Way back in July 2020, GM Authority reported that the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration launched an investigation into General Motors and the Chevy Cobalt and Chevy HHR after receiving a slew of concerns related to the two vehicle’s fuel lines. Now, after over three years of inquiry, the NHTSA has finally closed the investigation.
According to a report from Car Complaints, more than 200 complaints related to rusted fuel lines in 2008 to 2010 Cobalt and 2008-2009 HHR units lead the NHTSA to begin an investigation to determine the cause. According to General Motors, the metal fuel lines are covered in a protective coating that prevents corrosion, as well as wrapped in heat shielding. However, it was found that there was a crevice between the heat shield and coating through which water and salt may enter.
“The metal fuel lines are corroding and leaking fuel in the area between the front and rear wheels on the driver’s side of the vehicle before the muffler,” an NHTSA spokesperson stated in a prepared statement. “Most consumers allege a fuel odor and/or an observable fuel leak that alerts them to the condition.”
The NHTSA reports finding a high correlation (80 percent in fact) between complaints and vehicles in operation across the salt belt, an area where vehicles are particularly susceptible to corrosion. As a result, the administration closed the investigation due to low manufacturer complaint/warranty rates for fuel line replacements in these areas, and noted that the potential safety consequences are very low.
It’s also worth noting that General Motors claimed that there were no crashes or injury reports related to the rusted fuel lines, despite at least two reported fires.
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Comments
I do not understand how an 80% correlation can be found but no recall just because of low warranty repair claims. The warranty on Chevrolets at that time was 3 years or 36,000 miles odds are the fuel line rust issue would not have presented itself in such a short period of time
My 2011 HHR also developed a fuel line leak last year due to corrossion. I filed a complaint with the NHTSA but was never contacted by them.
This really cheeses me off. Fine Chevy, lesson learned, I’m never buying another Cobalt or HHR from you again! 🙂
Chevy managed to escape a couple of recalls they should’ve gotten hung out to dry on. The rusting brake lines on all their trucks from 98-2008 and that nightmare CP4 injection pump are the 2 most egrigious failures ever.
Oh a 10-15 year old car with rusting fuel lines or rust in general…. say it isn’t so. I live in the north east and every car I ever owned rusted so your point!?
My wifes 07 cobalt needed to have its lines replaced after 5 years. My 09 SS/TC with 38k miles has bad corrosion on its lines right under the drivers side door. Its never seen snow in my 14 years of ownership. This is a design defect!
Coastal resident?
Also remember that the colbat and HHR represent OLD GM at their finest cars like those pieces of garbage are one of the many reasons why they went bankrupt. I have owned 90s through 2000s GM cars and currently own a 2019 enclave and and 2020 equinox 2.0t and I can say with confidence that the quality has certainly gone up from the old GM days.
Regardless of old or new GM. A design flaw is still a design flaw. As a past owner of a 16 Yukon with the Chevy shake from new and a current owner of an 18 Regal Tour-X thats had to have it’s lower control arms replaced 3 times now. I can tell you first hand that my Cobalt and my old 08 Saab 9-7x were the most reliable vehicles I’ve owned.
Amwworks Like any car component control arms wear down over time and need to be replaced. Control arms can bend or break when driving over large potholes or bumps, while bushings can also wear out on their own due to age. Over time, the wear from constant movements and potholes can also cause them to break… ok now on to the Chevy shake I looked online and this guy changed his transmission fluid and the shake went away. And you must have taken very good care of your cobalt the Saab those where always a good car that I miss till this day.
The car only has 40k miles. The drivers side control arm was replaced in 2019 and 2 were replaced (on the passage side) in 2020 after the first recalled part failed. This is my highway car so no real potholes in my area to worry about.
The Yukon was in the shop for 6 months over the two years I had the vehicle. The trans, torque converter, tires (after road force balancing), exhaust, and trans mounts were replaced with bo solution. Speaking with a engineer they stated the frame acted as a tuning fork. When the motor would shake while DOD was active and with the vibration from the suspension and road, the frame never settled. They actually changed body and engine mounts for all 2017 and up K2 vehicles to try to bandaid the issue. They refuse to install the new mounts on my vehicle. I traded it in with 26k miles. This is well documented and there’s multiple class action suits for this issue.
