NHTSA Complaint #701443 — 1997 CHEVROLET CAVALIER

I PEVIOUSLY CALLED THIS IN BUT JUST RECEIVED IT THRU THE MAIL AND IT WAS NOT CORRECT. WHAT HAPPENED WAS I WAS DRIVING THE CAR ABOUT 7 MINUTES, IT WAS VERY LOW ON GAS I HAVE NEVER LET IT GET THAT LOW BEFORE, THE ROAD CURVED THEN CAME TO A STOP SIGN WHEN I DID STOP THE LIGHT THAT SAID "CHECK GAGES" CAME ON, I LOOKED THE ONLY GAGE THAT WAS LOW WAS THE GAS I HAD TO DRIVE ABOUT 2-4 MORE MINUTES TO THE GAS STATION. I PULLED IT STOPPED, TURNED OFF CAR, GOT OUT MY CREDIT CARD "TEXACO" PUT IT IN THE SLOT, WAITED FOR IT TO APPROVE, PULLED OUT PUMP, PRESSED BUTTON, UNCAPPED MY GAS TANK, PUT IN PUMP AND PRESSED THE HANDLE SO IT WOULD PUMP AUTOMATICALLY, WENT TO DRIVERS SIDE OF CAR PUT MY CREDIT CARD BACK IN MY PURSE, CAME BACK AROUND TO PUMP AND STARTED TO HOLD THE HANDLE DOWN SO IT WOULD PUMP FASTER, ALL THE SUDDEN FLAMES STARTED COMING OUT OF THE GAS TANK, I YANKED OUT PUMPED AND MOVED AWAY. THE EMPLOYEES AT THE STATION CAME OUT AND PUT THE FIRE OUT WITH FIRE EXTINGUISHERS. THE POLICE SHOWED UP BUT DID NOT ASK ANY QUESTIONS EXCEPT WAS THAT MY CAR AND WAS I ALRIGHT. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT CAME OUT AND LOOKED AROUND I GUESS TO MAKE SURE THAT ALL THE FIRE WAS PUT OUT, THEY DID MAKE A REMARK ABOUT POSSIBLY THE GAS TANK WAS NOT GROUNDED, WHICH COULD OF CAUSED IT TO GET VERY HOT BECAUSE IT WAS LOW ON GAS. BUT AGAIN THEY DID NOT HAVE A FORENSIC MECHANIC WITH THEM TO LOOK OVER THE CAR, SO THAT WAS MORE OR LESS A "GUESS" ON THEIR PART. I THEN FINALLY GOT A HOLD OF A TOW TRUCK SO THAT THEY COULD TOW MY CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP. THE REFERENCE NO. FOR THE PREVIOUS QUESTIONAIRE THAT WAS MAILED TO ME IS 831265.