After arriving at my destination at 9pm as i exited truck , i smelled deisel fuel. took a flashlight and looked under truck and saw diesel dripping off frame rail on drivers side of vehicle. i spent the next 5 hours affecting a temporary fix on the metal fuel line to stop the leak overnight. as i ran my thumb along the fuel line in an effort to isolate the exact spot of the leak, the leak went from a drip, drip, etc to a pinhole stream. there was absolutely no dent from external contact of any kind. i am the original owner of this vehicle. it has been well maintained and we do not live in an area of much winter weather ( salt corrosion ). the next day after a 3 mile walk to purchase some hose repair clamps, i improvised a sturdy patch which allowed me to drive the vehicle home more than 2 hours away. i have contacted chevrolet and will be taking the truck to a dealer monday 7/24. the rep i spoke with at chevy spent most of the conversation telling me that because of the age and mileage of the vehicle that the repairs were my responsibility. that's fine but i totally disagree with them. this is not a maintenance issue. it is a defective or poorly designed part that could easily result in fire, accidents and even bodily harm or the loss of life. there is absolutely no excuse for a leaking metal fuel line that has never been damaged in any way at all. from the internet forums for duramax owners i see that this is not an uncommon problem. i assure there are many less than safe improvised fixes on these lousy fuel lines on the roads as we speak because gm is not accepting responsibility for this problem. this is shameful and incredibly dangerous. i also understand there have been issues with the metal brake lines as well. i like my truck a great deal, however this issue needs to be resolved. there are alot unsuspecting folks driving around dangerously. thanks
As i was driving at 75 mph, the indicator light said, engine overheated. i then noticed white smoke coming from the hood. the white smoke turned black. i pulled over to the side of the road and before i could shut the engine off, the engine shut off on its own. fire began coming up where the windshield wipers are located and proceeded through the dashboard. i tried to unlatch my seat belt but it would not release. after several tries it released. i attempted to open the door; however, i had the same problem. the door did not open. after bumping the door forcibly many times, it also came open. mind you, all the while the flames are coming inside the cab. i called 911 and the county fire department was dispatched, but not before it was fully engulfed in flames. the vehicle was well maintained. i want to know what steps to take to prevent this from ever happening again?