While driving home a 2005 Chevy Cobalt, we ran over a small rock that had fallen from a truck in front of us ( about 8" in diameter). We heard a banging and tearing noise, then the engine went dead. After several attempts to restart, we exited the Cobalt to find fuel gushing from underneath the vehicle. We had our 3 children make a run for it, grabbed our possessions, followed the kids, and called the fire department from a safe distance. Fortunately we, (and other motorists) were not injured. In 25 years of driving, we had never seen anything like this. The firemen on the scene said they had never seen a small rock tear open a fuel tank at that slow a speed before. The sheriff echoed their comments, along with the fact he had never seen a fuel tank like that before, particularly the fact that it did not have a bladder. I'm not well versed in auto mechanics. I'm just happy my family is alive. Take this as a warning - perhaps the protective measures Chevy took for the fuel tank in a rear collision left it vulnerable in other areas. I don't think this is the first and last time this will happen, and hopefully a recall will take place before someone dies from this flaw.

- Evergreen, CO, USA