NHTSA Complaint #11203992 — 2005 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT

I COMPLETELY FILLED THE FUEL TANK OF MY CAR IN THE MORNING ON 4/22/2019. I THEN DROVE HOME AND PARKED THE CAR IN MY DRIVEWAY (SO IT WAS STATIONARY AT THIS TIME). THAT AFTERNOON I SMELLED A STRONG ODOR OF GASOLINE AND SAW A PUDDLE ON THE GROUND UNDERNEATH THE CAR BY THE DRIVER'S SIDE REAR WHEEL. I THOUGHT THAT MAYBE I OVERFILLED THE FUEL TANK SO I WAITED TO SEE IF THE ISSUE WOULD GO AWAY AFTER I DROVE A BIT. ON 4/23/2019 I STILL SMELLED GASOLINE AND SAW A PUDDLE UNDER THE CAR AFTER PARKING. I DETERMINED THE FUEL WAS ONLY LEAKING WHILE THE CAR WAS IN MOTION AND IT BECAME APPARENT THERE WAS A LARGER ISSUE. ON 4/24/2019 I TOOK THE CAR TO A MECHANIC TO DIAGNOSIS WHERE THE LEAK WAS COMING FROM. THE MECHANIC COULD SMELL GAS AND FOUND FUEL RESIDUE, BUT NOTHING FRESH. IT WAS RECOMMENDED THAT I FILL THE FUEL TANK AND RETURN TO SEE IF A LEAK COULD BE FOUND. SO ON 4/26/2019 I COMPLETELY FILLED THE FUEL TANK AND RETURNED TO THE MECHANIC. AND THEY FOUND THAT FUEL IS LEAKING FROM THE SEAM OF THE FUEL TANK.