1991 Chevrolet Caprice

TUESDAY MORNING, AUGUST 17, 1999, I STOPPED AND PUT $10.00 WORTH OF GASOLINE IN THIS VEHICLE, AND DROVE TO WORK. AT LUNCH, I DROVE THE VEHICLE TO LUNCH, PARKED IN THE PARKING LOT ON A SLIGHT INCLINE, AND WENT TO LUNCH. UPON RETURNING, WE FOUND A SMALL GROUP OF ANXIOUS PEOPLE LOOKING AT MY CAR FROM A SHORT DISTANCE. GASOLINE WAS LEAKING OUT FROM UNDER IT, AND HAD RUN ABOUT 15' DOWN THE PAVEMENT, FORMING A PUDDLE. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT HAD BEEN CALLED, AND WAS ON THEIR WAY. WE MANUALLY PUSHED THE CAR AWAY FROM THAT SPOT, ONTO LEVEL GROUND, AND THE DRIPPING FUEL STOPPED. WHEN WE GOT THE CAR ON A LIFT, IT TOOK THE SERVICE TECHNICIAN ABOUT 30 MINUTES TO IDENTIFY A CRACK IN A MOLD SEAM. HE REMOVED THE TANK, REPLACED IT WITH A NEW ONE, AND I DROVE TO THE NEAREST CHEVROLET DEALER, (JOHN SMITH @ 770 953 0100), WHOSE SERVICE MANAGER HAD NEVER HEARD OF A GAS TANK SPONTANEOUSLY FAILING. HOWEVER, HE COULD SEE THAT THIS TANK HAD NOT HIT ANYTHING. HE REFERRED ME TO THE GM HELP LINE 800 NUMBER. (800 222 1020) THEY HAD ALSO NOT HEARD OF THIS PARTICULAR FAILURE, AND AFTER APPROXIMATELY 20 MINUTES ON HOLD, CAME BACK ON AND TOLD ME THAT THIS FAILURE WOULD NOT BE WARRANTED, AS THE CAR WAS TOO OLD, IN SPITE OF THE LOW MILEAGE ON THE VEHICLE. THEY ALSO OPENED FILE #990 470 854. I ASKED IF IT WAS REASONABLE FOR ME TO EXPECT MY GAS TANK TO NOT LEAK, AND WAS TOLD THAT IT WAS. I REALIZE THAT GM IS SENSITIVE ABOUT GAS LEAKS. WELL, I HAVE, IN MY BACK YARD, A GAS TANK THAT LEAKS, AND WOULD LIKE SOMETHING MORE THAN THEIR SYMPATHY. THE NEW OEM TANK COST ME OVER $600. HAD THE GAS IGNITED, WE WOULD NOT HAVE THE TANK TO EXAMINE. I WOULD LIKE THEM TO AT LEAST WANT TO SEE THE TANK, AND THINK ABOUT THE PROBLEM. THANK YOU FOR YOUR HELP.

THE ANTI-LOCK BRAKES STARTED TO FAIL WITHIN THE PAST 2-3 WEEKS. I TOOK THE CAR TO LOU GRUBB CHEVROLET ON 7/21/99 FOR REPAIRS AND THEY REPLASED THE RR ANTI-LOCK SENSOR THEN TURNED THE REAR DRUMS AND FRONT ROTORS. THEY SAID THAT SHOULD FIX THE PROBLEM TO THE TUNE OF $303.00. ON THE WAY HOME THE BRAKES FAILED AGAIN. MY WIFE DROVE IT YESTERDAY AND COULD NOT KEEP THE CAR FROM LURCHING FORWARD AT A STOP LIGHT SO SHE SLAMMED THE TRANSMISSION INTO PARK. THE ANTI-LOCK BRAKES INDICATOR OF DIS-ENGAGEMENT CAME ON THE DASH AND SHE DROVE THE CAR HOME. I CALLED THE DEALER AND THEY NOW HAVE THE CAR IN THE SHOP. THEY TELL ME THAT "THE BOOK" TELLS THEM THAT I MAY HAVE TO REPLACE THE COMPUTER FOR A COST OF $800-900. THE WILL PHONE ME AT WORK TOMORROW TO TELL ME WHAT THEY FOUND. MY DAYTIME PHONE NUMBER IS (602) 221-7148. THANKS FOR ANY HELP YOU CAN PROVIDE ME. LEO J. HAUGUEL.