NHTSA Complaint #10120862 — 2001 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN

SIGNIFICANT FUEL LEAK FROM GAS TANK OF 2001 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN. WILL LEAK AT APPROX. 1/2 GAL PER HOUR. WILL LEAK WHEN RUNNING AT IDLE, RUNNING AT SPEED, AND STOPPED, ENGINE OFF. PLEASE TAKE NOTE - THE VEHICLE WOULD STILL RUN WITH THE FUEL TANK LEAKING SIGNIFICANTLY. NO ERROR MESSAGE WAS DISPLAYED IN THE VEHICLE MESSAGE DISPLAY. NO FIRE OCCURRED, BUT WITH CLOSE PROXIMITY TO EXHAUST SYSTEM, RISK FOR FIRE WOULD APPEAR TO BE EXTREME. DELIVERED VEHICLE TO DEALER TO INSPECT. UPON PRESSURE TEST, DEALER FOUND LEAK AT TOP OF TANK IN PASS-THROUGH CONNECTOR. LEAK WAS OCCURRING BECAUSE WIRE INSIDE TANK (FUEL PUMP LEAD) MELTED, AND CREATED HOLE IN PASS THROUGH CONNECTOR. ENTIRE INTERNAL TANK FUEL PUMP AND FUEL LEVEL SENDER ASSEMBLY REPLACED. DEALER TECHNICIAN REPORTED HE HAD SEEN THIS BEFORE, BUT USUALLY THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT RUN, OR A CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WOULD BE DISPLAYED. THIS VEHICLE WOULD RUN, AND DID NOT DISPLAY ANY MESSAGE IN THE VEHICLE MESSAGE DISPLAY. DEALER WOULD NOT ACKNOWLEDGE A RECALL IN THEIR SYSTEMS OR SUPPORT A SAFETY ISSUE SEARCH. GM WOULD NOT ACKNOWLEDGE ANY RECALL OR SAFETY ISSUE CONCERN DURING CALLS PLACED ON 5-13-2005. GM SERVICE REQUEST WAS SUBMITTED BY OWNER VIA PHONE - OPEN SERVICE REQUST #1-335303835. COST TO REPAIR WAS $996.38US, ALL PAID BY OWNER. OWNER (ME) HAS ALL RECEIPTS AND DEFECTIVE PARTS. FAILED WIRE LEAD ON INTERNAL PUMP IS VISIBLY MELTED. CANNOT CONFIRM REPLACEMENT PART (GM # 25315983) IS NOT ALSO DEFECTIVE, AND MAY ALSO LEAD TO REOCCURENCE OF THE SAME PROBLEM - MELTED WIRE, GAS LEAK, POTENTIAL FIRE OR EXPLOSION.