NHTSA Complaint #10598286 — 2012 BUICK LACROSSE

DIESEL FUEL WAS ACCIDENTALLY FUELED INTO THE CAR AT A GAS STATION HAVING A "HYBRID" PUMP--ONE HAVING TWO NOZZLES. WHILE THIS WAS A MISTAKE ON THE DRIVERS PART, A DIESEL FUEL NOZZLE IS DESIGNED NOT TO FIT INTO A CAR WITH A GASOLINE ENGINE. THIS ERROR SHOULD HAVE BEEN IMPOSSIBLE. ON THIS BUICK, THIS IS NOT THE CASE. A DIESEL HOSE CAN BE FITTED INTO THE FILLER PIPE AND LEFT THERE UNATTENDED AND WILL FILL THE TANK. THE SAFETY DANGER IN THIS IS THAT THE CAR WILL STALL WHEN THE UNLEADED FUEL ALREADY IN THE FUEL LINES RUNS OUT AND THE ENGINE RECEIVES CONTAMINATED FUEL. WE WERE LUCKY AND THE CAR REACHED HOME FIRST AND THEN COULD NOT BE RESTARTED. OTHERWISE, THE CAR WOULD HAVE STALLED ON THE ROAD, THE POWER STEERING WOULD HAVE FAILED, AND THE CAR COULD EASILY HAVE BEEN IN AN ACCIDENT. THIS CONDITION COST $1145 TO REPAIR. UPDATED 1/16/15 *JS