1996 CHRYSLER LHS Fuel System, Gasoline Problems

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 CHRYSLER LHS. THE CONTACT NOTICED A LEAK AND SMELLED GASOLINE COMING FROM THE VEHICLE. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE LEAK ORIGINATED FROM THE FUEL PUMP AND THAT HER VIN WAS INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 98V184000 (FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM). THE DEALER CALLED THE MANUFACTURER AND THEY STATED THAT THE PARTS WERE NO LONGER AVAILABLE FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE VEHICLE IS CURRENTLY IN THE SHOP FOR REPAIR. UPDATED 02-25-08 *BF THE O-RINGS AND FUEL RAILS WERE REPLACED. UPDATED.

Mileage: 96,300

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 CHRYSLER LHS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE O RINGS ARE LEAKING. THE VEHICLE IS BEING REPAIRED UNDER RECALL # 98V184000 (FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM). THE DEALER STATED THAT THE O RINGS ARE NOT A PART OF THE RECALL AND WILL NOT BE REPLACED FOR FREE. THE PURCHASE DATE AND FAILURE MILEAGE WERE UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT MILEAGE IS 130,000.

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE THE HEATER WAS ON, THERE WAS AN ODOR OF FUEL. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP, WHERE IT WAS DETERMINED THE FUEL RAIL CRACKED ON THE PASSENGER SIDE. THERE WAS A RECALL FOR THE FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM, #98V184000, PERFORMED ON THE VEHICLE IN FEBRUARY 1999. THE DEALERSHIP DETERMINED THE CRACK WAS NOT IN THE SAME LOCATION SPECIFIED AS THE RECALL.

Mileage: 88,000

RECALL 98V184000 CONCERNING FUEL LEAKAGE. CONSUMER SMELLED A STRONG GASOLINE ODOR WHILE DRIVING 35-40 MPH. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A REPAIR SHOP, AND MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT THE O-RINGS CRACKED AND LEAKED FUEL ONTO THE ENGINE. CONSUMER CONTACTED THE MANUFACTURER. A MANUFACTURER'S REPRESENTATIVE INFORMED THE CONSUMER THAT THIS VEHICLE WAS NOT COVERED UNDER THE RECALL.*AK

Mileage: 145,541

WHILE DRIVING THE CONSUMER SMELLED FUEL COMING FROM THE REAR. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION NUMEROUS TIMES. THE MECHANIC COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM AT THIS TIME. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER DETAILS. *JB

Mileage: 32,496

WHILE DRIVING 10 MPH CONSUMER WAS INFORMED THAT VEHICLE WAS ON FIRE. THE CONSUMER SMELLED FUEL, AND NOTICED SMOKE COMING FROM UNDERNEATH THE HOOD. THE CONSUMER PULLED OVER, AND NOTICED THAT FLUID WAS LEAKING FROM UNDERNEATH THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A DEALER FOR INSPECTION, AND MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT THE FUEL RAIL O-RINGS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. *AK *SC

Mileage: 45,215

PETITION FOR INVESTIGATION OF 1996 CHRYSLER LHS DEFECTIVE FUEL RAILS. *BF PETITION IS TO ALSO INVESTIGATE THE ABS AND THE FRAME CONSTRUCTION/ALIGNMENT. THE VEHILCE'S WINDSHILED EXPLODED ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE BELOW THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS. THE VEHICLE'S FUEL RAILS LEAKED GASOLINE. THE BRAKE FLUID IN THE MASTER CYLINDER WAS CONTAMINATED. *NM

Mileage: 250

ON 15 NOV 2003, MY 1996 CHRYSLER LHS, VIN [XXX], STARTED SMELLING OF GAS WHILE I WAS WAITING AT AN INTERSECTION. AFTER DRIVING TO A NEARBY LOT, I DETERMINED THAT FUEL WAS LEAKING ON TOP OF THE ENGINE, AROUND THE FUEL INJECTOR RAILS. DIDN'T WANT TO DRIVE IT, SO I PARKED IT AND CALLED MY AUTO SERVICE FOR A TOW TO A LAS VEGAS PRECISION TUNE AUTOCARE THAT I'VE USED FOR VEHICLE MAINTENANCE. THEY CONFIRMED THE FUEL RAIL ASSEMBLY WAS LEAKING AND NEEDED REPLACED. INJECTOR BASE GASKET, INJECTOR O-RINGS, PLUM GASKET AND INJECTOR RAIL ASSEMBLY WAS REPLACE FOR $540.72 EQUIPMENT, $337.12 LABOR, SHOP SUPPLIES $34.55, AND TAX $43.14 FOR A TOTAL OF $955.54. UPON FILING MY MAINTENANCE RECORDS I FOUND AN EARLIER DAIMLER CHRYSLER SAFETY RECALL TO REPLACE FUEL RAIL O-RINGS AND REINFORCE THE FUEL OUTLET RAIL, RECALL 790. I HAD A VIRGINIA CHRYLSER DEALER ACCOMPLISH THE RECALL CORRECTIONS ON 23 APRIL 99. CALLED THE 1-800-992-1997 CHRYSLER CUSTOMER SERVICE NUMBER TO DETERMINE THEIR ASSISTANCE IN REIMBURSEMENT FOR THE OBVIOUS FAILED RECALL REPAIRS. WAS TOLD BY THE REPRESENTATIVE THAT SINCE I HAD NOT TAKEN IT TO A CHRYSLER DEALER THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD DO. TWO ISSUES: 1. THE RECALL REPAIRS OBVIOUSLY DID NOT CORRECT THE PROBLEM, HOW MANY OTHER LHS'S COULD BE VULNERABLE FOR AN ENGINE FIRE? FOR SAFETY I HOPE SOMEONE RESEARCHES THIS AND ENSURES CORRECTIVE MEASURES ARE TAKEN BEFORE SOMEONE GETS HURT. 2. I'VE GOT THE PAPERWORK, IS CHRYSLER STILL NOT LIABLE FOR THE REPAIRS OF THEIR POORLY ENGINEERED FUEL SYSTEM, ENOUGH SO THAT IT COULD CAUSE AN AUTO FIRE OR WORST? THANKS FOR YOUR TIME, [XXX] *JB UPDATED 07/27/2012 *JS INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

