1994 Toyota Corolla Fuel system Problems

IN JULY 2013, I STARTED SMELLING GASOLINE AS I WAS DRIVING TO WORK. SMELL GOT STRONGER AND MORE NOTICEABLE AFTER GASSING THE CAR UP. THEN THE SMELL BECAME MORE NOTICEABLE DAY BY DAY. EVEN JUST SITTING IN THE CAR OR AS YOU WALKED PAST IT. CAR DID NOT HAVE TO BE ON AND YOU WOULD STILL SMELL IT. THERE WERE NO NOTICEABLE LEAKS UNTIL RECENTLY. I THOUGHT IT WAS OIL AT FIRST BUT THEN I FIGURED IT COULD BE GASOLINE. HAD SOMEONE LOOK AT IT AND THEY NOTICED A CRACK IN THE GAS TANK THAT SEEMED TO BE BLOWN OUTWARDS. I'M GOING TO HAVE IT FIXED BUT IF THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM THEN THIS SHOULD BE CONSIDERED A MANUFACTURERS DEFECT AND TOYOTA SHOULD PAY FOR THE PARTS & LABOR. *TR

NHTSA ID

10546007

Incident

Jul 31, 2013

Mileage

155,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1994 TOYOTA COROLLA. THE CONTACT STATED THE HEAT SHIELD WAS REMOVED FROM THE FUEL TANK AND WHAT WAS FOUND UNDERNEATH THE HEAT SHIELD WAS A BUBBLE WHICH WAS LOCATED ON THE OUTSIDE OF THE FUEL TANK, WHICH WAS WHERE THE GAS LEAK WAS COMING FROM. IT APPEARED THERE WAS A DEFECT IN THE FUEL TANK. IF THE FUEL TANK WAS DAMAGED, T HEN THERE WOULD HAVE BEEN AN INWARD DENT IN THE TANK, WHICH WAS NOT THE CASE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 307,097. UPDATED 11/10/11*LJ UPDATED 06/13/12

NHTSA ID

10422476

Incident

Jun 28, 2006

Mileage

307,097 mi

I HAVE HAD TO REPLACE THE GAS TANK ON MY CAR TWICE. THE FIRST TIME THE TOYOTA DEALER REPLACED THE ORIGINAL GAS TANK. THE NEW REPLACEMENT TOYOTA GAS TANK DEVELOPED CRACKS ABOVE THE EXHAUST PIPE WITHIN THREE YEARS FROM THE DATE THAT IT WAS REPLACED. THESE CRACKS WERE NOT CAUSES BY EXTERNAL WEAR, ABRASIONS OR DEBRIS, BUT RATHER APPEARED AS A FISSURE IN THE METAL OF THE TANK. IN BOTH CASES, DUE TO THE LOCATION OF THE LEAKS ABOVE THE EXHAUST PIPE, GASOLINE WAS DRIPPING ONTO THE EXHAUST PIPE SHIELD, WHICH IS VERY HOT AND RISKS FIRE. DESPITE THE DEFECTIVE PART, THE TOYOTA DEALER WOULD NOT REPLACE IT WITHOUT CHARGING ME FOR THE FULL COST OF A 3RD GAS TANK PLUS LABOR. *TR

NHTSA ID

10249520

Incident

Sep 10, 2008

Mileage

108,837 mi

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE PARKED, A SMELL OF GASOLINE WAS PRESENT AROUND THE VEHICLE. UPON SELF INSPECTION, THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE GAS TANK LOCATED ON THE REAR PASSENGER SIDE WAS LEAKING FUEL. THIS WAS THE 2ND TIME, FUEL HAD LEAKED FROM THE GAS TANK. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP IN 10/05 FOR THE SAME PROBLEM, AND THE FUEL TANK WAS REPLACED. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOT NOTIFIED.

NHTSA ID

10170674

Incident

Oct 11, 2006

Mileage

205,531 mi

THE GAS TANK DEVELOPED CRACK/LEAK DIRECTLY OVER THE EXHAUST HEATSHIELD. THE LEAK IS IN A LOCATION TOTALLY PROTECTED FROM ANY ROAD DEBRIS IMPACT, THERE ARE ALSO NO SIGNS OF TRAUMA. THE LEAK WAS LOCATED AFTER SMELLING RAW FUEL, SEEING A DROP ON THE REAR EXHAUST HEATSHIELD THEN REMOVING THAT HEATSHIELD. ONLY THEN WAS THE LEAK LOCATION VISIBLE.*AK

