NHTSA Complaint #10183327 — 2002 CHEVROLET S10

BROKEN FUEL LINE BELOW DRIVERS SEAT. WHILE STANDING OUTSIDE OF THE VEHICLE, I REACHED INSIDE AND STARTED THE IGNITION, AFTER WHICH I SAW AN APPROACHING FLUID COMING TOWARD MY FEET. WHILE WAITING FOR THE ENGINE TO WARM-UP, I LOADED THE VEHICLE WITH SOME PERSONAL ITEMS (LUNCH BAG, COFFEE) AND THEN GOT INSIDE, CLOSED THE DOOR AND CONTINUED TO LET THE ENGINE WARM-UP. I ASKED MY PASSENGER IF THEY TOO COULD SMELL GASOLINE. WE BOTH AGREED THAT THE SMELL WAS EXTREMELY STRONG AT WHICH TIME I OPENED THE DOOR TO CHECK THE SOURCE. I SAW THAT THE APPROACHING FLUID I HAD SEEN ON THE GROUND EARLIER WAS NOW BEING PUMPED OUT AT A GREAT RATE AND IMMEDIATELY SHUT OFF THE IGNITION AND TOLD MY PASSENGER TO EXIT THE VEHICLE DUE TO A BROKEN FUEL LINE. THERE HAS BEEN NO WORK DONE ON THE VEHICLE PRIOR TO THIS EVENT. NOBODY HAS TOUCHED THE TRUCK AND I AM NOT AWARE OF THIS BEING AN EARLIER PROBLEM. NEEDLESS TO SAY WE CHOSE TO DRIVE ANOTHER VEHICLE. THIS IS AN EXTREMELY SERIOUS AND DANGEROUS DEFECT!!! THANK GOD WE WEREN'T DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD WHEN THIS HAPPENED. I WILL BE LOOKING AT THIS AS SOON AS I GET HOME FROM WORK TONIGHT. * UPDATE: IN ORDER TO FILE THIS COMPLAINT, I NEEDED THE VIN NUMBER... SO I CALLED MY NEIGHBOR AND HE WENT TO GO GET IT AND SAID THAT THE VEHICLE IS STILL LEAKING GASOLINE. I WILL PROBABLY BE LEAVING WORK TO SECURE THE SITUATION. *JB