Recalls
| Campaign | Manufacturer | Manufacturing date | Type | # of units affected | Date Owner notified Mfg | Recall Initiated by | Manufacturers of recalled vehicles/products | Report Recieved Date | Record Creation Date | Regulation Part Number | FMVSS Number | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE - DELIVERY - FUEL PUMP | ||||||||||||||||
| 09V468000 | SUBARU OF AMERICA, INC. | from 09/22/2000 to 09/12/2002 | V (Vehicle) | 5724 | 12/31/2009 | ODI | SUBARU OF AMERICA, INC. | 12/04/2009 | 12/04/2009 | |||||||
| Defect Summary | Subaru is recalling certain model year 2002 and 2003 impreza wrx vehicles originally sold in or currently registered in the states of south dakota, nebraska, north dakota, minnesota, idaho, iowa, montana, colorado, wisconsin, new york, wyoming, michigan, alaska, new hampshire, vermont, and maine. during cold starts, typically under extremely cold temperatures, fuel leaks in the fuel delivery line could occur where the line connects with a rubber hose. | |||||||||||||||
| Consequence Summary | Fuel leaks, in the presence of an ignition source, could result in a fire. | |||||||||||||||
| Corrective Summary | Dealers will replace the fuel line free of charge. the recall began on december 31, 2009. owners may contact subaru at 1-800-782-2783. | |||||||||||||||
| Notes | Subaru recall no. wvk-21.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 http://www.safercar.gov . | |||||||||||||||
Bulletins
| Bulletin | Bulletin date | Replacement Bulletin | Item no. | Summary | Added |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FUEL SYSTEM, OTHER | |||||
| 11012004 | 11/01/2004 | 10014461 | Fuel odor in cold weather. *eh | 05/03/2005 | |
Investigations
| NHTSA ID | Manufacturer | Date open | Date close | Subject | Recall campaign | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE | ||||||
| PE09017 | SUBARU OF AMERICA, INC. | 03/10/2009 | 07/02/2009 | FUEL LINE LEAK | ||
| Complainants report fuel leakage most frequently in winter during initial cold engine startup.owners will either notice a fuel odor inside the occupant compartment or fuel odor/leakage at the fuel lines on the right side atop the engine. once the engine has warmed, the odor/leakage may cease.subaru revised the fuel pipe/hose design for model year (my) 2003-04 wrx vehicles produced after august 2003.subaru also introduced a my 2004 impreza sti vehicle with a different engine and fuel pipe/hose layout.out of the total of 994 complaints, 944 concern my 2002-03 wrx vehicles built through august 2003.subaru also reports one fire on a my 2002 wrx vehicle that occurred in february 2006.in march 2009, odi inspected and video taped a my 2002 wrx vehicle with a fuel leak during cold engine start up.the video was provided to subaru and is in the investigation file. this investigation is being upgraded to an engineering analysis (ea09-011) to further study this issue. | ||||||
| PE04002 | SUBARU OF AMERICA, INC. | 01/07/2004 | 05/27/2004 | FUEL LINE LEAKAGE IN ENGINE COMPARTMENT | ||
| Subaru reports that the fuel odor is caused by fuel seepage during cold start of the engine under extremely cold temperatures. the leak occurs in a fuel line in the engine compartment.it reports that the failure is due to the misaligned angle between two fuel delivery lines which resulted in such fuel seepage during the first few seconds of cold engine start during these cold temperatures.subaru reports that the two fuel lines are connected with a hose that becomes too stiff in very cold temperatures to conform to the misalignment. subaru has issued a technical service bulletin (subaru service bulletin number 09-36-03) to replace the fuel lines with new lines that are properly aligned and that have a longer connecting hose.odi phone calls to many of the complainants confirm that fuel odor is noticable during very cold temperatures and cold start but goes away as the engine warms up, and the odor is not present in warmer temperatures. a few owners report that attempts to eliminate the leakage by tightening the connecting hose clamps is not effective in eliminating the fuel odor.a safety-related defect has not been identified at this time and further use of agency resources does not appear to be warranted.accordingly, this investigation is closed.the closing of this investigation does not constitute a finding by nhtsa that a safety-related defect does not exist.the agency will monitor this issue and reserves the right to take further action if warranted by the circumstances. | ||||||
| FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE - CARBURETOR SYSTEM | ||||||
| PE09017 | SUBARU OF AMERICA, INC. | 03/10/2009 | 07/02/2009 | FUEL LINE LEAK | ||
| Complainants report fuel leakage most frequently in winter during initial cold engine startup.owners will either notice a fuel odor inside the occupant compartment or fuel odor/leakage at the fuel lines on the right side atop the engine. once the engine has warmed, the odor/leakage may cease.subaru revised the fuel pipe/hose design for model year (my) 2003-04 wrx vehicles produced after august 2003.subaru also introduced a my 2004 impreza sti vehicle with a different engine and fuel pipe/hose layout.out of the total of 994 complaints, 944 concern my 2002-03 wrx vehicles built through august 2003.subaru also reports one fire on a my 2002 wrx vehicle that occurred in february 2006.in march 2009, odi inspected and video taped a my 2002 wrx vehicle with a fuel leak during cold engine start up.the video was provided to subaru and is in the investigation file. this investigation is being upgraded to an engineering analysis (ea09-011) to further study this issue. | ||||||
| FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE - DELIVERY | ||||||
| PE09017 | SUBARU OF AMERICA, INC. | 03/10/2009 | 07/02/2009 | FUEL LINE LEAK | ||
| Complainants report fuel leakage most frequently in winter during initial cold engine startup.owners will either notice a fuel odor inside the occupant compartment or fuel odor/leakage at the fuel lines on the right side atop the engine. once the engine has warmed, the odor/leakage may cease.subaru revised the fuel pipe/hose design for model year (my) 2003-04 wrx vehicles produced after august 2003.subaru also introduced a my 2004 impreza sti vehicle with a different engine and fuel pipe/hose layout.out of the total of 994 complaints, 944 concern my 2002-03 wrx vehicles built through august 2003.subaru also reports one fire on a my 2002 wrx vehicle that occurred in february 2006.in march 2009, odi inspected and video taped a my 2002 wrx vehicle with a fuel leak during cold engine start up.the video was provided to subaru and is in the investigation file. this investigation is being upgraded to an engineering analysis (ea09-011) to further study this issue. | ||||||
| FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE - DELIVERY - FUEL PUMP | ||||||
| PE09017 | SUBARU OF AMERICA, INC. | 03/10/2009 | 07/02/2009 | FUEL LINE LEAK | ||
| Complainants report fuel leakage most frequently in winter during initial cold engine startup.owners will either notice a fuel odor inside the occupant compartment or fuel odor/leakage at the fuel lines on the right side atop the engine. once the engine has warmed, the odor/leakage may cease.subaru revised the fuel pipe/hose design for model year (my) 2003-04 wrx vehicles produced after august 2003.subaru also introduced a my 2004 impreza sti vehicle with a different engine and fuel pipe/hose layout.out of the total of 994 complaints, 944 concern my 2002-03 wrx vehicles built through august 2003.subaru also reports one fire on a my 2002 wrx vehicle that occurred in february 2006.in march 2009, odi inspected and video taped a my 2002 wrx vehicle with a fuel leak during cold engine start up.the video was provided to subaru and is in the investigation file. this investigation is being upgraded to an engineering analysis (ea09-011) to further study this issue. | ||||||
| FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE - DELIVERY - HOSES, LINES/PIPING, AND FITTINGS | ||||||
| EA09011 | SUBARU OF AMERICA, INC. | 07/02/2009 | 12/14/2009 | FUEL LINE LEAK | 09V468000 | |
| The design of the fuel line (metal rail/rubber hose interface) is susceptible to fuel odor and/or seepage in extreme cold temperature conditions.owners most often noticed fuel odor in the occupant compartment area during initial cold engine start-up.once the engine is warmed, the odor/seepage issue dissipates.from subaru's data, odi notes that the incident rates are higher in states with colder temperatures.there was one allegation of a fire incident in which the owner had reported that he noticed fuel odor a few days earlier, but odi could not confirm the origin of the fire. to address this issue, subaru will replace the fuel line with a longer rubber hose segment version/design on 5,724 my 2002-2003 vehicles built through september 12, 2002 in 16 states (ak, co, ia, id, me, mi, mn, mt, nd, ne, nh, ny, sd, vt, wi & wy).in addition, subaru will extend the warranty coverage to 12 years/unlimited mileage on vehicles in the remaining 34 states.this engineering analysis is closed (see recall campaign 09v-468) | ||||||
| PE09017 | SUBARU OF AMERICA, INC. | 03/10/2009 | 07/02/2009 | FUEL LINE LEAK | ||
| Complainants report fuel leakage most frequently in winter during initial cold engine startup.owners will either notice a fuel odor inside the occupant compartment or fuel odor/leakage at the fuel lines on the right side atop the engine. once the engine has warmed, the odor/leakage may cease.subaru revised the fuel pipe/hose design for model year (my) 2003-04 wrx vehicles produced after august 2003.subaru also introduced a my 2004 impreza sti vehicle with a different engine and fuel pipe/hose layout.out of the total of 994 complaints, 944 concern my 2002-03 wrx vehicles built through august 2003.subaru also reports one fire on a my 2002 wrx vehicle that occurred in february 2006.in march 2009, odi inspected and video taped a my 2002 wrx vehicle with a fuel leak during cold engine start up.the video was provided to subaru and is in the investigation file. this investigation is being upgraded to an engineering analysis (ea09-011) to further study this issue. | ||||||
| PE04002 | SUBARU OF AMERICA, INC. | 01/07/2004 | 05/27/2004 | FUEL LINE LEAKAGE IN ENGINE COMPARTMENT | ||
| Subaru reports that the fuel odor is caused by fuel seepage during cold start of the engine under extremely cold temperatures. the leak occurs in a fuel line in the engine compartment.it reports that the failure is due to the misaligned angle between two fuel delivery lines which resulted in such fuel seepage during the first few seconds of cold engine start during these cold temperatures.subaru reports that the two fuel lines are connected with a hose that becomes too stiff in very cold temperatures to conform to the misalignment. subaru has issued a technical service bulletin (subaru service bulletin number 09-36-03) to replace the fuel lines with new lines that are properly aligned and that have a longer connecting hose.odi phone calls to many of the complainants confirm that fuel odor is noticable during very cold temperatures and cold start but goes away as the engine warms up, and the odor is not present in warmer temperatures. a few owners report that attempts to eliminate the leakage by tightening the connecting hose clamps is not effective in eliminating the fuel odor.a safety-related defect has not been identified at this time and further use of agency resources does not appear to be warranted.accordingly, this investigation is closed.the closing of this investigation does not constitute a finding by nhtsa that a safety-related defect does not exist.the agency will monitor this issue and reserves the right to take further action if warranted by the circumstances. | ||||||
| FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE - FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM | ||||||
| PE09017 | SUBARU OF AMERICA, INC. | 03/10/2009 | 07/02/2009 | FUEL LINE LEAK | ||
| Complainants report fuel leakage most frequently in winter during initial cold engine startup.owners will either notice a fuel odor inside the occupant compartment or fuel odor/leakage at the fuel lines on the right side atop the engine. once the engine has warmed, the odor/leakage may cease.subaru revised the fuel pipe/hose design for model year (my) 2003-04 wrx vehicles produced after august 2003.subaru also introduced a my 2004 impreza sti vehicle with a different engine and fuel pipe/hose layout.out of the total of 994 complaints, 944 concern my 2002-03 wrx vehicles built through august 2003.subaru also reports one fire on a my 2002 wrx vehicle that occurred in february 2006.in march 2009, odi inspected and video taped a my 2002 wrx vehicle with a fuel leak during cold engine start up.the video was provided to subaru and is in the investigation file. this investigation is being upgraded to an engineering analysis (ea09-011) to further study this issue. | ||||||
| FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE - FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM - FUEL RAIL | ||||||
| PE09017 | SUBARU OF AMERICA, INC. | 03/10/2009 | 07/02/2009 | FUEL LINE LEAK | ||
| Complainants report fuel leakage most frequently in winter during initial cold engine startup.owners will either notice a fuel odor inside the occupant compartment or fuel odor/leakage at the fuel lines on the right side atop the engine. once the engine has warmed, the odor/leakage may cease.subaru revised the fuel pipe/hose design for model year (my) 2003-04 wrx vehicles produced after august 2003.subaru also introduced a my 2004 impreza sti vehicle with a different engine and fuel pipe/hose layout.out of the total of 994 complaints, 944 concern my 2002-03 wrx vehicles built through august 2003.subaru also reports one fire on a my 2002 wrx vehicle that occurred in february 2006.in march 2009, odi inspected and video taped a my 2002 wrx vehicle with a fuel leak during cold engine start up.the video was provided to subaru and is in the investigation file. this investigation is being upgraded to an engineering analysis (ea09-011) to further study this issue. | ||||||
| FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE - FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM - INJECTORS | ||||||
| PE09017 | SUBARU OF AMERICA, INC. | 03/10/2009 | 07/02/2009 | FUEL LINE LEAK | ||
| Complainants report fuel leakage most frequently in winter during initial cold engine startup.owners will either notice a fuel odor inside the occupant compartment or fuel odor/leakage at the fuel lines on the right side atop the engine. once the engine has warmed, the odor/leakage may cease.subaru revised the fuel pipe/hose design for model year (my) 2003-04 wrx vehicles produced after august 2003.subaru also introduced a my 2004 impreza sti vehicle with a different engine and fuel pipe/hose layout.out of the total of 994 complaints, 944 concern my 2002-03 wrx vehicles built through august 2003.subaru also reports one fire on a my 2002 wrx vehicle that occurred in february 2006.in march 2009, odi inspected and video taped a my 2002 wrx vehicle with a fuel leak during cold engine start up.the video was provided to subaru and is in the investigation file. this investigation is being upgraded to an engineering analysis (ea09-011) to further study this issue. | ||||||
| FUEL SYSTEM, OTHER | ||||||
| PE09017 | SUBARU OF AMERICA, INC. | 03/10/2009 | 07/02/2009 | FUEL LINE LEAK | ||
| Complainants report fuel leakage most frequently in winter during initial cold engine startup.owners will either notice a fuel odor inside the occupant compartment or fuel odor/leakage at the fuel lines on the right side atop the engine. once the engine has warmed, the odor/leakage may cease.subaru revised the fuel pipe/hose design for model year (my) 2003-04 wrx vehicles produced after august 2003.subaru also introduced a my 2004 impreza sti vehicle with a different engine and fuel pipe/hose layout.out of the total of 994 complaints, 944 concern my 2002-03 wrx vehicles built through august 2003.subaru also reports one fire on a my 2002 wrx vehicle that occurred in february 2006.in march 2009, odi inspected and video taped a my 2002 wrx vehicle with a fuel leak during cold engine start up.the video was provided to subaru and is in the investigation file. this investigation is being upgraded to an engineering analysis (ea09-011) to further study this issue. | ||||||
| FUEL SYSTEM, OTHER - DELIVERY - HOSES, LINES/PIPING, AND FITTINGS | ||||||
| PE09017 | SUBARU OF AMERICA, INC. | 03/10/2009 | 07/02/2009 | FUEL LINE LEAK | ||
