NHTSA Complaint #10202859 — 2006 TOYOTA 4RUNNER

VEHICLE IS A POLARIS SPORTSMAN 800 THAT OPTION IS NOT AVAILABLE LATER IN THIS FORM SO I PUT TOYOTA. ON AUGUST 4 2007 I BEGAN AN ATV RIDE/CAMPING TRIP WITH TWO OTHER INDIVIDUALS THAT WAS PLANNED TO GO THROUGH 8/11. WE STOPPED FOR LUNCH ON DAY 1 AND AFTER SEVERAL MINUTES I HEARD A STRANGE HISSING SOUND COMING FROM MY ATV. I REMOVED THE GAS CAP AT WHICH TIME LARGE VOLUME OF FUEL WAS EJECTED (LIKE A GEYSER) ABOUT 12-18" STRAIGHT UP. THANKFULLY I WAS STILL WEARING EYE PROTECTION BECAUSE THE FUEL SPRAYED MY FACE, HAND, ARMS AND TORSO. I INITIALLY THOUGHT THAT THE VENT HOSE LEADING FROM THE GAS TANK MUST BE CLOGGED OR PINCHED ALLOWING THE FUEL TANK TO OVER PRESSURIZE. I CHECKED THE VENT HOSE AND IT WAS CLEAR AND THEN POSITIONED IT SO IT COULD BE OBSERVED. THROUGHOUT THE REMAINDER OF THE TRIP THE GAS TANK CONTINUED TO HISS AND BUILD OF PRESSURE AND FUEL WOULD CONTINUOUSLY LEAK, BUBBLE, SHOOT OUT OF THE VENT HOSE BOTH WHEN THE ATV WAS MOVING OR NOT. WHEN THE ATV WAS IDLING AND PRESSURE WAS BUILT UP, I WOULD SLOWLY RELEASE PRESSURE IN THE TANK BY SLOWLY OPENING THE GAS CAP THE ATV WOULD DIE. BROUGHT THE ATV TO THE DEALERSHIP WHO COULD NOT REPLICATE THE PROBLEM AND THEREFORE WOULD NOT OR COULD NOT FIX IT. I RELATED TO THE AUTHORIZED POLARIS DEALERSHIP THAT MY ATV IDLING IN THEIR SERVICE DEPARTMENT DOES NOT FAIRLY REPLICATE THE ENVIRONMENT THAT CAUSED THE FUEL PROBLEM. I AM PREPARED TO PROVIDE YOUR AGENCY WITH SWORN STATEMENTS FROM WITNESSES, PHOTOS, MORE DETAILED DATES, TIMES AND NAMES OF INDIVIDUALS I ATTEMPTED TO RESOLVE THIS ISSUE WITH AT THE POLARIS DEALERSHIP AND CUSTOMER SERVICE. I DO NOT KNOW IF THIS IS AN ISOLATED INCIDENT BUT CONSIDERING HOW MY CONCERNS WERE BRUSHED ASIDE BY THE MANUFACTURE UNDER THE GUISE OF BEING "UNABLE TO REPLICATE" IT COULD BE WIDE SPREAD. IT GOES WITHOUT QUESTION THAT THE NATURE OF THIS PROBLEM PRESENTS A VERY REAL DANGER TO CONSUMERS. THANK YOU, IN ADVANCE, FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION AND ASSISTANCE IN THIS MATTER. *TR