NHTSA Complaint #10652752 — 2003 SATURN ION

THE FUEL LINES BETWEEN THE GAS TANK AND ENGINE HAVE RUSTED OUT. THEY ARE RUSTED DUE TO THE BRACKETS HOLDING THEM TO THE FRAME AS WELL AS A WATER SOAKED INSULATING BLANKET THAT HAD BEEN PUT AROUND THE FUEL LINES TO PROTECT THEM FROM THE EXHAUST PIPES HEAT. THIS ONLY SPED UP THE RUSTING PROCESS. THEY ARE RUSTED TO THE POINT THAT THE GAS IS SPRAYING ON THE EXHAUST PIPES CAUSING A POSSIBLE FIRE OR EXPLOSION. THE LEAK IS ONLY WITHIN A FOOT FROM THE GAS TANK MAKING IT EVEN MORE DANGEROUS. UPON MY RESEARCH I HAVE FOUND THAT SATURN HAS ADDRESSED THIS SAME PROBLEM WITH THEIR 2004 MODELS BUT NOT THE 2003 MODEL. (GM RECALL NO. 04053) THE DIFFERENCE IN THE MODEL YEARS HAS NOT MADE THIS ANY LESS OF A HAZARD. IN A CALL TO SATURN THEY TOLD ME THAT NOTHING CAN BE DONE WITH MY 2003 BUT IF I OWNED A 2004 THIS WOULD BE COVERED ON A SAFETY RECALL. THIS REASONING SOUNDS RATHER FOOLISH TO ME AND THE HAZARD SHOULD BE FIXED REGARDLESS OF THE YEAR VEHICLE. A FIRE OR EXPLOSION DOESN'T KNOW WHAT THE MODEL YEAR IT IS. WHY DID SATURN NOT MAKE THESE FUEL LINES OUT OF STAINLESS STEEL, A MATERIAL THAT WOULD NOT HAVE RUSTED AND BECOME A SAFETY HAZARD? I WOULD APPRECIATE ANY UPDATES ON THIS MATTER. THANK YOU *TR