that we were sent a notice regarding the extended warranty and we should have had it fixed before the warranty ended. our car was not covered under the warranty therefore we did not recieve a notice. they basically said sorry, you are on your own for the $600+ repair bill and have a great day. when a car is only made for four years and three of those four have a safety problem that causes the car to stop suddenly it stands to reason that the fourth model year made with the same parts would have the same problem. | |||
| 08/15/2009 | 98000 | ||
| Tl-the contact owns a 2000 mercury cougar. while the vehicle was parked he attempted to start the vehicle and the vehicle would not start. he checked the battery and replaced it. he jumped the vehicle and the vehicle started. after the vehicle started it stalled again. the vehicle was taken to a local mechanic and he was advised that the alternator needed to be replaced. the local mechanic replaced the alternator. he stated the vehicle was driveable but he experienced electrical problem. he stated the front headlights would dim out. he referenced recall nhtsa campaign id number: 01v031000, electrical system:battery:cables and was advised by the dealer and the manufacture that his vehicle was not part of the recall. the contact stated he had been experiencing the failure for approximately 2 years. he also stated recently he had a failure with the fuel system. he stated fuel was not getting to the engine. he stated before the failure the vehicle would hesitate but now the vehicle will not start. he reference recall nhtsa campaign id number: 04v421000, fuel system, gasoline and was advised by the dealer and the manufacture that his vehicle was not part of the recall. the vehicle was not repaired. the failure mileage was 98,000 and the current mileage was 100,000. vwb | |||
| 07/19/2009 | 92788 | ||
| My car stalled while in the middle of a busy intersection while in motion. later find out that i need a new fuel pump. was not aware it was under recall. paid to have it fixed in july of 2009. repair shop failed to put my vin, mileage, and correct year of vehicle on invoice resulting in not being able to get my money back from ford. recall was good through january 31, 2010. my car once again stalled while at a stop light sparks and small flames when attempting to start after stalling. electrical problem, and ford is doing nothing about it. i replaced the battery and still no crank or clicking. also listed as a recall. spend $651.02 to have fuel pump fixed and now can't get my money back because repair shop did not fill out invoice correctly. now will have to possibly pay over a $1,000.00 to fix the electrical issue... when the fuel pump was fixed, the shop failed to secure the gas tank correclty causing fuel to pour out while driving at a rate of a gallon per minute. ford is now doing everything they can to avoid paying me back for tehe recall services after i was informed by a ford customer service rep that i would be paid back. i have been back and forth for weeks now to the dealership and i have been told over and over again with a new excuse everytime as to why they can not repay me... | |||
| 04/18/2004 | 52000 | ||
| Tl*the contact owns a 2000 mercury cougar. the contact stated that the battery cables leading from the battery to the alternator caused shortages. all of the electrical components flickered inside and outside the vehicle. he took the vehicle to a certified mechanic, who confirmed that there was a short somewhere in the vehicle. in addition, he noticed a failure within the fuel injection system. the rpm's would rev to a high degree and then decrease very quickly, which occasionally caused the vehicle to stall. the rpm's fluctuated when shutting off the vehicle or revving. the vehicle has not been taken to the dealer. the manufacturer stated that the vin was excluded from nhtsa campaign id numbers 01v031000 (electrical system:battery:cables) and 04v421000 (fuel system, gasoline). the current mileage was approximately 106,000 and failure mileage was approximately 52,000. | |||
| 08/20/2008 | 133650 | ||
| Tl*the contact owns a 2000 mercury cougar. the contact stated that his extended warranty was cancelled on his fuel pump because the vehicle was reconstructed. when he placed a full tank of gasoline in the vehicle, the fuel gauge dial would not go past the halfway mark. the dealer stated that the fuel pump needed to be replaced. they further stated that the title was reconstructed because the vehicle was previously destroyed. due to this, they would not perform any repairs on the vehicle. the failure mileage was 133,650. | |||
