NHTSA Complaint #708683 — 1988 GMC GMC

I BOUGHT AN AC/DELCO ELECTRIC FUEL PUMP P/N EP386 AT A CHAIN AUTO PARTS STORE, FOR MY 1988 S-10. THIS IS AN IN-TANK ELECTRIC FUEL PUMP. IT CAME WITH AN ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR WITH PIGTAIL LEADS, WITH INSTRUCTIONS TO USE THE TWO BUTT SPLICE CONNECTORS ALSO SUPPLIED TO CUT THE WIRE AND SPLICE IN THE NEW CONNECTOR. THIS IS APPARENTLY IN CASE THE ORIGINAL FUEL PUMP HAS A DIFFERENT CONNECTOR. THESE TWO SPLICES WILL THEN RESIDE INSIDE THE TANK AMONGST THE GAS FUMES. I WOULD LIKE TO BRING THIS TO YOUR ATTENTION BECAUSE I BELIEVE THAT THIS MAY BE A DANGEROUS SITUATION IN WHICH IMPROPERLY-CRIMPED BUTT SPLICE CONNECTORS WILL ALLOW A SPARK TO BE GENERATED. THE OTHER THING IS THAT THE BUTT SPLICE CONNECTORS APPEAR TO BE RUN-OF-THE-MILL, WITH PLASTIC INSULATION THAT MAY OR MAY NOT BE GASOLINE PROOF. AS AN ENGINEER, I TEND TO WONDER WHETHER THIS HAS BEEN TESTED FOR. IF NOT, THE METAL OF THE BUTT-SPLICE CONNECTOR WOULD EVENTUALLY BE EXPOSED, AND THE TWO CONNECTORS COULD TOUCH EACH OTHER, LEADING TO A SPARK. *AK