1997 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN Fuel System, Gasoline Problems

1997 CHEVY SUBURBAN IN-TANK FUEL SENDING UNIT FIRE: BOUGHT VEHICLE USED WITH 88000 MILES. EVENTS LEADING UP TO THE FAILURE / BURN UP OF THE UNIT INCLUDED INTERMITTENT FUEL PUMP AND FUEL GAUGE FAILURE, HAD PUMP REPLACED BY PATRICK GMC, PROBLEM PERSISTED, HAD DEALER WOLF CHEVROLET CHECK FUEL PRESSURE THROUGHOUT SYSTEM (OK). ALSO NOTICED AN INTERMITTENT BURNING SMELL. I THEN PURCHASED FROM THE DEALER A REPLACEMENT SENDING UNIT AND ANOTHER FUEL PUMP, AS SOON AS I TOOK THE SENDER OUT OF THE TANK IT WAS OBVIOUSLY CHARRED AND THE MODULAR CONNECTOR BURNT TO A CRISP, WIRES COMPLETELY EXPOSED WITH THE INSULATION GONE PARTIALLY DISINTEGRATED THE ABS PLUG. THIS THING GOT REALLY HOT REPEATEDLY. THE LOWER EXPLOSIVE LIMIT WAS LUCKILY NEVER REACHED WITHIN THE TANK OR THERE COULD HAVE BEEN A SPONTANEOUS EXPLOSION, ESPECIALLY IF THE TANK LOST ITS SEAL AND ALLOWED OUTSIDE AIR INSIDE, (SUCH AS WHEN THE TANK IS EMPTY AND IS PULLING VACUUM), FOR INSTANCE UNSCREWING THE GAS CAP IN IDEAL CONDITIONS NEXT TO A GAS PUMP WITH A 44 GALLON TANK VOID SUCKING IN AS MUCH OXYGEN IN AS THE FILLER TUBE WILL ALLOW, AND HITTING THAT GLOWING RED HOT SENDING UNIT. OLD PART IS IN MY POSSESSION AND IS THE ORIGINAL FACTORY SENDER. INCIDENT DATE IS APPROX. WHEN I PERFORMED THE REPAIR AND DISCOVERED THE BURNED UP SENDER. *NM

Mileage: 98,000

THE FUEL INJECTION PUMP FAILED INTERMITTENTLY, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO STALL. DEALERSHIP REPAIRED THE PROBLEM, BUT PROBLEM RECURRED. *AK

Mileage: 180,000

FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM INJECTORS FAILED TWICE. AS A RESULT, VEHICLE STALLED. THE PART WAS REPLACED FOUR TIMES,HOWEVER PROBLEM STILL EXISTS. *AK

Mileage: 130,000

CONSUMER STATES THAT FUEL PUMP FAILED DUE TO ELECTRICAL CONNECTORS INSIDE THE GAS TANK MELTING AGAINST THE PICKUP TUBE. THE PROBLEM WAS MADE APPARENT BECAUSE OF CONSTANT FUSES BLOWING OUT.*AK

HAD FUEL PUMP FAILURE. WHEN SERVICED, THE ELECTRICAL WIRES INSIDE THE GAS TANK WERE BURNED AND THE CONNECTOR WAS MELTED INSIDE THE TANK. THE INSULATION ON THE GRAY WIRE WAS MELTED OFF AND THE WIRE WAS BURNT. WAS VERY LUCKY THAT IT DID NOT EXPLODE. IF THE TANK HAD BEEN EMPTY, IT WOULD HAVE BECAUSE OF THE PRESNECE OF OXYGEN IN AN EMPTY TANK. WENT TO BOB RICHARDS CHEVROLET IN AUGUST,GA AND THEY SAID IT WAS NOT A SAFTY ISSUE AND THAT THEY KNEW OF THE PROBLEM. HAD TO PAY $700.00 OUT OF MY POCKET BECAUSE OF THIS PROBLEM THAT CHEVROLET KNOWS ABOUT AND WON'T RECALL. *AK

Mileage: 112,300

WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE STALLED DUE TO A FAULTY FUEL PUMP. *NLM

THE INJECTIONS WERE DEFECTIVE WHICH CAUSED THE ENGINE LIGHT TO ILLUMINATE. THERE WAS A RECALL RELATED TO THIS PROBLEM BUT THE CONSUMERS VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED DUE TO VIN. *NLM

WHILE TRAVELING WITHOUT ANY INDICATION VEHICLE ENGINE STALLED. VEHICLE WAS SERVICE BY DEALER TECHNICIAN NOTICE FUEL DRIVER PUMP NEEDED TO BE REPLACE. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. TS

