NHTSA complaint: 2000 BUICK LESABRE — FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMP
WEATHER WAS BELOW ZERO (-20 TO -30) FOR SEVERAL DAYS BEFORE AND INCLUDING JANUARY 30, 2004. MY 2000 BUICK LESABRE CUSTOM REFUSED TO START TWO DAYS PREVIOUS, SO ON THE EVENING OF JANUARY 29, I POURED A BOTTLE OF ISO-HEET INTO THE GAS TANK AND THEN PLUGGED THE HEADBOLT HEATER IN OVERNIGHT. THE NEXT MORNING (JAN. 30), I GOT INTO THE LESABRE TO START IT TO GO TO WORK. WHEN I TURNED THE KEY, I HEARD A CLICK AND THEN BOOM! IT SOUNDED LIKE SOMETHING HAD EXPLODED UNDER THE HOOD ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE. SMOKE BEGAN ROLLING OUT FROM UNDER THE HOOD. I GRABBED MY BELONGINGS AND GOT OUT OF THE CAR QUICKLY. I WAS SHOCKED, BUT NOT HURT. I HEARD A NOISE UNDER THE HOOD LIKE THE DRAFT FROM A FIRE. I CALLED 911 AND STOOD BACK ABOUT 40 FEET FROM THE VEHICLE. BY THE TIME THE FIRE DEPARTMENT ARRIVED, THERE WERE FLAMES LEAPING OUT 5 FEET HIGH FROM THE SPACE BETWEEN THE HOOD AND THE FENDER ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE. THE FIRE MARSHALL INSPECTED THE DAMAGE AFTERWARDS. HE SAID THAT IT APPEARED THAT A FUEL LINE HAD RUPTURED. THAT IS ALL HE SAID. THAT DOES NOT EXPLAIN TO ME WHAT EXPLODED. THE BATTERY ON A 2000 LESABRE IS UNDER THE BACK SEAT, AND IT WAS INTACT AFTER THE FIRE. THE FIRE FIGHTERS HAD REMOVED THE BACK SEAT AND CUT THE BATTERY CABLES, SO I SAW THAT IT WAS OKAY. THE WHOLE ENGINE WAS BURNED UP. THE CAR WAS A TOTAL LOSS. I LOST TWO DAYS OF WORK MAKING ARRANGEMENTS TO BUY ANOTHER CAR. THE INSURANCE COMPANY ONLY PAID ME $10,998.00 FOR THE LOSS. I HAD TO PAY $2839.56 OUT OF MY OWN POCKET TO P
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration — Office of Defects Investigation