A Texas county sued Ford Motor Co. to force the company to tell all law enforcement agencies that Crown Victoria cars are at risk of gas-tank explosion and fires. At least 11 police officers nationwide have died in accident in which the gas tanks of the Ford Crown Victoria police cruisers exploded after collisions. Individual and class action lawsuits have been filed in courts throughout the country. The Wall Street Journal reports that Ford has recently settled four cases involving people killed or injured by fires in Crown Victoria cars.

Daimler Chrysler Corporation recalled the 2002 Jeep Grand Cherokee impacting 38,700 vehicles manufactured from July to September 2001 due to a defect in the onboard vapor recovery system. Hoses installed in the vehicles may have been misrouted, which could cause fuel to spill out of the filler tube when refueling the tank. Fuel leakage in the presence of an ignition source could result in fire.

Car makers have long received complaints about placement of gas tanks in an exposed position, causing fire or explosion, leading to damage, injury or death. While most car makers now place gas tanks in a protected position, many cars, pickups and trucks (1973-1987 Chevrolet C and K series) are still regularly operating with an unsafe saddlebag fuel system.