NHTSA Complaint #766486 — 1996 PLYMOUTH VOYAGER

FUEL TANK LEAK OCCURRED AT A PLATISC WELD POINT ON THE TOP OF THE TANK WHERE A LINE WENT IN. THIS TANK IS ESSENTIALLY A STATIC COMPONENT AND A LEAK AT A WELD JOINT I CONSIDER IS A MANUFACTURING DEFECT. I'VE TAKEN A FEW AUTOS BEYOND THIS AMOUNT OF MILEAGE AND YEARS WITHOUT ANY FUEL TANKS FAILURES OF THIS TYPE. THIS FAILURE APPEARED DURING VACATION WHEN PARKED ON A GRADE WITH THEFRONT OF THE VAN POINTED DOWNHILL. THIS CAUSED A RATHER LARGE POOL OF FUEL TO SIT ON THE GROUND, ENOUGH FOR THE LOCAL OFFICIALS TO SEND A FIRE TRUCK TO THE SCENE. WHEN I RETURNED TO OUR VAN IT WAS DETERMINED BY THE FIRE OFFICAL THAT IT NOT BE DRIVEN. THE VAN WAS TOWED TO A CHRYSLER DEALER SHIP AND THE NEXT DAY THE LEAK WAS FOUND. THEY COULD NOT SUPPLY A TANK BUT SINCE THE LEAK WAS ON TOP SAID IT WAS SAFE TO DRIVE AS LONG AS I FILLED THE TANK NO MORE THAN THREE QUARTERS FULL. I PROCEEDED HOME AND HAD THE LOCAL MONCKS CONER DEALERSHIP REPAIR THE VAN. I CALLED THE CHRYSLER CUSTOMER SERVICE 800 NUMBER TO SEE IF THIS WAS A COVERED RECALL OR ALERT BULLETIN. IT WAS NOT. THEY WOULD NOT EVEN CONSIDER PAYING FOR A PORTION OF THE REPAIRS. LIKE I SAID BEFORE A FAILURE OF THIS TYPE IS UNACCEPTABLE AND CAN BE VERY UNSAFE DO TO THE GREAT POSSIBLITY OF FIRE. PLEASE LOOK INTO THIS FOR ME. THANKS LEIF