Mileage: 99,120

THE VEHICLE LEAKED GASOLINE.*JB

CONSUMER STATES CAN SMELL GAS INSIDE VEHICLE. TOOK TO MECHANIC AND THEY STATED FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM WOULD NEED REPLACING. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.

I KNOW THAT THIS PROBLEM IS UNDER A PREVIOUS RECALL, BUT I HAVE TAKEN THIS IN TO THE DEALERSHIP THREE TIMES TO HAVE IT FIXED AND IT HAS ONLY LASTED MAYBE 6 MONTHS. I 'M CONCERNED ABOUT MY FAMILY'S SAFETY. I WOULD LIKE THIS BROUGHT TO THE MANUFACTURES ATTENTION. I HAD TRIED TO TRADE THIS CAR IN, BUT THE DEALERSHIP, WHICH WAS NOT THE MANUFACTURE WAS UNEASY ABOUT THIS RECALL. I FEEL THAT THIS NEEDS FURTHER INVESTIGATION . THANK YOU. *AK

VEHICLE WOULD STALL OUT WHILE DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. SOMETIMES VEHICLE COULD BE RESTARTED AFTER STALLING OUT. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALERSHIP, BUT MECHANIC COULD NOT RESOLVE PROBLEM.*AK DEALER STATED TO CONSUMER STALLING COULD BE RELATED TO THE FUEL PUMP, HOWEVER IF THEY COULD NOT FIND THE PROBLEM, THE CONSUMER WOULD BE CHARGED. VEHICLE INTERMITTENTLY WILL NOT START, IT WILL CRANK BUT IT WILL NOT START, AFTER LETTING IT SIT FOR AN HOUR OR TWO IT WILL START. *SLC

RECALL (98V-184) WAS COMPLETED ON THE VEHICLE, HOWEVER THE RECALL REPAIR IS INADEQUATE AND THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED FAILURE OF THE FUEL RAIL WHICH CRACKED AND CAUSED FUEL LEAKAGE, CONSUMER HAD THE REPAIRS COMPLETED AND REQUEST REIMBURSEMENT FOR THE ADDITIONAL REPAIRS OF THE FUEL SYSTEM WHICH SHOULD HAVE BEEN CORRECTED IN THE RECALL REPAIR. *MJS

RECALL REPAIR WAS COMPLETED ON THE FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM (98V-184), HOWEVER THE VEHICLE CONTINUED TO EXPERIENCE PROBLEMS WITH THE FUEL RAILS, DEALERSHIP REFUSES TO REPAIR WITHOUT CHARGES. *MJS

THERE WAS AN EXTREMELY LOUD SHUTTER AND SHAKE WHEN THIS HAPPENED. CAR DOES SEEM TO OPERATE THE SAME SINCE THIS PROBLEM. GAS MILEAGE HAS GONE DOWN BY THREE MPG, EVEN AFTER A TUNE UP BY CHRYSLER AND FUEL SYSTEM CLEANING. SHORTLY AFTER SOME FUSES BLEW., NOW AT 75,000 THERE IS A LOUND GROWNING SOUND WHEN YOU STEER TO THE LEFT. BRAKES HAVE BEEN REPLACED AND NEED IT AGAIN. AIRCONDITIONER HAS FUNNY DAMP SMELL. HOW DOES ONE FIND OUT IF THIS CAR HAS BEEN IN AN ACCIDENT?

RECALLED FUEL RAIL O-RINGS FAILED POSSIBILE CAUSING VEHICLE TO CATCH FIRE (MICHAEL SPITZER ATTORNEY FOR CLIENT). NLM

THERE WAS A FUEL LEAK FROM FUEL INJECTION WHICH WAS LEAKING FUEL ONTO THE ENGINE. *AK

VEHICLE RECALL REPAIR NOT COMPLETED DUE TO DEALERSHIP PROBLEMS (98V-184). MJS

RECEIVED A RECALL ON THE FUEL INJECTION O-RINGS. PRIOR TO RECEIVING THE RECALL VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE. THE DEALER CLAIMS THAT THEY FIXED ALL COMPONENTS THAT CAUSED THE FIRE . CONSUMER INSISTED THAT VEHICLE'S CONDITION WORSENED AFTER THE DEALER FIXED VEHICLE. MANUFACTURER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. *AK

FUEL INJECTOR SYSTEM FAILED CAUSING FUEL TO BE DUMPED INTO ENGINE RESULTING IN GASOLINE SMELL.

THE CONSUMER HAS BEEN EXPERIENCING PROBLEMS WITH FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM. WHILE DRIVING, FUEL LEAKED OUT OF VEHICLE. THE MANUFACTURER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. THE SAFETY DEFECT IS IN ACCORDANCE WITH RECALL NUMBER 98V184000. *AK

FUEL PUMP FAILED.