NHTSA Complaint #10056214 — 1996 CHRYSLER LHS

ON 15 NOV 2003, MY 1996 CHRYSLER LHS, VIN [XXX], STARTED SMELLING OF GAS WHILE I WAS WAITING AT AN INTERSECTION. AFTER DRIVING TO A NEARBY LOT, I DETERMINED THAT FUEL WAS LEAKING ON TOP OF THE ENGINE, AROUND THE FUEL INJECTOR RAILS. DIDN'T WANT TO DRIVE IT, SO I PARKED IT AND CALLED MY AUTO SERVICE FOR A TOW TO A LAS VEGAS PRECISION TUNE AUTOCARE THAT I'VE USED FOR VEHICLE MAINTENANCE. THEY CONFIRMED THE FUEL RAIL ASSEMBLY WAS LEAKING AND NEEDED REPLACED. INJECTOR BASE GASKET, INJECTOR O-RINGS, PLUM GASKET AND INJECTOR RAIL ASSEMBLY WAS REPLACE FOR $540.72 EQUIPMENT, $337.12 LABOR, SHOP SUPPLIES $34.55, AND TAX $43.14 FOR A TOTAL OF $955.54. UPON FILING MY MAINTENANCE RECORDS I FOUND AN EARLIER DAIMLER CHRYSLER SAFETY RECALL TO REPLACE FUEL RAIL O-RINGS AND REINFORCE THE FUEL OUTLET RAIL, RECALL 790. I HAD A VIRGINIA CHRYLSER DEALER ACCOMPLISH THE RECALL CORRECTIONS ON 23 APRIL 99. CALLED THE 1-800-992-1997 CHRYSLER CUSTOMER SERVICE NUMBER TO DETERMINE THEIR ASSISTANCE IN REIMBURSEMENT FOR THE OBVIOUS FAILED RECALL REPAIRS. WAS TOLD BY THE REPRESENTATIVE THAT SINCE I HAD NOT TAKEN IT TO A CHRYSLER DEALER THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD DO. TWO ISSUES: 1. THE RECALL REPAIRS OBVIOUSLY DID NOT CORRECT THE PROBLEM, HOW MANY OTHER LHS'S COULD BE VULNERABLE FOR AN ENGINE FIRE? FOR SAFETY I HOPE SOMEONE RESEARCHES THIS AND ENSURES CORRECTIVE MEASURES ARE TAKEN BEFORE SOMEONE GETS HURT. 2. I'VE GOT THE PAPERWORK, IS CHRYSLER STILL NOT LIABLE FOR THE REPAIRS OF THEIR POORLY ENGINEERED FUEL SYSTEM, ENOUGH SO THAT IT COULD CAUSE AN AUTO FIRE OR WORST? THANKS FOR YOUR TIME, [XXX] *JB UPDATED 07/27/2012 *JS INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)