NHTSA Complaint #10511470 — 2004 SATURN ION

THE PORTION OF THE FUEL LINES NEAR THE FUEL PUMP, WHICH IS HIDDEN BY A FLEXIBLE COVER UNDERNEATH CAR, WAS DISCOVERED TO BE SEVERELY RUSTED NEARLY TO THE POINT OF LEAKING, REQUIRING FUEL LINE REPLACEMENT. IN CONTRAST, THE PORTION OF THE FUEL LINES EXPOSED UNDERNEATH CAR WAS STILL IN PRISTINE CONDITION. (CAR HAS BEEN GARAGED AT NIGHT SINCE DELIVERY.) SERVICE MANAGER SAID THAT RECENTLY THEY HAVE BEEN FINDING MANY SATURN IONS WITH THIS CONDITION. ALTHOUGH GM HAS ISSUED A RECALL FOR FUEL PUMP LEAKS, THE PROBLEM OFTEN IS INSTEAD THE FUEL LINE HAS RUSTED THROUGH AND IS LEAKING. THIS PROBLEM WOULD NOT BE EXPECTED, AND THUS APPEARS TO BE DUE TO A SATURN DESIGN OR MANUFACTURING DEFECT. BECAUSE OF THE PREVALENCE AND SIGNIFICANT SAFETY ISSUE, THE SERVICE MANAGER EXPECTS GM WILL EVENTUALLY ISSUE A RECALL FOR THE FUEL LINE PROBLEM. BECAUSE THE PORTION OF THE FUEL LINE SUBJECT TO SEVERE RUSTING IS HIDDEN BEHIND THE FLEXIBLE COVER UNDERNEATH THE CAR AND NOT THE EXPOSED SECTION, IT IS LIKELY TO BE NOTICED ONLY AFTER LEAKING OCCURS, RESULTING IN A FIRE HAZARD. A RECALL APPEARS DESIRABLE TO INSPECT PARTICULARLY THE HIDDEN PORTION OF THE FUEL LINES NEAR THE FUEL PUMP AND REPLACE THEM IF NEEDED. ALTHOUGH A MANUFACTURER MUST PROVIDE A REMEDY TO SAFETY-RELATED DEFECT A NO COST TO THE OWNER, IN THIS INSTANCE GM REFUSES TO PAY FOR THE FUEL LINE REPLACEMENT UNLESS THE NHTSA COMPELS THEM TO ISSUE A RECALL. *TR