NHTSA Complaint #10049732 — 1995 TOYOTA TIOO

1995 TOYOTA T100 PICKUP TRUCK WITH 60,000 MILES. FUEL LEAK FROM METAL LINES FROM FUEL PUMP ABOVE FUEL TANK. FUEL LINES RUSTED OUT, CAUSING LEAK. FUEL LEAKED OUT OVERNIGHT ONTO GARAGE FLOOR. FORTUNATELY NO FIRE RESULTED WHEN THE GARAGE DOOR OPENER WAS USED BEFORE THE FUEL WAS SPOTTED. POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS OR DEADLY SITUATION ESPECIALLY IF A GARAGE HAS A HEATING UNIT OR HOT WATER HEATER WITH A PILOT DEVICE. I AM AN ASE CERTIFIED MASTER MECHANIC AND VIEW THIS AS NOT A NORMAL WEAR AND TEAR PROBLEM. LOCAL TOYOTA DEALER HAS SEEN THIS SITUATION BEFORE AND THE REPAIR IS TO REMOVE THE FUEL TANK AND REPLACE THE FUEL PUMP PICKUP LINE ASSEMBLY REFFERED TO AS A "BRACKET KIT" PART #23206-65020. THE FLEXIBLE FUEL LINES (2) THAT SCREW TOGEHTER AND ATTACH TO THE SOLID METAL FUEL LINES THAT FAILED WERE ALSO SO CORRODED AT THEIR CONNECTIONS THAT THEY COULD NOT BE DISASSEMBLED AND HAD TO BE REPLACED ALSO. I CONTACTED TOYOTA CONSUMER AFFAIRS AND OPENED A CONTACT REPORT AND WAS REFFERED TO MY LOCAL DEALER FOR ASSISTANCE. THE REFERENCE # AT TOYOTA CONSUMER AFFAIRS IS 200312020395. NO ASSISTANCE WAS GIVEN. THE REMARK MADE TO THE LOCAL DEALER FROM SOMEONE AT CONSUMER AFFAIRS AT TOYOTA WAS I MUST HAVE DAMAGED THE LINES MYSELF. I HAVE THE OLD UNIT AND CAN SEND IT FOR EXAMINATION. I WOULD ASK THAT YOU INVESTIGATE THIS SITUATION AND DETERMINE IF IT WARRANTS A RECALL OF THESE VEHICLES FOR FIRE HAZARD. IT MAY EVEN EXTEND TO OTHER MODELS. AS I STATED EARLIER THIS WAS NOT THE FIRST ONE OF THESE THAT THE LOCAL DEALER HAD SEEN. THEY KNEW EXACTLY WHAT I NEEDED WHEN I CALLED TO INQUIRE. *AK