Fuel tank vent hose leakage

An NHTSA Engineering Analysis into Nissan vehicles. Closed 4 January 2001.

Investigation
EA00015
Type
Engineering Analysis
Opened
22 May 2000
Closed
4 January 2001

What NHTSA investigated

Periodic exposure to liquid gasoline may result in extraction of antidegradants from the subject fuel tank vent hose.hoses which have suffered loss of antidegradant can develop cracks in areas of high strain.fuel may spray or drip from cracked vent hoses following tank fill.starting at JOB#1 1998 my (california emissions vehicles) and JOB#1 1999 my (federal emissions vehicles), the subject vent hose composition changed from nitrile rubber hoses with chloroprene rubber covers (nbr/cr) to fluoracbon rubber hoses which an outer layer blend of nbr/pvc.the changes wer made to improve hydracarbon resistance for complaince with new evaporative emissions regulations.the modified hoses are also significantly more resistant ot degradation and craciking. In a letter dated december 14, 2000, nissan notified NHTSA that it will conduct a safety recall campaign to replace the subject vent hose in affectd vehicles with the redesigned hose.nissan will begin notifying owners of the affected vehicles on february 5, 2001.NISSAN will finish its owner mailings on september 10, 2001.OWNERS will be notified in reverse order of vehicle age.

Recalls that followed

  1. Mercury — Fuel System, Gasoline: Tank Assembly00V4190022 January 2001394,000 vehicles
  2. Nissan — Fuel System, Gasoline: Tank Assembly00V41900115 December 2000268,229 vehicles

Vehicles covered

MakeModelModel years
NissanQUEST1993–1998

Source

From NHTSA’s investigation file, rebuilt daily. To report a problem with your own vehicle, go to nhtsa.gov/report-a-safety-problem. All open investigations.