NHTSA recall 12V388000
A recall listed here may apply to a vehicle of this year, make and model. Only the manufacturer can say whether it applies to one vehicle: check the VIN with the official lookups.
| Published by | NHTSA (United States) |
|---|---|
| Campaign number | 12V388000 |
| Manufacturer's number | 12166 |
| Manufacturer | GENERAL MOTORS LLC |
| Reported | 2012-08-08 |
| Owners notified | 2012-10-01 |
| Component | FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY:FILLER PIPE AND CAP |
| Units potentially affected | 9389 |
What is wrong
General Motors (GM) is recalling certain model year 2003-2004 Chevrolet Express and GMC Savana vehicles, equipped with a left side cargo door, and originally sold or currently registered in Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and the District of Columbia. Water and road contaminants may become trapped in the protective conduit that covers the fuel filler pipe and may cause the pipe to corrode.
What can happen
Significant corrosion may allow fuel to leak during refueling, and in the presence of an ignition source; there is an increased risk of fire.
The remedy
GM will notify owners, and dealers will install a new fuel filler neck, free of charge. The safety recall began on October 1, 2012. Owners may contact the Chevrolet owner center at 1-866-694-6546 and GMC at 1-866-996-9463.
Notes
GM's campaign number is 12166.Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY: 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.safercar.gov.
| 2003 CHEVROLET EXPRESS | Built 2003-04-09 to 2003-06-19. |
|---|---|
| 2004 CHEVROLET EXPRESS | Built 2003-05-20 to 2004-06-21. |
| 2003 GMC SAVANA | Built 2002-04-09 to 2003-06-19. |
| 2004 GMC SAVANA | Built 2003-05-14 to 2003-06-24. |
A vehicle with no link is not in this site's catalog, which covers cars, multipurpose vehicles and trucks by model year. The campaign is from data as of 2026-10-19.
Investigated as PE11040
This recall followed 1 NHTSA investigation. An investigation is NHTSA looking into a possible defect. It is not a finding that a defect exists, and it does not say that any one vehicle is affected.
| PE11040 | Preliminary evaluation, opened 2011-12-14, closed 2012-08-16. Fuel Filler Pipe Corrosion/Leakage. FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY; FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:HOSES, LINES/PIPING, AND FITTINGS; FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE. |
|---|
From NHTSA's investigation file, as of 2026-10-19. The JSON has NHTSA's summary of each.
Bulletins for the same vehicles and component
| PIT4943D | 2017-08-15. Service bulletin. This Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician about vehicles that have a Service Engine Soon Malfunction Indicator Lamp. Technician may find Diagnostic Trouble Code P0442. Technician will need to review Techlink article from May 2013 titled "Using the Evaporative Emissions System Tester" Technician will need to follow these steps to help diagnose the issue. First after the P0442 has been verified do not disturb any of the fuel system components. The technician now can use the scan tool to close the Evaporative Emissions System. If possible change the tank pressure sensor units from inch_H2O to milimeter_Hg for better resolution. Now the vehicle can be stared to monitor the tank pressure sensor output value for approximately two minutes. If the tank pressure sensor value does change, pressurize the fuel tank side of the purge solenoid with the GE 41413-A / J 41413-A and the necessary adaptors. Now add smoke and allow pressure to stabilize for 2 minutes. If smoke is allowed to pass through the purge solenoid, replace the purge solenoid. If the tank pressure sensor value does not change, then install CH-48096 adaptor between the purge line from the canister and the purge solenoid. With the Evaporative Emissions System closed, pressurize the system through the CH-48096 adaptor and allow the system to completely stabilize, by observing the Press / Vac Gauge for a minimum of 5 minutes. Now add smoke to the system with GE 41413-A / J 41413-A after system stabilization. Now inspect the purge solenoid, engine side, fuel cap, canister vent solenoid filter and any line quick connects. When the leak is unable to be located, test under a vacuum condition. his type of leak may be detected by using the scan tool Purge/Seal function to create a vacuum in the Evaporative Emissions System and then observe the FTP sensor parameter for vacuum decay. |
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| G-12167 | 2016-10-12. Service bulletin. 12167 - SPECIAL COVERAGE. WATER AND ROAD CONTAMINATES MAY BECOME TRAPPED IN THE PROTECTIVE CONDUIT THAT COVERS THE FUEL FILLER PIPE AND MAY CAUSE THE PIPE TO CORRODE. IF THE CORROSION CREATES A PERFORATION IN THE PIPE, THE PRESENCE OF FUEL ODOR MAY BE OBSERVED AND, ON SOME VEHICLES, A CHECK ENGINE LIGHT MAY ILLUMINATE. AS THE SIZE OF A FILLER PIPE PERFORATION INCREASES, FUEL MAY LEAK ONTO THE GROUND WHILE REFUELING THE VEHICLE. IF THE CONDITION OCCURS WITHIN THE TERMS OF THE SPECIAL COVERAGE, DEALERS ARE TO INSTALL A NEW FUEL FILLER PIPE. |
| SB-12167 | 2016-04-26. Service bulletin. SUMMARY TO BE PROVIDED ON A FUTURE DATE. |
| SB-12167-A | 2016-03-16. Service bulletin. SUMMARY TO BE PROVIDED ON A FUTURE DATE. |
| SB-12167 | 2013-02-13. Service bulletin. CHEVROLET/GMC: SEE DOCUMENT SEARCH BUTTON FOR OWNER LETTER. ON SOME TRUCKS, PIPE MAY CORRODE DUE TO ROAD CONTAMINATES AND WATER BECOMING RAPPED IN PROTECTIVE CONDUIT COVERING FUEL FILLER PIPE AND PRESENCE OF FUEL ODOR MIGHT BE OBSERVED DUE TO POSSIBLE PERFORATION IN PIPE. MODELS 2003-2004 SAVANA, EXPRESS. *PE |
| SB-11359 | 2012-06-18. Service bulletin. GM: SEE DOCUMENT SEARCH BUTTON FOR OWNER LETTER. SPECIAL COVERAGE ADJUSTMENT- FUEL FILLER NECK CORROSION. WATER AND ROAD CONTAMINATES MAY BECOME TRAPPED IN THE PROTECTIVE CONDUIT THAT COVERS THE FUEL FILLER PIPE AND MAY CAUSE THE PIPE TO CORRODE. THE PRESENCE OF FUEL ODOR MAY BE OBSERVED AND, ON SOME VEHICLES, A CHECK ENGINE LIGHT MAY ILLUMINATE. *JS |
| 3110 | 2004-11-04. Service bulletin. ERRATIC OIL PRESSURE WITH DIAGNOSTIC TROUBLE CODE'S P0522 AND/OR P0523. *SC |
| 10152002 | 2004-10-01. Service bulletin. FUEL FILL DIFFICULTIES, PREMATURE SHUTOFF OF THE FUEL NOZZLE. *TT |
| 010903 | 2004-02-03. Service bulletin. FUEL FILL DIFFICULTIES, PREMATURE SHUTOFF OF THE FUEL FILL NOZZLE. GM VOICEMAIL EXPRESS. *TT |
A bulletin is the manufacturer's note to its dealers. It is not part of this recall.