Welcome to the Corvette Forums at the Corvette Action Center!

dealer issues with gas leak on my 2008..

mmorse

Active member
Joined
Apr 8, 2004
Messages
32
Location
So. Cal.
Corvette
'08 coupe, Z51, 3LT, NPP
I have a 2008 coupe that developed the gas smell some months ago. I let it go because the car is out of warranty and didn't really want to deal with the dealer. Finally, I decided to take it in after reading up on the issue on various forums. That was in Feb of this year. I told the service writer what I had learned online about 08s with this problem were almost always due to fuel pump in the left tank leaking. the writer just nodded nod said they would see. after a few days they said the car was done Nd ready to be picked up. they said it was not the pump but was the crossover pipe. I was surprised because that was an 04 issue and had been addressed by GM. but I had to accept their diagnosis. It cost me just shy of $1000 to get the crossover pipe fixed, most of it labor. the smell returned a couple weeks later when I filled up the car. I figured I would give a little time. But over the next couple of months the smell would return anytime the tank was over half full. I was going to live with it but my wife was on me to do something about it and I began to wonder if it would cause the cRe to fail an emissions test in CA. So I took it back and said the same problem was still there. after nearly two weeks they informed me the pump was leaking and needed to be replaced. ExACTLY what I told them in Feb! So now they want to charge me another $1100 to fix what they should have fixed the first time. I have only put 1000 miles on the car since Feb. Obviously, a leaking fuel pump was the problem from the start. Any advice on how to deal with the dealer? Bottom line is that they already have my money and did not fix the problem the first time. I'm willing to pay for the pump ($564) and a new sending unit ($120) but no labor charge. I also want them to deduct the $150 I paid them for the crossover pipe parts that were not the problem. Either that or give me back my money paid for the original botched repair and I will go elsewhere. any advice is appreciated.
 
You made a mistake of not going back to the dealer immediately upon smelling gas the second time.

Nevertheless, I'd take a look at the BAR's web site to see what recourse you may have with them.

I'd also write the dealer Service Manager a polite and respectful letter, explaining the problem and request that they make good on the first repair. In a legal sense this is the "demand letter" you have to proved you have written before you can sue in small claims court.

If the dealer doesn't respond, I'd follow with a second letter, this time, to the General Manager. once again demanding the dealer take action or you will file a small claims suite at such and such a time.

Good luck.
 
Hib, thanks for the reply. I talked to the dealer and we agreed I would pay for pump and sending unit but no labor. I think they should have refunded me the $150 I paid in Feb for parts that were erroneously replaced but I decided to let it go because I need my car back. These dealers need to realize that corvette owners love, eat and breathe their car. They should learn not to dismiss out of hand what many owners may suggest the problem is when they bring the car in to be fixed. This is the third time this has happened to me with vettes I've owned. Each time, what I said was the problem turned out to BE the problem. That is why I took so long to bring it back. I knew it was going to be yet another ordeal and really did not want to go through it again. In Feb, they told me the cost of a new pump was $380 and now they are saying its $564. That's quite a difference. GM parts Direct has it listed for $297 but I'm not sure it's the same part number. At this point, I just want my car back. BTW, I met you years ago at Jim Van Dorns shop in the desert. It was when you owned "Barney". I remember the unfortunate incident when you had that ZR1 on the Dyno. Hope all is well with you.
 
Glad you worked out a deal with that dealer.

On Barney...when the late Jim Van Dorn and I blew up the motor on K&N's dyno, we, later, found it was because of abuse which apparently took place before I bought the car.

The damage was repaired under warranty. As I recall it was a head, a liner and a piston which were damaged. GM decided to replace the head and all the liner/piston assays.

I still own the car but it's up for sale.
 
the late Jim Van Dorn? I haven't been in contact with him since right after he moved to Kentucky. what happened?
 
I have a 2008 coupe that developed the gas smell some months ago. I let it go because the car is out of warranty and didn't really want to deal with the dealer. Finally, I decided to take it in after reading up on the issue on various forums. That was in Feb of this year. I told the service writer what I had learned online about 08s with this problem were almost always due to fuel pump in the left tank leaking. the writer just nodded nod said they would see. after a few days they said the car was done Nd ready to be picked up. they said it was not the pump but was the crossover pipe. I was surprised because that was an 04 issue and had been addressed by GM. but I had to accept their diagnosis. It cost me just shy of $1000 to get the crossover pipe fixed, most of it labor. the smell returned a couple weeks later when I filled up the car. I figured I would give a little time. But over the next couple of months the smell would return anytime the tank was over half full. I was going to live with it but my wife was on me to do something about it and I began to wonder if it would cause the cRe to fail an emissions test in CA. So I took it back and said the same problem was still there. after nearly two weeks they informed me the pump was leaking and needed to be replaced. ExACTLY what I told them in Feb! So now they want to charge me another $1100 to fix what they should have fixed the first time. I have only put 1000 miles on the car since Feb. Obviously, a leaking fuel pump was the problem from the start. Any advice on how to deal with the dealer? Bottom line is that they already have my money and did not fix the problem the first time. I'm willing to pay for the pump ($564) and a new sending unit ($120) but no labor charge. I also want them to deduct the $150 I paid them for the crossover pipe parts that were not the problem. Either that or give me back my money paid for the original botched repair and I will go elsewhere. any advice is appreciated.



