2005 Lincoln Ls

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 LINCOLN LS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THERE WAS A FUEL ODOR COMING FORM THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE FUEL TANK NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 125,810.

MULTIPLE PROBLEMS-PROBABLY SOME HOW RELATED : IN SPEED UP LANE TO INTERSTATE - AT 55MPH CAR BUCKS/HESITATES WHILE TRYING TO GAIN SPEED ONTO THE INTERSTATE AT 45/55 MPH CONSTANT SPEED CAR LOOSES POWER AND BEGINS TO BUCK/HESITATE CAUSING YOU TO LOOSE SPEED CHECK ENGINE LIGHT SOMETIMES WITH ABOVE CRITERIA - P0305, P0306, P0300. *TR

I NOTICED WHAT I THOUGHT WAS AN EXHAUST LEAK ON THE INTERIOR OF MY 2005 LS, SO I RAISED THE HOOD DIDN'T SMELL ANYTHING. I DID HOWEVER NOTICE THAT THEIR WAS OIL SPOTS IN MY DRIVEWAY. I TOOK THE CAR IMMEDIATELY TO THE REPAIR SHOP AND HAD THE TOP HALF OF THE ENGINE RESEALED. TWO DAYS LATER I STARTED THE CAR AND AFTER LETTING IT WARM UP; I GOT IN AND THE SMELL WAS STILL THERE. I TOOK IT BACK AND AFTER 4 HOURS OF LABOR THE SNIFFER ALARM SOUNDED ON THE FUEL TANK. WHILE SEARCHING FOR A REPAIR THE MECHANIC DISCOVERED THE FORD RECALL NOTICE 05S29, NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER : 05V113000. SO I WENT MY LINCOLN DEALER AND THEY TOLD ME THAT THERE WAS "NO RECALL NOTICE FOR A LEAKING FUEL TANK FOR THE LS." NOT SATISFIED I TOOK MY REPAIR DOCUMENTATIONS TO A FORD DEALER, AND THEY STATED THAT THERE WAS A RECALL, BUT MY CAR WAS NOT INCLUDED. NOTE: THIS IS WHERE I REALLY GOT TICKED OFF. THERE IS A RECALL FOR THE PROBLEM I HAVE, BUT BECAUSE THE RESEARCH WAS IMPROPERLY PERFORMED I NEED TO PAY FORD $1600 TO REPLACE A TANK THAT WOULD OTHERWISE BE FREE. IT'S OBVIOUS THAT THE RESEARCH IS FAULTY... *TR

MY COMPANY LEASED THIS 2005 LINCOLN LS IN AUGUST 2005 FROM BOB MAXEY LINCOLN-MERCURY IN DETROIT. ON TUESDAY 10/4/2005 I WENT OUT TO THE CAR IN MY DRIVEWAY TO DRIVE MY CHILDREN TO SCHOOL. THERE WAS A STRONG SMELL OF GAS BY THE CAR. I DROPPED THE CHILDREN OFF AT SCHOOL, THEN PROCEEDED TO MY OFFICE. THE CAR SAT IN THE PARKING LOT UNTIL NOON WHEN I WENT OUT TO MAKE CUSTOMER CALLS. AGAIN, THERE WAS A STRONG SMELL OF GAS. I FOUND GAS DRIPPING DOWN FROM THE BOTTOM OF THE GAS TANK. AS I CONSIDER THIS A SAFETY ISSUE, I DROVE THE CAR TO BOB MAXEY LINCOLN-MERCURY TO FIND THE CAUSE OF THE LEAK. I WAS TOLD THAT I HAD HIT SOMETHING WITH THE GAS TANK, CAUSING A PUNCTURE AND THE SUBSEQUENT LEAK. THE DEALER WOULD NOT COVER THE TANK REPLACEMENT UNDER WARRANTY AND SAID IT WOULD COST $850.00 TO REPLACE. I HAD TO SUBMIT TO THE REPAIR CHARGE AS I NEED THE CAR AND IT IS EXTREMELY UNSAFE TO DRIVE A VEHICLE WITH A FUEL LEAK. CONSEQUENCES INCLUDE LOSS OF GASOLINE AND THE REAL POTENTIAL OF A THERMAL EVENT, OR FIRE. THIS COULD BE CATASTROPHIC TERMS OF VEHICLE DAMAGE AND POSSIBLE LOSS OF LIFE. I AUTHORIZED BOB MAXEY LINCOLN-MERCURY TO REPLACE THE FUEL TANK. TODAY, 10/5/2005, I DID SOME RESEARCH IN PREPARATION TO FILING COMPLAINTS WITH THE BBB AND NHTSA. I FOUND A RECALL NOTICE FROM FORD, #05S29, ON THE NHTSA WEB SITE FOR 2005 LINCOLN LS FUEL SYSTEMS. THE RECALL INVOLVED FUEL TANKS WITH THIN WALL SECTION IN THE LOWER HALF OF THE TANK THAT MAY CRACK. THE DATA FOR THE RECALL WAS SUPPLIED BY THE TANK MANUFACTURER TO FORD AS STATED IN THE RECALL DOCUMENTS AVAILABLE ON THE NHTSA WEB SITE. I THINK THE SUPPLIER OF THE FUEL TANK AND FORD MOTOR COMPANY DID NOT INVESTIGATE THE POTENTIAL MANUFACTURER DEFECTS LEADING UP TO THE PARTS ON THE RECALL. I BELIEVE I HAVE AN EXAMPLE OF THE EARLY DEFECTIVE SIDE WALL ISSUE THAT THE FUEL TANK SUPPLIER DID NOT REPORT TO FORD. I THINK FORD SHOULD EXPAND THEIR INVESTIGATION OF THIS ISSUE AND REPLACE ALL DEFECTIVE FUEL TANKS. *JB