Component
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:AUXILLARY TANK:SELECTOR DEVICES
520 NHTSA complaints about fuel system, gasoline:storage:auxillary tank:selector devices issues across 14 makes and 46 models.
The fuel system, gasoline:storage:auxillary tank:selector devices is one of the standardized component categories NHTSA uses to classify consumer safety complaints. Across the public complaint database, it accounts for 520 filings from 14 manufacturers and 46 distinct vehicle models, a footprint large enough that defect engineers can isolate part-family patterns across different platforms that share the same supplier or the same federal motor vehicle safety standard.
Among filings citing this component, owners have reported 2 crashes, 6 fires, 3 injuries, and 0 fatalities. The most complained-about vehicle in this category is the FORD F-150 with 267 filings, followed by FORD F150 and FORD F-250. These severity counters are what separates a nuisance complaint trend from a pattern NHTSA is likely to escalate into a Preliminary Evaluation.
Component-level analysis is how the Office of Defects Investigation spots cross-manufacturer supplier issues — the same airbag inflator, the same takata-style ignition switch, the same brake hose material — before they become industry-wide recalls. When you see a single component accumulating large complaint volume across several unrelated nameplates, that is usually a signature of a shared supplier or a shared federal standard being stressed by real-world conditions. Use the affected-vehicles table below to see whether the pattern is concentrated on a handful of models or distributed evenly, and cross-reference each model's full recall and investigation history before drawing conclusions about any one nameplate.
Most Affected Vehicles
| # | Vehicle | Complaints |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | FORD F-150 | 267 |
| 2 | FORD F150 | 108 |
| 3 | FORD F-250 | 38 |
| 4 | FORD F250 | 23 |
| 5 | FORD F-350 | 11 |
| 6 | FORD ECONOLINE | 10 |
| 7 | FORD E150 | 8 |
| 8 | FORD F350 | 4 |
| 9 | FORD E250 | 4 |
| 10 | FORD F-SERIES | 3 |
| 11 | TOYOTA COROLLA | 2 |
| 12 | FORD THUNDERBIRD | 2 |
| 13 | FORD PICKUP | 2 |
| 14 | FORD FORD TRUCK | 2 |
| 15 | FORD F SERIES (LIGHT) | 2 |
| 16 | FORD E-150 | 2 |
| 17 | FORD CLUB WAGON | 2 |
| 18 | DODGE RAM | 2 |
| 19 | SUZUKI VITARA | 1 |
| 20 | SUBARU LEGACY | 1 |
| 21 | PONTIAC GRAND PRIX | 1 |
| 22 | PONTIAC GRAND AM | 1 |
| 23 | PLYMOUTH VOYAGER | 1 |
| 24 | NISSAN PATHFINDER | 1 |
| 25 | MAZDA B2000 | 1 |
| 26 | LINCOLN LS | 1 |
| 27 | KIA SPORTAGE | 1 |
| 28 | KIA SEPHIA | 1 |
| 29 | JEEP WRANGLER | 1 |
| 30 | GMC ENVOY | 1 |
Recent Complaints
1989 FORD F250. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO SAFETY RECALL CONCERNING FUEL RESERVOIR *TGW THE CONSUMER STATED FORD MOTOR COMPANY REFUSED TO HONOR A SAFETY RECALL. FORD INFORMED THE CONSUMER, THEY C
GASOLINE IS LEAKING OUT OF THE FRONT FUEL CAP OF MY 1996 FORD F-150 TRUCK. MY TRUCK HAS DUAL TANKS. I CONSIDER THIS TO BE A VERY DANGEROUS PROBLEM THAT COULD CAUSE A FIRE OR EXPLOSION. MY RESEARCH ONL
I OWN A 2005 NISSAN PATHFINDER WHICH HAS THE SAME PROBLEM ADDRESSED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER 10V075000. THE FUEL SENDING UNIT SHOWS THE VEHICLE HAS GASOLINE WHEN IT IS EMPTY. THIS IS A SAFETY FACTOR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1989 FORD F250. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 25 MPH ON NORMAL ROAD CONDITIONS, THE CONTACT SMELLED A STRONG ODOR OF FUEL COMING FROM OUTSIDE OF THE VEHICLE. THE DRIVER PULLED OV
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1989 FORD E250. THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE DUAL FUEL TANK SELECTOR VALVES WERE NOT WORKING PROPERLY. THE CONTACT ALSO SMELLED GASOLINE COMING FROM THE VEHICLE. HE CALLED THE
EXPERIENCING CROSS FILL BETWEEN DUAL TANKS IN 1990 FORD F150. CAN CAUSE DANGEROUS OVERFLOW AND GAS SPILL. CONTACTED LOCAL FORD DEALER WHO SAID MY TRUCK IS NOT COVERED UNDER RECALL. CONTACTED FORD
