NHTSA complaint: 2001 CHEVROLET SILVERADO — FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED AFTER LEAVING THE VEHICLE IDLING THERE WAS A LOUD BOOM SOUND HEARD. THE TEMPERATURE THAT DAY WAS 47 DEGREES BELOW ZERO. THE CONTACT DID NOT NOTICE A PROBLEM AT FIRST BECAUSE THE VEHICLE WAS STILL WORKING. AFTER DRIVING TO A FILLING STATION, THERE WAS A FUEL LEAKAGE DISCOVERED UNDER THE VEHICLE. THERE WAS A VISIBLE SPLIT IN THE FUEL TANK. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A DEALERSHIP. THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO DETERMINE THE EXACT CAUSE OF THE FAILURE. THE FUEL TANK, PUMP AND HEAT SHIELD WERE REPLACED. THE CONTACT NOTICED THE ORIGINAL FUEL TANK HAD A CRACK THREE FEET LONG IN THE TOP. THERE WERE WIRES AROUND THE FUEL PUMP THAT HAD MELTED. ALTHOUGH THE FUEL TANK HAD NEVER BEEN REPLACED THE FUEL PUMP WAS REPLACED IN OCTOBER OF 2005.
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration — Office of Defects Investigation