TRANSMISSION STARTING FAILING AT 50,000 (CODED SLIPPAGE). GOING DOWN HIGHWAY AND BLEW TRANNY FLUID ALL OVER THE PLACE LEAVING US STRANDED. TRANSMISSION SHIFTS HARD IN 1ST AND 2ND GEAR. STEERING HAS MOMENTARY OVERSTEER, CAUSING THE FEELING OF SLIPPING ON ICE (SAFETY CONCERN AS NO CONTROL OVER VEHICLE), REPLACED ROTORS THREE TIMES, REPLACED FUEL SENDING AND WIRING UNIT (WIRES HAD ACTUALLY MELTED INSIDE THE GAS TANK!!). WHAT NEXT!!!! THIS VEHICLE ONLY HAS 73,000 ON IT. WE DO NOT PULL ANYTHING BEHIND IT, SO FEEL THAT TRANNY SHOULD NOT HAVE FAILED. WHY WILL CHEVROLET NOT RECALL THESE PROBLEMS? HAVE HEARD OTHERS SAY THAT THE RADIATOR IS NOT BIG ENOUGH TO HANDLE COOLING THE ENGINE AND TRANSMISSION, ESSENTIALLY CAUSING EARLY TRANSMISSION FAILURE DUE TO OVERHEATING. CHEVROLET NEEDS TO ADDRESS THESE ISSUES BEFORE THERE IS LOSS OF LIFE OR A BAD ACCIDENT. TS

Mileage: 54,000

INTAKE GASKET IS LEAKING COOLANT, CONSUMER FEELS THIS MAY CAUSE A FIRE. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK

CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AT TRANSMISSION IMMEDIATELY STARTED SHIFTING EXTREMELY HARD FROM 1ST TO 2ND. READ THECOMPLAINTSTATION.COM AND FOUND NUMEROUS IDENTICAL INCIDENCES WITH OTHER PEOPLE. NEXT FAILURE WAS FAILURE OF THE INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET RESULTING IN COOLANT LOSS.

THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND TRANSMISSION IMMEDIATELY STARTED SHIFTING EXTREMELY HARD FROM 1ST TO 2ND. READ THE COMPLAINTSTATION.COM AND FOUND NUMEROUS IDENTICAL INCIDENCES WITH OTHER PEOPLE. NEXT FAILURE WAS FAILURE OF THE INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET RESULTING IN COOLANT LOSS. NLM

ENGINE QUIT JUST LIKE SHUTTING OFF OF IGNITION SWITCH. THE PROBLEM TURNED OUT TO BE THE FUEL PUMP. WHILE REMOVING THE FUEL PUMP ASSEMBLY NOTED THAT THE ATTACHING PLUG FOR THE FUEL PUMP HAD ARCED DESTROYING THE PLUG, AND THE WIRE SUPPLYING THE POWER TO THE PUMP HAD ALL THE INSULATION BURNED OFF AND THE WIRE WAS PARTIALLY MELTED. THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE, AS THE ARCING AND MELTING OF WIRES INSIDE THE FUEL TANK COULD CAUSE AND EXPLOSION IF THE FUEL/AIR MISTURE REACHED STOICHIOMETRIC CONDITIONS.

WHEN CONSUMER DROPPED FUEL TANK OUT FROM UNDER VEHICLE AND STARTED CHANGING FUEL PUMP NOTICED THAT CONTACT WIRES FOR FUEL PUMP WERE CHARRED AND MELTED. DEALERSHIP HAS YET TO EXAMINE VEHICLE. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION / DOCUMENTATION.*AK

FUEL PUMP ASSEMBLY RAN SO HOT THAT IT MELTED THE INSULATION ON ONE OF THE LEADS AND THE CONNECTOR GOING TO IT, THAT LEAD IN TURN HAD STARTED TO WELD ITSELF TO THE OTHER WIRES, CREATING A POTENTIAL DIRECT SHORT BETWEEN THESE WIRES INSIDE THE FUEL TANK.*AK

