1997 Chevrolet Lumina Fuel system Problems

I NOTICED THE SMELL OF GASOLINE. INITIAL SEARCHES FOR THE SOURCE OF THE LEAK WERE UNSUCCESSFUL, BUT AFTER1 - 2 WEEKS IT GOT WORSE AND I WAS ABLE TO FIND IT EASILY. THE PRESSURE REGULATOR WAS LEAKING. I CHECKED FOR A RELATED RECALL AND FOUND THAT UNIVERSAL PRESSURE REGULATORS (UPR'S) PRODUCED AFTER 1/9/07 HAD BEEN RECALLED, BUT MINE, I BELIEVE, IS THE ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT PRESSURE REGULATOR. NEVERTHELESS, IT MAY HAVE A DESIGN DEFECT. THE CAR HAS ABOUT 161,000 MILES ON IT. THE DEALER INDICATED THAT FAILURE OF A PART WITH THAT MANY MILES ON IT WOULD NOT BE SUBJECT TO A RECALL, EVEN THOUGH IT IS A SAFETY-RELATED FAILURE. I SOUGHT OUT THE NHTSA SITE TO TRY TO FIND OUT IF THAT IS THE CASE, OR NOT. THE "INCIDENT DATE" NOTED BELOW IS THE DATE I FOUND THE LEAK. NO DAMAGE WAS DONE, AND THERE WERE NO INJURIES. *TR

NHTSA ID

10212448

Incident

Dec 16, 2007

Mileage

161,000 mi

CONSUMER STATED FUEL LEAKED. DEALER INDICATED THAT FUEL TANK RUSTED WHICH PRODUCED A HOLE. *AK THE CONSUMER STATED THAT FUEL LEAKED CONSTANTLY FROM THE VEHICLE. MOVING OR PARKED THE CONSUMER NOTICED A PUDDLE OF GAS UNDER THE VEHICLE. THE CONSUMER WAS TOLD THAT DUE TO LACK OF DRIVING THE FUEL TANK RUSTED OUT. *TC

NHTSA ID

10099401

Incident

Oct 20, 2004

Mileage

53,000 mi

THE FUEL GAUGE INDICATED THAT THE FUEL TANK IS 25% FULL WHEN I RAN OUT OF GAS WHILE DRIVING IN AN UNSAFE AREA OF DETROIT AT APPROXIMATELY 10 PM ON AUGUST 14, 2004. *JB

NHTSA ID

10087055

Incident

Aug 14, 2004

THE FUEL LEVEL SENDING UNIT STOPPED WORKING PROPERLY ON 10-2003. IT WILL SHOW FULL WHEN EMPTY. IN CHECKING THE WEB, I HAVE FOUND MANY OWNERS WITH SIMILAR PROBLEMS. THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY HAZARD, SINCE SOMEONE CAN RUN OUT OF FUEL IN A BUSY INTERSTATE, OR LOCAL ROAD AND CAUSE A SERIOUS OR DEADLY ACCIDENT.*AK THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY PROBLEM THAT I THINK NHTSA SHOULD LOOK INTO AND HAVE GM RECALL THESE VEHICLES AND REPAIR THESE DEFECTS. PLEASE LET ME KNOW IF THERE IS ANY SAFETY RECALLS ADDRESSING THIS PROBLEM.