I take care of all of my vehicles. I keep low miles on all of them. The Saab was sold to a family membership with 70k and it now has over 170k without any reliability issues. You cant defend GM for their issues and dumb decisions past present or future.
My 99 Civic still has the factory control arms and bushings
Control arms are not a wear item, you clearly don’t know what you’re talking about, because I don’t even need to change my brake pads 3 times in 5 years, at 20k a year mind you
Fuel lines should not be made from corrosive material. Also the design was flawed. The sleeve that the line was wrapped in to protect the line from heat from the muffler captured water.
This problem is going to get worse as these cars get older. If you own one you should have a mechanic take a look or crawl under and look yourself if you are a do it yourselfer.
So, then, GM has to warranty all of their products forever. And you still would not be satisfied. Ya, my brake lines rusted on my ’03 Silverado and had to be replaced after only 297,000 trouble free miles in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan where snow and salt are an everyday thing. Now I’m off and running and I know I will hit 300.000 miles. I have no complaints.
My o4 only made 255k.. last 40k was with a 20 year old driver, burning rubber, hauling hay, and smart as a post
I had to pay for a fuel line replacement for my 2006 Cobalt because it leaked. I guess my year is too old for the investigation. GM did reimburse me for the ignition switch repair I had performed before that recall. It’s been a wonderful car otherwise.
I have never had fuel lines leak in any of my cars… the only fuel leak problem I ever had wasy 1996 Chevy Blazer that I bought in 2017 for winter driving but that wasn’t fuel lines it needed a gas tank! GM cars I have owned are in this order a 1997 Chevy Lumina, a 2001 Pontiac Grand Am GT, a 2002 Camaro Z28, a 2010 Chevy Equinox V6 ltz, a 1996 Chevy Blazer, a 2019 Buick enclave and a 2020 Chevy Equinox 2.0T Lt… the last two we still own and I have never ever had fuel lines leak… this should have been a recall years ago but like I said before this was old GM trying to cover $hit up.
My Chevy cobalt is 06 but it has no fuel lines problem rusting
I replaced the fuel line on my 2010 cobalt in 22.can I be compensated for this from GM?
So THAT’S why my 2008 Cobalt SS is smelling like gas lately . . . past couple of months smelling gas . . thought it might just be my imagination, but this is probably exactly what the issue is, could never spot a leak under the car but it’s probably very small and evaporating before it can puddle.
Look under the your driver’s side door close to the wheel well and smell check. If not there the evap box in front of the rear axle.
Thanks for the heads-up bud – will do.
On mine it was leaking from the top of the tank, never found the leak until it filled up the heat shield around the tank
Emmalyn, and for the rest of you who are still following this thread – I brought my car into the dealership to check out the fuel leak, and this was a “fuel pump leaking externally” issue and it was covered under warranty under what they call “special policy” – it did not cost me a dime, just had to wait a week for the fuel pump to show up.
So if you still have this issue it might be worth it to bring it in to your dealership – might be covered!
I’ll try that, though they said over the phone that my vin wasn’t covered, I already pulled the tank, and during an inspection of the pump one of the lines snapped off with a slight wiggle
It’s ridiculous that the whole assembly needs replaced because of plastic lines, when everything else about it still works
We must accept that our governing bodies that have been put in place to protect the consumer. Are indeed in business to protect the corporations. As soon as we as a people understand and are ready to make group economic choices. That will hold these companies accountable ourselves. This will be the outcomes.
I have a 2007 Chevrolet HHR and I had that problem before with the rear fuel line.
I have a 2008 Chevy Cobalt and the gas line started leaking back in April of this year. My mechanic said it was rusted and will cost $400 to replace. It has been sitting in my driveway until I can come up with the money for it. Thanks Chevy. I will never buy another car from you again.
Oh, I also need a drivers side control arm even though I only drove mostly highway miles with the car. My mechanic said that I could live without replacing it, but I want to. That will cost me another $400. Chevy…. My next car will be foreign.