| Complainants report fuel leakage most frequently in winter during initial cold engine startup.owners will either notice a fuel odor inside the occupant compartment or fuel odor/leakage at the fuel lines on the right side atop the engine. once the engine has warmed, the odor/leakage may cease.subaru revised the fuel pipe/hose design for model year (my) 2003-04 wrx vehicles produced after august 2003.subaru also introduced a my 2004 impreza sti vehicle with a different engine and fuel pipe/hose layout.out of the total of 994 complaints, 944 concern my 2002-03 wrx vehicles built through august 2003.subaru also reports one fire on a my 2002 wrx vehicle that occurred in february 2006.in march 2009, odi inspected and video taped a my 2002 wrx vehicle with a fuel leak during cold engine start up.the video was provided to subaru and is in the investigation file. this investigation is being upgraded to an engineering analysis (ea09-011) to further study this issue. | ||||||
| FUEL SYSTEM, OTHER - FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM | ||||||
| PE09017 | SUBARU OF AMERICA, INC. | 03/10/2009 | 07/02/2009 | FUEL LINE LEAK | ||
| Complainants report fuel leakage most frequently in winter during initial cold engine startup.owners will either notice a fuel odor inside the occupant compartment or fuel odor/leakage at the fuel lines on the right side atop the engine. once the engine has warmed, the odor/leakage may cease.subaru revised the fuel pipe/hose design for model year (my) 2003-04 wrx vehicles produced after august 2003.subaru also introduced a my 2004 impreza sti vehicle with a different engine and fuel pipe/hose layout.out of the total of 994 complaints, 944 concern my 2002-03 wrx vehicles built through august 2003.subaru also reports one fire on a my 2002 wrx vehicle that occurred in february 2006.in march 2009, odi inspected and video taped a my 2002 wrx vehicle with a fuel leak during cold engine start up.the video was provided to subaru and is in the investigation file. this investigation is being upgraded to an engineering analysis (ea09-011) to further study this issue. | ||||||
Consumer Complaints
| Fail date | miles | occurences | Purchase date |
|---|---|---|---|
| FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE | |||
| 06/10/2011 | 70000 | ||
| Strong odor of fuel and/or burnt oil inside the vehicle repeatedly. i contacted subaru long ago about this problem when i got a recall notice from subaru national saying my car may be part of this recall. i took the car to a subaru dealer. they said unless they can either smell fuel or find the problem there is nothing they can do for me. subaru national said the same thing unless we can smell fuel odor we will not pay for inspecting and fixing your vehicle. | |||
| 02/11/2010 | 96599 | ||
| Tl. the contact owns a 2002 subaru wrx. the contact after receiving a nhtsa campaign i.d. number: 09v468000 (fuel system, gasoline:delivery:fuel pump) the took the vehicle to a local dealer. the dealer stated to the contact part is not available and will be available at the dealer in three days. the contact stated that was a year ago. the contact called the manufacturer and they stated the dealer should have the part. the contact continued to search for parts for the vehicle but the dealer still did not have the part. the contact done some repairs to the vehicle because the check engine light came on and the vehicle smelled like gas. after the repairs the dealer stated they can not repair the vehicle because the contact took the vehicle to another location for repairs. the contact stated the vehicle is becoming unsafe safe to drive due to the smell of gasoline inside the vehicle. the contact stated the vehicle could cause a fire. the failure mileage was 96,599. jo | |||
| 01/08/2011 | 107310 | ||
| Fuel ordor interior of vehicle. file complaint under odi number 10380798 need to correct miileage to 107,310 don't klnow what i was thinking when i filed complaint | |||
| 12/15/2009 | 88000 | 1 | |
| Several times in the winters of 2008 & 2009 (so far) when first starting my car in very cold weather (although the last time in dec. 2009 the temp was cool but above freezing) i would get a strong smell of gas inside the car and had to open the windows until the engine warmed up. checking your website i found a recall dated dec. 1, 2009 (nhtsa action number ea09011) that seems to describe what happens. i called subaru and was told my car was not part of the recall and that i must take it to an authorized dealer and have them inspect and repair it at my expense. they would send the results to subaru which would determine if they would reimburse any part of my expenses. i do not believe this is a satisfactory resolution to what i deem a safety and health issue. *tr | |||
| 01/01/2010 | 91000 | 1 | |
| During cold weather, the fuel line leaks gasoline inside the engine compartment. the gasoline pools on top of the engine block, and the gasoline vapor is also pulled into the passenger compartment by the car's ventilation system. there is an obvious risk of fire. *tr | |||
| 12/17/2009 | 1 | ||
| Fuel smell for my subaru wrx 2002 model. *cn | |||
| 01/29/2010 | 113683 | 1 | |
| 2002 impreza wrx wagon, leaking fuel lines located under the intake manifold in cold weather. i have noticed gas fumes from leaking fuel lines in this vehicle which i purchased new in 2002. nevada is not a state listed in the wvk-21 subaru recall of dec, 2009, but this vehicle is leaking fuel from the same problem on cold mornings in northern nevada. *tr | |||
| 01/02/2010 | 95000 | 1 | |
| Recently the outside air temperatures have hovered near or below zero degrees f. on those mornings when it is that cold and i start my car, i smell a strong raw fuel odor for several minutes or until i have driven several miles. i investigated and found the main fuel line to be leaking raw fuel onto the engine when it is started in weather this cold. there is a vol recall by subaru of america covering this (subaru recall campaign wvk-21) on this model but it does not cover the state of missouri where i reside and have my car registered. this same issue could easily cause an engine fire should the leaking raw fuel come into contact with an ignition source or with the nearby hot turbocharger or exhaust. there is no reason what so ever that this recall should be limited to the few states that it is since it is just as dangerous in my state as in any of the states listed on the recall. btw, my car was originally purchased and registered in one of the covered states...minnesota. thank you. *tr | |||
| 11/18/2009 | 0 | 1 | |
| 1. when ambient temperature is roughly below 45 degrees f, and the car is cold. 2. gasoline leaks from fuel line under intake manifold. it occurs when the rubber hose and the metal fuel pipe contract in cold conditions and break the seal causing gasoline to leak. the leak drips fuel onto the engine and causes a strong odor to permeate the cabin through the ventilation system. 3. nothing has been done yet to correct the problem. the subaru dealer has quoted $150 in parts plus labor to fix the problem under subaru technical service bulletin # 09-36-03. parts required are new hose and pipe plus gaskets for intake manifold and coolant. parts would have to be ordered by dealer. *tr | |||
| 11/17/2009 | 116559 | 1 | |
| 2002 wrx fuel smell in cabin at cold temperatures. how many people have to complain before a recall is issued or someone gets hurt? where is the nhtsa when you need them? there are recalls for relatively minor issues. so, where is the recall for leaking fuel? dealer denies any problem. see also nhtsa item number:10014461, service bulletin #: 11012004, service bulletin 09-36-03 raw fuel smell in cold weather. *tr | |||
| 11/11/2009 | 25000 | 1 | |
| 2002 wrx fuel smell in cabin at cold temperatures. how many people have to complain before a recall is issued or someone gets hurt? where is the nhtsa when you need them? there are recalls for relatively minor issues. so, where is the recall for leaking fuel? dealer denies any problem. see also nhtsa item number:10014461, service bulletin #: 11012004, service bulletin 09-36-03 raw fuel smell in cold weather. *tr | |||
| 10/01/2009 | 1 | ||
| I have a subaru 2002 wrx wagon, fuel odor in compartment when car is cold, when it warms up the odor goes away. this is very annoying and there are several subaru forums with people complaining about this. please help in getting this issue resolved. subaru keeps says that there is no issue. *tr | |||
| 10/25/2009 | 88952 | 1 | |
| Smell of raw gas from vents while not moving. checked under the engine and found underneath the turbo inlet hose fuel dripping from a hose. also found 2 other hoses that may be leaking fuel as well around the area. car is parked under storage status until parts can be replaced, not sure if there is a dealer in germany. heard of many other complaints on a 2002 wrx with the fuel lines leaking. *tr | |||
| 10/31/2009 | 60300 | 1 | |
| Gasoline odor fills the cabin on my 2002 subaru impreza wrx when the heater is turned on. this has happened repeatedly. the odor is overwhelming and intoxicating! i popped the hood of my car and smelled gas coming from the fuel lines next to the intake manifold. *tr | |||
| 02/10/2009 | 92000 | 1 | |
| Fuel leak at startup when car is cold, usually below freezing temperatures. *tr | |||
| 09/15/2009 | 65000 | 1 | |
| I noticed a raw fuel smell when starting the car in the morning. this was originally just an issue in cold weather, but the smell has persisted and now occurs even after normal overnight low temperatures here in seattle (40-50 degrees). i believe this is a safety issue for three reasons: first, the fuel is leaking onto the engine block of the car posing a fire hazard. second, the fuel smell is a health hazard to occupants of the vehicle. third, due to the fuel smell, i have been using my heating system on the recirc setting, which is not as effective at clearing condensation from the inside of the windshield and lessens the effectiveness of the defroster, reducing my ability to see out of the vehicle. i have not had the problem repaired yet as i wanted to file this complaint first. *tr | |||
| 01/01/2009 | 70000 | 1 | |
| 2002 subaru impreza wrx fuel leaks at temperatures under about 20 degrees f from rubber hose clamps to steel pipes under intake manifold. problem matches description of technical service bulletin 09-36-03 and shown in existing report ea09011. tried to tighten clamps by removing power steering pump, but problem persists. planning to conduct repair work per subaru tech bulletin 09-36-03 before winter. car has about 75k miles. *tr | |||
| 02/15/2006 | 1 | ||
| In feb of 2006 i began smelling a slight fuel odor in my 2002 subaru wrx. a few days after i noticed this i came home and was going to try and find the source of the smell, it had slightly worsened over those days. i pulled in my driveway, opened the hood and looked around the engine for a minute, i then went into my garage to get some tools and a light. while in the garage i heard a whoosh and went outside to see what made the noise. when i went outside my car was on fire in the engine compartment. i then called 911. when they fire dept arrived i informed them that i had ammunition in the car, and they said they would have to wait to put it out until the ammo burned off. after a few minutes the fire had reached the rear of the car and the ammo exploded, the fire dept then put the fire out. *tr | |||
| 11/22/2008 | 1 | ||
| I drive a 2002 subaru wrx impreza, and it has a gas leak that i can smell inside the cabin when its cold outside. after doing research i found that a lot of the same model cars have the same problem. when it gets cold outside the hardlines on the engine shrink allowing the softlines to squirt gas onto the engine block. subaru acknowledges the problem but claims its not a safety issue and won't fix it. i feel its a major safety issue due to the fact i'm breathing in gas, and cause any type of spark under the hood of my car could lead to an explosion when im driving. *tr | |||
| 11/01/2008 | 0 | 1 | |
| Since owning my 2002 subaru impreza wrx, on occasions when the weather is cold and vehicle heating is activated, overpowering fuel odors are consistently present in the cabin area. the odor is pronounced and persistent and does not burn off eventually. under these conditions, it is not tolerable to drive the vehicle without opening the car's windows to help diffuse them. not doing so will give occupants symptoms common to exposure to heavy doses of fuels vaports in an enclosed area: namely headaches and nausea. the issue appears to be well known within the wrx community, particularly with the 2002 model owners and nhtsa is aware of subaru of america's (soa) tsb concerning the problem. as i live in an area where extremely cold weather, which seems to be associated with the issue, does not usually occur for extensive periods of time, i had not pursued the issue for resolution by till last year when the problem was noticed to be predictably chronic in the winter season. i contacted soa via email at that time asking them for advice to resolve the problem and was advised to have a dealership investigate it. as they did not indicate this would be paid for by them and i did not have financial resources to pursue this independently, i did not take the issue further. however, the issue is recurring daily now in this particularly cold winter so i have contacted them again to further pursue this with them. my internet research, the tsb and the many complaints on nhtsas site concerning the issue seem to support the wrx owner community's perspective that this is a design flaw and should be remediated by soa, free of owner charges, as a recall. would you please advise if nhtsa will be pursuing this with soa as a recall issue? also, i was interested in reading the detailed tsbs available on this site but cannot retrieve them. soa charges a fee to download them. is this standard industry practice and is there a way i can get them from nhtsa without fees? *tr | |||
| 01/25/2009 | 55000 | 1 | |
| Raw, unburned fuel smell inside vehicle and inside engine compartment of vehicle during warm-up in cold weather. smell dissipates after driving, but returns when vehicle is stopped for a few seconds. it happens everytime it's very cold outside. *tr | |||
| 01/23/2009 | 87000 | 1 | |
| This is in reference to subaru issued tsb 09-36-03 titled: fuel smell in cold weather.. this problem is going to kill somebody unless you mandate a recall. i reported the issue a few years ago and your investigation concluded it was not a serious problem. since then i've dealt with the fuel odor on cold days. the odor now occurs when the temperature is below 35 f. a couple of days ago, the temps were in the teens f and the odor got really bad. after driving for about 10 minutes, white fumes started pouring out of the right side of the hood and from the scoop. there is so much fuel leaking now that it's being vaporized into a white smoke and spews out of the engine for about 1 or 2 minutes. i opened the hood to confirm there is no fire, which there was not. but there was an impressive amount of white fumes which resembled smoke but again, no fire. a friend who was driving in another car, 3 cars behind me, reported that the gas smell from my car was so bad they had to pull back. after doing some research, vaporized fuel will ignite at 536 degrees f. it is very possible for the turbo charger on this car to get that hot after some driving. with the engine compartment full of white gas fumes and the cabin fill of a powerful raw gas smell, it only stands to reason that this could catch file in the engine compartment and the passenger cabin. after doing a simple search on this (odi) website for both subaru wrx, and subaru impreza, looking at several different categories (fuel system, fuel delivery, fuel rails, ect) i found 286 complaints of the same problem. on the nasioc site, there are 97 pages of people listing the same problem which is ~1800 posts (http://forums.nasioc.com/forums/showthread.php?t=131755&page=97). the tsb mentioned above minimizes the issue by stating fuel leaks with temps under 14 f. in my car it happens under 35 f for the length of my drive. this issues is going to kill somebody and there needs to be a recall. *tr | |||
| 01/12/2009 | 1 | ||
| Constant gasoline leakage during cold weather (below twenty degrees fahrenheit). after driving with the windows open for forty five minutes, the car still reeked of gasoline. i pulled into the subaru dealerships service area causing the car next to me to move because of the smell - but the service advisor said there is no recall but they were aware of the problem and that it would cost about $800 to fix, but they were busy right now. . . this does not seem right, this could cause a fire, and gasoline is not healthy to breath especially for long periods of time! *tr | |||
