2008 Chevrolet Uplander

A SHORT TIME AFTER FULEING MY GASOLINE TANK I DETECTED A GAS ODOR. THE ODOR DID NOT GO AWAY, BUT GOT WORSE. I CHECKED UNDER MY VEHICLE TO SEE IF THERE WAS ANY GASOLINE LEAKING AND SAW RAW GASOLINE LEAKING DOWN THE SIDE OF THE GAS TANK ON THE DRIVER SIDE. I COULD NOT DETERMINE THE SCOURCE OF THE LEAK SO I TOOK MY VEHICLE TO A LOCAL REPAIR SERVICE. THE MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT THE LEAK WAS COMING FROM A PLASTIC FUEL LINE ATTACJED TO THE INTERNALO FUEL TANK MODULE. THERE WAS A CRACK IN THE PLASTIC FUEL LINE AND GAS WOULD SPRAY FROM THIS CRACK ONTO THE TOP OF THE GAS TANK, EVENTUALLY RUNNING DOWN THE SIDE OF THE TANK CREATING A VERY HAZARDOUS SITUATION. I FEEL THAT FUEL COULD HAVE SPRAYED TO THE OTHER SIDE OF THE TANK (EXHAUST PIPE SIDE) AND COULD HAVE CAUSED A SERIOUS FIRE.

I'VE BEEN HAVING PROBLEMS WITH MY 2008 CHEVROLET UPLANDER VAN WHICH IS EQUIPPED WITH THE CHEVROLET "DRIVE BY WIRE" THROTTLE. THE THROTTLE BODY WAS REPLACED IN JANUARY OF 2011 AND CONTINUES MALFUNCTION. (3-YEARS AFTER ORIGINAL OWNER PURCHASED) I HAVE BEEN TAKING THE VAN TO LOCAL AREA SERVICE STATIONS TO HAVE THE THROTTLE BODY FLUSHED EVERY SIX MONTHS BUT CONTINUE TO HAVE REDUCED POWER ISSUES. AFTER CALLING THE GM CUSTOMER SERVICE NUMBER (866-790-5700 X20305) AND EXPLAINING & HAVING A FILE OPENED, I WAS INFORMED THAT I WAS REQUIRED TO BRING MY VAN TO A LOCAL DEALER TO HAVE THE ISSUE DIAGNOSED. THE DEALER DIAGNOSED A FAULTY THROTTLE BODY AND THE CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE MANAGER INFORMED US THAT THERE IS NOTHING THE DEALER CAN DO TO COMPENSATE THIS OBVIOUS DESIGN FLAW WHICH CAUSES REDUCED ENGINE POWER AND CAUSES THE VEHICLE TO OPERATE AT AN UNSAFE SPEED AND MANNER. I WROTE THE CUSTOMER ASSISTANCE CENTER (CAC) HOPING THAT THERE ARE OTHER PROCESSES THAT GM CORPORATE OFFICE HAS IN PLACE TO ADDRESS ISSUES SUCH AS THESE. MY NEXT STEP WAS TO CONTACT THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION VEHICLE SAFETY HOTLINE TO DETERMINE ANY AVAILABLE RESOURCES. *TR

A SHORT TIME AFTER FILLING MY GASOLINE TANK I BEGAN TO DETECT THE STRONG ODOR OF GASOLINE FUMES. I THOUGHT I HAD OVERFILLED THE TANK SO I RAN OUT SOME GAS FOR A FEW MILES, BUT THE ODOR OF RAW GASOLINE WOULD NOT GO AWAY. I LOOKED UNDER THE VEHICLE TO SEE IF THERE WAS ANY GASOLINE LEAKING AND SAW WHAT APPEARED TO BE GASOLINE RUNNING DOWN THE DRIVERS SIDE OF THE GASOLINE TANK. I COULD NOT DETECT THE SOURCE OF THE LEAK SO I TOOK MY VEHICLE TO A LOCAL AUTOMOTIVE REPAIR SHOP. THE MECHANIC REMOVED THE GASOLINE TANK AND DISCOVERED THAT THE SOURCE OF THE LEAK WAS A CRACK IN THE PLASTIC GASOLINE RETURN LINE GOING INTO THE INTERNAL TANK MODULE. THIS LEAK CREATED A VERY HAZARDOUS SITUATION THAT COULD HAVE RESULTED IN A SERIOUS FIRE IF THE RAW GASOLINE HAD COME INTO CONTACT WITH THE HOT EXHAUST TAIL PIPE OR CATALYTIC CONVERTER. THE MECHANIC TOLD ME THAT THIS IS NOT THE FIRST TIME HE HAD REPAIRED THIS TYPE OF LEAK. THERE WAS NO PHYSICAL DAMAGE THAT HE SAW THAT COULD HAVE CAUSED THE PLASTIC RETURN LINE TO LEAK. I FEEL THAT THIS IS A SERIOUS FLAW IN DESIGN OR MATERIAL AND SHOULD BE BROUGHT TO THE ATTENTION OF OTHER OWNERS OF A CHEVROLET UPLANDER MINI VAN. *TR

RIGHT BACK PASSENGER DOOR WOULDN'T CLOSE PROPERLY 3 DAYS AFTER PURCHASE; TOOK IT IN FOR ADJUSTMENT. 2 YEARS LATER, DURING WHICH MY BABY WAS SITTING NEXT TO THAT DOOR, THE LATCH FAILED AND THE DOOR WAS INOPERABLE. LATCH WAS SUPPOSEDLY FIXED. FUEL/OXYGEN INJECTOR FAILURE 3 TIMES; WAITING ON A PART. TAKEN IN FOR SQUEALING BRAKES 3 TIMES; WAS TOLD THE BRAKE PADS WERE ON RECALL. 2 YEARS LATER, I'M STILL WAITING ON THE BRAKE PADS. ANTI-LOCK BRAKE TROUBLE TWICE, STABILITY CONTROL SYSTEM FAILURE TWICE, SENSOR MALFUNCTIONS ON A REGULAR BASIS, CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ON A REGULAR BASIS; EACH TIME IT IS TAKEN TO MECHANIC. I'VE BEEN TOLD TO IGNORE THE PROBLEMS IF THE WARNING GOES OFF THE NEXT TIME I START THE CAR, AND TO ONLY BRING IT IN IF THE WARNINGS GO ON AND OFF A FEW TIMES. A FEW TIMES THE MECHANIC HAS SAID THEY CAN'T FIND ANYTHING WRONG WITH IT, BUT THE WARNING LIGHTS KEEP COMING BACK ON. *TR