Be prepared for 3x costs on wear items(brakes shocks struts) etc.for foreign Toyota is pretty good followed by honda- since you like to own them until they are classics. Avoid german cars( they are reliable for about 60k then they are $$$$$$ pits,
02 Silverado with 62,000 brake line blow under drivers seat. Truck was a Sunday driver that was washed regularly and didn’t see a lot of winter road salt. Dealer had to replace all my brake lines. When the lines blow I just came., off a big hill. Very lucky! Their should be a recall. Truck was garaged daily and been undercoated multiple times. Lines looked good until they didn’t.
We currently own 3 cobalt. Mine of course MINE I’ve had the smell of fuel for a year! So bad a cop stopped me thinking my car would catch fire. I concur with Todd I also keep going through control arm only on the left side. It’s been replaced every year. Keep in mind we own 3 okay, so one out of 3 being constant issues. The other 2 he drives hard all over the place highway side streets heck dirt roads 😒 never had a single issue. Chevy should own the fact that some manufacturer parts they are responsible for. Whatever happened on whatever assembly line is Chevy’s responsibility. I’m glad this finally came to light because I to thought that smelling that gas every time I opened my driver side door that I was losing my mind. Because by the next morning when he went outside he’s like I don’t smell anything… I wish they had sat there and actually reached out or had some news stories out saying hey if you have a problem please report to this place… That would have made them have an accurate account as to what actually happened to their cars and to the poor people who actually bought their cars. This is Chevy’s way of saying it took us 3 years for this investigation and even though yes we see a problem screw you and good luck. I’m sorry that’s not acceptable I work for a company, we have higher standards than that I’m very glad I don’t work for Chevy!
Tammy you’d think that you wouldn’t let a bad fuel smell go for an entire year and have the car looked at by a mechanic. If any one of my vehicles where smelling like gasoline and I could smell it then it would be at shop to what’s wrong with it. As far as control arms the colbat was a very cheaply made car the parts are not top notch
GM did not make the brake line, chances are the manufacturer is in China or is out of business.
Just replaced my fuel line in my 08 cobalt last fall. You just can’t buy a section they have to replace the whole line. Also what a surprise gm gets away from doing another recall. What about all the frame rot Colorado’s from 04 to 06? Toyota did a whole generation of Tacoma with no question ask but a 04 with less then 70000 miles had both rails snap. I wonder how much GM is kicking back to avoid doing any recalls? It seems like it takes for several deaths in order for one to get announced
I have a 2006 chevy hhr and I had problems with rear fuel leaks also!!
I own a 2010 Chevy her LT. And in 2022 my fuel lines rusted out by Dr. Door left. Side by the back door and by the gas tank’ and you say that is not dangerous , hummm! And also if you take it to a Chery dealer they scream at you to take your vehicle off their poperty ! Roseville
Mn. ! What kind of crap is that? Making a sugestion!!!! Recall it all Chevy and colbalts and replace metal fuel lines with rubber fuel lines! That would solve everyones headaches and fix the problems!
Alcohol fuels destroy rubber lines
There were no claims because when this happened there was no recall. I paid to have this replaced and when I did, the garage I took it to told me I was lucky the car didn’t blow up with me in it. Then a week later the replacement part had the same issues and they swapped it out for free. I was pregnant at the time so Chevy is pretty lucky I didn’t blow up because this would definitely be on the recall list then.
My last word on this .. fuel mixes have changed a bit since 2008, the quality of fuel you buy also affects the longevity of fuel system components.. E-15-E-85 are way more corrosive than e-10. Tanks are not a problem because most are plastic since 2002 or so
My cobalt has a fuel leak
I had to have my late model 2007 Cobalt’s fuel lines replaced a couple of years ago to the tune of $800. Now the dealer has had the car for the past 2 weeks for the fuel pump cracking issue. They can’t tell me when they can fix it and conveniently don’t offer loaner cars anymore.
I have a 2009 hhr and I have a gas leak. This is the second one on this car. Really ticked off. Will never buy another Chevy product again. With as many people that have this problem they should have recalled and fixed the problems.
I’m old and financially not able to pay for this.
People never do anything about bad calls by ntsb. If class action or private big money lawsuits start appearing it would be different. But since Chevy can do anything as the have government in their pocket… oh well…
Well I have a Chevy HHR 2011 model and mine is doing exactly the same thing.
So are we supposed to suck up and pay for new parts?