| 07/21/2008 | 186000 | ||
| Tl*the contact owns a 2000 mercury cougar. while driving 75 mph, the vehicle lost power. the contact was able to pull over and waited a few minutes. she was able to restart the vehicle without any trouble. the failure occurred once more after the first failure. the dealer stated that the fuel was being blocked from entering the engine. upon further investigation, the dealer stated that nhtsa campaign id number 04v421000 (fuel system, gasoline) applied to her particular year, make, and model vehicle, which they believed to be the cause of the failure. the failure mileage was 186,000 and current mileage was 187,000. | |||
| 11/13/2007 | 75000 | 10 | 04/30/2004 |
| Tl*the contact owns a 2000 mercury cougar. while driving 40 mph, the vehicle began hesitating, stalling, and the engine shut off. the contact was able to restart the vehicle; however, it continued to hesitate until fuel was added. three weeks prior to the failures, the vehicle stalled after shifting the gear into neutral. she engaged the accelerator pedal to prevent the vehicle from stalling. three days ago, the vehicle would not start. a dealer has not diagnosed the failure. the failure mileage was 75,000 and current mileage was 76,300. | |||
| 07/31/2006 | 99000 | 1 | 12/05/2005 |
| I purchased a used 200 mercury cougar in 12/2005. the fuel has been diagnosed by festus ford as defective. the fuel pump was replaced as part of recall #04v421000. i called ford customer care 1-866-436-7332 to ask if there was anything that ford could do to offset the cost of the repair/replacement and my request was rejected. it's apparent that there is something wrong with the cougar fuel pumps. i report to ford that i thought this was a safety issue, since this is causing my vehicle to lose power and/or surge. they did not seem to be concerned at all. *jb | |||
| 11/03/2003 | 2 | 01/24/2003 | |
| 2000 mercury cougar stalled due to problems with the fuel pump. *ts after the fuel pump was installed, the consumers daughter continued to experience stalling problems. the consumer learned there was recall , the consumer did receive a rebate and it was discovered that the fuel pump that was sold to the consumer was the same one that had been recalled. the dealer did agree that the fuel pump was bad, however they wanted over $500.00 to replace it. *jb | |||
| 06/15/2002 | 23000 | ||
| This car has intermittently shut down in traffic at 70 mph, also will not start from time to time. very unreliable transportation. incredibly poor choice of vehicle. key has electronic chip in it which malfunctions. key replaced once under warranty; went bad again. costs $400 to replace. | |||
| 44000 | 2 | ||
| Vehicle stalled out without warning while driving. this caused by fuel system failure. the pump was replaced twice. | |||
| FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE - DELIVERY - FUEL PUMP | |||
| 07/19/2007 | 110000 | 8 | |
| Tl*the contact owns a 2000 mercury cougar. the contact stated that the fuel pump failed on her vehicle. ford informed her that a recall repair was previously performed on the vehicle. the contact went to the corporate ford office and was informed that the repair had not been performed. she also stated that the engine occasionally stalled and one of the struts failed during a test drive at 60 mph. the vehicle was eventually towed. the purchase date was unknown. the current mileage was 110,125 and failure mileage was 110,000. | |||
| 04/03/2007 | 112000 | 3 | 05/09/2000 |
| Tl*the contact owns a 2000 mercury cougar. the vehicle containd a safety recall on the fuel system. on april 3, 2007, while driving approximately 60 mph on a rainy day, the vehicle shut off. the vehicle was towed to a mechanic where it currently remained. the failure occurred twice in the last four months. the mechanic stated that the fuel system could be repaired if it was paid for by the contact. the current mileage is 115,000 and failure mileage was 112,000.*ak | |||
| 07/31/2006 | 99000 | 1 | 12/05/2005 |
| I purchased a used 200 mercury cougar in 12/2005. the fuel has been diagnosed by festus ford as defective. the fuel pump was replaced as part of recall #04v421000. i called ford customer care 1-866-436-7332 to ask if there was anything that ford could do to offset the cost of the repair/replacement and my request was rejected. it's apparent that there is something wrong with the cougar fuel pumps. i report to ford that i thought this was a safety issue, since this is causing my vehicle to lose power and/or surge. they did not seem to be concerned at all. *jb | |||
