NHTSA Complaint #11353523 — 2009 CHEVROLET HHR

DROVE TO LOCAL CITY FACILITY PULLING SMALL TRAILER FULL OF GRASS CLIPPINGS AND TREE BRANCHES. WHILE UNLOADING TRAILER, I STARTED SMELLING A STRONG GASOLINE ODOR AT THE REAR OF THE CAR, BUT COULD NOT FIND SOURCE. AFTER ARRIVING BACK HOME AND UNHOOKING TRAILER, GASOLINE ODOR WAS STRONG AGAIN, BUT STILL NO SOURCE. AFTER CAR SAT FOR 30-45 MINUTES, A DRIP WAS NOTICED IN FRONT OF THE DRIVER'S SIDE REAR TIRE. UPON INSPECTION, THE GASOLINE DRIP WAS ORIGINATING FROM THE PLASTIC SHIELD WHICH CONTAINS THE GASOLINE FEED LINE, FUEL RETURN LINE, AND BRAKE LINE. THIS SHIELD IS LOCATED BETWEEN THE FRAME AND THE MUFFLER. WHEN I CALLED A TOWING SERVICE TO TOW MY CAR TO A LOCAL GARAGE, THE TOWING SERVICE ACKNOWLEDGED THEY HAD JUST FIXED ANOTHER HHR FOR A GAS LEAK AT THE SAME PLACE ON THE CAR. THEY NOTED IT WAS QUITE COMMON FOR THE STEEL GAS LINE TO CORRODE INSIDE THIS SHIELDING. THE GARAGE THAT ACTUALLY DID THE WORK ON MY CAR NOTED THE FUEL LINE FROM THE TANK TO THE ENGINE WAS REPAIRED.