| 01/15/2009 | 62500 | 1 | |
| Our 2002 subaru wrx 2.0l turbo has developed a fuel line leak (high pressure side) below the intake. a simple google search revealed a subaru service bulletin 09-36-03 fuel smell in cold weather warning of this issue with the 2002 2.0l engine. the problem is clearly much more than a fuel smell. it is very dangerous leak that will eventually cause someone to be killed in a fuel fire. this is a fundamental design flaw and a very dangerous one at that. a recall should have been issued. i'd be surprised there isn't pending litigation. *tr | |||
| 11/01/2008 | 1 | ||
| Problem my 2002 subaru impreza wrx wagon with vin currently has 89,000 miles. i started getting a strong smell of fuel through the vents in november when the temperature started coming down. looking under the hood, i found no apparent leaks but the smell was strong. looking online for solutions, i came across numerous forums addressing this issue. most notably this one: http://forums.nasioc.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=138069&highlight=fuel+smell. i also found subaru service bulletin 09-36-03 dated 04/01/03. subaru service bulletin 09-36-03 this bulletin states: some 2002 model impreza wrx (2.0l turbo) may experience a fuel smell in cold weather (temperature <14 degrees f) from the rubber hose connector, located under the intake manifold, between two direct fuel-feed metal lines to the injectors. the changing of the pipe and hose size was adopted, starting with engine number 673467 to better align the two fuel lines. this was accomplished by shortening the fuel pipe and lengthening the hose both by 30mm. to complete this service procedure, you must replace the fuel pipe assembly and hose as a set. reading this it is evident of the following conclusions: there is a design flaw in some 2002 model impreza wrxs this design flaw is evident in the fact that it was apparently changed for future models after the problem was realized. using the subaru service bulletin and the online forums, i was able to locate a fuel leak in the engine compartment at the location determined. this fuel leak was further confirmed by a subaru dealer after asked by subaru of america to get it looked at by one of their dealers for them to take action on this issue while i was still working with them to get this issue resolved. this fuel leak poses at least 2 threats: 1 for a fire, and 2 for exposing passengers to hazardous fumes. *tr | |||
| 12/12/2008 | 69850 | 1 | |
| The passenger compartment of my 2002 subaru wrx smells like raw gasoline when i start the car in cold temperatures. i have read stories of other wrx owners who have the same problem, and it is a leaky fuel line in the engine compartment. i am concerned that one of these times, the fuel is going to catch fire and cause serious injury to myself and my passengers. *tr | |||
| 04/20/2007 | 105000 | ||
| Tl*the contact owns a 2002 subaru wrx. in cold weather conditions, the contact smells raw fuel within the passenger compartment of the vehicle. the odor occurred without warning. the vehicle was taken to the dealer and they stated that the metal fuel lines that run under the intake manifold were leaking gasoline. the intake manifold would have to be removed for the repair. the cost to repair the vehicle would be $460. the vehicle has not yet been repaired. the contact is in the process of notifying the manufacturer. the failure mileage was 105,000 and current mileage was 116,000. | |||
| 12/28/2008 | 51564 | 1 | |
| Fuel leak in engine compartment at very low ambient air temperatures i located the leak and took the vehicle to the dealership service dept. the day i took the car there air temps were 20 degrees warmer and i did not experience a leak. the dealership service dept. stated that they could not find a leak i told them the leak occurs at very low temperatures only and told them the location of the leak also i gave them a copy of a technical service bulletin pertaining to this very problem. they sent me on my way saying it seems to be fine even with my explanation. that night temperatures dropped and the fuel leak returned it seems that the dealership will not fix this problem until they actually experience it themselves. i have not been able to use the car for fear of a fire it leaks large amounts of fuel down onto the engine and exhaust. i do not understand why the dealership will not take my word for this since it is already a documented problem by the manufacturer and such a dangerous one at that. *tr | |||
| 12/20/2008 | 105000 | 1 | |
| On very cold days i have a very strong smell of gas in the car with the heat on. it is so strong i get dizzy and nauseous and have to drive with the windows down and shut the heat off. i have a 6 week old baby in the car who's daycare provider complains about her clothes and car seat smelling like gas. i have tracked down the problem and attributed it to a known technical service bulletin number 09-36-03. i would like to know why this isn't a recall? raw fuel vapor is explosive and a carcinogen. as it is now, i cannot drive my car on cold days due to this problem. *tr | |||
| 12/12/2008 | 86000 | 1 | |
| Usually in the morning when i turn on the car, as soon as i would drive off to work i would catch a the smell of raw gas inside my car! at first i thought it was just from the outside that made its way through my cabin but it kept happening for days. yesterday [12-17-08] was the worst! its been cold the last couple of days & raining hard. to remove the fog on my windshield i had to turn on the fan and that's when the raw fuel smell magnified! i could not stand it & neither could my passengers. we had to open the windows to air out the car.*tr | |||
| 12/12/2008 | 86500 | 1 | |
| Car produces a strong fuel inside the cabin on cold mornings. fuel is visible on the engine block where the fuel line is leaking. *tr | |||
| 12/16/2008 | 50000 | 1 | |
| 1) when the vehicle is parked, and when the temperatures drop below 40 degrees, a strong pungent smell of gasoline is apparent in the cabin. 2) the failure is the fuel lines in the vehicle and hoses are improperly designed, causing a shrinking of the size of the hoses. this problem is a tsb and known by the manufacture, but this should not be a tsb , because this is a safety hazard not just for mileage reasons but for safety and health problems 3) nothing was done, called subaru of america and they re not honoring this warranty. *tr | |||
| 12/12/2008 | 33000 | 1 | |
| After starting the car engine on cold mornings (approx 32 degrees and below), strong smell of raw fuel enters the cabin through the air vents. this has happened to my car every winter since i purchased it pre-owned 4 years ago. tsb #09-36-03 has been issued regarding this problem, but i believe it should be a recall instead because of the high risk to ones health and safety, and for people like myself who purchased the car used after the manufacturer's warranty has expired. this is obviously a problem with the original parts used during manufacturing and the replacement cost of the defective parts should not be the responsibility of the consumer. *tr | |||
| 12/13/2008 | 109336 | 1 | |
| My vehicle is a 2002 subaru impreza wrx sport wagon, vin# . i am the original owner. there is a recurring heavy fuel vapor presence in the vehicle cabin and also noticeable outside the vehicle, especially after having driven and parked in a closed garage. this condition occurs only when the temperature is approximately 40 f or lower, and can persist for over 30 minutes (during the course of my typical commute). this has been occurring since i purchased the vehicle over seven years ago. i understand that the nhtsa has opened and closed an investigative action # pe04002, without subsequent action directed for the manufacturer to issue a recall. perhaps this falls under the jurisdiction of the epa, osha or the consumer products safety commission as a serious environmental and health situation, and therefore does not trigger action under nhtsa, however i strongly urge re-evaluation of this situation given the obvious danger this situation poses to the public. i intend to have my vehicle repaired in accordance with subaru's tsb 09-36-03, however hope that i can be reimbursed for out of pocket repair expenses to what has been an unacceptable and documented safety issue and design flaw. *tr | |||
| 12/01/2008 | 1 | ||
| Raw gasoline odour in the cabin during the first 5 minutes of starting the car in cold weather. *tr | |||
| 08/01/2008 | 94000 | 1 | |
| I have a 2002 subaru wrx sedan that is affected by tsb 09-36-03 fuel leak i have experienced headaches, dizziness and nausea from the fumes entering the cabin as well as decreased fuel mileage and fear that my car could catch fire at any time i cannot afford to pay for this obvious defect and do not have another mode of transportation today i found at least a couple of dozen other people like me with this problem the belief that this only occurs in cold northern areas is absolutely inaccurate as i live in florida and have the same problem it is worse in colder weather but still happens in warmer climates i am outraged that this has not been recalled how many reports does it take for someone to do something about it subaru is not standing by their claim for safety being first are you waiting for someone to pass out do to the fumes and cause a fatal accident or for a sudden burst of flames from the raw fuel leaking you do know the turbocharger creates a lot of heat especially under hard driving conditions no report can possibly prove that a fuel leak won't cause a fire not to mention the fumes which are very strong and will make you sick we should not have to pay for this design flaw these are expensive cars and subaru should be held to standard of high quality they claim pour into their products please help us i my car has 94,000 miles and is in great condition aside from the fuel leak mentioned this should not be happening subaru needs to be held accountable for the safety of their products. *tr | |||
| 11/16/2008 | 1 | ||
| 1. faulty fuel lines and connections where under cold temperatures, fuel leaks onto engine and fuel smell enters cabin of vehicle. 2. every time the temperature outside drops close to freezing. dizziness occurs while sitting inside vehicle to where the windows have to be rolls down canceling the effects of having the heater run to warm the inside of the vehicle. lately the smell has become intolerable the more problematic. 3. nothing has been done as of currently but there appears to be a fix per vehicle manufacturer but at owners expense. *tr | |||
| 11/06/2007 | 95000 | 1 | |
| Subaru has recognized the issue but has not issued a recall. subaru service bulletin # 09-36-03 date 04-01-03 fuel smell / leak when outside temp goes below ~14 degrees fahrenheit. fuel leak is from fuel lines supplying fuel to the passenger side injectors, leak is on top of engine. i have this leak below 40degrees. i have not contacted subaru yet but this is for all the other people that have this problem. *tr | |||
| 11/01/2007 | 90000 | 1 | |
| During cold weather i can smell gas fumes in my cabin and see gasoline leaking from the fuel lines in the engine. *tr | |||
| 10/15/2006 | 30000 | 1 | 05/21/2001 |
| Severe smell of gasonline in passenger compartment when outside temp is <40 deg f. has been happening for over a year. i took it to dealer last year and they told me they tightened up clamps but that had no effect. *tr this isnt a recall?? over 140 complaints fo raw fuel leaking onto the engine and no recall?? does someone have to die in a car fire?? | |||
| 11/30/2005 | 10 | 10/16/2004 | |
| In cool or cold weather, there is a very strong odor of raw fuel inside the passenger compartment. anyone inside or near the car is exposed to harmful gasoline fumes, these vapors are toxic when concentrated and may cause dizziness and hallucinations in smaller amounts. there is also concern of potential fire danger. fuel odor has been present year-round on my car, and also on many other 2002 and 2003 subaru imprezas. this is a common issue that subaru needs to address, but their position seems to be that it is the customer's fault and responsibility. this repair, to correct a design flaw in the subaru wrx, will cost the loyal customer several hundred dollars. thanks subaru, thanks a lot. *tr | |||
| 10/01/2005 | 69000 | 100 | 10/16/2001 |
| Extremely strong smell of gasoline inside cabin area. to the point where windows all have to be rolled down, scared that car may explode. noticed that it is worse on cold days moreso than on hot days. i have also noticed what looks to be gasoline stains on our driveway, which are located directly under engine compartment area of where our 2002 subaru impreza wrx usually parks. | |||
| 01/10/2007 | 10 | ||
| During the winter, our 2002 wrx has smelled like exhaust or raw fuel in the cabin of the vehicle. we took the vehicle into surbaru and were told the rubber fuel line shrinks when the temperature drops and fuel leaks. they did a notice, but not a recall - which means you pay not them. it cost $700 in parts & labour ($15 for the part) - the entire engine has to be removed to fix the problem. i called subaru america directly and was told they didn't sell enough cars in the north to warrant the cost of doing a recall on all the subaru's. maybe if enough people complain they will rethink their strategy. | |||
| 11/27/2006 | 100 | 08/07/2002 | |
| Raw fuel smell coming from engine area. *jb | |||
| 02/01/2006 | 0 | 1 | 09/10/2001 |
| When its very cold outside very strong odor of gasoline in the passenger compartment .. 2002 subaru wrx sedan. *jb | |||
| 01/04/2006 | 57000 | 1 | 06/20/2002 |
| Car was out side over night, temps dropped below 35, raw fuel smell in cabin and around car. *nm | |||
| 10/01/2003 | 63000 | 100 | 06/30/2002 |
| I have a 2002 subaru wrx sedan. when the weather is cold, there is a strong fuel smell in the passenger compartment. went to dealer to have it diagnosed, they said there was a fuel leak, which is common a problem with my model year and that it would ~$350 to fix. i would think that if leaking fuel was a common problem, then there would be a recall to get this fixed. inhaling gas fumes and the possibility of a car fire seems more of a severe safety issue, more than just a quick fix item. *jb | |||
| 12/15/2005 | 50 | 04/01/2001 | |
| During the winter months the car begins to emit the smell of gas into the passenger compartment - so much that i have to roll the windows down or i begin to gag. most likely this is a fuel leak but i can't seem to locate it. this is on a 2002 subaru wrx sedan purchased in april 2001. *jb | |||
| 12/08/2005 | 22000 | 1 | 05/30/2002 |
| In regards to nhtsa action number : pe04002 i have a 2002 subaru wrx with 34000 miles and live in houston, tx. i first encountered the problem when visiting my family in ft. worth several years ago. it was not very cold, but there was snow on the ground. i started the car and turned on the heater to let car warm up. when i returned about five minutes later, i detected a strong odor of gasoline before getting in. the fumes inside were unbearable and i had to air out the car before driving, but the order persisted for about an hour. i left for houston that evening and thought the fumes were just a one time occurrence. last night i visited a friend for about 2 hours. it rarely gets very cold in houston, but at 9 p.m. last night when i left the temperature was probably just a little above freezing. when i started the car all appeared normal, but when i turned on the heater, the smell of gas was overwhelming. i aired out the car while driving, but the got the same result every time i tried to use the heater. the car reeked of raw gasoline when i parked it after the 1.5 mile drive home. i got on-line after i got home and found out this was a very common complaint and that tsb had been issued. i also saw your action and believe subaru of america may have given you the impression that the defect is the result of very cold conditions. from what i've seen on the internet, i do not believe that to be the case. http://forums.nasioc.com/forums/showthread.php?t=675874&highlight=fuel+leak http://www.wrxforum.com/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=print_topic;f=3;t=008039 http://www.daytonsubies.com/forums/index.php?act=st&f=3&t=185 http://64.119.173.9/forums/printthread.php?t=81610 http://clubwrx.net/forums/showthread.php?t=48256 anyway, i believe raw gasoline leaking onto the top of the engine in the quantities that would cause that strong of odor has to create a significant safety hazard; and that it happens more often than soa has admitted. *jb | |||
