Fuel system, gasoline: storage: tank assembly
- Component
- Fuel system, gasoline: storage: tank assembly
- Manufacturer
- HYUNDAI CARIBBEAN-PUERTO RICO
- Vehicles affected
- 751
- Reported to NHTSA
- 2000-12-18
- Owners notified
- 2001-03-08
Defect description
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: ACCENT MODEL VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH 1.5 DOHC ENGINES. THE EVAPORATIVE EMISSION CONTROL SYSTEMS MAY APPLY EXCESSIVE VACUUM TO THE FUEL TANKS DURING THE CANISTER PURGE CYCLE. MINOR FUEL TANK DISTORTION COULD RESULT. A SMALL CRACK COULD DEVELOP ON THE UPPER FUEL TANK SURFACE. THE "CHECK ENGINE" LIGHT WOULD THEN ILLUMINATE AND, IN SOME CASES, THE VEHICLE DRIVER COULD NOTICE A GASOLINE ODOR.
Safety risk
FUEL LEAKAGE IN THE PRESENCE OF AN IGNITION SOURCE CAN RESULT IN A FIRE.
Manufacturer remedy
DEALERS WILL PRESSURE CHECK THE VEHICLE'S FUEL TANK TO DETERMINE IF IT HAS CRACKED. IF IT IS CRACKED, A NEW FUEL TANK WILL BE INSTALLED. A NEW FUEL FILLER CAP THAT DECREASES THE AMOUNT OF VACUUM INSIDE THE FUEL TANK WILL ALSO BE INSTALLED. NOTE: THE 1997-1998 SONATA FUEL TANKS HAVE ALSO EXPERIENCED CRACKING. HOWEVER, AT THIS TIME, THE CAUSE FOR THE CRACKING HAS NOT BEEN IDENTIFIED. THIS PORTION OF THE CAMPAIGN WILL BEGIN AFTER HYUNDAI HAS DETERMINED THE CAUSE AND CORRECTIVE PROCEDURE.