NHTSA Complaint #751261 — 1997 DODGE CARAVAN

THIS WAS A FUEL LEAK ON THE TOP OF FUEL TANK AT ONE OF THE OPENINGS FOR THE THREE ITEMS THAT CONNECT TO THE TANK. THIS WAS DIAGNOSED IN MARCH, 1999. HOWEVER, WE HAD NOTICED A GAS SMELL PRIOR TO THIS (1998-1999 MOST LIKELY) AND REPORTED IT, BUT NOTHING WAS FOUND. WE LIVE ON A STEEP HILL AND FROM AUG, 1997-DEC, 2000, WE PRIMARILY PARKED THE VAN IN THE GARAGE WHERE IT WAS LEVEL. IN DEC, 2000, WE STARTED PARKING IT ON THE HILL AND STARTED NOTICING A GAS SMELL AND A GAS DRIP FROM THE TANK WHEN THE CAR WAS PARKED UP HILL. MOST LIKELY THE LEAK HAS BEEN FROM DAY ONE AND WHEN WE HAD A FULL TANK AND DROVE UP THE HILL, SOME OF IT WOULD LEAK OUT. THE SERVICING DEALER (HAYES CHRYSLER, LAWRENCEVILLE, GA) IDENTIFIED THE PROBLEM IN MARCH, 2001 AND ESTIMATED A ~$700 REPAIR TO REPLACE THE TANK, AS THE GASKETS WERE MOST LIKELY THE PROBLEM, BUT IT WAS MORE RELIABLE TO REPLACE THE WHOLE TANK. I BELIEVE, THIS WAS AN IMPROPER AND HIGH QUOTE AND STATED SUCH AND THEN I REQUESTED A REPAIR UNDER SAFETY CONSIDERATIONS AND ASKED THEM TO CONTACT THE MANUFACTURER'S REP. THEY DID AND CHRYSLER PROVIDED THE TANK AND I PAID THE LABOR ($198) -- I PROBABLY SHOULD NOT HAVE PAID THE LABOR. I KNOW THEY HAVE HAD SOME RECALLS RELATED TO SIMLAR ISSUES AND ROLLOVERS. I DO NOT UNDERSTAND THE SIGNATURE REQUIREMENT -- I ASSUME YOU RELAY THE VEHICLE INFORMATION, BUT NOT MY PERSONAL INFORMATION, CORRECT? *AK