| 01/09/2005 | 1 | 07/30/2001 | |
| When it is cold outside, there is a strong gas odor inside the cabin. *ak | |||
| 01/22/2005 | 50000 | 30 | 08/14/2001 |
| When it gets really cold out i get a very noxious smell of raw gas in the passenger compartment of my 2002 subaru wrx. the smell also fills my garage when i park the car. the fumes are very potent and i am fearful of a fire. from what i have learned it is due to fuel leaks at the fuel lines, but they can't be reached unless you remove the manifold and it is a $500 job. my vehicle has 95000 miles on it, but i know i reported it to the dealership when it was still under warranty, though they have no record of that. this is a safety and health issue.*ak | |||
| 01/18/2005 | 1 | ||
| Any time the temperature goes below freezing you can smell raw gasoline in the cabin of the car. *jb | |||
| 12/01/2004 | |||
| I own a 2002 subaru impreza wrx. i have been experiencing a gas smell in the cabin and engine compartment. i thought that maybe my car was acting up but i know realize that this is a widely recognized problem. i cannot drive around with my windows open in subzero weather it is ridiculous. i realize that the problem is caused by a loose fuel fitting or two that you need to remove parts to get to. this is expensive and subaru needs to be responsible for their mistake. this is my only vehicle and i need to get it fixed but i am a college kid that pays for my own school and lives on my own, i do not have the money to fix a factory malfunction. *nm | |||
| 01/18/2005 | 3 | 11/30/2001 | |
| Strong smell of fuel in the passenger compartment. small leak under the intake manifold. only happens when the temperature is in the mid 20s or bellow. stops when engine warms up. *nm | |||
| 01/17/2005 | 60000 | 2 | 01/21/2004 |
| When weather has dropped to 30f or below, i smelled very strong gasoline fumes in and around vehicle. searched nasioc and found others had problem. all four clamps holding fuel lines on under intake manifold were loose to the point that they could be spun around. *nm | |||
| 11/25/2004 | 20 | ||
| Fuel odor and seepage while engine is running during cold weather. warming up of the engine does not stop the odor. while the engine is not warmed up liquid fuel seeps out. once the engine warms up fuel vapor seeps out. the seepage occurs whenever the weather is cold. for note, this relates to defect investigation pe04002.*ak | |||
| 12/15/2004 | 42500 | 5 | |
| Starting two weeks ago, i have encountered a fuel smell when starting my car in cold weather. it's so bad i really am afraid to drive the vehicle at times and the odor inside the car is really bad. i opened the hood on the car one morning when i smelled it and it looked there was an overpowering smell of gasoline, almost like it was leaking somewhere. i am going to contact the dealership in my area as this cannot be safe to drive. *nm | |||
| 12/26/2004 | 33435 | 1 | 09/10/2001 |
| After cold weather there was very strong gasoline fumes in the passenger compartment and from the engine compartment. this continued even when the temperatures rose to 30 degf. fumes were so strong that passengers became dizzy and light headed and windows had to be opened for fresh air. *jb | |||
| 12/20/2004 | 44000 | 3 | 05/20/2002 |
| There is a very heavy raw fuel smell comming from the engine compartment! i live in minnesota and this week was very cold (0 degrees f). i can see fuel leaking in my engine bay and gas fumes are all over when i pop my hood. i have a 2002 subaru wrx and my car has a techincal service bulletin out for this exact problem. this is a huge safety concern and my car could start on fire at any moment with fuel leaking on my hot engine. why doesn't subaru fix this for free when it is putting people's lives in danger? *ak | |||
| 11/01/2002 | 500 | 100 | 11/01/2002 |
| Any time the weather is cold there is a strong smell of gas inside and around the car. | |||
| 01/01/2004 | 1 | 06/20/2001 | |
| I get a raw fuel smell in the cabin of my 2002 subaru impreza wrx in cold weather. *ak | |||
| 01/10/2004 | 32000 | 1 | 09/11/2002 |
| While the vehicle idles, fuel leaks. as a result, a foul odor seeps into the passenger compartment. *ak *jb | |||
| 01/01/2004 | 1 | 05/06/2001 | |
| My 2002 subaru wrx ha sa raw fuel smell when its cold. the dealer say parts are on order. this was a month ago. i'm worried it might catch fire. there is a tsb, but i'm not getting any closer to having the problem checked/fixed. *ak | |||
| 01/10/2004 | 48000 | 1 | 03/15/2002 |
| Smell of gasoline in car when temperature was below 5 degrees f. *jb | |||
| 02/02/2004 | 38000 | 1 | 09/23/2003 |
| I noticed my 2002 subaru wrx has fuel smell coming into the cabin when i open the vent to allow air from outside. it usually happens when the temperature is around 30f to 40f. i am really concern if it would cause fire in the engine compartment. *ak | |||
| 01/07/2004 | 37500 | 1 | 05/03/2002 |
| Smell of fuel in passenger compartment of 02 subaru wrx on several occasions. noticeable when first starting the car and running climate control. dissipates in approximately 15 mins. also noticeable one night in garage after exiting the car. has happened approximately 3-4 times this winter. never occurred before. *la | |||
| 12/20/2003 | 34000 | 1 | 08/29/2002 |
| Strong smell of fuel in passenger compartment. has happened on several occasions now under various conditions. *la | |||
| 01/01/2003 | 30000 | 1 | |
| Strong smell of raw gas during engine start-up when cold outside. *la | |||
| 01/04/2004 | 8000 | 1 | 09/09/2002 |
| Overpowering raw fuel smell in interior cabin in cold weather, suspect leak in engine bay that has recently been brought up as a tsb by subaru. *la | |||
| 01/14/2004 | 40000 | 1 | 08/10/2003 |
| 2002 subaru wrx wagon - strong gasoline odor in car when cold. dealer advised purge valve was replaced, found subaru tsb 09-36-03 which describes my problem, still have gasoline odor in very cold weather. *la | |||
| 01/19/2004 | 46000 | ||
| I own a 2002 subaru wrx. there is a very strong gas odor eminating from the engine compartment and vent during cold weather. i have told the dealership but they want to charge me to look at it. it is my strong feeling that this is a safety issue and should be addressed on their tab. | |||
| 12/30/2003 | 25236 | 1 | 09/30/2003 |
| Gas leak from the passenger side engine bay. only occurs in cold weather conditions. | |||
| 01/01/2004 | 25000 | 1 | 04/13/2001 |
| My car matches the description of issue pe04002. i am filing this since i believe the manufacturer should issue a recall and address this. i have had this issue for the past two winters, but only now became of aware of the tsb through the internet. it concerns me customers have not be proactively contacted nor has there been uniform dealer treatment of this issue. i would like the nhtsa to investigate the safety impacts of this likely fuel leak.*ak | |||
| 01/09/2004 | 25500 | 1 | |
| While driving consumer smelled gas fumes inside the vehicle. dealership was notified, but did not resolve the problem. *ak | |||
| 01/20/2004 | 31267 | 1 | 08/28/2003 |
| Since the weather has gotten cold here in michigan (below freezing) there has been a strong smell of raw fuel in the passenger compartment of my 2002 subaru wrx. it is most apparent upon start up. the smell at times will be so strong that it will bring you to the point of vomiting or passing out if you do not open the windows down.*ak | |||
| 01/08/2004 | 21700 | 03/23/2001 | |
| Gas smell entering cabin via air vents during cold weather operation. | |||
| 01/09/2004 | 36000 | 1 | 06/10/2003 |
| There is a very strong fuel smell that comes through the vents whenever i start the car in cold temperatures (10 degrees fahrenheit or below). the smell will linger until the car has been moving for fifteen minutes or so. this would happen when the car would sit overnight in cold temperatures it would also happen after it had been sitting in the parking lot at my work during the day time. *la | |||
| 01/04/2004 | 63900 | 1 | 07/12/2001 |
| On a cold morning, i started the car and noticed a strong smell of gasoline in the cabin when the heater was turned on. when looking under the hood, i could not find the source of this leak. i called the local dealer, who told me there is a technical service bulletin out for this problem, but that they cannot fix it for free since my car is out of warranty. in fact, they quoted me $250 for the work! now to me, leaking gasoline for any reason seems to be a serious safety concern, and i have talked to several other early 2002 model year wrx owners who have had the same problem. i would hope that subaru of america would go out of their way to fix this problem for free since all it would take is a stray spark to have a fire and serious legal action brought against them. if they know this is a problem, i would hope they would fix it for free to ensure the safety of their cars.*ak | |||
| 01/04/2004 | 33000 | 1 | 02/24/2003 |
| Fuel smell when the weather is cold. i know there is a tsb on it but a fuel leak seems like an awful big problem. dealer is fixing it under warranty but i have to wait for the parts to come in. *la | |||
| 12/12/2003 | 39000 | 1 | 05/12/2001 |
| I get a overwhelming fuel smell when starting my car. my mileage is horrbile. i beleive there is a fuel leak in my car.*ak | |||
| 07/22/2003 | 15000 | 09/01/2001 | |
| During normal driving on days where ambient temperatures exceed 90 degrees, an overwhelming smell of gasoline enters the cabin after about 30 minutes of driving. the gasoline fumes often remain in the cabin for several hours after the vehicle has been parked. | |||
| FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE - DELIVERY | |||
| 12/07/2007 | 78000 | 5 | 02/20/2002 |
| Starting car in cold weather results in raw gasoline leaks into engine compartment and passenger compartment. problem persist until car is very warm. hazards are risk of fire, driver illness due to breathing fumes and environmental release of gasoline. *tr | |||
| 02/06/2007 | 48450 | ||
| I own a 2002 subaru wrx. in feb. 2007 i started the car and strong gasoline smell entered the cabin. i searched the internet and found that this is a well know defect in the 2002 model when starting in cold weather. the dealer knew the trouble well and fixed it with change in fuel line near intake manifold. my question is why this serious flaw did not trigger a recall when a fire could certainly result from leaking fuel near the manifold? | |||
| 12/18/2006 | 50000 | 1 | 04/20/2001 |
| Fuel leak in cold weather, resulting in raw fuel smell in the cabin of the car and the danger of fuel igniting in the engine bay. there has been a technical service bulletin issued by subaru of america, but i can't believe this isn't a recall. this is a serious problem and can have disastrous consequences. for people out of warranty, this is absolutely absurd to have to pay for the repairs. *nm+ | |||
| 01/17/2005 | 45000 | 1 | 06/01/2001 |
| Strong gasoline smell in cold weather. *jb | |||
| 01/15/2005 | 58000 | 1 | |
| Severe fuel smell in cabin and under hood during cold weather, 30f or below. manufacturer issued service bulletin. dealers quote $400-$500 to fix what should be a recall. *jb | |||
| 12/22/2004 | 73000 | 1 | 02/10/2001 |
| Gasoline smell when starting car in cold weather (<20f). this has been a recurring problem on my 02 subaru wrx. the first event was at approx 15000 miles and the fuel line clamps were tightened. a second time at 45000 miles and the dealer could not duplicate (because the car was warm in the dealership.) now at 73,000 miles in 20f weather, the smell has returned when starting the car with the engine cold. i can see the gasoline puddling below the problem hose clamps. subaru has known about this for years now and issued a tsb, but the dnagerous fuel leak problem persists! of course, the repair they did on my car (tightening the clamps) while it was in warranty was not a permanent fix, and i face potential repairs at my cost for a problem subaru should have fixed by now. not only is this a safety defect (fuel pubbling on the engine), it is also likely an emissions defect (raw gasoline vapors to the atmosphere) and a passenger health risk from breathing gasoline vapors. i don't understand why there has not been a recall on this long-known problem! *jb | |||
| 11/26/2004 | 55615 | 2 | 04/21/2001 |
| Started the car first thing in the morning to drive approximately 1.5 miles to the store. outside temperature was about 48 degrees f. after returning directly from the store (the same 1.5 miles) there was a very strong smell of gasoline as i stepped out of the car. i smelled at the gap between the hood and driver's fender and determined the engine bay to be the source of the gasoline smell. i used a flashlight to search for any visible leaks, but i could not see the gasoline. the smell was incredibly strong though. it seemed to be the strongest right above the manifold between the intercooler, manifold, and turbo. i'm very worried of an engine fire due to the leaking. i'm taking the car to the dealer for examination of this problem.*ak | |||
| 01/19/2004 | 1 | 03/01/2002 | |
| I have a 2002 subaru impreza wrx which has a strong fuel smell coming through the vents during warm-up/driving in sub-freezing temperatures. however, once the car warms up....the fuel smell goes away until the cars cools off again and the whole thing starts again. i have read the tsb and haven't had time in goto subaru because i have some concerns as to whether it will be taken care of since i am beyond my 3/36 warranty. i took it to them once about a year a ago for the same problem and they smelled it but couldn't find a leak so they just tightened all the clamps down. but now it's back and i can see fuel on the solid fuel line under the intake elbow. i am hoping a recall is in order. thanks nhtsa. *ak | |||
| 01/16/2004 | 44000 | 1 | 08/29/2002 |
| Fuel leak on top of engine. this is apparently a common problem as there is a national shortage of replacement parts from subaru. 2002 subaru wrx. *cb | |||
| 01/10/2004 | 32000 | 1 | 10/15/2001 |
| Raw fuel smell from engine's compartment in cold weather. *la | |||
| 01/05/2004 | 1 | ||
| I own a 2002 subaru wrx, when it gets cold out side below 32 degrees fahrenheit and you turn the heater on. you get a gas smell coming out of the heating ducts. subaru knows about the problem and have issued a tsb for it but no recall. the problem seems to be a misalignment of the fuel hoses which can cause them to leak. this could be a very serious problem and there needs to be a recall on it. *la | |||
| 01/07/2004 | 39000 | 1 | 07/14/2002 |
| Smell of leaking gas when the outdoor temperatures are extremely cold (below 17 degrees f). original date of smell was jan of 2002. *la | |||
| FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE - DELIVERY - FUEL PUMP | |||
| 01/08/2004 | 51000 | 1 | |
| When starting the vehicle a foul fuel smell seeped through the ventilation system. *ak | |||
| FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE - DELIVERY - HOSES, LINES/PIPING, AND FITTINGS | |||
| 02/11/2002 | 11000 | 1 | 10/20/2001 |
| I purchased my 2002 subaru in october of 2001. the following winter during a particularly cold trip to the mountains i noticed a strong fuel smell outside the vehicle. i was unable to replicate it once i got home. when i asked the dealership gresham nissan subaru in gresham oregon about it at my next oil change they said they didn?t find anything. i did not take the car into cold weather again until the vehicle was well out of warranty. when i did i noticed an even stronger smell of gas. i decided to pay out of pocket to have the leaking fuel injection system corrected before i made a move from portland oregon to the significantly colder climate in madison wisconsin. it was very disappointing to pay almost one thousand dollars to correct a defect that was inherent in the vehicle from the time it was new. especially when this defect may cause an explosion. *tr | |||
| 03/01/2008 | 120 | ||
| Strong smell of gas in the car when starting from cold . we are forced to idle car in the driveway with the heat system off and can only turn it on when the car is in motion or the fumes are overpowering. sympathetic comments from the subaru dealer but unable to fix this problem. i understand that a recall is costly for subaru, but this is a dangerous situation. *tr | |||