FUEL IS BEING PUMPED OUT OF FRONT TANK ON TO GROUND, SEE 91V146000 FORD CAN NOT TELL ME IF THE RECALL HAS OR HAS NOT BEEN DONE ON THIS TRUCK. SEEMS IF THE TRUCK IS OVER 10 YEARS OLD THEY DON'T KEEP
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1988 FORD F150. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED, THE CONTACT LOOKED UNDERNEATH IT AND NOTICED FUEL LEAKING. HE DISCOVERED A RECALL FOR THE SAME FAILURE FOR THE 1989 MODEL. THE DE
GAS LEAK ON 2003 GMC ENVOY *CN
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 PONTIAC GRAND PRIX. ON SEPTEMBER 19, 2007, THE CONTACT SMELLED SOMETHING BURNING AND THEN NOTICED SMOKE RISING FROM UNDER THE HOOD. THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT BECAME ENGULFED
FUEL TANK DEVERTER FOR BACK TANK MALFUNCTIONS WHEN SWITCH TO THE REAR FUEL TANK. FUEL FLOWS FROM THE REAR TO THE FRONT THEN HAVE TO SWITCH BACK TO FRONT AFTER A WHILE, FUEL HAS SPILLED OVER FROM THE
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1991 FORD ECONOLINE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HER VEHICLE HAS A DUAL TANK. WHILE DRIVING ON THE BACK TANK, SHE SMELLED GAS COMING FROM THE VEHICLE. SHE LEARNED THAT FUEL WAS LE
WE BOUGHT A TOYOTA CORROLA MODEL 2004. SINCE WE BOUGHT IT TIL NOW, IT ALWAYS HAS A PERSISTENT PROBLEM WITH GAS TANK (GAS TANK, GAS PUMP, GAS ROD (?-PER DEALERSHIP PERSONNEL). OUR VEHICLE USED MAINLY
FUEL SPILLS OUT FROM THE FRONT FUEL TANK. FORD REFUSED TO REPLACE THE DUAL TANK SELECTOR VALVE. NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 91V146000. *JB
DUAL FUEL TANK SELECTOR VALVE APPEARS TO BE FORCING EXTRA FUEL INTO FRONT TANK WHILE REAR TANK IS SELECTED CAUSING IT TO OVERFLOW AND LEAK OUT OF THE FILLER CAP. CALLED DEALER AND THEY STATE NO RECAL
F150 FORD FUEL TANK VALVES TRANSFERRED FRONT TANK FUEL TO REAR TANK MAKING REAR TANK OVERFLOW. CITY TRUCK STOPPED ME TO TELL ME THAT GAS WAS POURING ALL OVER THE STREET. *JB
RE: RECALL 91V146000, FORD MOTOR COMPANY, 1989-1991 F150 TRUCKS... NOT EXACTLY A COMPLAINT... MORE OF A "CORRECTION"... FORD SAYS THIS RECALL HAS A BEGINNING DATE OF MANUFACTURE OF MARCH 1, 1989, NOT
THE FUEL STARTED TO RUN OUT OF THE FRONT FUEL TANK. I LOST MOST OF THE FUEL OUT OF THE REAR TANK THAT SPILLED ON THE ROAD. I THINK THAT THIS IS A FIRE WAITING TO HAPPEN. NOW I DO NOT USE THE REAR TANK
MY 1987' FORD F150 HAS DUAL FUEL TANKS, WITH THE TANK SELECTOR SWITCH ON THE DASHBOARD TO THE LEFT OF THE STEERING COLUMN. I WAS DRIVING HOME ON 01/25/06 AND NOTICED A STRONG FUEL SMELL WHEN I PULL
DT: THE CONTACT STATES THERE IS A NHTSA RECALL CAMPAIGN 91V146000 CONCERNING THE AUXILIARY TANK DEVICES. THIS VEHICLE HAS THE SAME PROBLEMS AS INDICATED IN THE RECALL, BUT IT IS NOT INCLUDED IN TH
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Frequently Asked Questions
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Data Sources
Vehicle complaint data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) complaints database. Includes consumer-reported safety issues filed with NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Severity counts cross-reference NHTSA FARS (Fatality Analysis Reporting System) for fatal incidents where a corresponding FARS record exists.
Component categories are standardized by NHTSA. Crash-test ratings where shown are drawn from the NHTSA New Car Assessment Program (NCAP). Complaint counts, crash reports, fire reports, and fatality data reflect consumer-submitted reports and may not represent all incidents.
Disclaimer: This data is for informational purposes only and should not be used as the sole basis for vehicle purchase decisions. NHTSA complaint data is self-reported by consumers and has not been verified or investigated. A high complaint count does not necessarily indicate a defect. Always consult a qualified mechanic and check official NHTSA recall notices before making safety-related decisions.
Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.