2003 Mitsubishi Outlander Fuel System Problems

HEAVY SMELL OF GASOLINE WHEN FUEL TANK IS FILLED. FILL GARAGE WITH FUMES. CHECK ENGINE LIGHT IS ON. IF FILLED TO A HALF TANK OR SO, NO INDICATION OF FUEL SMELL. DOES NOT APPEAR TO BE LEAKING. I HAD AN ASE CERTIFIED MECHANIC LOOK AT IT AND THE FUEL TANK AS WELL AS FILLER NOZZLE ARE DETERIORATED. I CALLED MITSUBISHI MOTORS NORTH AMERICA AND THEY ACTED AS IF THIS WAS THE FIRST TIME THEY EVER HEARD OF THIS PROBLEM. I CALLED MULTIPLE DEALERS, AND ALL HAVE EXPERIENCED THE SAME PROBLEM WITH THEIR CUSTOMERS. THE INTER-NET IS FULL OF SIMILAR COMPLAINTS ON 2003 TO 2006 OUTLANDERS. I HAVE HAD A RECALL FOR THE FRONT END BECAUSE OF EXCESSIVE RUST MAKING IT UNSAFE TO DRIVE. I DO NOT THINK THIS IS A NORMAL WEAR AND TEAR WITH THE FUEL TANK. MITSUBISHI SHOULD ACKNOWLEDGE THIS PROBLEM AND CORRECT IT FOR THEIR CUSTOMERS. I AM THE ORIGINAL OWNER. THE CAR IS ALWAYS GARAGED WHEN NOT BEING DRIVEN.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 MITSUBISHI OUTLANDER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 55 MPH, THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED CONTINUOUSLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE MUFFLER AND THE FUEL TANK NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 152,000.

THE VEHICLE IS WAS PURCHASED USED WITH NO CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ON AT THE TIME OF PURCHASE. AFTER DRIVING FOR A WEEK THE LIGHT CAME ON AND THERE WAS A STRONG FUEL SMELL AFTER FILLING THE GAS TANK. A DIAGNOSIS CHECK WAS DONE AND IT WAS FOUND THERE IS AN ISSUE WITH THE FUEL TANK. IT WAS BROUGHT TO THE DEALERSHIP AND FOUND THAT THERE IS A HOLE IN THE TOP OF THE GAS TANK CAUSING FUMES TO LEAK. THE TANK CANNOT GO BELOW A QUARTER TANK OR THE ENGINE WILL SHUT OFF AS WELL. AFTER RESEARCHING THROUGH THE INTERNET IT WAS FOUND THAT THIS IS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM WITH THE VEHICLE. MITSUBISHI WAS CONTACTED TO FIND OUT IF THERE WAS A RECALL TO FIND OUT THERE WAS NOT, THEY ALSO DID NOT ASSIST IN ANY WAY TO MAKE THIS ISSUE ANY BETTER. DEALERSHIP WOULD CHARGE $1700.00 TO REPLACE TANK.

OVER THE LAST 4-6 MONTHS I NOTICED A GASOLINE ODOR AFTER FILLING THE GAS TANK (AFFECTED PART). THE GAS ODOR HAS GOTTEN SIGNIFICANTLY STRONGER OUTSIDE AND INSIDE THE VEHICLE EACH MONTH. IF I FILL THE GAS TANK TODAY THERE IS AN EXTREME GAS ODOR/FUME THAT IS LEAKING FROM THE GAS TANK. AS THE GAS TANK EMPTIES THE ODOR DECREASES. THERE ISN'T A GAS LIQUID LEAKAGE THAT YOU WOULD SEE ON THE GROUND, BUT A FLUME LEAKAGE THAT FILLS THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT AND SURROUNDS THE OUTSIDE REAR AREA OF THE VEHICLE. I THINK IF THERE WAS SPARK, OPEN FLAME, REAR END COLLISION, OR IF THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED IN DIRECT SUN LIGHT A COMBUSTIBLE FIRE/EXPLOSION COULD OCCUR. THIS AN EXTREMELY DANGEROUS AND UNSAFE CONDITION. I HAVE BROUGHT THIS PROBLEM TO THE ATTENTION OF THE DEALER AND THEY HAVE RECEIVED MULTIPLE COMPLAINTS FROM CUSTOMERS OWNING 2003 AND NEWER MITSUBISHI MODEL YEARS, WITH THE SAME PROBLEM. THE SOLUTION IS TO REPLACE THE GAS TANK AT AN ESTIMATED COST OF $1500. THEY SAID THERE SHOULD BE RECALL FOR SOMETHING AS DANGEROUS AND LIFE THREATENING AS THIS BUT THERE ISN'T. THE OUTCOME COULD BE SIMILAR TO THE FORD PINTO GAS TANK DEFECT THAT CAUSED THE INJURY AND DEATH OF MANY PEOPLE BEFORE A RECALL WAS ISSUED NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION. *JS

THERE IS A ROTTEN EGG SMELL, ALL THE TIME. I'VE TAKEN IT IN TO THE DEALER 3 PLUS TIMES, AND EACH TIME THEY TELL ME THERE IS NOTHING WRONG, AND THAT I AM USING CHEAP GAS. THEY SUGGUESTED CHANGING GAS STATIONS. IT STILL SMELLS NO MATTER WHERE I GET THE GAS.*AK