| 11/03/2003 | 2 | 01/24/2003 | |
| 2000 mercury cougar stalled due to problems with the fuel pump. *ts after the fuel pump was installed, the consumers daughter continued to experience stalling problems. the consumer learned there was recall , the consumer did receive a rebate and it was discovered that the fuel pump that was sold to the consumer was the same one that had been recalled. the dealer did agree that the fuel pump was bad, however they wanted over $500.00 to replace it. *jb | |||
| 09/20/2003 | 40000 | 100 | |
| Vehicle will stall and then lose power while driving or hesitating. then jerk forward while idling. there is no warning when either of these failures occur. the fuel pump/massive flow sensor were replaced twice, but failures recurred. *ak | |||
| 05/01/2004 | 1 | 04/01/2000 | |
| Received the recall information for the fuel pump, dealer will not replace the fuel pump per mercury home office because they said the car tested fine. if its a recall, why isn't it being replaced?*ak | |||
| 07/21/2004 | 1 | ||
| Ford motor company fuel pump recall, possible engine stalling.*mr the consumer's received a recall letter which reference a hesitation/surging problems. the consumer contacted the dealer who stated that they had not received the newly designed fuel pumps and to call back in late may. when the consumer called back in late may the part was still not available. the part did not arrive until mid july and the consumer dropped the vehicle off that morning to have it fixed. when the consumer arrived that afternoon to pick it up the consumer was told that the incorrect part was ordered and the vehicle had to kept overnight. the pump was finally replaced the next day and when the vehicle was pick the consumer indicated that she smell fuel inside the vehicle. the consumer was told that he smell would go away in a few days. the consumer felt that something wasn't right an took the vehicle to her independent mechanic. he found that the floor under the back seat was cut to remove the old fuel pump and that the new fuel pump was secured with duct tape, not the retainer ring. *nm | |||
| 08/11/2004 | 1 | ||
| While driving vehicle stalled. the consumer was unable to restart the vehicle, and had the vehicle towed to the dealer for inspection. the mechanic determined that the fuel pump needed to be replaced due to a solenoid switch. the consumer informed the mechanic that when the gas tank was a quarter full vehicle stalled without warning. *ak the engine stalled as the consumer attempted to accelerate. *sc *jb | |||
| 06/14/2004 | 2 | 04/08/2000 | |
| #1 i received a recall letter from ford in late april 2004 regard the fuel pump. i have had several problems with my 2000 cougar loosing power on incline for the past year or so. after i paid to have a new fuel pump i recieved the letter. they informed me that the new fuel pump would be out late may 2004, but i haven't heard from them as of date. *ak #2 everytime i drive my car for about 15 minutes or more, once i turn off the car, if i try to start it within 5 to 10 minutes it will not start. i have to wait at least 15 minutes. ford dealership repair cannot find a problem. | |||
| 01/02/2004 | 2 | 04/23/2001 | |
| The 99'-2002 mercury cougars have faulty fuel pumps. once they become ineffective the vehicle bucks violently and no longer is controllable. i am part of a car club called new edge cougars and every single member has had this happen to them, most of the time it occurs on busy highways and intersections. i myself almost was hit numerous times as my vehicle died in the middle of busy intersection. other members have had the cougar die while traveling highway speeds. there is no recall for this and the dealership refuses to fix the problem. once you get the fuel pump replaced, the dealership replace it with the same one and the same problem happens again in the not so distant future. this is a safety issue, as this is a recurring problem which the dealership refuses to fix but just replace the item with the exact same ineffective one. it is only a matter of time when a cougar owner will not be able to pull off to the side of the road or traffic will not it them when the vehicle goes from highway speed to a sudden stop. this will cause numerous injuries, large property damages and possible death. *la | |||
| 09/18/2003 | 39000 | 0 | 05/31/2000 |
| I was driving my 2000 mercury cougar v6 and the fuel pump caused power hesitation and surging when i pulled into the left lane to make a pass. i had to swerve back into the right lane and nearly caused an accident with the oncoming vehicle. i then replaced the fuel pump shortly thereafter and the problem went away. | |||