Most dealerships have at least a 12 month 12k warranty on their parts and labor, and since you paid for their diagnosis you should be fine. As Hib stated, get the service manager and possibly the GM involved if you need to. You can also call GM customer service, even though it was not a warranty claim and express your issues, remember it is their dealership that is involved, warranty claim or not. If none of this works you can try to get the DSM involved (Distric Service Manager) concerning a dispute with a dealership in his zone area. Good luck with it. :)
 
thanks LLC5. just got off the phone with them. I talked to them Wednesday and they told me the car would be done by today, possibly by yesterday. now they say they had a hard time getting the pump out. two days to get the pump out? remember, they said they removed the pump in February without issue to change the crossover pipe. now I'm thinking they never even looked at the pump and just assumed the crossover pipe was the problem. I told them in feb that over 90% of gas leak issues on 2008 models was a leaky fuel pump but they obviously ignored me. now they have had the car for two weeks and it still isn't fixed. let me ask you, is it necessary to remove the fuel pump from the tank to get to the crossover pipe? I've watched a couple of vids with the driver side tank removed but the tank still in it and the pipe looked like it was accessible. I'm thinking now that they totally screwed up the original repair and charged me $942 for it. BTW, I did get a year warranty on the first repair but they said it was only for a failure of the two parts in the crossover they changed out. Apparently the don't warranty their mistakes. I did get them to not charge labor the second go round but I had to pitch a fit before they would concede.
 
Last edited:
thanks LLC5. just got off the phone with them. I talked to them Wednesday and they told me the car would be done by today, possibly by yesterday. now they say they had a hard time getting the pump out. two days to get the pump out? remember, they said they removed the pump in February without issue to change the crossover pipe. now I'm thinking they never even looked at the pump and just assumed the crossover pipe was the problem. I told them in feb that over 90% of gas leak issues on 2008 models was a leaky fuel pump but they obviously ignored me. now they have had the car for two weeks and it still isn't fixed. let me ask you, is it necessary to remove the fuel pump from the tank to get to the crossover pipe? I've watched a couple of vids with the driver side tank removed but the tank still in it and the pipe looked like it was accessible. I'm thinking now that they totally screwed up the original repair and charged me $942 for it. BTW, I did get a year warranty on the first repair but they said it was only for a failure of the two parts in the crossover they changed out. Apparently the don't warranty their mistakes. I did get them to not charge labor the second go round but I had to pitch a fit before they would concede.


I don't think you have to remove the fuel pump to change the cross over pipe, but I have never personally done one. I agree with the dealership that they only warrant what they repair or work on, but part of the repair was also diagnosis which should also be covered. The diagnosis part is a gray area, but a quality dealership should honor it. If you still have problems, GM customer service is a toll free number that you could get a case number assigned to and possibly the DSM involved if needed.
 
Finally got the car back today. made two calls yesterday and they told me the mechanic was having a hard time getting the pump out. they wanted me to believe that he has spent two days trying to get the fuel pump out. I told them I told them two days to remove a fuel pump is not believable and then he finally said it would be ready by 10am today. then two hours later on Friday, somebody else called me and said the car was done. remember, they told me they took the same pump out without incident in February. now they had a problem. IMO, they did not touch the pump in February. when I went to pick the car up at the agreed price of $675 plus tax, the invoice said it was $850 plus tax. I fought off the instinct to go postal and told the agreed price is what I would pay. Then the good news. turns out a musician friend of mine works at the dealer. I didn't find this out until last night when I went to see one of his gigs. he grabbed my paper work, took 20% off the parts and zeroed out a pipe they broke when taking out the pump. out the door ended up costing me $582 thanks to my friend. Add the $942 I originally paid and it's close to what I would have paid had they done it right the first time. Just all the BS is fatiguing. and if I didn't challenge them, it would have cost me much more. it shouldn't work like that.
 

Corvette Forums

Not a member of the Corvette Action Center?  Join now!  It's free!

Help support the Corvette Action Center!

Supporting Vendors

Dealers:

MacMulkin Chevrolet - The Second Largest Corvette Dealer in the Country!

Advertise with the Corvette Action Center!

Double Your Chances!

Our Partners

Back
Top Bottom