THIS IS A CHRONIC PROBLEM WITH MY VEHICLE. IT IS NOT AS WIDE SPREAD AS G.M. WOULD LIKE ME TO BELIEVE. I KNOW OTHERS IN CALIFORNIA WITH THE IDENTICLE VEHICLE AS ME WITH NO PROBLEMS. G.M. BLAMES THE GOVERNMENT FOR THE GAS ADDITIVES. I AM THE ONE WHO IS STRANDED BECAUSE OF THIS PROBLEM. I BOUGHT A NEW VEHICLE FOR DEPENDABILITY. I HAVE A CAR THAT CAN AND WILL BREAK DOWN ANY WHERE AND AT ANY TIME AND I AM STILL MAKING PAYMENTS ON IT. I HAVE WRITTEN TO THE HEADS OF THE CORPERATE OFFICES AT G.M. WITH MY CONCERNS AND COMPLAINTS BUT THEY HAVE YET TO REPOND TO ME SERIOUSLY. THEY HAVE CUSTOMER SERVICE CONTACT ME. CUSTOMER SERVICE PEOPLE CAN NOT SOLVE THIS PROBLEM!! I END UP MORE FRUSTRATED AFTER SPEAKING TO THEM. I KNOW THAT THEY ARE ONLY DOING THEIR JOB AND CAN ONLY DO SO MUCH. I NEED A REAL SOLUTION TO THIS POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS CONDITION THAT MY CAR HAD WHEN I BOUGHT IT. I WANT THE DEPENDABILITY THAT I HAD EXPECTED, WHEN I BOUGHT THIS CAR. FOR MY SAFETY AND THE SAFETY OF MY FAMILY. THANK YOU FOR ANY ASSISTANCE YOU CAN PROVIDE ME WITH IN THIS FRUSTRATING MATTER. SINCERELY YOURS, [XXX]. NO SAFETY DEFECT LISTED. *AK PARTS OF THIS DOCUMENT HAVE BEEN REDACTED TO PROTECT PERSONALLY IDENTIFIABLE INFORMATION PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).

TRUCK STALLS, CAUSING LOSS OF POWER STEERING AND BRAKES. DEALER HAS ATTEMPTED TO REMEDY DEFECT ON THREE SEPARATE OCCASSIONS WITHOUT SUCCESS. ACCIDENTS AVOIDED THUS FAR, BUT NEXT TIME, I MAY NOT BE SO FORTUNATE. PLEASE POST THESE COMMENTS, TO WARN OTHER CONSUMERS. GMC IS DENYING RESPONSIBILITY, HAS FLATLY REFUSED TO REPURCHASE THE VEHICLE, AND CONTINUES TO ATTEMPT TO REPAIR THE PROBLEM. I'M SCARED TO DEATH TO DRIVE THIS THING...ME AND MY PASSENGERS(VERY OFTEN A TROOP OF GIRL SCOUTS) ARE IN DANGER, AND SO IS ANYONE WHO MIGHT BE IN FRONT OF ME WHEN THIS HAPPENS. I HOPE THAT NO ONE DIES AS A RESULT OF THIS DEFECT. PLEASE HELP ME.*AK

FUEL PUMP DOES NOT LAST AS LONG AS MOST OTHER FUEL PUMPS LAST. CONSUMER HAS ALREADY CHANGED FUEL PUMP TWICE. CONTACTED DEALER, AND DEALER SAID THAT THERE IS NOTHING THEY CAN DO. *AK THE PREMATURE AND FREQUENT FAILURES OF THE FUEL PUMP IS A SAFETY HAZARD. *YH

THE FUEL PUMP AND FUEL SENDER HAD TO BE REPLACED. BUT WHAT WAS TROUBLING WAS THE STATEMENT FROM THE MECHANIC THAT WE WERE LUCKY IT DID NOT EXPLODE. I KEPT THE PARTS THAT WERE REPLACED AND THE EVIDENCE IS CLEARLY THERE THAT THE VEHICLE COULD HAVE EXPLODED. I AM VERY CONCERNED THAT OTHER OWNERS OF THE SUBURBAN MAY NOT BE AS LUCKY TO CATCH IT IN TIME.

THE CONNECTION AND WIRES THAT RUN THE FUEL PUMP HAD BURNED AND MELTED, DUE TO THIS FAILURE THE FUEL PUMP WAS REPLACED. *SLC

NO SUMMARY

NO SUMMARY

WHILE TRAVELING VEHICLE STALLED . DEALER CHECKED AND NOTICED FUEL PUMP NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK

POTENTIAL FOR FUEL TANK TO EXPLODE. FUEL PUMP CONNECTED OVERHEATED, AND THE GREY WIRE MELTED. THIS WAS CAUSED BY CONNECTOR TO FUEL PUMP WHICH WAS TOO SMALL. DEALERSHIP WAS AWARE OF THE POTENTIAL PROBLEM.*AK

FUEL PUMP CLOGGED UP AND BURNED TWICE. DEALER HAS INSPECTED VEHICLE. *AK

ENGINE WOULDN'T START. TOWED TO DEALER. STARTED AND DEALER COULDN'T FIND PROBLEM. STATED IT WAS PROBABLY FUEL PUMP SINCE HAD SEEN THIS BEFORE. FINALLY FAILED AFTER SURGING AND DYING DURING DRIVE. FOUND "BURNED" (SAID DARKENED INSULATION) WIRING HARNESS WHICH DAMAGED OTHER COMPONENTS FROM FUEL PUMP TO ENGINE