| 02/04/2008 | 99000 | 1 | |
| We just had an extended period of snow & cold weather here where i live in oregon. my wrx suddenly developed an extremely strong, toxic, raw fuel smell inside the car when it was first started in the morning. i called my dealer and was told they knew what it was, and that there is a tsb to fix the fuel line leak. was also told that subaru did not think it was a safety issue so would not cover it outside of warranty and wanted $600 to fix! this is most definitely a safety issue! i have to open the windows to get fresh air to be able to breathe and am concerned that the car might catch fire! *tr | |||
| 01/28/2008 | 75325 | 15 | 02/18/2002 |
| Very strong raw fuel smell inside the car coming through the ventilation system as well as strong exterior fuel smell. *tr | |||
| 01/01/2008 | 72000 | 60 | |
| Fuel smell comes from right side of engine compartment when its cold out (under 50). the smell fills the inside of the car while i drive. i have talked to other owners of my car and this is common. *cn | |||
| 01/19/2008 | 62000 | 1 | 10/01/2002 |
| Unbearably strong smell of fuel. temperature 20 f and below. 62,000 on car, never had this issue. always exposed to same climate changes and extremes in temperature. unable to drive car, nauseated and severe headache ensued. *tr | |||
| 01/16/2008 | 59000 | 1 | 06/21/2002 |
| Stopped at light and noticed strong fuel odor in cabin. upon further inspection, noticed large amount of fuel leaking onto top of engine block, and running down to exhaust components. considering quantity and location of leaking fuel, it seems like it could be a fire hazard. *tr | |||
| 11/25/2007 | 40 | ||
| Raw fuel smell in the cabin of my 2002 subaru impreza wrx, when i park my car in my garage at night the raw fuel smell can also be smelled throughout the garage after the car is shut off. subaru dealership will fix it for a 85 dollar part and two hours of service time, which is around 230 dollars, at my expense when it is a factory defect, that is wrong to do in my opinion. in my opinion subaru should fix it for free. *tr | |||
| 01/02/2008 | 83315 | 1 | |
| We had a colder than normal spell below freezing for a day. upon driving the subaru wrx 2002 model, i noticed a strong fuel smell coming into the cabin. once returning home examined the engine and noticed fuel puddling under the passenger side intake manifold. i suspect that it is the high pressure fuel line interface/clamp and the rubber hose connected to it under the manifold leaking/ seeping. it's location and fumes pose a fire safety hazard and occupant safety hazard. *cn | |||
| 12/31/2007 | 10 | 09/04/2002 | |
| An extremely strong odor of unburnt fuel engulfed the cabin of the vehicle, giving my passenger and i a headache. the odor has returned every day since then. *cn | |||
| 01/02/2008 | 10000 | 1 | |
| 2002 subaru impreza wrx at temperatures of 40 deg f and below the passenger fuel lines leak fuel raw fuel onto the engine block and generate large amounts of vapors that are drawn into the passenger compartment. at lower temperatures the problem is worse. there is a technical service bulletin that calls to tighten the line but does not fix the problem at all, and the dealer says that they do not guarantee that this procedure will fix the issue. the toxic fumes give me nausea and irritate my eyes since they are so strong in the passenger compartment. i close the recir to prevent fresh air from coming into the cabin but the windows fog up quickly and it is difficult to see out of them while driving in the cold weather. i also consider this to be a fire hazard just waiting to happen. there are countless other people that have the same problem and to date there is no fix for people driving the 2002-03 subaru impreza wrx. the following link is an example of just some of the people having this issue. searches on the net will yield many more complaints about this issue.*cn | |||
| 12/18/2007 | 97143 | 1 | 06/14/2006 |
| Rubber fuel line connecting two sections of hard metal fuel line leaks in cold temperatures (under 35 degrees). problem not yet corrected by dealer. *tr | |||
| 12/17/2007 | 98000 | 1 | 06/25/2007 |
| The temperature was in the 40's today. noticed a strong smell of raw fuel coming from under the hood. i have experienced this problem on multiple occasions. was able to locate and verify a leak from one of the fuel hoses on the passenger side under the intake manifold (i have video to prove that there is a leak). have obtained and installed new fuel line on the entire fuel delivery rail. now, after performing more research i have learned that the problem is with the actual fuel rail and not the hoses. i also know that subaru knows of a manufacturer defect in the original fuel rail. aside from being a dangerous fire hazard, this defect is allowing possibly thousands of cars to release copious amounts of hydrocarbons into the air. this safety hazard and environmental hazard needs to be highly considered as the basis of a recall! *tr | |||
| 12/03/2007 | 57500 | 1 | 02/01/2007 |
| Raw fuel smell in cold weather in my 2002 subaru wrx. *tr | |||
| 12/10/2006 | 62000 | 10 | 11/01/2001 |
| Fuel leak and smell from fuel hoses. *tr | |||
| 11/30/2005 | 10 | 10/16/2004 | |
| In cool or cold weather, there is a very strong odor of raw fuel inside the passenger compartment. anyone inside or near the car is exposed to harmful gasoline fumes, these vapors are toxic when concentrated and may cause dizziness and hallucinations in smaller amounts. there is also concern of potential fire danger. fuel odor has been present year-round on my car, and also on many other 2002 and 2003 subaru imprezas. this is a common issue that subaru needs to address, but their position seems to be that it is the customer's fault and responsibility. this repair, to correct a design flaw in the subaru wrx, will cost the loyal customer several hundred dollars. thanks subaru, thanks a lot. *tr | |||
| 11/22/2007 | 30000 | 10 | 12/05/2001 |
| My 2002 subaru impreza wrx exhibits a very strong raw gasoline smell after running in cold weather. i find the problem most pronounced after a temperature change. i am concerned that my car will catch on fire. *tr | |||
| 10/19/2007 | 97000 | 5 | 11/15/2001 |
| Early model year 2002 subaru imprezza wrx - exhibits a very strong raw gasoline odor when the ambient temperature is 60f or below and the engine is cold. the smell is so strong that the windows of the car must be opened in order not to get sick from the vapors. a very similar if not identical issue is recorded by subaru as service bulletin 09-36-03, however the temperature does not have to be below freezing for the problem to occur. as strong as the odor is from this problem, there is clearly raw fuel pooling or spilling somewhere within the engine. in addition, there are well over 1500 posts regarding this issue on the following site: http://forums.nasioc.com/forums/showthread.php?t=131755 there are other forums with information regarding this issue. there are reports of raw fuel pooling on some people's manifolds. this represents a clear danger to people and property, and should be reconsidered by the nhtsa as a mandatory recall for all subaru wrx vehicles with engines prior to 673467 as listed in the service bulletin. if the nhtsa waits until a vehicle catches fire or explodes before making this a recall, it will be a potential tragedy that could have been easily avoided. *tr | |||
| 04/24/2007 | 35000 | 6 | 01/10/2002 |
| 2002 subaru wrx sedan. strong fuel smell comes from passenger side of the engine compartment. a minor fuel leak occurs occasionally during cold weather. took it to subaru dealer but they could not reproduce the leak since the weather warmed up. service rep recalled similar problem with another customer who paid $400 for replacing a fuel line. fuel leaks are safety hazards and should be fixed as recalls. *jb | |||
| 01/12/2007 | 67000 | 1 | |
| During some cold weather of about 20 farenheit i recently i smelled a strong gasoline smell in the cabin of the vehicle. at first i thought it was the vehicle cold start emissions, but it continued after a long drive (60 minutes) and was most noticeable when the vehicle was not moving. i popped the hood and there was a strong gasoline smell so it appeared the smell was originating from under the hood. i continued to drive in cold weather, and my gas mileage dropped to about 16 mpg highway. this is compared to about 28 mpg i normally get on the highway.*ak after the weather warmed up, the gas smell mostly subsided and gas mileage returned to normal upon searching online i did find that subaru has issued a technical service bulletin for this issue that explains these symptoms as a defect in the length of the fuel hose and rail which causes fuel to leak. but upon talking to the dealer, they wanted me to pay for a technician to attempt to verify the issue, which is impossible now that the weather is warm. they also will not commit that subaru will pay for the repair in any case. the repair if i pay for it will be more than $500, but i feel it is a health and safety issue. it's a health issue because gasoline fumes are a recognized carcinogen, and a safety issue because having 40% of the gasoline disperse in the engine bay could cause a fire or explosion. also, waiting for the symptom to appear is too late, and does not reliably identify which vehicles may be affected. a vehicle may mostly be in a moderate climate, and then is driven in cold weather, and suddenly has a pressurized gas leak. | |||
| 01/10/2004 | 5108 | 18 | 06/05/2003 |
| Beginning in the winter of 2003- 2004 (i bought the car in june of 2003), i would clearly smell gasoline whenever i turned my car on in cold weather (below 40 degrees or so). the smell would remain for a little while. i never really thought of this as a major problem, but i allowed my pregnant sister to borrow my car and on a particularly cold day, it made her so nauseous she vomited and couldn't remain in the car. i had to borrow a friends car to go pick her up, then have her drive with me to my friends house 30 minutes away so i could give him his car back. after this embarrassing situation, i decided to investigate this and came across a website that 2002 subaru wrx owners trade information on. i found out that subaru of america has known about this problem since january of 2003, but neglected to let the buyers know about it. i actually bought the car after they released their tsb about this, but never heard about it. i am really aggravated that this has been a problem for so many people, for so many years and neither subaru of america, the nhtsa, nor anyone else has done anything about it. shame on all parties involved. *jb | |||
| 01/07/2007 | 85000 | 1 | 02/15/2002 |
| Strong fuel smell after vehicle start up. this had been getting progressively worse over time (around 1 month). took vehicle in to service and discovered fuel leaking under the intake manifold from the injector rails. fuel was spilling onto the manifold. discovered subaru tsb # 01-123-90 covering the issue and repair needed. the repair took 1+ weeks due to part unavailability and $380. connector hose referenced in the subaru tsb was replaced. *jb | |||
| 11/12/2006 | 89000 | 1 | 06/10/2003 |
| Raw fuel smell from engine compartment comes into cabin of vehicle when outside temperature is lower than 20 degrees f. *jb | |||
| 01/20/2007 | 1 | 08/15/2002 | |
| 2002 subaru impreza wrx wagon. when ambient temperature falls below freezing, the fuel line in the engine compartment leaks fuel onto the engine. the leaking fuel vapor enters the interior of the automobile in great quantity, causing a safety issue for the driver/passengers. i have, on occasion, had to pull over and open the windows to vent the fuel vapor because of becoming light headed due to the amount of vapor in the car. *jb | |||
| 12/12/2003 | 500 | 1 | 12/05/2002 |
| My 2002 model impreza wrx-2.0l experiences a fuel smell in cold weather. took it to dealer courtesy motors subaru-chico ca. the service manager said he didn't smell anything so i left mad, but i left. since then, subaru has issued a technical service bulletin (tsb) regarding this problem and i still can't get it fixed. it's from a rubber hose connector located under the intake manifold between two direct metal fuel-feed lines to the injectors. (straight off of the tsb) this should be fixed by subaru or there should be a general recall from fire and fumes raw gas leakage. *nm | |||
| 02/23/2007 | 120000 | 10 | 03/14/2005 |
| Smell of raw gas fumes in the passenger compartment of vehicle and under the hood of the vehicle at temperatures below freezing. took the car to the dealer and they quoted a $500.00 estimate to repair leaking fuel lines below manifold. they told me not to worry about it-it won't catch fire!!! *jb | |||
| 02/16/2007 | 42000 | 10 | 10/10/2001 |
| Strong smell of fuel during cold weather operation. i have taken the vehicle to the subaru dealer. the dealer reported a fuel line was visibly leaking fuel *nm | |||
| 02/16/2007 | 1 | 11/06/2002 | |
| There is a very strong raw fuel smell inside the car often. this occurs most of the time when the temperature is below freezing. after researching, many others are having the exact same problem. *nm | |||
| 02/16/2007 | 98899 | 5 | 02/16/2007 |
| I have just purchased a 2002 subaru impreza wrx, upon driving home i was extremely light headed and very sleepy i also noticed the pungent smell of raw fuel, after driving home with the windows open in 30 degree weather i did some research which lead me to find there was a significant fuel leak in one of the fuel pipe / hose connections,(on the passenger side in the engine compartment) which has resulted in the fuel dripping on to the engine... this is extremely unsafe and i am fearful of driving the car. this is now a tsb w/ subaru, but for the safety of owners and other drivers this needs to be a recall placed in the highest regard!! i will be contacting subaru of america to seek assistance!! the parts and the repair labor are stated in the bulletin... however this is no simple fix.. pricing and technical know how are of an elevated degree.. *nm | |||
| 02/01/2007 | 999500 | 5 | 08/15/2002 |
| Fuel line leakage in engine compartment during cold weather, producing raw fuel fumes in the passenger cabin. *jb | |||
| 12/22/2006 | 1 | 02/01/2002 | |
| My 2002 subaru wrx smells of gas fumes (inside the cabin) after a cold start. the heating system seems to make the smell even worse. the smell / fumes make me concerned about my health. *jb | |||
| 02/02/2007 | 58000 | 1 | |
| My subaru wrx 2002 started giving off a strong fuel odor when temperature was really low. this continued for over 10 days. on investigation using the internet, this turned out to be a well-documented defect, reported by large numbers of other 2002 wrx owners as well. subaru refused to pay for the fix. i had to pay morristown subaru in nj $230 to fix this very dangerous problem and make my vehicle usable again. i am very surprised that subaru is not proactively issuing a recall and fixing the problem. are they waiting for a 2002 wrx to explode due to the fuel leak, possibly causing grievous injury to the occupants? *nm | |||
| 02/07/2007 | 45000 | 5 | 02/01/2002 |
| 2002 subaru wrx sport wagon (1) in very cold weather, (2) smell of raw gas fumes enters passenger compartment, causing potential environmental, safety and health hazard. (3) situation is covered by 2003 subaru technical service bulletin 09-36-03. dealers refuse to cover cost of this safety-related pre-existing defect. not yet repaired. *jb | |||
| 02/09/2007 | 1 | 08/08/2002 | |
| During the cold period last week, my 2002 subaru impreza wrx had a very strong smell of raw gas. subaru has issued a tsb # 09-36-03 dated 4/01/03 acknowledging the problem and has a repair kit specifically designed to fix the problem. this problem should result in a recall by subaru and be repaired at subaru's expense. it is a potential explosive/fire event and is a fault in the original design. the dealers will not fix this problem without charging the customers. the repair kit is about $60 but labor is $700-800. its a safety issue and i'm afraid to drive it like it is. *jb | |||
| 02/05/2007 | 118900 | 2 | 04/12/2001 |
