Investigations
FUEL PUMP MODULE LEAKS GASOLINE
NHTSA Engineering Analysis EA07009 - closed, opened 2007-07-10.
NHTSA investigation EA07009 is a Engineering Analysis opened on 2007-07-10 and currently closed. The subject is tracked inside the Office of Defects Investigation queue. Latest activity on this investigation was logged on 2008-08-28 - NHTSA updates that field whenever an Information Request goes out, a supplement is filed, or a status change is recorded in the public docket.
An Engineering Analysis like EA07009 is the deeper technical phase that follows a PE. NHTSA requests design, warranty, and field-failure data from the manufacturer, conducts its own testing when needed, and determines whether the evidence supports a safety defect finding that would compel a recall.
Investigators summarized the matter as follows: "DURING THE COURSE OF THIS EA INVESTIGATION, ODI OBSERVED THAT THE MAJORITY OF THE COMPLAINTS (88%) AND WARRANTY CLAIMS (94%) WERE REPORTED FOR VEHICLES THAT ARE REGISTERED FOR USE IN THE "SALT BELT" REGION OF THE US. THI..." Investigations are the early-warning layer of the federal auto-safety system, sitting upstream of formal recalls and defect orders. Whether this one closes without action or escalates into an Engineering Analysis, the full history stays in the ODI archive so researchers, litigators, and buyers can pull the paper trail at any time.
Investigation Summary
DURING THE COURSE OF THIS EA INVESTIGATION, ODI OBSERVED THAT THE MAJORITY OF THE COMPLAINTS (88%) AND WARRANTY CLAIMS (94%) WERE REPORTED FOR VEHICLES THAT ARE REGISTERED FOR USE IN THE "SALT BELT" REGION OF THE US. THIS AREA INCLUDES 20 STATES IN THE NORTHEAST, MID ATLANTIC AND THE MIDWEST REGIONS AND THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA. CONSUMERS IN THE SALT BELT REGION REPORTED TO ODI THAT THEY COULD SMELL FUEL VAPORS IN THEIR VEHICLES WHILE DRIVING. UPON FURTHER EXAMINATION OF THEIR VEHICLES, THEY DISCOVERED THAT FUEL VAPORS WERE COMING OUT OF THE TOP OF THE FUEL TANK. THIS CONDITION IS CAUSED BY CORROSION OF THE RETURN AND SENDER LINES OF THE FUEL PUMP MODULE. WATER AND ROAD SALT COLLECT ON TOP OF THE FUEL PUMP LEADING TO SMALL PINHOLES APPEARING ON THE FUEL LINES. FUEL MAY LEAK AND COLLECT ON TOP OF THE MODULE AND/OR SPILL ONTO THE GROUND. THE DATA EVALUATED UNDER THIS INVESTIGATION REFLECT A RELATIVELY LOW FREQUENCY OF OCCURRENCE THAT LARGELY ARISES IN SALT BELT STATES. GM HAS EXTENDED THE WARRANTY ON THE SUBJECT COMPONENT TO TEN YEARS OR 120,000 MILES. FURTHER USE OF AGENCY RESOURCES DOES NOT APPEAR TO BE WARRANTED AT THIS TIME; ACCORDINGLY, THIS INVESTIGATION IS CLOSED. THE CLOSING OF THIS INVESTIGATION DOES NOT CONSTITUTE A FINDING BY NHTSA THAT NO SAFETY-RELATED DEFECT EXISTS. THE AGENCY RESERVES THE RIGHT TO TAKE FURTHER ACTION IF WARRANTED BY THE CIRCUMSTANCES. FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION SELECT DOCUMENT SEARCH.
About This Investigation Type
An Engineering Analysis (EA) is the in-depth phase following a Preliminary Evaluation. NHTSA engineers conduct testing, collect data from manufacturers, and perform detailed technical analysis to determine whether a safety defect exists. An EA may lead to a voluntary recall by the manufacturer or, in rare cases, a mandatory recall order.
Data from NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Cross-references: NHTSA recall campaign API and NHTSA FARS where fatality records overlap. PlainCars does not rate or recommend vehicles. about how PlainCars sources NHTSA data.
Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.