Ford Motor Co., the second largest automaker in the United State, reported on Monday that its sales fell by nearly 20 percent in September resulting mainly from the fact that soaring gas prices turned consumers away from trucks and sport utility vehicles.

The report said that sales of Ford, Lincoln and Mercury cars increased by 6 percent last month but sales of trucks and SUVs fell by nearly 28 percent.

In the past nine month, Ford's overall sales were flat compared with the same period of last year.

"As expected, we experienced pay back in September following a strong performance to start the quarter," said Steve Lyons, Ford's vice president of North American marketing, sales and service in Detroit.

Source: Xinhua