NHTSA ID

10075262

Incident

Jun 12, 2004

ON JUNE 8, 2004 MY DAUGTER INFORMED ME THAT SHE AND HER MOM HAVE BEEN SMELLING A STRONG ODER OF GAS IN THE CAR. WHEN I CHECKED THE CAR I FOUND LARGE PUDDLE OF GAS UNDER THE CAR. I MOVED THE CAR AND TOUCHED IT, SMELLED IT AND IT WAS GAS, I LOOKED UNDER THE CAR AND FOUND THE GAS TANK WAS DRIPPING. WHEN I GOT HOME I CHECKED AND FOUND A ROUND RUSTED AREA ABOUT THE SIZE OF DIME. BECAUSE OF ITS LOCATION, IT APPEARED TO BE LOCATED RIGHT UNDER THE FUEL PUMP. THERE WAS NO VISIBLE EXTERIOR DAMAGE THAT COULD HAVE CAUSED THIS FROM THE OUTSIDE. TODAY, JUNE JUNE 12, 2004 I DISCONNECTED THE FUEL LINES REMOVED THE TANK AND PUMPED THE GAS OUT AND DISCOVERED THAT THE FUEL PUMP FILTER, WHICH IS LOCATED UNDER THE FUEL PUMP, HAS CAUSED THE PROBLEM. IT RUSTED WHERE THE BRASS FILTER SCREEN HAS BEEN RUBBING ON THE TANK.*AK THE REASON IS THAT BECAUSE OF THE DESIGN OF THE FUEL PUMP, ONCE THE PUMP IS DROPPED IN THE FUEL TANK THE PUMP IS HELD UNDER SPRING PRESSURE TO THE BOTTOM OF THE TANK. IN TIME THE CHANGES IN TEMPERATURE, AS WELL AS FUEL, SLOSHING IN THE TANK HAS CAUSE THE FILTER TO RUB AGANIST THE BOTTOM OF THE TANK AND HAS DAMAGED THE SPECIAL COATING THAT G.M. LITERATURE SAYS THE TANK IS COVERED WITH. ONCE THIS COATING WORE OFF, THE TANK BEGAN RUSTING AND THE BRASS FUEL FILTER SHOWS THE DISCOLORATION FROM THE ELECTROLISIS CREATED BY THE CONTACT WITH THE STEEL TANK. THIS IS ALSO A SERIOUS SAFETY HAZARD, WHICH CAN LEAD TO AN EXPLOSION. IN FACT MY WIFE WAS GLAD YESTERDAY THAT SHE WAS DRIVING WITH OUR DAUGHTER IN OUR CONVERSION VAN WHEN SHE WAS ALMOST REAR ENDED AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT TWO DAYS AGO. SHE FELT THAT THE CAR COULD HAVE EXPLODED IF SHE HAD BEEN REAR ENDED IN THIS CAR. THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY PROBLEM THAT I THINK NHTSA SHOULD LOOK INTO AND HAVE GM RECALL THESE VEHICLES AND REPAIR THESE DEFECTS PLEASE LET ME KNOW IS THERE IS ANY SAFETY RECALL ADDRESSING THIS PROBLEM.

NHTSA ID

10075261

Incident

Jun 12, 2004

WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED VEHICLE STALLED. THIS CAUSED CONSUMER TO DRIFT TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. CONSUMER HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO THE DEALER, BUT DEALER COULD NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. *AK CONSUMER EXPERIENCED LOSS OF ENGINE POWER WHILE EXITING THE HIGHWAY; HOWEVER, CONSUMER WAS ABLE TO RESTART VEHICLE AND DRIVE HIS WAY HOME. AS CONSUMER INSPECTED THE VEHICLE, GAS WAS SPRAYED AROUND AND WERE DRIPPING FROM THE HOOD TO THE WINDSHIELD. ALSO, CONSUMER NOTICED THAT THE FUEL LINE WAS LOOSE. *LA

NHTSA ID

10071603

Incident

Feb 12, 2004

FOR YEARS THE FUEL GAUGE HAS NOT REGISTERED PROPERLY. WHENEVER THE TANK GETS TO THE EMPTY STAGE THE GAUGE SHOOTS UP TO THE FULL MARK. HAVING RUN OUT OF GAS HAS MADE IT VERY INCONVENIENT. *LA

NHTSA ID

10054910

Incident

Jan 7, 2004

Mileage

70,000 mi

I HAVE 1997 CHEVROLET LUMINA:I HAVE HAD THIS CAR FOR ALITTLE OVE 2 YEARS AND SINCE I GOT THIS CAR I HAVE HAD TO REPLACE THE BRAKES TWICE THE ALTERNATOR AND 3 FUEL INJECTORS AND THE BOOSTER PUMP I WAS JUST WONDERING IF THERE IS A RECALL THAT HANDLES ANY OF THESE PROBLEMS .BECAUSE THEN MAYBE I COULD GET HELP FROM MY DEALER. *AK

NHTSA ID

10045560

Incident

Oct 20, 2003

Mileage

55,490 mi

VEHICLE'S TENSIONER AND POWER STEERING FAILED.*MR THE TENSIONER FAILED IN THE DRIVEWAY. OTHER FAILED PARTS INCLUDES FUEL GAUGE, TURN SIGNAL SWITCH, AND ALTERNATOR ( NEW BATTERY REQUIRED AND VEHICLE WAS TOWED). THESE PARTS FAILED BETWEEN 36,500 MILES AND 42,000 MILES. CONSUMER DISAPPOINTED WITH THE LOW MILEAGE FAILURES OF HIS VEHICLE. *PH *NLM

NHTSA ID

10044846

CONSUMER SMELLED FUEL WHILE DRIVING. HE EXAMINED FUEL TANK AND NOTICED THE TOP WAS CORRODED AND RUSTED. DEALER STATED REPLACEMENT FUEL TANKS WERE UNAVAILABLE.*AK