FUEL PUMP AND SENDING UNIT MELTED AND SHORTED OUT CAUSING CAR TO STALL ON THE ROAD.TORQUE CONVERTOR REPLACED/ TRANS RECONDITIONED, POWER STEERING BOX LEAKING/ REPLACED. BOTH CATALYTIC CONVERTERS REPLACED,AC COMPRESSOR REPLACED. NUMEROUS COOLANT LEAKS FIXED. WINDSHIELD REPLACED DUE TO DEFECT. BATTERY REPLACED DUE TO ACID LEAK. WHATS NEXT? *AK

FUEL PUMP SENDING UNIT COMPLETELY BURNED CAUSING THE ENGINE TO SHUT DOWN WHILE DRIVING. (ATTORNEY FOR CONSUMER) NLM

ENGINE CHECK LIGHT CAME ON 1ST THEN A VARIOUS OTHER PROBLES BEGAN OCCURING AS WE TRIED TO GET OUR VEHICLE HOME. WHEN WE GOT IT TO THE DEALER'S REPAIR SHOP WE WERE TOLD THAT THE #2 FUEL INJECTOR HAD STARTED LEAKING AND FILLED THE WHOLE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM WITH GAS. THIS HAPPENED AGAIN 4 MONTHES LATER WHEN THE #5 INJECTOR STARTED LEAKING. BOTH TIMES THE DEALER TOLD US THAT WE WERE LUCKY THAT THE VEHICLE DIDN'T START ON FIRE. *AK

TRANSMISSION: TORQUE CONVERTER BLEW UP.....FUEL PUMP FAILED AND HAD TO BE REPLACED, WIRING OVERHEATED AND INSULATION MELTED OFF INSIDE FUEL TANK .....STEERING: ERRATIC WHILE MAKING RIGHT TURN

ADD TO PRIOR TRANSMISSIONS, (ADDING PHONE AND FAX #S

ALTHOUGH THEIR WERE NO FATALITIES OR INJURIES INVOLVED IN REFERENCE TO THE MASTER CYLINDER/ FUEL PUMP, THE LOST OF POWER BRAKES CAUSED ME TO ALMOST VEER INTO A BRICK BUILDING. I HOPE THE INFO PROVIDED WILL DRAW ATTENTION TO THE PROBLEMS I'VE HAD SINCE PURCHASING THIS VEHICLE.

SECOND TIME THAT FUEL INJECTION FAILED TO OPERATE PROPERLY. VEHICLE BEEN IN/OUT OF DEALER SHOP ON TWO OCCASIONS, AND CAUSE CANNOT BE FOUND. SEEKING HELP FROM NHTSA IN THIS MATTER. *AK

FUEL INJECTION PUMP FAILED ON TWO OCCASIONS CAUSING LOSS OF POWER BRAKE AND STEERING.

WHILE DRIVING AT 55 MPH THE DIESEL FUEL PUMP MALFUNCTIONED AND THE TRUCK TURNED OFF. THE PROBLEM HAS NOT BEEN CORRECTED. *AK

DUE TO THE DEFECTIVE FUEL PUMP, THE WIRING IN THE FUEL TANK MELTED, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO STALL, WHICH ALMOST CAUSED AN ACCIDENT. CAUSE UNKNOWN. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

INTERMITTENT STALLING PROBLEM. FUEL PUMP REPLACED IN AN ATTEMPT TO SOLVE THE PROBLEM, HOWEVER THE PROBLEM CONTINUES.

FULE PUMP ASSEMBLY RAN SO HOT THAT IT MELTED THE INSULATION ON ONE OF THE LEADS GOING TO IT, THAT LEAD IN TURN HAD STARTED TO WELD ITSELF TO THE OTHER WIRES, CREATING A POTENTIAL DIRECT SHORT BETWEEN THESE WIRES INSIDE THE FUEL TANK.

THERE IS A PIN HOLE IN THE REAR FUEL FEED HOSE, CAUSING FUEL TO LEAK, CONSUMER HAS CONTACTED THE DEALER, DEALER REPLACED THE REAR FUEL FEED HOSE. *AK

THE TRUCK IS EQUIPPED WITH ABS, AND WHEN BRAKING THE TRUCK PULLS TO THE LEFT OR RIGHT. ALSO, THE FLOORBOARD LIFTS UP AND WHEN THE BRAKE IS RELEASED; THE FLOORBOARD FALLS BACK DOWN, AND THERE IS A STRONG ODOR PRESENT WHEN TOWING SOMETHING. *AK

GAS TANK LEAK.