NHTSA Complaint #10293477 — 2003 PONTIAC AZTEK

I JUST BOUGHT A USED 2003 PONTIAC AZTEK YESTERDAY FROM A USED CAR DEALER, AND TODAY THE FUEL SYSTEM IS LEAKING GAS. THE DEALER SAID THAT THE CAR HAD NOT BEEN WRECKED. I HAVE NOT ORDERED A CARFAX TO VERIFY HIM. THERE ARE A COUPLE OF RECALLS FOR THIS PROBLEM ALREADY BUT A PONTIAC MECHANIC SAID OVER THE PHONE THAT MY VEHICLE IS NOT AFFECTED. IT SEEMS LIKE MY VEHICLE SHOULD BE ADDED TO THE RECALL LIST BECAUSE OF SO MANY SIMILARITIES. THERE ARE APPROXIMATELY 21,000 UNITS AFFECTED BY THE CURRENT RECALLS. IT JUST DOES NOT SEEM ACCURATE THAT ALL OF THOSE FUEL SYSTEMS WERE CONSIDERED FAULTY AND THAT MY AZTEK'S FUEL SYSTEM IS CONSIDERED FINE WHEN IT IS LEAKING GAS. MY AZTEK WAS MANUFACTURED IN NOVEMBER 2002. THE SERVICE ENGINE SOON LIGHT IS ON AND STAYS ON MOST OF THE TIME. THE DEALER SWORE THE PROBLEM WAS JUST A LOOSE GAS CAP AND THERE WAS NOTHING ELSE WRONG WITH IT. WHEN I BOUGHT THE CAR, THE TANK WAS FILLED JUST ABOVE EMPTY AND I FILLED THE TANK THAT EVENING WITH 15.8 GALLONS OF 87 OCTANE GAS AND WOKE UP TODAY WITH THE ENTIRE INSIDE OF MY HOME SMELLING LIKE GASOLINE. MY HUSBAND WAS ABLE TO SEE THAT THE GAS IS LEAKING FROM AROUND THE JOINT BETWEEN THE FILLER HOSE AND THE FUEL TANK. THE LEAK IS NOT HEAVY OR FLOWING IT IS JUST STEADILY SEEPING. THE VEHICLE STILL DRIVES REALLY SMOOTH. BUT I AM NOT SURE HOW EXPLOSIVE A GAS LEAK IS AND I AM NOT DRIVING IT UNTIL I DO. I HAVE A SCAN GAUGE AND IT ESTIMATES THE CAR GETTING AROUND 7MPG. THE VEHICLE HAS 92,500 MILES ON IT AND ONLY ONE PREVIOUS OWNER. ALL OF THE COMPLAINTS THAT I HAVE RESEARCHED ONLINE SEEM IDENTICAL. I JUST WANT TO KNOW IF THIS FUEL LEAK IS FROM A COMMON FAULTY PART THAT THE MANUFACTURER IS RESPONSIBLE FOR. *TR