NHTSA ID

10048988

Incident

Dec 1, 2003

Mileage

120,000 mi

MY 1994 COROLLA WAGON DEVELOPED A LEAK IN THE GAS TANK IN SEPTEMBER OF 2002. I TOOK IT TO MY MECHANIC (IMPORT MOTORS SERVICE INC, 303-422-9654, SEPP OR MIKE.) AND THEY INSTALLED A NEW FUEL TANK WHICH CARRIED A WARRANTY OF 12,000 MILES OR 12 MONTHS. I WAS RESPONSIBLE FINANCIALLY FOR BOTH THE PART AND LABOR. IN APRIL OF 2003 THE NEW TANK DEVELOPED A LEAK IN THE SAME AREA AS THE ORIGINAL, ABOVE THE HEAT SHIELD OF THE EXHAUST. LUCKILY NO FIRE OCCURRED. THAT SECOND TANK WAS COVERED BY THE WARRANTY SO I HAD A THIRD TANK PUT IN AND IT LASTED SIX MONTHS BEFORE DEVELOPING A LEAK IN THE SAME AREA AGAIN. I HAVE JUST HAD A FOURTH TANK PUT IN AND ONLY HAVE 2000 MORE MILES ON THE ORIGINAL WARRANTY FROM THE FIRST REPLACEMENT TANK, THEN I WILL HAVE TO PAY FOR A NEW TANK AS WELL AS THE LABOR IF THIS ONE LEAKS. I WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR PAYING FOR THE LABOR ON THE THIRD AND FOURTH TANKS. THANKFULLY IMPORT MOTORS GAVE ME A SYMPATHY DISCOUNT ON THE LAST JOB, BUT THIS IS GETTING TO BE EXPENSIVE. TOYOTA HAS SAID THERE IS NO PROBLEM WITH THEIR TANKS WHEN WE TRIED TO ADDRESS IT WITH THEM OVER THE INTERNET, THIS IS HARD TO BELIEVE. CHECK OUT COMPLAINTS OID ID NUMBERS: 878860 AND 755159. WHAT IS UP WITH TOYOTA'S REPLACEMENT GAS TANKS AND DO THEY POSE A FIRE AND SEAFTY RISK? SINCERELY, EDD HAMILTON

NHTSA ID

10041051

Incident

Sep 18, 2003

NOTICED AN ODOR OF GAS FROM THE VEHICLE. CHECKED THE VEHICLE AND FOUND FUEL OOZING FROM BOTTOM OF FUEL TANK. LOCATION OF LEAK WAS IN AN AREA PROTECTED FROM DEBRIS ABOVE THE HEAT SHIELD OF THE EXHAUST PIPE. NO PHYSCAL DAMAGE TO TANK NOTICED. POSSIBLE FIRE HAZARD.*AK

NHTSA ID

755159

Incident

Nov 20, 2001

FUEL TANK DEVELOPED A LEAK. CONSUMER COULD SMELL GAS, AND PRESSURE FORCED ALMOST ALL THE GAS OUT, IT DRIPPED ONTO EXHAUST HEAT SHIELD, COULD HAVE CAUSED A FIRE. HAD A NEW GAS TANK PUT IN. IN AUGUST 1999, NEW GAS TANK DEVELOPED A LEAK, DRIPPING ON EXHAUST SHIELD. *AK CONSUMER STATES THAT IN BOTH INSTANCES, THE GAS TANK SHOWED BUBBLES IN THEMETAL HULL AND CRACKS DEVELOPED AT THE MOST SEVERE BUBBLES ALLOWING FUEL TO LEAK OUT. *SLC

NHTSA ID

878860

Incident

Jun 6, 1996

THE FUEL TANK CRACKED CAUSING A FUEL LEAK WHICH MAY HAVE RESULTED IN A FIRE. DEALER CANNOT DETERMINE THE PROBLEM. *YC

NHTSA ID

852394

Incident

Nov 1, 1997

NOTICE WHITE SMOKE, FUEL ON THE GROUND, FIRE IN REAR OF THE ENGINE, POSSIBLE FUEL LEAK. TT

NHTSA ID

962096

Incident

Feb 27, 1995

VEHICLE HESITATES/BUCKS WHEN SPEEDING AT 55 MPH OR MORE AND DRIVER TAKES FOOT OFF ACCELERATOR; ALSO, FUEL CUTS OFF SOLENOID, POSSIBLE FAILURE.

NHTSA ID

960980

Incident

Mar 1, 1995