NHTSA Complaint #10782981 — 2004 CHEVROLET CORVETTE

SINCE PURCHASING THE VEHICLE USED IN 2005, I ALWAYS SMELLED GASOLINE FUMES AFTER A FILL UP. I ALWAYS ATTRIBUTED IT TO SPILLAGE AND THE FACT THAT THE FILLER TUBE WAS ABOUT A FOOT FROM MY HEAD. THIS YEAR THE FUMES BEGAN TO PERSIST, REGARDLESS OF THE QUANTITY OF GAS IN THE TANK. AFTER RETURNING FROM A 3 WEEK VACATION IN JULY, WE WERE GREETED BY OVERPOWERING GASOLINE FUMES WHEN WE OPENED OUR GARAGE. I AM CERTAIN THAT THE FUMES WERE CONCENTRATED ENOUGH TO START A FIRE, HAD THERE BEEN A SPARK FROM A LIGHT SWITCH OR SOME OTHER IGNITER. AFTER VENTILATING THE GARAGE I SEARCHED FOR THE SOURCE AND FOR THE FIRST TIME SAW A SMALL GASOLINE LEAK ON THE FLOOR OF THE GARAGE UNDER MY 2004 CORVETTE. I IMMEDIATELY SEARCHED ONLINE AND FOUND THAT HUNDREDS OF COMPLAINTS FOR A SIMILAR PROBLEM HAD BEEN ADDRESSED BY THE NHTSA AND CHEVROLET, SO I TOOK IT TO MY DEALER, WHO VERIFIED I HAD THE SAME PROBLEM AND THEY REPLACED THE LEFT FUEL TANK AND CROSSOVER PIPE. THE COST FOR PARTS, LABOR AND TAX WAS $3,676 AND THE DEALER SAYS THAT THE REPAIR FOR THIS KNOWN MANUFACTURING DEFECT IS OUTSIDE THE EXTENDED WARRANTY THAT CHEVROLET AGREED TO, AS NOTED IN NHTSA ACTION #: PE10015. I NEVER RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF THE PROBLEM IN 2010 OR I WOULD HAVE HAD CHEVROLET SERVICE CHECK THE VEHICLE FOR THE PROBLEM AT THAT TIME. I AM CURRENTLY IN THE PROCESS OF CONTACTING CHEVROLET CUSTOMER SERVICE, SEEKING REIMBURSEMENT OF ALL COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH THIS REPAIR.