Ford, Nissan Issue Fuel Tank-Related Recalls

Ford and Nissan have issued safety recalls related to vehicle fuel tanks -- Ford on one of its newest models, and Nissan on a long-defunct SUV model.

Ford says that in nearly 1,000 editions of its all-new Super Duty pickup trucks, a missing fuel tank support bracket could allow the fuel tank to move out of position as the truck is driven. The worst-case scenario is the tank sagging low enough to scrape the ground and cause a fuel leak, which, obviously, is a fire hazard.

Ford will inspect the 964 trucks included in the recall and install reinforcement brackets where necessary.

Nissan's recall covers 9,700 X-Trail SUVs from the 2006 model year, an SUV sold in Canada for 2005 and 2006 before being replaced by the first-generation Rogue.

In these cars, the fuel filler pipe could rust and become perforated, allowing gasoline to to leak onto the ground during refueling. Dealers will replace the filler pipe where necessary. Note that this is an expansion of a 2014 recall for the same problem.