| 11/10/2003 | 10000 | 6 | 11/13/2002 |
| Purchased 2000 mercury cougar 13 nov. 2000. since the time of purchase, on five different occasions the said vehicle has sputtered and stalled in the middle of traffic do to lack of fuel comsumption. while under warrenty dealer has changed the fuel pump once. as of this day, on three november 2003, i myself changed another fuel pump on said vehicle. i've noticed in other complaints that this is an on going problem with this vehicle, and as far as i know nothing is being done by the dealer to correct this problem. today is 10 nov. 2003 and said vehicle has stalled again. i noticed that the fuel pump fuse was blown and changed it also installed a new pump relay. there seems to be and electrical problem within ths system, which in turn causes the pump to burn up. the average price of a fuel pump for this vehicle is three hundred dollars or more which doesn't include labor for installation. my question, is there a electrical problem in the harness or the relays that are manufactored. because i've found the pump fuse blown on the last three occasions. what is being done to correct this problem. thankfully there hasn't been any injuries. but depending on where you stall, it very well could be. i've also been told to at least keep a half of tank of gas in vehicle to keep pump from overheating. what's the deal? now is the dealer regulating consumers fuel consumption. what if i went on a road trip i would never get there.*ak | |||
| 07/26/2003 | 6000 | 1 | 05/26/2000 |
| Mercury cougar 2000 after after driving for an hour or more with outside temperature in the high 90s or low 100s begin surging and stuttering and stops running. after the car cools it will restart and run. after talking to several service managers at several dealerships the consensus is that the fuel pump overheats and stops working. ford/mercury when contacted denied that there was a pervassive problem but all of the dealerships that i have talked to and brought my car into to be fixed have seen this problem.*ak | |||
| 06/01/2003 | 34000 | 1 | 04/06/2001 |
| Fuel pump goes bad 2nd time in one year. *nlm | |||
| 01/01/2003 | 32000 | 4 | 07/13/2000 |
| The first time the car stalled it was in january 2003. it did it again on june 8, 2003. it appeared to be fine, but the following day, on the way to work it was having trouble. did not use car until transport to dealership in port jeferson, ny on june 11, 2003. i was told it was the fuel pump. looking through past complaints it appears this is an ongoing problem with this make, model and year. i would like to know what the manufacturer intends to do about this. i hope that this will not be another ford pinto situation. *jb | |||
| 05/18/2003 | 82150 | 2 | 08/01/2000 |
| On occasion, the car has lost power in traffic, which has resulted in loss of power steering and power brake control. the dealership has diagnosed the conditions resulting in power loss as a problem with the fuel pump. this problem has progressively worsened.*jb | |||
| 04/26/2003 | 44298 | 1 | 09/10/2000 |
| Fuel: fuel pump failure. *jb | |||
| 03/25/2001 | 9828 | 0 | 08/14/2000 |
| Every year approximately the same time, the fuel pump in my 2000 cougar goes out. i reported this problem to ford corp. every time. on june 14, 2001 i mailed a letter to them stating the continuous problem with the fuel pump in the cougar. the first time wasmarch 25, 2001 - while driving my car home form church, my car stopped in the middle of the street. i had the car towed to winner lincoln-mercury, they replaced the fuel pump and returned it to me on march 29, 2001. 2nd time on april 26, 2002 while driving home from work, my car just stopped in the middle of traffic. i called for a tow truck to tow the vehicle to winner lincoln-mercury again. winner replaced the fuel pump again and returned the car to me on april 29, 2002, approximately a year after the first fuel pump was replaced, winner replaced the fuel pump again. 3rd time on april 21, 2003 the car stopped on my way home from work. i had it towed to ryan lincoln mercury who replaced the fuel pump again. approximately a year from the last one replaced...... *nlm | |||
| 04/02/2003 | 88000 | 2 | 12/01/2000 |
| Fuel pump fails to produce sufficient pressure to run engine. first replacement at 54010 miles. pump has failed again at 88000 miles. | |||
| 03/01/2002 | 2 | 10/01/2000 | |