| Failure: gasoline leak onto hot engine, strong smell of raw fuel in cabin. this failure, the events leading to it (cold weather), and the consequences are described in subaru's tsb #09-36-03 from 04-01-03. in my case, my wife and i were driving around last monday, 2-5-07, when it was very cold -- maybe 6 or 7 degrees with a strong wind. we began to smell raw fuel in the car after leaving a restaurant. the smell got worse as we drove to a grocery store. when i opened the hood i could hear a hissing sound and see fuel vapor (like steam) coming from under the intake manifold on the passenger side. since the weather has gotten a bit warmer it doesn't seem to be a problem. the car is a 2002 wrx sedan. at this time, it is sitting at sharrett subaru in hagerstown, md. nothing has been done to correct the problem because subaru of america (soa) is refusing to cover 100% of the repair cost (which they have, recently, for other people with the same vehicle and similar mileage). this is a known problem. it should clearly be the subject of a recall. *nm | |||
| 02/07/2007 | 63000 | 1 | 02/16/2002 |
| 1) strong odor of gasoline noticed in engine compartment and interior. 2) subaru dealer determined fuel lines were leaking under intake manifold. leaking fuel in an engine compartment is always an extreme fire risk. the wrx has three possible ignition sources underhood, turbocharger housing, exhaust manifold and catalytic converter, all of which are in close proximity to the leak location. 3) fuel lines repaired per subaru tsb 09-36-03 at customer expense. *nm | |||
| 02/05/2007 | 62367 | 1 | 01/30/2002 |
| Severe fuel smell in and around vehicle when temperature is below 30 degrees fahrenheit. not a safe situation as i need to heat the car up to bring my infant to daycare. possible detrimental effects to infant's respiratory system as well. this of course does not exclude the possibility of fire or explosion. *jb | |||
| 01/26/2007 | 99000 | 30 | 03/05/2005 |
| I live in maine and in cold weather my my 2002 subaru impreza wrx leaks fuel from a fuel line on the passenger side of the vehicle. subaru of america has issued a technical service bulletin for this problem. *jb | |||
| 01/01/2003 | 25000 | 75 | 08/01/2002 |
| Tl* - the contact stated that there was service bulletin 09-36-03 on the 2002 subaru wrx regarding a fuel smell in cold weather. the failure, which was actually a leak in cold weather appeared when the temperature got to be 10 degrees or less. there was a strong smell of fuel in the passenger compartment, and the contact found a fuel leak which dripped once a second on 1/24/07. the failure was caused by a misalignment between two fuel hoses near the manifold. the contact will have pictures available. the failure mileage was 25000 and the current mileage was 50000.*ak | |||
| 01/17/2007 | 1 | 02/07/2002 | |
| Recently low temperatures in my area dropped to 32 degrees below zero and lower. when starting my vehicle in the morning, i smelled a strong fuel odor that came from the engine compartment as if there was a fuel leak. after running the vehicle for a period, the gas smell went away. this happened on three separate occasions. i took the vehicle into the local subaru dealership for repairs. repairs are expected to be completed by january 26, 2007. *nm | |||
| 01/11/2007 | 92500 | 7 | 10/22/2004 |
| Subaru 2002 impreza wrx wagon raw fuel smell in cabin on cold days below 0 deg f. tsb # 09-36-03 issued on this 4/1/03 for all engine #'s prior to 673467 when they changed fuel pipe and hose sizes under the intake manifold for the 03 wrx's. pooling fuel on the engine block is a safety hazard and this should be considered a recall. dealer cost to get this fixed is anywhere between $350 -$500. soa should be held accountable for this fix before engine fire occurs. *jb | |||
| 01/18/2007 | 0 | 2 | 04/26/2002 |
| Have notice a strong fuel smell when temperatures drop below freezing in my 2002 subaru imprezza wrx. *jb | |||
| 12/15/2006 | 1 | 06/15/2006 | |
| Very strong odor of fuel in cabin. *jb | |||
| 01/15/2007 | 1 | ||
| Current outdoor temperatures ~35 degrees f. strong smell of gas coming from fuel lines under intake manifold on passenger side of engine compartment. also, gas smell inside car. i am aware of and have read subaru tsb #09-36-03. although the tsb states it occurs <14 degrees f, the fuel leakage problem is occuring in my vehicle well above that temperature. i am extremely concerned that this problem is a safety/health issue. *jb | |||
| 01/11/2007 | 72500 | 1 | 04/12/2002 |
| 2002 subaru impreza wrx toxic fuel being forced into the cabin air intake and ingested/inhaled by passenger which is causing a health and safety risk. possible fire risk. *jb | |||
| 01/11/2007 | 81000 | 1 | 12/12/2001 |
| 2002 subaru impreza wrx wagon fuel leak. ~81000 miles. leak description consistent with subaru internal bulletin 09-36-03 with the exception that quantity of fuel was significantly more than 1 drop. a pool of fuel was visible and dripped later onto garage floor. outside temperature was approximately 24f when the leak occurred. leak has continued to occur when temperature at similar range. subaru dealer is claiming this will not be covered by subaru (or subaru extended warranty which i am currently covered on) since it is only an advisor and not a recall. the fuel concentration was strong enough that a fire could have occurred. i am surprised there was no preventative recall of this problem after researching the number of other 2002 wrx owners affected already. *jb | |||
| 12/15/2006 | 130000 | 1 | 07/20/2005 |
| Severe raw fuel smell coming from passenger side of the engine. *jb | |||
| 12/20/2006 | 1 | 02/14/2003 | |
| 2002 subaru impreza wrx leaks raw gas coming from the engine bay. the fumes are so strong that they'll travel through the fire-wall even with the windows closed. the gas leaks very close to the turbo set up where temperatures are extremely high. headaches occur while smelling these fumes. gas mileage is severely affected and the risk of fire is a major concern. subaru of america won't recognize this as a recall and will charge customers for regular repairs at dealerships, sometimes in excess of $600.00 when this should be treated as a recall service. i am a disabled/handicapped person and this subaru is my only means of transportation. i cannot drive the car due to this problem and i cannot afford to pay for the repair...it should be a recall item. i won't sacrifice my two children and put them at danger inside this car when it's leaking gasoline and potentially create a deadly accident/fire. i can't even park the car inside the garage because i'm concerned that the fumes could reach the house water furnace and trigger a fire when it encounters the pilot light. you can verify this problem/complaint at the forums of nasioc...hundreds/thousands are affected. *nm | |||
| 10/27/2003 | 21532 | 100 | 09/20/2003 |
| 1. none, it's a factory defect. see subaru technical service bulletin 09-36-03 fuel smell in cold weather. 2. anytime it gets below freezing there is raw fuel leaking from the fuel rail onto the top of the engine. this has to be a serious defect! what is the risk of my car starting on fire when fuel is being leaked onto the top of my motor??? on top of that, when this is happening you have two choices if you want to freeze yourself. 1. turn on the heater and let all the raw fuel fumes blast you in the face (it's a great way to start off your day) or 2. leave the heater off and freeze (both choices are unacceptable). 3. i have taken it to beardmore subaru in bellevue nebraska 13 times while my car was under warranty and 4 times while out of warranty. i don't know how a dealership can be so clueless since the tsb was issued before i even bought my car. i told them over and over, raw fuel smell in cabin on days it's below freezing. the would wash the engine, or put in an new air filter, or do nothing and say they can't find anything wrong. this is totally unacceptable! please help! *jb | |||
| 12/06/2006 | 62850 | 3 | |
| On cold days i get a strong fuel smell in the cabin. if you look at the lower part of the intake manifold you can see yellow stains from where fuel has leaked as well as displacement of grim from areas below the fuel hose. i have researched this issue and it is common with my year vehicle yet subaru has not issued a recall despite issuing a service bulletin (#09-36-03). in this bulletin it states that the replacement of a fuel line and hose is needed to correct the problem and partial disassembly of the engine is required to make the fix. it also states that this fix is required to achieve better alignment of the fuel lines. *jb | |||
| 11/27/2006 | 75000 | 1 | 11/01/2003 |
| Http://members.nasioc.com/userpics/4832/tsb.jpg. *jb | |||
| 12/02/2006 | 70000 | 1 | 07/01/2002 |
| 2002 subaru wrx 1. cold weather 2. raw fuel smell when idling when vehicle is warming up to the extreme where i have to air out my vehicle before driving. 3. nothing as of yet, waiting for a recall this is happening with almost all 2002 wrx's. *jb | |||
| 11/27/2006 | 1 | 05/15/2006 | |
| There is a recurrent problem with 2002 subaru wrx models. with a small fuel hose under the air intake manifold. in cold temperatures it contracts and begins to leak filling the cabin with a strong raw fuel smell also. i have recently found with the cold weather that this problem is happening to my car. there are many blogs on the internet on this problem. however subaru of america has not submitted a recall on any 2002 models. if you have time please visit this link: http://forums.nasioc.com/forums/showthread.php?t=138069&highlight=raw+fuel+smell you will be able to read others interactions with subaru of america. it is a problem with many other's too. *jb | |||
| 11/15/2006 | 1 | 04/15/2002 | |
| I own a 2002 subaru wrx. starting in the winter of 2005 (and recurring in the winter of 2006), a strong gas smell inside the cabin and around the car is present. this only happens with the ambient outside temperature is cold; usually below 35 degrees. during the winter of 2005, i believed the smell was nothing major but when it recurred in 2006, i decided to do something about it. i did research on the nhtsa website, along with subaru web forums (www.i-club.com; www.nasioc) and come to find out that this is a common occurrence with this model. i took my car to my local subaru on 11/13/06. it sits overnight so they can check the car on the morning of the 14th when the temperature is cold enough for the problem to arise. they do find a gas leak concurrent with the manufacturer's technical service bulletin (# 09-36-03 dated 04-01-03). the tsb replaces the fuel pipe assembly and hose as a set. the leak comes from the rubber hose connector, located under the intake manifold, between the two direct fuel-feed metal lines to the injectors. when the temperature is cold, the metal fuel line contracts more than the rubber fuel line, thus creating a hole for the gas to leak out of. the repair was quoted at $380.38. i am outraged over this repair for two reasons: i am not happy with having to spend money on a repair that is essential a design flaw. though i am past the warranty period, i feel that this repair should be covered by subaru as it is not a repair; it is a fix for their mistake. i am most upset, however, over the fact that subaru and the nhtsa have not created a recall campaign for this fix. this is a very dangerous problem as leaking fuel in a hot engine compartment is dangerous. it's a problem that could prove to be fatal for some owners. i however am fortunate to fix this problem before anything happened to me. i ask that both subaru of america and the nhtsa take a serious look at this problem and initiate a recall before any deaths or injuries occur. *jb | |||
| 01/01/2006 | 25000 | 30 | |
| I own a 2002 subaru wrx impreza wagon. i, like many, many of fellow owners of this car experience fuel leaks around the cars engine when the ambient temperature falls below ~40 degrees f. i have contacted subaru about this problem many times, and each time i take the car into the dealership for diagnostics they state they can not reproduce the problem. this is patently false since the car reeks of gasoline fumes before and after i leave the dealership. apparently the clamps that hold the fuel line assembly together fail when the outside temperatures are cold. subaru will not repair/replace these clamps (even when the car is under warranty) and repairs total approximately $350-400. this problem is very similar to that issue that resulted in the challenger space shuttle disaster in 1986, cold temperatures leading to fuel leaks, which could lead to fire and explosions. a brief look at an online complaint website revealed about 150 other people with this problem, and that's just the number that took the time to send in a message. it is only a matter of time before one of the vehicles catches on fire and kills someone. subaru is aware of this problem and tacitly acknowledge the faulty manufacture of this car part, but will do nothing to help the owners of these cars. please investigate this matter, i do not want anyone to die because subaru is too cheap to replace a 50 cent o-ring. thank you. *nm | |||
| 02/18/2006 | 36990 | 1 | 10/01/2005 |
| Noticed a fuel leak in engine bay. you could smell it in the engine bay and the cab not to mention out side the vehicle. it only happens on really cold days. did research on internet and found hundreds of people complaining of the same thing. took it to the local subaru dealer they said they wouldn't cover it. out of warranty by 1000 miles. i think this should be a safety recall they put faulty parts on the car. it is totally unsafe. *jb | |||
| 02/24/2006 | 1 | ||
| Several times during this winter (past 2 to 3 months) we have noticed an overwhelming smell of fuel with our 2002 subaru wrx. the smell is most noticeable when the weather is below freezing temperatures. the smell was overpowering last weekend when we experienced temperatures below zero. i've searched online and found other wrx owners have experienced the same thing. i called my local dealer today (2/24/06) and was informed that they are well aware of the issue. they explained the problem was due to a leak in the fuel line which would need to be replaced as well as a fuel rail. furthermore, this problem is not a safety recall even though it involves fuel! though we barely have over 20,000 miles on the car, we have owned it since december 2001 and it is, therefore, out of warranty. i was told the cost for this 'highly recommended' repair to be scheduled 'as soon as possible' was around $600.00! the discussion threads encouraged filing a complaint as an investigation into this matter has been launched. it would be a shame that a repair involving a fuel leak would have to result in injury and lawsuit before subaru decides to issue a safety recall. can't something be done about this beforehand? | |||
| 02/17/2006 | 1 | 08/01/2004 | |
| During cold starts (<35f), there is a very strong raw fuel smell leaking into the cabin. this is resolved by switching to recirc. the smell is even stronger outside towards the front of the car. the fuel smell goes away about 10-15 minutes of driving. *jb this has happened during the last two winters in seattle. | |||
| 02/19/2006 | 51211 | 1 | 05/01/2001 |
| Raw fuel smell in cabin when outside temperature below freezing. bringing car to dealer 02/20/2006. *jb | |||
| 01/23/2003 | 37525 | 3 | 07/10/2001 |
| Cold temperature below 40 degrees f. fuel smell in cabin, and in engine compartment. causes passengers to be nauseous. took to dealership the next day or two, and they tightened the fuel line clamps. occurs every winter when temperatures are below 40. *nm | |||
| 02/05/2006 | 1 | 03/10/2004 | |
| Fuel odor / leak from engine bay in cold temperatures. *jb | |||
| 12/31/2005 | 15 | 05/18/2001 | |
| Shortly after starting car when outside temperature is cold the smell of gasoline overwhelms the cabin of the car. *jb | |||
| 12/06/2005 | 55000 | 1 | 08/23/2005 |
| Gasoline fuel smell in cabin of car, when driving and warming it up in the morning. had just had car serviced by dealership for 60,000 mile check up. was afraid to drive car since i could see gasoline pooled on engine block and was smoking as it evaporated. took to dealership where i purchased vehicle to have it serviced. was informed of a service bulletin subaru published 4/1/03 - bulletin no. 09-36-03 concerning the problem and repair. asked dealership if problem was covered under extended warranty. they said no. since this problem was identified by the manufacturer of the vehicle before my purchase of the car and is in fact a safety issue, i am confused as to why this repair is not covered by the dealership/manufacturer of the vehicle. paid for repair cost of $ 818. dealership unwilling to try to help resolve my issue with the repair. contacted auto manufacturer directly and am waiting for response. *jb | |||
| 12/07/2005 | 2 | ||