NHTSA ID

10042672

Incident

Oct 2, 2003

VEHICLE GAS GAUGE SUDDENLY STOPPED RECORDING THE GAS LEVEL IN THE TANK.*MR. THE CONSUMER STATED THE FUEL PUMP AND SENDER ASSEMBLY HAD TO BE REPLACED AT A COST OF $524.28. *JB *NLM

NHTSA ID

10042633

Mileage

47,000 mi

THE FUEL GAUGE DID NOT INDICATE THE CORRECT AMOUNT OF FUEL. AS A RESULT THE VEHICLE RAN OUT OF GAS WHILE DRIVING AND THE VEHICLE WAS REAR ENDED BY ANOTHER VEHICLE. THE CONSUMER WAS TOLD OF A FUEL GAUGE RECALL BUT HASN'T BEEN ABLE TO HAVE THE VEHICLE REPAIRED. *AK *CB *NLM

NHTSA ID

8004244

CONSUMER FOUND GAS LEAKING FROM THE TOP OF THE GAS TANK. THE GAS TANK IS DEGRADING BECAUSE SNOW, RAIN AND ROAD SALT ACCUMULATES ON THE TOP OF THE TANK. *JG *JB *NLM

NHTSA ID

10001509

Incident

Aug 25, 2002

Mileage

65,000 mi

MY WIFE HAD BEEN COMPLAINING ABOUT A STRONG ODOR OF FUEL THAT SHE COULD SMELL WHILE BOTH IN HER VEHICLE DRIVING, AS WELL AS, WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED AND SHE WAS OUTSIDE OF IT. I INVESTIGATED AND DETECTED A STRONG ODOR OF FUEL AS WELL. WE THEN HAD OUR MECHANIC INVESTIGATE THE PROBLEM FURTHER AND HE DISCOVERED THAT THE TOP OF THE FUEL TANK WAS SEVERELY CORRODED, AS WELL AS, IN THE AREA OF THE TANK'S SEAM. THE MORE FUEL IN THE TANK, THE WORSE THE RELEASE OF FUEL VAPORS BECOMES, AS THE TANK ITSELF BECOMES SATURATED DUE TO THE SEVERE CORROSION. MY MECHANIC TRIED TO LOCATE A NEW FUEL TANK THROUGH A LOCAL DEALERSHIP BUT SOON DISCOVERED THAT THE FUEL TANK FOR THIS VEHICLE IS NOT AVAILABLE. THERE ARE NO AFTER MARKET, NEW OR SALVAGE TANKS AVAILABLE FOR THE 1997 LUMINA - NATIONWIDE. I FILED A REPORT WITH GENERAL MOTORS 1(800) NUMBER ON DECEMBER 23RD, 2002. THE DEALERSHIP ALSO OPENED A SPAC CASE THROUGH THEIR PARTS NETWORK. I HAVE FOLLOWED UP WITH GM'S 1 (800) NUMBER TWICE SINCE. THERE ARE NO FUEL TANKS AVAILABLE FOR THIS VEHICLE. I AM BEING TOLD THAT THERE MAY BE A TANK AVAILABLE IN LATE FEBRUARY OR MARCH BUT NO ONE CAN GIVE ME A DATE. ALL I'M BEING TOLD IS THAT EVERYTHING THAT CAN BE DONE IS BEING DONE. MY LOG NUMBER WITH GM'S 1 (800) NUMBER IS 1-57851557. I HAVE NOW BEEN WITHOUT A VEHICLE (DUE TO SAFETY AND ENVIRONMENTAL CONCERNS) FOR OVER FIVE WEEKS. RESEARCHING EXISTING COMPLAINTS, THE FOLLOWING EXHIBIT THE SAME OR SIMILAR PROBLEM OR COULD BE SOMEHOW RELATED: 567617, 725489, 769287, 785477, 816599, 8013382, 8020645. TODAY, WITH NO FUEL TANKS AVAILABLE, I CAN ONLY IMAGINE HOW MANY PROBLEMS HAVE GONE UNREPORTED.

NHTSA ID

10000888

Incident

Dec 9, 2002

MY GAS TANK ON MY 1997 LUMINA WAS JUST REPLACED BECAUSE OF A LEAK. MY WIFE'S WORK VEHICLE WHICH IS A 1997 LUMINA HAD ITS GAS TANK REPLACED THIS SUMMER. I THINK THERE IS A GAS LEAK PROBLEM WITH THE 1997 LUMINA. DT

NHTSA ID

769287

Incident

Oct 4, 2002

CONSUMER STATES THAT THE INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET IS MADE OF PLASTIC. WHEN THIS HAPPENS ALL OF THE RADIATOR FUEL IS WASHED INTO THE BLOCK CAUSING MAJOR DAMAGE TO THE BLOCK. DEALER CONTACTED. MR