| When driving approx 50 mph in 4th gear, car started to buck and chug, slowed down to 25, and stopped at stoplight, car chugged once and killed/stalled. could not start, after 30 min car started but stalled after moving 10 feet, seemed as if car wasn't getting fuel. dealership and first diagnostic test blamed fuel pump and they kindly replaced fuel pump for $100 deductible (car 5000 miles out of warranty). yesterday, 4 days later, driving 70 mph w/cruise control on, chugging/buckinh reoccured, and then car mph started dropping fast, downshifted into 4th, pressed gas and nothing happened. pulled over (car never killed) and put car in 1st gear and took off, 5 miles later it happened again (4 times total). called dealership, blamed bad gas or water in the tank freezing in cold weather, both occurances happened at 1/4 tank of gas, added heat to remove any water, and will see what happens next time i am at 1/4 tank. problem does not seem water/gas related problem is intermittent.*ak | |||
| 0 | |||
| Vehicle stalls due to fuel pump failure. *ak | |||
| 11/28/2001 | |||
| Vehicle stalls while driving. at times, vehicle will jerk / stall. vehicle will not restart. contacted dealer, and dealer replaced fuel pump. please add vin. *ak | |||
| 3 | |||
| Consumer had three fuel pumps replaced within the year because vehicle stalled without prior warning. *ak | |||
| FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE - STORAGE - TANK ASSEMBLY | |||
| 04/22/2003 | 38000 | 10 | 08/21/2000 |
| While driving at any speed and when the fuel level was at 1/4 full, the vehicle stalled. currently when the fuel level is 1/2 full, the vehicle continued to stall. a technical service bulletin was issued concerning this problem. *ak the vehicle would not restart until it was filled with gas. this problem occurred at any speed on all road types. (this problem also applied to the consumers second vehicle which the same make/model/year, vin# 1zwft61l5y5609332, with the odometer reading of 60k miles) *sc *jb | |||
| 04/02/2002 | 38000 | 10 | 01/08/2000 |
| While driving at any speed, when fuel level was at 1/4 full vehicle stalled. currently, when the fuel tank level is at 1/2 full the vehicle still stalls. a technical service bulletin was issued concerning this problem. *ak the vehicle would run out of gas when there was 1/4-1/2 tank of gas. *sc *jb | |||
| 07/14/2000 | 3 | 10/29/1999 | |
| Fuel tank needs to be replaced . this is 3rd time due to faulty seal which causes fuel leakage . *ak *jb | |||
| FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE - STORAGE - TANK ASSEMBLY - MOUNTING | |||
| 09/09/2004 | 71000 | 1 | |
| The dealership didn't follow the proper procedure/specification when performing the fuel delivery module recall 04n02, because of this the rusted fuel tank straps went un noticed. the consumer noticed the straps dragging while driving which could of resulted in a fire. *jb | |||
| FUEL SYSTEM, OTHER - DELIVERY - FUEL PUMP | |||
| 03/01/2005 | 60000 | 10 | 01/01/2005 |
| Tl*the contact owns a 2000 mercury cougar. while driving 25 or 65 mph, the vehicle speeds up, slows down, and then shuts off completely. the vehicle is currently at the shop, where the fuel pump and delivery modular have been replaced five times. the mechanic stated that the wiring was not making the proper connection to the modular. the current mileage is 84,000 and failure mileage was 60,000. | |||
| FUEL SYSTEM, OTHER - DELIVERY - HOSES, LINES/PIPING, AND FITTINGS | |||
| 11/20/2004 | 1 | ||
| Recently, i took my 2000 cougar to the shop to have a leak checked out. also, i noticed when i used the heat, i smelled a burned rubber scent. i learned that the transmission seal broke and i needed new gaskets. it cost $1,600. what is really strange is there was a 1999 cougar at the shop too. the mechanic told me that both of our cars has the same exact problem. is it possible that there is a recall on certain cougars?*ak | |||
| FUEL SYSTEM, OTHER - STORAGE - TANK ASSEMBLY | |||
| 10/10/2000 | 30000 | ||
| There appears to be a widespread problem with fuel tank warpage on 2000 mercury cougars. the tank is molded plastic and can distort. this distortion occurs without warning or noticeable incident. once distorted, the car will suddenly fail to be able to access the last quarter tank of fuel and will suddenly lose power or stall. the dealer from whom i purchased the car diagnosed the problem and replaced the tank and fuel sender; however, subsequent discussions on internet groups related to the car or maker reveal that there are a significant number of people experiencing the same symptoms whose local dealers are either ignorant of the problem or unwilling to fix the problem at the factory's expense. | |||