1995 GMC Sonoma

I WAS ACCELERATING ONTO INTERSTATE HIGHWAY I94 WHEN MY TRUCK SUDDENLY BOUNCED UP JUMPING AND COMING BACK DOWN ON THE ENTRANCE RAMP. AS I LOOKED IN MY REAR VIEW MIRROR I SAW MY SPARE TIRE BOUNCING OFF INTO A NEARBY FIELD. THE SPARE WAS HELD UNDER THE TRUCK BED BY A STEEL CABLE WHICH LATER I FOUND BROKE. THE TIRE HAD JAMMED UNDER THE TRUCK BED RUPTURING THE STEEL GASOLINE FILLER TUBE. I EXPLORED THE RUPTURE CLOSED AND HAVE NOT YET REPLACED THE SPARE TIRE RETAINING ASSEMBLY UNDER THE TRUCK. *TR

WHEN BRINGING THE TRUCK IN FOR OTHER SERVICE THE TECHNICIAN NOTICED THE FUEL TANK WAS LEAKING. THE VISIBLE PART OF THE TANK WAS INTACT HOWEVER, A PLASTIC SHIELD COVERS THE FRONT PORTION OF THE TANK. REMOVAL OF THE SHIELD REVEALED PACKED DEBRIS, THE TECHNICIAN POINTED OUT THE CAUSE OF THE CORROSION WAS THE FACT THE PLASTIC SHIELD ON THE FRONT OF THE TANK TRAPPED DEBRIS AGAINST THE TANK AND CAUSED CORROSION FROM THE OUTSIDE OF THE TANK. THIS DESIGN INDUCES CORROSION AND NO REASONABLE INSPECTION WOULD FOREWARN OF THE PROBLEM. THE SERVICE MANAGER, MR. JOE CHAPMAN OPINED THERE WAS NO RECOURSE SINCE THE VEHICLE WAS 7 YEARS OLD. FOLLOWING THIS RATIONALE OWNERS SHOULD EXPECT TO REPLACE FUEL TANKS WITH GREATER FREQUENCY THAN EXHAUST SYSTEMS. MR. CHAPMAN DID PROVIDE THE CUSTOMER SERVICE NUMBER. THAT NUMBER WAS CALLED AND A LINDA ROBERTSON LISTENED AND STATED "DESIGNS ARE NEVER DEFECTIVE." AFTER MORE DISCUSSION SHE PHONE THE SERVICE MANAGER WHO ACKNOWLEDGED MY VISIT ADDING HE NEVER ADMITTED THE DESIGN WAS DEFECTIVE.( TRUE ONLY THE TECHNICIAN MADE SUCH A COMMENT. THIS SHOULD BE A MOOT POINT TO ANYONE LOOKING AT THE DESIGN OR THE PARTS AT ISSUE. I ASKED MS. ROBERTSON TO WHOM COULD I WRITE FOR FURTHER REVIEW. SHE SAID NO ONE. HER ONLY OFFER WAS THAT SHE CREATED A FILE OF MY COMPLAINT. THE NUMBER THEREOF BEING C06605340. THIS DESIGN AND CONSEQUENT LEAKAGE PRESENTS SIGNIFICANT FIRE HAZARD AS WELL AS AIR POLLUTION AND THE SEEPAGE OF MTBE INTO GROUND WATER. GMC TOUTS THE DURABILTY OF THEIR PRODUCTS. THE SERVICE MANAGER'S ATTITUDE CONTRADICTS THAT. IN FACT I AM SHOPPING FOR A REPLACEMENT VEHICLE IN A FEW MONTHS. THIS EXPERIENCE IS NOT ENCOURAGING. I HAVE TAKEN DIGITAL PHOTOS OF THE SHIELD AND WILL LIKELY TAKE PHOTOS OF THE TANK AFTER IT IS REMOVED. NLM

CONSUMER SMELLED FUEL WHILE DRIVING, AND VEHICLE WAS RUNNING ROUGH. MECHANIC TOOK OFF PLASTIC COVER THAT PROTECTED FUEL TANK. IT WAS FILLED WITH MUD AND WATER WHICH HAD EATEN A HOLE IN FUEL TANK. *AK CONSUMER CAN NOT PAY COST FOR REPLACING FUEL TANK, THEREFORE, CONSUMER APPLIED EPOXY AS NEEDED, CONSUMER RECEIEVED LETTER THAT BRAKES WERE DEFECTIVE, CONSUMER HAS CONCERNS WITH BRAKES ALMOST CAUSING ACCIDENT. *TT

I HAVE CONTACTED GMC AND THE DEALERSHIP. I HAVE A HOLE IN MY GAS TANK, IT HAS RUSTED FROM THE INSIDE OUT. GMC TOLD ME THAT IF THE DEALERSHIP TOLD THEM THAT IF IT WAS A BAD PART THEY WOULD REPLACE IT. CONTACTED DEALERSHIP, TERRY JONES (SERVICE MANAGER) TOLD ME HE WAS GOING TO CONTACT THEM AND TELL THEM IT NEEDED A NEW GAS TANK. I CALLED GMC BACK AND WAS TOLD THAT IT WAS TERRY JONES' DECISION TO PAY ONLY 50% OF THE PARTS AND NO LABOR. I CONTACTED JOHN VANDERGRIFF (SALES MANAGER) HE TOLD ME HE WOULD COVER THE LABOR. I WAS TOLD TERRY JONES MADE THIS DECISION BASED ON THE MILEAGE, YEAR OF MY TRUCK, AND NON CUSTOMER LOYALTY TO THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT. IN MY OPINION THIS IS NOT A FAIR JUDGEMENT, I HAVE PURCHASED TWO VEHICLES FROM THIS DEALERSHIP, ON MY FIRST VEHICLE, IT WAS TAKEN TO THEM FOR ALL SERVICE. DURING A CHANGE OVER IN THERE SYSTEM, THEY HAD LOST ALL RECORDS OF SERVICE ON THAT VEHICLE. I DO NOT FEEL THIS IS A NORMAL PROBLEM, AND SAID FACTORS LEADING TO THIS JUDGEMENT ARE IRRELAVENT TO THIS PROBLEM,GAS TANK IS STILL LEAKING, CANNOT DRIVE MY TRUCK DUE TO DANGEROUS CONDITIONS.