NHTSA ID

8020729

Incident

Aug 11, 2002

CONSUMER STATES THAT THE FUEL TANK IS LEAKING FROM THE SEAM. DEALER NOTIFIED. FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION. MR

NHTSA ID

8020645

Incident

Sep 27, 2002

THERE WAS GAS LEAKING FROM THE VEHICLE'S FUEL TANK. THE CONSUMER STATED THAT BECAUSE OF THE DESIGN DEFECT, SNOW SAND AND ROAD SALT WAS ALLOWED TO ACCUMULATE ON THE TOP OF THE GAS TANK CAUSING IT TO RUST AND DEGRADE. *YH

NHTSA ID

567617

Incident

Aug 25, 2002

FUEL LINE IS TOO CLOSE TO TRANSMISSION, IF VEHICLE IS HIT FROM RIGHT FENDER, IT WILL CAUSE FUEL LINE TO RUPTURE, RESULTING IN A FIRE.*AK

NHTSA ID

8015165

WHEN VEHICLE IS PARKED OR BEING DRIVEN, THERE IS AN EXCESSIVE GAS ODOR PRESENT. DEALER SAYS THAT GAS IS SEEPING FROM GAS TANK DUE TO TANK RUSTING. DEALER INSISTS FUEL TANK NEEDS TO BE REPLACED.*AK THE TANK IS RUSTED ALL AROUND THE TANK WHERE THE SEAM IS. *JG

NHTSA ID

8013382

INTAKE MANIFOLD IS LEAKING OIL ONTO ENGINE. CAUSE UNKNOWN. DEALER NOTIFIED.*AK THE ENGINE HAD A HOLE WHERE THE DISTRIBUTOR USED TO BE AND THE HOLE WAS CAPPED WITH O? RING AND A PLUG. THE HARDENING OF THE O'RING WAS DUE TO HEAT CAUSEING THE OIL TO LEAK. *YH

NHTSA ID

8012478

Incident

May 14, 2002

ABOUT FOUR DAYS BEFORE THE ACTUAL SHUT DOWN OF THE CAR, MY DAUGHTER WAS COMING HOME FROM SCHOOL WHEN SHE NOTICED THE FUEL GAUGE WAS FLUCTUATING ALL OVER THE PLACE. WE WERE GOING TO HAVE IT CHECKED ASAP, NOT THINKING THAT IT WAS A SEVERE PROBLEM. FOUR DAYS LATER, WHILE DRIVING ON RIDGE ROAD AT ABOUT 40 MPH, THE CAR SHUT DOWN ELECTRICALLY, NO BRAKES, NO STEERING (POWER) AND FOUGHT TO GET THE CAR OFF THE ROAD. A CHEVY DEALER NEARBY RAN DIAGNOSTICS (DOAN CHEVY RIDGE ROAD) AND DETERMINED A FAULTY FUEL PUMP SENDING UNIT. MY CONCERN IS I HAD NO AWARENESS OF ANY PROBLEMS ON THIS VEHICLE AND THE WHAT IF SHE WERE ON THE EXPRESSWAY GOING 55MPH? I BELIEVE THIS TO BE A SERIOUS SITUATION. WHAT CAN BE DONE?*AK

NHTSA ID

760141

Incident

Mar 13, 2002

FUEL INJECTORS ARE FAILING; INJECTORS HAVE A CODING THROUGH FUEL SYSTEM. DEALERSHIP IS AWARE OF PROBLEM.*AK

NHTSA ID

8006188

Incident

Dec 22, 2001

VEHICLE HAS A LONG CRANK CYCLE AFTER WARM UP, THESE SYMPTOMS MAY BE INTERMITTENT, CONSUMER HAD COMPUTER UPGRADED, BUT CONDITION STILL EXISTS, DEALER FOUND THE FUEL PRESSURE DROPS AT THE TANK AND RECOMMENDED REPLACING FUEL MODULE/FUEL PUMP ASSEMBLY AND THE FUEL FILTER. *TT

NHTSA ID

564801

VEHICLE BOUNCED AND RAN ROUGHLY. ALSO ,HAD LOW IDLE. ALL THE LIGHTS CAME ON ,AND VEHICLE STALLED. SEEMED LIKE FUEL WAS NOT GETTING INTO VEHICLE. CONSUMER HAD TO REPLACE FUEL INJECTOR ON DECEMBER 6, 2001. CONTACTED DEALER, AND DEALER STATED IT MIGHT BE FUEL INJECTOR.PLEASE ADD VIN. *AK

NHTSA ID

8000820

Incident

Nov 25, 2001