NHTSA Complaint #10444863 — 2007 DODGE NITRO

EVERY TIME I FILL THE GAS TANK OF MY 2007 DODGE NITRO THERE IS A LARGE AMOUNT OF GASOLINE THAT "BURPS" BACK OUT OF THE TANK ONTO THE CAR, THE GROUND AND ANYONE (UNSUSPECTING THAT THIS WOULD HAPPEN) STANDING NEAR BY. IT MAY BE AS MUCH AS A GALLON OF GASOLINE. CHRYSLER HAS ADMITTED THIS IS DUE TO A MANUFACTURING DEFECT OF A VALVE IN THE GAS TANK. THIS VALVE IS THERE TO PREVENT THE POSSIBILITY OF AN EXPLOSION IN THE EVENT OF A ROLLOVER ACCIDENT. IF THIS VALVE IS DEFECTIVE IT WOULD SEEM IT WILL NOT PREVENT AN EXPLOSION IN A ROLLOVER ACCIDENT. RECENTLY MY DAUGHTER BORROWED THE CAR. I NEGLECTED TO TELL HER ABOUT THIS PROBLEM. SHE FILLED THE CAR AND STOOD THERE AS GASOLINE COVERED HER SHOES AND THE BOTTOM OF A GOOD PAIR OF SLACKS. YOU CAN IMAGINE HER HORROR AS SHE STOOD THERE COVERED IN FRESH GASOLINE. CHRYSLERS SOLUTION AT THIS TIME IS FOR ME TO PAY A DEALERSHIP TO REPLACE THE GAS TANK. TO AVOID HAVING TO PAY FOR THIS REPAIR (WITH MONEY I DON'T HAVE) AS THE TANK FILLS I SLOW THE FUEL FLOW INTO THE TANK TO THE SLOWEST FLOW RATE ON THE PUMP HANDLE. THERE IS STILL A "BURP" BACK AT FULL. JUST NOT VERY MUCH FUEL. THIS DEFECTIVE VALVE IS GOING TO CAUSE HORRIBLE DEATHS OR DISFIGURING BURNS TO SOMEONE. A GASOLINE FIRE WOULD BE AN AWFUL THING, THE FACT THAT IT IS PREVENTABLE WOULD MAKE IT UNIMAGINABLE. KNOWING THIS PROBLEM EXISTS WITH MY VEHICLE I CANNOT EVEN SELL IT IN GOOD CONSCIENCE. *TR