2008 Buick LaCrosse Fuel System Problems

WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 25-30 MPH THE ENGINE DIED, STEERING FAILED; I WAS ABLE TO COME TO A SAFE STOP. THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT START. IT HAD TO BE TOWED. LATER FOUND OUT THE IGNITION COIL WAS CRACKED (PART # 10472401) , IGNITION CONTROL MODULE REPLACED (PART # 19245558) & 15A FUSE WERE REPLACED. I HAD BEEN EXPERIENCING A GASOLINE SMELL IN THE VEHICLE FOR MONTHS. I HAD IT INTO A GM DEALER 3 TIMES FOR THE ISSUE WITHOUT RESOLUTION. I WAS TOLD BY THE REPAIR STATION THAT THEY WERE AMAZED THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT HAD NOT COME ON BEFORE THE FAILURE. APPARENTLY THE VEHICLE WAS ONLY FIRING ON 4 CYLINDERS. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 BUICK LACROSSE. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 65 MPH, THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE FUEL GAUGE DISPLAYED AN INCORRECT FUEL LEVEL EVEN THOUGH FUEL WAS IN THE FUEL TANK. THEN, THE ENGINE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE FAILED TO RESTART AND WAS TOWED TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHERE THEY ADVISED THAT THE FUEL TANK WAS EMPTY. THE TECHNICIAN DISPENSED ONE GALLON OF FUEL INTO THE FUEL TANK AND WAS UNABLE TO DETECT A PROBLEM. THE FAILURE HAD NOT YET RECURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 35,000. UPDATED 07/08/11*LJ UPDATED 07/18/11

THE FUEL LEVEL SENSOR LOCATED IN THE GAS TANK HAS FAILED THREE TIMES IN THE PAST THREE YEARS. EACH TIME THE DEALER HAS REPLACED THE FUEL LEVEL SENSOR. THIS HAS OCCURRED FIRST IN DEC. 2008 (7574 MILES), THEN NOV. 2009 (21145 MILES), AND NOW DEC. 2010 (37344 MILES). THE SERVICE TECH AT THE DEALERSHIP INFORMED ME THAT THIS PROBLEM IS FAIRLY COMMON (IN FACT, WHEN I TOOK THE CAR IN FOR REPAIR THIS TIME, THERE WAS A PONTIAC AZTEC WITH THE SAME PROBLEM BEING REPAIRED). THE TECH ALSO TOLD ME THAT THE CAUSE IS SULFUR IN THE GAS CAUSING THE SMALL WIRES IN THE SENSOR TO CORRODE AND EVENTUALLY BREAK. THE MODULE ERROR CODE ERROR IS P0463.