NHTSA Complaint #11088819 — 2005 CHEVROLET MALIBU

STARTING AROUND TWO YEARS AGO, FUEL GAUGE AFTER FILLING TANK AND THEN STARTING CAR WOULD FALL TO EMPTY ALONG WITH LOW FUEL LIGHT COMING ON. WHEN RESTART CAR WAS OKAY. SO, DID NOT FILL TANK ANYMORE, ALLEVIATED PROBLEM FOR A YEAR. IN PAST YEAR GOT WORST, AND CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WOULD COME ON UNTIL USING UP UNTIL AT LEAST 2 GALLONS WAS USED WHEN GASOLINE WAS ADDED. THEN ENGINE LIGHT WENT OFF. AS TIME WENT ON, FUEL GAUGE ACTING UP MORE, NEVER READING ACCURATELY HOW MUCH GAS IS IN CAR. IN LAST MONTH, NO MATTER HOW MUCH OR LITTLE FUEL IS ADDED, READS FULL FOR A LONG TIME, THEN GAUGE DROPS SUDDENLY TO EMPTY AND LOW FUEL LIGHT COMES ON, AND CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON. HAD CHECKED, INDICATES THE FUEL SENSOR IS ENTIRELY NOT WORKING NOW /OR FUEL PUMP MAY NOT WORK SOON. SO EVERY 100 MILES, GUESS HOW MUCH FUEL TO ADD. NOT KNOWING, COULD RUN OUT OF GAS ANYTIME, AND CAR SHUT DOWN. COULD NOT LIVE WITH CONDITION ANYMORE. SO, HAVE THE COMBINED FUEL SENOR/FUEL PUMP REPLACED. MY OPINION, THIS SAFETY ISSUES SHOULD RESULT IN GENERAL MOTORS ISSUING A RECALL FOR THIS PROBLEM, AND REIMBURSING ANY OWNER WITH SAME PROBLEM; SHOULD THEY HAD THE PROBLEM REPAIRED PREVIOUSLY.