NHTSA Complaint #11520617 — 2009 CHEVROLET HHR

The contact owns a 2009 Chevrolet HHR. The contact while driving at an undisclosed speed, noticed a strong fuel odor. The contact stated that upon parking and exiting the vehicle, there was fire underneath the rear driver's side, where the fuel tank was located. The contact was able to extinguish the fire with a fire extinguisher. There was no injury sustained. The contact then noticed a trail of fuel on the floor. The contact became aware that fuel had leaked while driving. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed that the fuel line was corroded and needed to be replaced due to a wrong design. The contact stated that the fuel line was designed over the muffler, which caused water intrusion and corrosion. The vehicle was then towed to the dealer, where the fuel line was replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was provided. The failure mileage was approximately 28,000.