{"source":"NHTSA vehicle owner complaint","officialApiUrl":"https://api.nhtsa.gov/complaints/odinumber?odinumber=11353843","retrievedAt":"2026-11-05T07:15:44.538Z","count":1,"results":[{"odiNumber":11353843,"manufacturer":"Chrysler (FCA US, LLC)","crash":false,"fire":false,"numberOfInjuries":0,"numberOfDeaths":0,"dateOfIncident":"08/18/2020","dateComplaintFiled":"09/08/2020","vin":"ZARFANBN4K7","components":"FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM","summary":"(VEHICLE IS 2019 WITH 7404 MILES RECORDED ON DATE OF INCIDENT).  MORNING OF 18TH AUG 2020. THE CAR SAT OVERNIGHT SO WAS 'COLD' WHEN I STARTED IT. I IMMEDIATELY SELECTED REVERSE AND BEGAN BACKING UP (EXACT SPEED UNKNOWN, BUT 'SLOW'). APPROX 10 SECS AFTER STARTING THE ENGINE THE VERY STRONG ODOR OF GASOLINE ENTERED THE COCKPIT - I IMMEDIATELY SHUT OFF THE ENGINE.  EXITING THE VEHICLE I COULD SEE A TRAIL OF FLUID 10 FT LONG ON THE CONCRETE DRIVEWAY AND THE SCENT IDENTIFIED IT AS GASOLINE.  I LIFTED THE HOOD & GASOLINE WAS ALL OVER THE TOP OF THE ENGINE AND DRIPPING DOWN OFF THE UNDERSIDE OF THE HOOD. LOOKING CLOSER I COULD SEE POOLS OF GAS HAD COLLECTED ANYWHERE THERE WAS A DEPRESSION IN WHICH LIQUID COULD COLLECT ON & AROUND THE ENGINE.  SEVERAL LITERS OF GASOLINE HAD BEEN EJECTED OVER THE ENGINE.  CAR WAS TOWED TO THE NEAREST ALFA SERVICE DEALERSHIP (GOLLING, BLOOMFIELD HILLS).  THE DEALERSHIP REPLACED A BROKEN/SPLIT FUEL HOSE ON THE PASSENGER SIDE OF THE ENGINE UNDER WARRANTY. THEY VERBALLY TOLD ME THE PART WAS SENT TO ALFA CORPORATE AND I SHOULD CONTACT THEM TO FOLLOW THE INVESTIGATION.  I CONTACTED ALFA CORPORATE AND THROUGH EMAIL EXCHANGES, DISCOVERED THAT ALFA CORPORATE WILL NOT BE INVESTIGATING THIS SAFETY ISSUE AT ALL.  I ATTACH ALL THE EMAIL CORRESPONDENCE BELOW.  MY VERY SERIOUS CONCERN IS THAT THE DEALERSHIP VERBALLY SAID THEY HAD NO IDEA HOW THIS COULD HAVE HAPPENED - \"MAYBE A WEAK SPOT\" - BUT ALFA CORPORATE WOULD INVESTIGATE. AT THAT POINT I WAS SATISFIED.  THEN SEVERAL DAYS LATER ALFA CORPORATE INFORMED ME THAT THE DEALERSHIP GUESS OF \"MAYBE A WEAK SPOT\" WOULD BE THE OFFICIAL CONCLUSION AND END OF THE INVESTIGATION.  I MENTION IT SEVERAL TIMES IN MY (ATTACHED) EMAILS BUT IT IS OBVIOUS THAT I AVOIDED BEING IN A MOVING FIREBALL BY ONLY MINUTES AND MAYBE LUCK.  AN INVESTIGATION BY AN ENGINEER IS THE MINIMUM I WOULD EXPECT FROM ALFA CORPORATE.*DT*DT*JB*DT*JB*AS","products":[{"type":"Vehicle","productYear":"2019","productMake":"ALFA ROMEO","productModel":"GIULIA","manufacturer":"Chrysler (FCA US, LLC)"}]}]}