| Since the weather has gotten colder there is a strong smell of gasoline coming from the engine compartment. this is due to a leak in the fuel line between a rubber hose and a metal fuel line. subaru is aware of the problem but has not issued a recall. (tsb 09-36-03) see post here: http://forums.nasioc.com/forums/showthread.php?t=131755&page=7&pp=25. *jb | |||
| 12/08/2005 | 34000 | 3 | 12/07/2001 |
| Raw fuel smell during colder weather. the smell is from the engine compartment and is due to poorly designed fuel delivery piping/hoses. raw fuel is leaking from the fuel delivery piping/hoses and then puddles on the engine block. this is a known defect and subaru of america still will not acknowledge any issues nor fix the problem. the threat of engine fire is very real as is personal injury and/or death. i strongly encourage nhtsa to investigate this problem before someone is seriously hurt or killed. to fix this problem would be much better for soa than to deal with lawsuits involving injury & death. *jb | |||
| 12/07/2005 | 66200 | 1 | 06/28/2001 |
| This is a follow up to complaint 10144181. i tried to call in a follow up and was treated with total indifference. the weather is now in the -8 to +5 range here in western ne and the fuel leak does not stop, ever. after driving 20 miles to work and parking the smell is so strong i felt light headed, headache and nauseous. a co-worker parked 2 spaces away could smell it getting out of his car. i have parked the car. i will not subject myself of my family to the health and fire risk. i guess i will wait until someone dies from a fire or asphyxiation and then see if there is any recall or reaction from the nhtsa. this is cut directly for your web site. http://www.safercar.gov/pages/odifaqsrev2.htm#od5 what are examples of safety defects? examples include: problems with fuel system components, particularly in their susceptibility to crash damage, that result in leakage of fuel and possibly cause vehicle fires. forget crash damage, this thing leaks fuel sitting still. reviewing this model year on your site i notice people are logging complaints under the impreza model and the wrx model and if you look through the complaints on these symptoms there are hundreds of complaints. i am shocked that no recall has been forces considering it is, by your own definition, a safety hazard. *jb | |||
| 11/25/2005 | 64400 | 1 | 08/18/2005 |
| With regards to the investigation listed below, i would like to attest that this problem has not been addressed. as regards the leaking of fuel into the engine compartment, it is a more serious hazard than indicated in your impoverished data. in many cases, the fuel does not cease to leak when the car has warmed up, and will continue to leak fuel steadily. this produces puddles on the hot intake manifold, and toxic conditions for passengers and bystanders. as mentioned in subaru tsb 09-36-03, under cold weather conditions, fuel will leak from a rubber-metal joint in the fuel line. the reason given is that the stiffening of the rubber in cold weather deprives the material of the resiliency needed to provide strain relief for the high pressure rubber-metal joint, this stressing the joint, and allowing fuel to leak from it. in my case, and in the case of many others i have researched, the fuel will continue to leak even after the engine is warmed up, contrary to your report. i believe that your report has understated the problem, and believe that a recall should be strongly recommended. == nhtsa action number : pe04002 nhtsa recall campaign number : n/a make / models : model/build years: subaru / impreza 2002-2003 subaru / wrx 2002-2003 manufacturer : subaru of america, inc. component : fuel system, gasoline fuel system, gasoline:delivery:hoses, lines/piping, and fittings date investigation opened : january 7, 2004 date investigation closed : may 27, 2004. *nm | |||
| 11/22/2005 | 48500 | 10 | 09/22/2002 |
| Extremely strong raw fuel smell inside cab of car and in engine compartment. found fuel leaking from a line and pooling on the engine block. have read numerous posts about this on the multiple subaru wrx and related web forums. the problem appears to be coming from a loose clamp where a rubber hose meets a metal fuel line....i can visibly see fuel dripping onto the engine!. i cannot get at all the hose clamps and cannot afford the $400 - $600 others on the forums have been quoted for the fix. subaru has released a tsb for this problem on 2002 wrx's like mine but for some reason has not issues a recall. i guess it's going to take a burnt up family to get it taken care of....i just hope it's not mine. *jb | |||
| 01/15/2005 | 65000 | 1 | |
| 1) failure: severely leaking fuel on my 2002 wrx whenever the weather gets cold. 2) consequences: potential engine fire. gasoline pools on the intake manifold. *jb 3) this is addressed under subaru tsb 03-51-02 but it has not been recalled as of yet. i called my local subaru service department and they were unaware of the problem. *jb | |||
| 10/09/2005 | 48000 | 4 | 08/01/2004 |
| In reference to subaru service bulletin number 09-36-03, i have a fuel leak in the engine compartment due to faulty hoses/clamps. although no deaths or accidents have occurred as a result, this problem has great potential to cause harm from fumes to possible fire. please urge subaru to perform a safety recall on the necessary parts!*jb | |||
| 02/14/2005 | 11000 | 27 | 03/13/2001 |
| Fuel smell during cold starts.*ak | |||
| 12/12/2004 | 1 | 05/20/2001 | |
| I have 2002 subaru wrx. in cold weather conditions a strong gasoline smell is present in the passeger compartment as well as the engine compartment of the vehicle. subaru has issued a technical service bulletin (tsb 09-36-03), for the problem (so they recognise it does exist). i have inquired about the work necessary to correct this problem, issued under this bulletin. the cost with parts and labor reaches almost five hundred dollars, which i think is ridiculous. i also realize that your organization has completed an investigation (nhtsa pe4002), and found no safety problems. even if there is no physical safety problem, i believe subaru should be required to cover the cost of the repairs, since it realizes that something is wrong. i don't believe that its healthy to be driving around breathing gasoline fumes.*ak | |||
| 12/25/2004 | 33000 | 1 | 03/18/2001 |
| Fuel leak, took to dealer gillman subaru in houston and they stated many cars have had the same problem but subaru of north america won't pay for repairs. i believe if they have many cars with this problem they should fix it at their expense and issue a recall. fuel leaks can cause fires and put passengers in danger. i have a 2002 subaru wrx, vin#jf1gd29642g502144. service manager(amir) at gillman subaru phone#713-776-6330. subaru of north america phone#1800-782-2783. *jb | |||
| 02/07/2005 | 1 | 09/13/2004 | |
| The fuel lines have a faulty hose clamp that leaks fuel in cold temperatures. *jb | |||
| 12/22/2004 | 35000 | 1 | 08/29/2002 |
| Fuel leaking from fuel lines during cold starts (less than 32 deg. f ambient temps.). extremely strong fuel oder being transmitted into passenger cabin from the air ventilation system. can see visible fuel dripping onto engine from fuel lines. had car repaired by dealer under subaru tsb in march of 2004 and problem was not corrected. seems worse now than it was before the repair. i am concerned about the car catching fire and the dealers inability to fix the fuel leak. *ak | |||
| 12/24/2004 | 48000 | 15 | 08/13/2001 |
| Reference pe04002 . first leaked at 18 degrees f, jan.2004. the leak does't go away after engine warms. it goes away after the hose warms. when driving down the road and cold air is blowing on the hose, it keeps leaking. not noticeable in cabin unless you come to a stop. did not know of the service bulletin to get it fixed. vehicle is over mileage for warranty work , so subaru want's to charge me $400 dollars to fix it. now it starts leaking below 50 degrees.*ak | |||
| 01/01/2002 | 1 | 100 | |
| Fuel odor in cabin during cold weather. i have searched the defects/recall pages for this issues and foudn that it has been closed due to the occurance only lasting for a few moments. this is not true! the fuell leakage continues during any cold weather use, not just at startup. i find this a huge safety issue as i had become extremely dizzy on a normal daily commute (15-20 minutes). the odor is continuous as long as the vehicle in not in motion (i.e. stop and go traffic). i consider this fuel leak a major issue with driver safety, and for those on the road at the same time as anyone else with a 2002 wrx in cold weather. i am a mechanical engineer and a member of sae (society of automotive engineers), and consider any overlook of this problem by soa (subaru of america) to be an enormous reliability issue. i hope that the proper authorities can straighten this out and fix those vehicle manufactured with this very dangerous defect.*ak | |||
| 01/03/2005 | 1 | ||
| While the vehicle was parked, the driver noticed fluid leaking from underneath the vehicle. while starting the vehicle, the consumer noticed fumes coming from the rear. the vehicle was taken to a body shop for inspection. the mechanic informed the driver that the fuel hose needed to be replaced. *jb when the vehicle was at altitude and the temperature was below 32 degrees fahrenheit, fuel would leak out of the line due to the rubber connection on the metal valves. the cabin would fill up with fuel odor's which were very strong. *sc *jb | |||
| 01/19/2005 | 46750 | 3 | 08/22/2001 |
| 2002 subaru wrx 47k miles. on cold days when the vehicle is left outside and then started, there is a small fuel leak in the engine compartment. fuel apparently drips off of a fuel rail and onto the intake manifold where it is heated and evaporates. on occasion the vapor/smoke could be seen when the hood was raised. this vapor results in a very strong gasoline smell in the cabin. the smell dissipates after fully warming up the car and driving for an extended period. *nm | |||
| 01/23/2005 | 70800 | 3 | 03/01/2002 |
| Fuel smell inside passenger compartment in a 2002 subaru wrx wagon during cold weather. visually detected fuel leak under passenger side exhaust manifold. dealership claims they know about this problem and how to fix it with an updated fuel rail and hose. car is in for service now. noticed this several other times but never spotted fuel until yesterday. *nm | |||
| 01/14/2005 | 70800 | 2 | 09/07/2001 |
| 2002 subaru wrx wagon, 71000 miles. i parked my car outside as i usually do.. only i happened to be parked at marin general hospital, where my wife delivered our first born child! this night was a particularly cold evening for northern california, around 32f. as i pulled out of the parking lot post birth to round up some food, i started to smell gasoline. the smell quickly reached the point where i was forced to roll down the windows to get fresh air. needless to say i took my car home, and we brought the baby home in my wife's car! after returning to the hospital, i opened the hood, and determined that the smell was coming from around the engine. the next morning as i drove away to get breakfast, i experienced the same over powering gasoline odor. i rolled down the windows, and again opened the hood to try to locate the smell, but couldn't find the source other than around the engine. i have since learned that this problem is a known feature of 2002 wrx's. i have also learned that since i am far out of warranty, subaru will not fix this problem. i would like to know how this is legal, given the supposed status of my car as a ulev vehicle.. it certainly isn't as if gasoline is dripping out of the fuel lines onto the hot engine block. i am also highly concerned by the health hazard posed by gasoline fumes filling the cabin. *jb | |||
| 01/15/2005 | 1 | 08/01/2003 | |
| 2002 subaru wrx fuel smell in cold weather. inside, outside, when the car is warm, when the heat is on. very strong fuel odor when the hood is open. *jb | |||
| 01/19/2005 | 1 | 01/18/2005 | |
| I own a 2002 subaru wrx. if it is cold outside, below 32, i have a bad gas smell. smell is sometime overwhelming and can give me headaches at times. i've read some on the internet and noticed quite a lot of other wrx owners have the same problems. seems like its some sort of gas line leaking. i have a 4 month old son who i'm afraid may become overcome by these hazardous fumes. the dealers are charging 350 dollars to repair this problem which seems to me to be ridiculous. these is a service bulletin about this problem 09-36-03; date 04/01/03. this problem seems to be a defect in fuel lines that should be taken care of by subaru not the customer who has purchased faulty and dangerous equipment. there seems to be some chance for a major lawsuit if someone catches on fire or is overcome by fumes to the point of becoming dizzy and crashing. i feel this needs to be addressed and recalled. the parts i hear are on national back order. that means there are a lot of cars out there running around waiting to catch fire. *jb | |||
| 01/17/2005 | 36000 | 2 | 09/28/2001 |
| Fuel smell in car when temperature is cold outside. this is the same as the many other documented cases of leaking fuel lines in 2002 subaru impreza wrx 2.0l turbo cars. this is likely to cause an engine fire. apparently, subaru dealers refuse to issue a recall or fix at their cost. *nm | |||
| 01/18/2005 | 50000 | 10 | 04/15/2001 |
| There is a very strong raw fuel smell coming from the engine compartment of my 2002 subaru impreza wrx. it is so overwhelming i could not sit inside the vehicle, i had to roll-down all the windows and stand outside in 8 degree(!) weather for a few minutes. this has happened at least 10 times now, each time it seems to get worse. the nhtsa has already investigated similar problems in other 2002 models (case pe04002), and subaru has issued a technical service bulletin (09-36-03) with instructions on parts required to fix it. unfortunately subaru is unwilling to do this work free of charge, quotes to repair this are between $300 and $500 dollars, and not everyone can afford it. since this is a known defect in many vehicles, i am asking for the nhtsa's help in classifying this as a mandatory recall for the following reasons: 1) fuel is leaking out of a rubber hose onto the engine, which could possibly cause a fire, subaru has admitted this much in their tsb. 2) the vapors from this leak are strong enough to overwhelm an individual and/or make them nauseous, which could make them lose control of the vehicle. 3) small children (many of us have one) cannot be put inside the car during this time as the vapors are much too strong for their small bodies. waiting outside the car is not a viable option as this usually happens during cold weather, 8 degrees today with a -20 degree windchill. please protect my rights as an auto consumer and driver and do the right thing. thank you, brian haley. *nm | |||
| 01/17/2004 | 99000 | 1 | 11/17/2001 |
| During cold weather raw fuel smell inside the passenger cabin. dealer fixed the fuel hoses with tsb 09-36-03. the fuel smell is now gone. this should be a recall, i believe this could cause a fire or could cause driver to pass out from fumes. *nm | |||
| 01/12/2005 | 29000 | 06/21/2002 | |
| Fuel leak/smell from bad connection of fuel lines in the engine compartment. this only occurs during cold weather. it is extremely aggravating that it is not covered by the manufacturer. this is a potential health and safety issue. i have read multiple testimonies from fellow owners of 2002 subaru impreza wrxs. this can be seen on http://forums.nasioc.com/forums/showthread.php?t=131755&page=1&pp=25. *nm | |||
| 01/01/2005 | 37500 | 1 | 08/15/2002 |
| Strong fuel smell in cabin during cold (not extreme temperatures) weather conditions. this is already a reported issue as nhtsa issue pe04002 but the investigation is currently closed - is this because no-one has been injured yet? according to all health-related websites, gasoline vapors are a major carcinogen and this vehicle fault which subaru of america will not correct unless vehicle is under warranty (repair is estimated at ~$400-500 and reports claim that this may not solve the problem) is responsible for strong gasoline vapor in the vehicle cabin. there are respectable subaru user-groups on the internet with stories that this fault can lead to fuel leak pooling in the engine - surely this is just a matter of time before this causes serious injury or even death to 2002 wrx drivers. *jb | |||
| 12/26/2004 | 58500 | 05/07/2002 | |
| Cold weather causes a fuel leak in the engine bay. *nm | |||
| 01/11/2005 | 22000 | 1 | 06/14/2001 |
