1996 Chevrolet Express

CONSUMER CONTACTED DEALER IN REFERENCE TO RECALL 00V110000/MANUFACTURER'S RECALL 00031 CONCERNING FUEL ODOR/LEAKAGE. DEALER CORRECTED RECALL PROBLEM. CONSUMER BELIEVED RECALL PROBLEM HAS CAUSED ADDITIONAL PROBLEMS IN FUEL SYSTEM. FUEL SYSTEM WAS CONTAMINATED, AND FUEL PUMP/ FILLER NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS.*AK

VEHICLE'S FUEL TANK WAS FILLED ON THE MORINING OF 8/6/98 AND DRIVEN 33 MILES. IT WAS PARKED IN THE DRIVEWAY WITH THE NOSE DOWN ON A 30 DEGREE GRADE. ON THE AFTERNOON OF 8/7/98 AS WE WERE LEAVING ON VACATION I SMELLED GASOLINE WHILE GETTING INTO THE VAN. I LOOKED UNDERNEATH TO FIND FUEL DRAINING FROM OUT UNDERNEATH THE GAS TANK PLASTIC SHIELD ONTO THE DRIVEWAY. IT WAS DETERMINED AT THE DEALERSHIP THAT GAS WAS GOING THROUGH THE VENT PIPE, TO THE CHARCOAL CANISTER AND THEN OUT OF THE CANISTER INTO THE PLASTIC SHIELD AROUND THE TANK. IT WAS ALSO FOUND THAT ONE OF THE TOP SEALS ON THE TANK WAS ALSO LEAKING. MINE WAS THE 3RD EXPRESS VAN AT THE DEALERSHIP WITH A SIMILAR PROBLEM. WITH REPEATED DISCUSSIONS WITH THE FACTORY REP, I WAS TOLD I WOULD HAVE TO PAY FOR THESE SAFETY RELATED DEFECTS AND PARTS OF THE EXACT DESIGN THAT FAILED WERE REINSTALLED. THERE IS AN INHERENT DEFECT IN THIS DESIGN. WHEN THE TANK IS FILLED COOL, AND THE VEHICLE SITS OR IS DRIVEN WITH THE NOSE DOWN AND THE TEMPERATURE INCREASES, GASOLINE IS FORCED THROUGHT THE VENT PIPE, TO THE CHARCOAL CANISTER, THEN OUT ONTO THE GROUND. I WAS JUST LUCKY I NOTICED THIS PRIOR TO STARTING MY VAN. IT COULD HAVE BLOWN UP, ESPECIALLY WITH THE HEAT AND LEAVING IT SIT TO COOL DOWN SO MY NEWBORN WOULDNT HAVE TO GET INTO THE HOT VEHICLE. I WAS VERY UPSET WITH THIS SITUATION AND HAVE NOT BEEN SATISFIED WITH A RESPONSE, OR LACK THEREOF FROM CHEVROLET. I ALSO SAW A SIMILAR VEHICLE AS MINE SITTING BY THE ROADWAY THE OTHER DAY WITH FLAMES COMING OUT FROM UNDERNEATH THE VAN. PLEASE HELP MYSELF AND OTHERS BEFORE SOMEONE GETS HURT.