NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation
Engineering Analysis EA07-006: FUEL TANK LEAKAGE
- Closed
NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation opened Engineering Analysis EA07-006 on April 18, 2007, the day it closed Recall Query RQ06-009, whose summary cites it, and closed it on September 13, 2007. NHTSA's investigations file lists the Buick Rendezvous and Pontiac Aztek for it and links recall 07V-349 to it.
Updated daily from NHTSA's investigations file
Key facts
- NHTSA number
- EA07-006 (also written EA07006)
- Investigation type
- Engineering Analysis A more detailed stage of a defect investigation, opened when NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation decides an issue merits further review, often after a Preliminary Evaluation or a Recall Query; it can include vehicle testing, surveys and further information requests.
- Status
- Closed September 13, 2007
- Opened
- Closed
- Vehicle or equipment manufacturer
- General Motors, LLC
- Components
- Fuel System, Gasoline; Fuel System, Gasoline — Delivery — Hoses, Lines/Piping, and Fittings; Fuel System, Gasoline — Storage; Fuel System, Gasoline — Storage — Tank Assembly; Fuel System, Gasoline — Storage — Tank Assembly — Filler Pipe and Cap
- Recall linked by NHTSA
- 07V-349: FUEL TANK INLET CHECK VALVE WELD, reported
- Vehicles and equipment
- Buick Rendezvous and Pontiac Aztek
NHTSA's summary
As NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation wrote it for Engineering Analysis EA07-006.
GM IS RECALLING (NHTSA RECALL NO. 07V-349) CERTAIN MODEL YEAR (MY) 2002-2004 BUICK RENDEZVOUS, CHEVROLET VENTURE (REGULAR WHEELBASE) AND 2001-2004 PONTIAC AZTEK AND MONTANA (REGULAR WHEELBASE) VEHICLES TO REPLACE FUEL TANKS AND CORRECT A DEFECT THAT MAY ALLOW FUEL LEAKAGE.THE VEHICLE RECALL POPULATION IS RENDEZVOUS AND AZTEK VEHICLES BUILT IN MAY 2003, VENTURE AND MONTANA VEHICLE BUILT IN JUNE THROUGH AUGUST 2002 AND CERTAIN SAME MODEL VEHICLES REGISTERED IN NEVADA, ARIZONA, VIRGIN ISLANDS, PUERTO RICO AND HAWAII THAT WERE BUILT THROUGH NOV/DEC 2003 (DEPENDING ON MODEL).
THE TOTAL NUMBER OF VEHICLES RECALLED IS 20,594 (INCLUDES 15,196 SUBJECT AZTEK AND RENDEZVOUS VEHICLES). IN ADDITION TO THE RECALL, GM WILL EXTEND THE WARRANTY ON MY 2002-2004 RENDEZVOUS AND REGULAR WHEEL BASE VENTURE VANS AND MY 2001-2004 AZTEK AND REGULAR WHEELBASE MONTANA VANS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL TO PROVIDE WARRANTY COVERAGE FOR A PERIOD OF 10 YEARS OR 150,000 MILES, WHICHEVER OCCURS FIRST.GM WILL BEGIN NOTIFYING OWNERS IN DECEMBER 2007.
GM REPORTS THAT THE FUEL INLET PIPE CONTAINING THE INLET CHECK VALVE (ICV) MAY FRACTURE AND ALLOW FUEL VAPORS OR FUEL TO LEAK OUT.GM DATA REVEALED THAT ELEVATED AMBIENT TEMPERATURES, HIGHER CARBON CONTENT IN THE ICV AND VARIATION IN THE MANUFACTURING PROCESS WERE THE CONTRIBUTING FACTORS FOR POTENTIAL CRACKS IN THE ICV.BEGINNING DECEMBER 2003, GM BUILT VEHICLES WITH A REDESIGNED FUEL TANK/ICV.SUBJECT VEHICLES NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL OR EXTENDED WARRANTY DID NOT SHOW A FAILURE TREND SIMILAR TO THE ABOVE VEHICLES..FOR ADDITIONAL DETAILS, SEE RECALL 07V-349.
THIS INVESTIGATION IS CLOSED.
Vehicles and equipment listed for this investigation
NHTSA's investigations file lists these vehicles and equipment for Engineering Analysis EA07-006. A listed model year means only that an investigation names it; it says nothing about any particular vehicle. Model years with a try.vin recall page link to that page's NHTSA investigations section.
Buick
All Buick recallsPontiac
All Pontiac recallsWhat an NHTSA investigation is
NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) looks into possible safety defects in vehicles and equipment, often after owner complaints. An investigation usually starts as a Preliminary Evaluation, or as a Recall Query when it concerns whether an existing recall covers the right vehicles or fixes the problem, and ODI can upgrade it to a more detailed Engineering Analysis. A Defect Petition asks NHTSA to open an investigation, and Audit and Equipment Queries are administrative investigations into whether companies complied with federal vehicle safety requirements, such as reporting, recall and certification rules.
An open investigation is not a finding that a safety defect exists, and NHTSA can close one without a recall.
To see whether a specific vehicle has an open recall, enter its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Free VIN check: decode a VIN to see its year, make and model.
Sources
NHTSA's investigation record for EA07-006
Investigation details come from NHTSA's investigations file, which try.vin imports once a day. The investigation types are described from the U.S. Department of Transportation Inspector General's May 2023 report on NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation, NHTSA's petition rules (49 CFR Parts 552 and 557) and NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation procedures. How try.vin reads NHTSA investigations.