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Gas cap light... serviced 6 times

45K views 72 replies 23 participants last post by  Chevrolet Customer Svc 
#1 ·
I have a 2009 Malibu LT and the 2.4L Eco tech engine. It has 4600 miles on it and it keeps having the same reoccurring problem beginning at a little under 2000 miles. I have now had it in the shop 6 times including dropping it off at the shop today.

This is the problem: When I fill up and let my car sit overnight the check gas light comes on after having 2-3 miles on the tank. It doesn't happen if i continue to drive it right away. When i fill up at the station the tank shows full but when i get to my car in the morning it says that it is at 7/8 tank, after driving less than 0.9 miles home from the gas station. This light only stays on for a few miles and then it clears itself. This has happened probably ten or more times. This morning like always the gas cap light came on with a little over 2 miles on the tank. Today on my way home from work not only did the check gas cap light come on so did the check engine light for the first time. The check gas cap light cleared itself but the check engine light did not and it ended up at the dealership. This mid day occurrence of the check gas cap light was only the second time it has gone off more than once in a day.

I have taken it into the dealership for now what is the 6th time (it is there right now.) And they have done the following:

Time # 1 run diagnostics and fog the system; no leaks found
Time # 2 run diagnostics and fog the system; no leaks found
Time # 3 run diagnostics and fog the system and replaced gas cap for a pinhole leak
Time # 4 drop the gas tank and readjust the lever arm
Time # 5 drop the gas tank and replace the sensor
Time # 6 ?

Every time they give it back they keep it for an extra night to check and this problem doesn't happen before they give it back. When i get it back i top it off and let it sit over night and it happens exactly the way it always does. The dealership has replicated the problem multiple times when the car is in their possession.

So now according to Nebraska law my car is technically a lemon, i have filed a complaint with the BBB and GM we are trying to work this out. So far all GM has done is offer me a free year of oil changes and tire rotation on a car that they cannot fix. The dealership has done all they can do and from the last time and here out they just have to follow the guidance from GM over the phone.

Has anyone else had this problem? If so what did they do?
 
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#3 ·
Update... the dealership called today and said GM wants them to replace the entire gas tank we will see how that goes. They said Maude may have a hairline crack in the tank, but they have never had that on a new car.
 
#4 ·
If it comes on again scream "FACK YOU" (replace it with the real word) and it'll turn off.

That's what a Masshole with road rage would do!
 
#6 ·
It really isn't a major issue. At the worst you may be adding some additional gasoline vapors to the atmosphere. There are a number of places in the evaporative emissions system where a leak could occur. Years ago we just let the tanks vent into the atmosphere. Depending on how you top off the tank you may be getting enough gas into the tank that the expansion space at the top of the tank isn't large enough to handle the fluid's expansion thus causing a leak. What happens if you don't top off the tank?

Bill
 
#7 ·
As for parking it after it is filled up, it has been on a flat surface and it has also been on a slight incline, either way it goes off and the gas gauge drops.

The last time the gas light went off during the day and the check engine light came on as well. When the check engine light goes on my remote start doesn't work. My problem is it's a new car it should work. Someday down the road i'm not going to be able to sell my car because no one is going to buy it if i say "don't worry the gas light and check engine light, it might come on but it's been doing it since 1,960 miles."
 
#8 ·
When you top it off do you fill it up until the gas pump clicks, or do you keep pumping more and more gas in after it's clicked? If you're doing the latter STOP! That may be the problem.
 
#9 ·
I had almost essentially the EXACT same problem with my ex '08 Pontiac G6 GT coupe, starting the very first morning I had it, the day after picking it up. I drove a mile after it sat overnight and ding-ding-ding "Check Gas Cap" came up on the DIC. I thought it was just a randomly loose gas cap that time, but it eventually turned into 3 months of it happening every week, usually a full day or two after I filled up over the weekend and had then driven to work and back once, and in a few occasions I also had the smell of gas in the car--that was rare, however.

Mine, in total, occurred 17 times in 3 months and it was into the dealer either 3 or 4 times for it, along with a couple of other things that were ongoing. They tested it, it was okay, tested again, okay...kept happening and eventually I filed a BBB Autoline claim, started that process with GM, etc. requesting either a fix or an equivalent replacement, and eventually the "final repair attempt" was scheduled. Dropped the tank, replaced the sending unit & fuel pump, did more checking, and gave it back to me 3 days later. Ran just as it had before, and within a day or two the "Check Gas Cap" alert was back, along with a newly fluctuating gas gauge up and down randomly, and the Check Engine light randomly a few days later. From the start I videotaped & uploaded everything, sending it to my GM rep along with the other dealer, etc. docs, and always did an Onstar diagnostics call when it would come on, and a week after the repair when I confirmed it not only didn't work but things were worse, I was offered the trade buyback just as I had requested. In came then my '09 Malibu 2LT, now also gone for other reasons.

So, yeah, I've had the issue and with the same platform/family of cars, but rather the 3.5L and a G6. At the time my dealer actually told me they had one case a couple of years earlier with a lady's G6 and the same Check Engine light, and after a few unsuccessful attempts, GM said to swap out the sending unit and such--which fixed it. Didn't for mine, and only resulted in more problems. Still have no idea what might have been the problem as the car was repurchased, sent through the GM process and then resold at a dealer...but I continue to wonder. It was truly bizarre.
 
