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NEWS:
U.S. probes gas gauges in 865,000 GM vehicles
DETROIT FREE PRESS -- April 29, 2011 The
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has opened an investigation into
whether nearly 1 million General Motors vehicles may have faulty gas gauges.
Consumers have reported
incidents of inaccurate and
random fuel level reading
while driving, resulting in
the vehicle running out of
fuel and causing vehicle
stall with no restart,
NHTSA investigators said in
their formal document
opening the probe.
GM spokesman ...said the
Detroit automaker planned to
work with NHTSA and was
cooperating in the
investigation.
The agency estimates 865,000
vehicles could be affected,
and NHTSA said it has
received 668 complaints
alleging inaccurate fuel
gauge reading while driving
in model year 2005-07
Chevrolet Trailblazer, GMC
Envoy, Buick Rainier, and
Saab 9-7x vehicles.
Of those complaints, 58
involved stalls, and 43 were
stalls where a driver
specifically reported that
it was because the fuel
level reading indicated more
fuel availability than what
is actually in the fuel
tank.
NHTSA said at least one
crash allegedly took place
when a vehicle ran out of
gas, when it stalled while
exiting the interstate,
became disabled, and was
struck from behind.
The safety agency said the
complaints they were
receiving showed an
apparent increasing trend
of the problem, with most
complaints received within
the past year.
What NHTSA terms a
preliminary evaluation has
been opened this week to
assess the scope, frequency
and potential safety
consequences associated with
the alleged defect.
NHTSA spokeswoman...told the
Free Press there is no set
timetable for how long the
initial phase of the
investigation could take.
She said government
officials would seek
information from GM and
ultimately decide whether to
elevate the investigation
into whats known as an
engineering analysis.
NHTSA spokeswoman declined
to provide more specific
details on the cases
involved.
GM spokesman ...said the
Detroit automaker had
received NHTSAs formal
notification document about
the preliminary probe, but
had not yet received
detailed questions from the
agency about the potential
gas gauge problem. He said
those would likely be sent
to GM by the government
within the next couple of
weeks.
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