NHTSA Complaint #10561385 — 2005 CHEVROLET COBALT

I BOUGHT THIS VEHICLE NEW IN FEBRUARY 2005. I'VE ALWAYS BEEN VERY DILIGENT IN MAINTAINING AND CARING FOR MY CAR. THIS SUMMER I HAD NOTICED A GASOLINE ODOR SEVERAL TIMES WHEN I GOT INTO MY CAR. I ALWAYS LOOKED UNDER THE VEHICLE FOR WET SPOTS OR DRIPPING BUT NEVER FOUND ANYTHING. IN JANUARY 2014 I TOOK MY CAR IN TO HAVE THE ANNUAL SAFETY INSPECTION DONE. THE INSPECTOR TOLD ME MY CAR NEEDED BRAKES ON BOTH AXLES AND FRONT ROTORS. HE ALSO TOLD ME HE SMELLED A GASOLINE ODOR BUT COULD NOT FIND AN ACTIVE LEAK EVEN THOUGH HE TURNED THE KEY ON AND PRIMED THE FUEL SYSTEM SEVERAL TIMES. BECAUSE IT WAS RAINING THAT DAY HE TOLD ME THE UNDERSIDE OF THE VEHICLE WAS WET WHICH PREVENTED HIM FROM FINDING ANY WET AREAS DUE TO A FUEL LEAK. HE TOLD ME HE WOULD CHECK AGAIN WHEN I BROUGHT IT BACK FOR THE RE-INSPECTION. A FEW DAYS LATER, AFTER THE BRAKE REPAIRS, THE INSPECTOR PUT MY CAR ON THE LIFT AND FOUND THE FABRIC HEAT SHIELD/SLEEVE WAS DAMP WITH GASOLINE. HE REMOVED THE HEAT SHIELD/SLEEVE AND FOUND THAT THE SUPPLY FUEL LINE HAD RUSTED THROUGH. I DID SOME RESEARCH ONLINE AND HAVE FOUND THIS IS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM WITH THE COBALT MODEL. I TOOK MY CAR TO THE LOCAL CHEVROLET DEALERSHIP AND THEY GAVE ME AN ESTIMATE OF $647 TO REPLACE THE ONE BAD FUEL LINE! A FUEL LINE RUSTING THROUGH IN LESS THAN 9 YEARS? TERRIBLE DESIGN HAVING FUEL LINES RUN A FEW INCHES FROM THE EXHAUST PIPES. TERRIBLE QUALITY PARTS THAT FAIL PREMATURELY AND CAUSE A FIRE HAZARD MAKING THE VEHICLE UNSAFE TO DRIVE. TERRIBLE CUSTOMER SERVICE AT THE DEALERSHIP WITH AN UNCARING ATTITUDE AND STATEMENTS OF "IT'S A CAR, THEY DON'T LAST FOREVER" AND "IT'S ONLY $647, IT'S NOT THE END OF THE WORLD". I GUESS SOMEONE'S CAR HAS TO CATCH ON FIRE, SOMEONE GET KILLED, AND GM GET SUED BEFORE THEY'LL DO SOMETHING ABOUT THIS KNOWN AND COMMON PROBLEM. NOW I KNOW WHY THE US GOVERNMENT HAD TO BAIL OUT GM. SMH! *TR