#11 ·
I have tried topping it off and not topping it off, either way it goes off. Also I usually use the same gas station or brand, but i'm not sure what the dealership uses but they have replicated the problem multiple times, so it's not me or anything i am doing.


They called me and think they have fixed it (crossing my fingers since they have said that 5 other times) but they replaced the gas tank and realized that the tank was molded wrong which was probably the reason the mass evap was going off. I should get my car back today, they said that the fuel gauge isn't dropping like it was, so I am hoping this is the solution, this whole dropping the car off at the dealership is getting old.
 
#13 ·
I just got back from driving the car on the normal morning route and no problems. As long as nothing else comes up I will talk to the corporate GM offices on Monday and come up with some kind of deal for what they are going to do for all the inconvenience they caused. Thank you all for your input and suggestions.
 
#14 ·
It's been a little over 2 weeks and the problem is back. I thought it was fixed and GM already installed a clear bra for "customer satisfaction." But now It's back in the shop for the 7th time, the BBB Lemon Law claim is in process hopefully they will just give me a replacement car pretty much at this point I don't want it back, the gas gauge is broken once again and check gas cap light went off.
 
#16 ·
Wow, this is making me feel great. I just got back from the dealer. They fixed the window that wouldn't roll down all the way (foam insualation shifted into the way), and ordered a clip for a recall on the shifter, but I forgot to mention that EVERY time I fill up the CHECK GAS CAP light comes on the following morning in almost the exact same spot 1.5 miles from home. If this is what I have to look forward to... :( Guess I better get the fuel pump replaced in my Buick. Looks like it may be getting driven more than I thought.
 
#17 ·
Hey closer9,

Could you tell me which plant and what month it was made? I am curious to find out because I have had mine in the shop 7 times (currently in). Since mine is a 1LT as well I want to see if there is a link. Also with both of us having the same problem it might help in dealing with GM.
 
#19 ·
They should be on the frame or the end of the drivers side door where the latch is (i can't remember if it is on the male or female part.) I told the dealership that I found someone with the same problem as me and he said that he had never heard of this problem before and I don't think GM has either at least on the Malibu's.
 
#21 ·
Mine was built at the Lake Orion plant but in 9/08. I went to the dealership to grab some stuff out of my car and it sounds like GM really has no intention of doing anything to fix my car.. at least not in the near future. Today marks day 22 in the shop and attempt number 7. It looks more and more everyday that they are just going to give up and possibly give me a replacement car. I have a Canyon right now and they said as long as I am happy with it I can keep it and they will call me if and when they find out anything.
 
#23 · (Edited)
It was provided by the dealership through Enterprise. I've had a Vibe, 08 Malibu, Canyon and they also gave me a 09 Silverado LTZ they ripped the sticker off of the truck and gave it to me for the long weekend it is now one of their loaners. When I take my car in they just give me a rental in exchange for my car so they can keep it for as long as they need, this is never a 1 day deal anymore.

I didn't know buying a Malibu entitled me to try out the whole GM lineup.
 
#25 ·
My gas gauge reads at 7/8 of a tank with less than 3 miles on the tank in the morning after fill ups. I know if that goes so will the check gas cap light. I told the service tech if i had to take my car in one more time he had to give me his Monte Carlo, I also told them they need to start taking me out to lunch since I was going there daily.

Watch your gas gauge in the morning and see if it's dropped when you start your start your car, within a few mile the check gas cap light should go off.

I have a routine for the dealership of exactly what I do and they replicate the problem every time when they let it sit for 8 or so hours.
 
#27 ·
Nebraska is 4 times.. I filed all of the paperwork with the BBB and the GM side of the BBB so I am just waiting to go through arbitration and see what they will do for me. I want a replacement vehicle because I will never get the deal that I got on this car the week the stock market crashed and they needed to sell 4 cars for end of month quota.

I wish it was that easy but they make you jump through so many hoops to see if you really want to do something about it.
 
#28 ·
Again, almost exactly what happened with me and my G6, all eventually just handled through a GM rep after the BBB Auto Line complaint because nothing was "in 3x for each" yet. The rep got daily/weekly video updates, reviews from the dealer, set up the final repair attempt, and when that stretched for 3 days and I got a car back with more lights and issues than it started with, it took all of 24 hours to get the call of "we've decided you've had far too many issues with so few miles and will offer you a trade repurchase towards ANY new GM vehicle". I never actually had to do much with BBB except the initial filing and one quick call with a rep there, otherwise it was all GM.

Not sure how things work now, if at all different, but with similar issues and similar results from dealer repairs, hopefully you can get the same. I, of course, got a new Malibu out of it and even though it didn't work out for me either, I love my G8 and will continue with GM vehicles. The rep who handled my G6 case, especially, only re-affirmed that. It happens, it sucks, and hopefully you can get it resolved properly.

Funny how no one still could ever figure out my gas tank, gas cap alarm, etc. issues, no matter what. At 17 times, it happened so much along with other things (like a horribly creaky, poppy, rattly roof) that it became comical--and my video logs of it all were such a help.
 
#29 ·
We called the dealership today and they said the next step is to replace the computer module on the fuel pump. Who knows if this will work, I feel like they are just shooting in the dark here on ideas. At some point they just have to give up and say they can't fix it and stop wasting their money and my time.
 
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