NHTSA Complaint #10284217 — 2002 CHEVROLET TRAILBLAZER EXT

THERE IS RUST ALL OVER THE INSIDE OF MY ENGINE, TWO EXHAUST MANIFOLD BOLTS RUSTED OFF AND I HAD AN EXHAUST LEAK. I HAD TO HAVE IT FIXED SO I TOOK IT INTO A CHEVROLET DEALER. WHILE IT WAS THERE THEY TOLD ME THAT THE GAS TANK HAD A CRACK IN IT AND HAD TO BE REPLACED, AT A COST OF OVER 700.00 DOLLARS. I CAN'T AFFORD TO HAVE THE MANIFOLD AND TANK FIXED. NOW I AM FACED WITH EITHER EXHAUST LEAKING OR GAS LEAKING. THEY SAID THE GAS TANK WAS CRACKED AT THE NECK. I CALLED GENERAL MOTORS TO STATE THAT I THOUGHT IT WAS A MANUFACTURERS DEFECT. GM CALLED THE DEALER AND THEY TOLD THEM THAT THE VEHICLE WAS IN GOOD SHAPE AND THAT THERE WAS NO SIGN OF MISUSE OR NEGLECT. GM CALLED ME BACK AND STATED THAT THE CRACK WAS DUE TO THE AGE OF THE VEHICLE AND WEAR AND TEAR. I HAVE NEVER HEARD OF A VEHICLE GAS TANK CRACKING FOR NO REASON UNLESS THERE WAS A DEFECT IN THE GAS TANK ITSELF. THE TANK IS PLASTIC AND THE NECK IS ALSO PLASTIC, IT IS ALL ONE PIECE. I FEEL THIS IS A VERY DANGEROUS PROBLEM AND THROUGH NO FAULT OF MY OWN I HAVE TO FIND A REMEDY TO THE PROBLEM. THE ONLY WAY TO TELL IF THERE IS A LEAK IS IF THE TANK IS FULL. *TR