| Fuel leakage in my 2002 subaru impreza wrx models in cold weather i am disappointed that complaints of fuel leakage in the engine compartment of 2002 impreza wrx models have not been elevated to the status of a safety concern. because of this, subaru is not willing to cover the costs of repair under a recall situation, and individuals are forced to pay out-of-pocket. this causes one of 3 situations: (1) people are unwilling to pay for the full repair, and end up just tightening the hoses, which is only a temporary fix. (2) people are unwilling to pay for the full repair, and just live with the problem. (3) owners have to pay the full expense to the dealer, which can be as high as $400 usd. subaru knows that this problem does not show itself on new cars, and takes 2 or 3 years to show up, usually after the warranty has expired. until this problem becomes elevated to the status of a safety concern and a recall is issued, wrx motorists will continue to drive around dumping raw fuel into the environment. *nm | |||
| 01/05/2005 | 31200 | 1 | 05/15/2004 |
| Fuel lines near intake manifold were leaking at odd times during cold weather off and on. fuel was spilling onto engine block, and other hot components. strong raw fuel smell that was nauseating entered into cabin with the climate control on.*ak | |||
| 12/26/2004 | 37915 | 1 | 03/10/2002 |
| Fuel smell and small fuel leak when cold (below freezing). has occured on multiple occsions. found subarue tsb relating to leaking fuel lines. i have tightend the lines and hope that works. my understanding is subrua is charging for this repair on cars out of 3/36 warranty at a cost of around $300-$400. this is a fire hasard and should be recalled.*ak | |||
| 01/06/2005 | 37840 | 1 | 12/07/2001 |
| Fuel smell observed inside cabin when outside temperature is below 40 deg f. definite fuel smell from passenger side engine bay whereas no smell from driver's side. definite safety concerns with fuel dripping from lines onto hot engine/electrical connections. *ak | |||
| 12/30/2004 | 30000 | 1 | 06/01/2001 |
| There was a fuel leak from the hose, making it dangerous for a fire to occur. consumer will take vehicle to dealer for repairs.*ak *eh *jb | |||
| 12/19/2004 | 43930 | 1 | 05/11/2002 |
| While driving suddenly had strong smell of gas, found gas steaming off the engine, the dealer said it was a failure of the gas pipe. it took over $500 to put in a new gas pipe but it still smells like gas. the dealer kept the old part and installed pipe cp fuel return part #17544aa134 and hose part #807707140. the car had less than 44,000 miles. *jb | |||
| 12/20/2004 | 63176 | 2 | 07/08/2003 |
| I drive a 2002 subaru impreza wrx. a week and a half ago we had temps below zero. while driving i noticed very strong gas smells coming through the vents while using the defrost. after some online investigation i have found that this is a fairly common problem with these vehicles for anyone living in a colder climate. i belive the problem has to do with the fittings that attatch the metal fuel lines to the flexible hoses in the engine compartment. in cold weather these fail, spilling gasoline onto the engine block. now the problem is more common, even on cool, but not cold days. i understand that subaru is aware of the problem and has even issued a service bulletin to dealerships advising them of the fix for this (which is very expensive). however, it should not be the consumers responsiblity to pay for a potentially dangerous fix that is common on these cars. strong gas fumes in the passanger compartment and gasoline spilling onto the engine block should constitute enough of a safety hazard to justify a recall of these vehicles. thank you for your attention in this matter. *ak | |||
| 01/15/2001 | 20 | ||
| Consumer is experiencing problems with the fuel line. the fuel line tends to leaks on cold days. the consumer took the vehicle to be serviced and it was determined that the fuel line shrinks at certain temperatures. they could not fix the problem. *jb | |||
| 11/11/2003 | 21000 | 17 | 03/15/2002 |
| There is a known internal tsb being circulated by subaru of america about this very problem. pricing has ranged from $650.00 and up. this is a hazard and a severe safety issue. i should not be made to pay for a problem that is recurring amongst hundreds of wrx owners. fuel leaks from a line onto the engine. two dangers exist, 1)possible ignition of the raw gasoline due to proximity to electrical components in the engine compartment. 2)possible explosion in vehicle cabin due to accumulation of dense gasoline vapors. in any case it would be impossible for a smoker to sustain their habit whilst inside this vehicle. the concentrations of vapor are 10x that of a gas station. clearly this should at the very least entitle the 10-15% of 2002-03 wrx owners to a free repair. (or even parts without labor) please advise as to how we can address this very serious problem before we end up addressing it because of numerous casualties. if a vehicle combusts because of this problem, it will not only kill the driver but the 8 people surrounding the exploded vehicle who were riding alongside it on the highway. problem started at 21k mi and has continued. sever cold (below 14 degrees) is typically required to produce the problem with 100% consistency. tsb data: tsb#09-36-03, date of inception:04-01-2003, parts required:17544aa134, 807707140. *nm | |||
| 12/11/2004 | 51000 | 5 | 07/23/2004 |
| There is a fuel leak that i can see underneath the intake manifold. the temperature outside was well below 15 degrees (f). this is an issue experienced by nearly all 2002 subaru impreza wrx owners who live in cold weather. it is addressed in tsb 09-36-03. the problem with the tsb is that it does not fix another smaller leak. i am not sure where that second one is, but i can definitely smell the fuel after getting the car fixed. i do not understand how leaking fuel is not dangerous, but i hope this issue will be resolved. subaru of america should be required to fix this issue at their expense, instead of the wrx owners getting it fixed for sometimes upwards of $500. i guess that won't happen until some one dies in a fire.*ak | |||
| 12/22/2004 | 36200 | 1 | 11/22/2001 |
| In cold weather when my engine has only been running for a few minutes, i smell a very strong fuel odor. my husband says that it is strongest on the right hand (passenger) side of the engine but he says that the smell seems to dissipate once the engine is up to operating temperature. i have recently exceeded the 36000 mile warranty and have not had a repair done yet under my extended warranty but i think that this shouldn't be a problem that happens to a car with only 36000 miles on it.*ak | |||
| 12/18/2004 | 103500 | 1 | |
| 1) cold weather - under 35 degrees 2) fuel leak on top of engine caused by faulty fuel line fitting. 3) dealer fix, up to $800+ dollars, fixed with redesigned parts, customer pays. *jb | |||
| 11/01/2004 | 35000 | 100 | 05/15/2002 |
| Strong fuel smell in the cabin of the vehicle on startup when it's cold outside. warranty has expired just prior to the problem arising. subaru needs to do a recall for this potentially dangerous problem. *jb | |||
| 11/20/2004 | 38000 | 1 | |
| Fuel smell in cabin during vehicle operation in cold weather. left driver feeling woozy after 30 minutes. vehicle barely outside warranty period. dealership charges $350 to replace fuel hoses which leak during cold weather as a result of a design flaw. *jb | |||
| 12/19/2004 | 1 | 03/03/2004 | |
| Gas smell coming from engine compartment of 2002 wrx subaru of america acknowledges the problem and won't cover it as a power train issue. car spills gasoline on top of engine when cold. dealers do not find the issue until right after the warranty expires. *jb | |||
| 12/19/2004 | 25000 | 1 | 04/17/2004 |
| Car: 2002 subaru impreza wrx wagon, 25,000 miles very strong fuel odor in passenger compartment and under hood of vehicle upon cold start (<35 deg. f) and while idling thereafter. small puddle of raw liquid fuel under car after sitting parked. *ak | |||
| 12/20/2004 | 1 | 07/07/2001 | |
| Gas smell coming from the vents and under the hood. very raw and strong. fuel leak! subaru of america fixed this under warranty last year, but now its back and are going to charge for this fix.*ak | |||
| 12/20/2002 | 47500 | 1 | 05/01/2002 |
| In my 2002 subaru wrx sedan, i smelled strong raw fuel(gasoline) smell after starting up the car in the cold morning (after first snow). smell was so terrible that it made me dizzy while driving. i pulled over and opened the hood, and it was even worse smell under the hood. there has been a lot of reports of raw fuel smell for 2002 subaru wrx model, but subaru didn't publish a recall. this is a safety issue. if anything sparks in the engine compartment, i am sure it will ignite the gasoline fume and will cause fire.*ak | |||
| 12/20/2004 | 48000 | 1 | 06/21/2001 |
| The car appears to have a fuel leak in the engine bay. with recent cold weather, the car begins to smell strongly of fuel while driving, and especially while idling, even after 15 minutes of driving when the engine is warm. subaru of america has informed me there is a service bulletin for a fuel rail problem that includes my vin, but this is not a recall. they are unclear on whether they will pay for the repair detailed in the service bulletin. one subaru service center told me the problem was cold-weather related, and not to worry about it. they did not feel the problem warranted service. another service center agreed to see my car tomorrow. if the car is leaking fuel from a known problem area (related to subaru tsb 09-36-03) i would hope the company would have more interest in at least looking at the car before dismissing concerns.*ak | |||
| 12/20/2004 | 44250 | 1 | 12/31/2001 |
| In cold weather, with the heater on there is a strong fuel smell in passenger cabin. identified by tsb 03-0906: fuel rail leak. subaru of america will not cover this fix as my mileage is around 45,000 and thus outside the waranty period.*ak my feeling is that this is a safety issue (gasoline leak and noxious fumes in the passenger cabin) or at least an emissions issue and should be fixed for free. instead the dealer estimates this is a $600 fix. | |||
| 11/22/2004 | 12000 | 8 | 04/15/2001 |
| Fuel inside cabin during cold weather. 27 degrees and below. *jb | |||
| 11/26/2004 | 55615 | 2 | 04/21/2001 |
| Started the car first thing in the morning to drive approximately 1.5 miles to the store. outside temperature was about 48 degrees f. after returning directly from the store (the same 1.5 miles) there was a very strong smell of gasoline as i stepped out of the car. i smelled at the gap between the hood and driver's fender and determined the engine bay to be the source of the gasoline smell. i used a flashlight to search for any visible leaks, but i could not see the gasoline. the smell was incredibly strong though. it seemed to be the strongest right above the manifold between the intercooler, manifold, and turbo. i'm very worried of an engine fire due to the leaking. i'm taking the car to the dealer for examination of this problem.*ak | |||
| 10/17/2004 | 55000 | 4 | 08/31/2002 |
| This is complaint 1986 about the raw gasoline leaking onto a hot engine block, when is something going to be done about it???*ak | |||
| 02/16/2004 | 1 | 10/15/2003 | |
| Strong unburned fuel odor in cabin of 2002 subaru wrx allegedly caused by loose/missized fuel lines under intake manifold.*ak | |||
| 01/01/2004 | 80000 | 1 | 10/01/2002 |
| There is a raw fuel smell coming from the front of the car during cold (below freezing) temperatures. the smell is overwhelming and the windows must be rolled down to clear out the fumes.*ak | |||
| 02/28/2004 | 56500 | 4 | 04/14/2001 |
| Smell fuel leak in cabin in low temps. when car warms up fuel smell goes away. temps around 15f.*ak | |||
| 02/18/2004 | 30000 | 06/27/2001 | |
| 2002 subaru wrx, smell gas inside vehicle when stopped at light, usually when cool outside. mechanic checked out car did not find leak at 20k miles. continued to occur and get worse. conducted a yahoo search on the internet and found that a common occurance is gas leaks under the intake manifold near the turbo air intake. subaru canada has a service bulletin on this. my mechanic contacted subaru of america and they did not know of it. i gave the information i found on the internet to my mechanic and he was able to find the leak $200 dollars later. this is a very common and dangerous situation and it appears soa is not aware of it. this gas line, according to my mechanic is high pressure, ~30 psi and a leak or faillure could cause a serious fire. | |||
| 01/12/2004 | 5000 | 2 | 10/24/2003 |
| Fuel leak in engine compartment, fills passenger compartment with gas vapors. happens when cold, -15 f. *ak | |||
| 01/15/2003 | 24000 | 60 | 04/27/2001 |
| Every day my 2002 subaru wrx has a very strong smell of gasoline in the cabin. at first this effect was only apparent when the weather was cold, but now it happens every time i start the car even in bay area weather of 55 f as long as the engine is cold. this lasts for 20 minutes or so and makes me dizzy. this is a very dangerous condition both in the danger of fuel explosion and also the posibility of toxic effects to the passenger. this is also a violation of the clean air act. i would urgently recommend that a mandatory recall be issued for this problem.*ak owner stated that he was dizzy but didn't req med attention | |||
| 01/01/2004 | 40000 | 15 | 04/10/2002 |
| Overwhelming gasoline fuel smell in the interior cabin and engine compartments in extremely cold weather. *ak | |||
| 01/29/2004 | 33000 | 1 | 07/14/2003 |
| Fuel smell in cabin of vehicle on cold days. *jb | |||
| 01/09/2004 | 39310 | 0 | 07/14/2001 |
| My 2002 subaru wrx with 39,000 miles developed a fuel leak in the engine compartment consistent with that described in subaru tsb 09-36-03. the fuel odor entered the passenger cabin through the ventallation system. temperature on 1/9/2004 was between 0 and 10 degrees farenheit. the car was brought to the dealer on saturday, 1/10/2004. on 1/12/2004 i was quoted a price of >$500 to repair. i asked about any service bulletins and dealer said no tsb existed and they had not seen this issue before. i directed them to tsb in question and they later informed me repair would be covered as a good faith repair even though out of warranty. repair was not completed until 1/29/2004 because part kit was on back order. residual fuel oder remains in passenger cabin. hopefully will disappear in time. | |||
| 01/18/2004 | 39600 | 1 | 10/23/2001 |
| Fuel leak in the winter. known problem. subaru issued a tsb on the matter but will not fix if car is out of warranty. fuel comes out of a line and pools up and burns off on the manifold.*ak | |||
| 01/20/2003 | 1 | 06/08/2001 | |
| I have noticed raw fuel smell coming in from the ventilation ducts when the heater is on during cold weather. the smell weakens when driven but returns when stopped completely. this incident only happens when outside temperature is near freezing or below. i have bought this car as a 2002 model in july of 2001. this may be a fuel leak and i strongly feel that this needs to be replaced asap by subaru. i do not believe this is a wear and tear situation because there are many more wrx owners in the country who has the same problem regardless of mileage on the vehicle. *jb | |||
| 01/26/2004 | 30000 | 2 | 08/10/2001 |
| My 2002 subaru wrx has a strong gasoline odor from under the hood when started in cold weather (under approx. 30 degrees f). the smell eventually goes away as the engine warms up. this happened last winter and this winter. subaru has issued a tsb about the problem, but my car is out of the bumper-to-bumper warranty period. also, i can't leave it overnight at a dealership on a cold night (to allow the engine to cool completely) to allow the dealership to see the problem themselves. i am concerned that the leaking fuel might be enough to start a fire. subaru is aware of the problem, but is only issuing a tsb, and is not always paying for repairs. *jb | |||
| 01/13/2004 | 28700 | 0 | 03/15/2003 |
| My subaru '02 wrx sedan has developed a fuel leak in cold weather. i took it to my dealership (rafferty subaru in newtown square, pa) and they mentioned that there was a service bulletin on fuel leaks in subaru wrx's, and that it would take weeks to get replacement parts to fix it. my complaint is that subaru of america has not issued a recall on this problem. they are essentially allowing customers to drive their cars with fuel leaks and waiting for them to come in in order to fix the problem. this is essentially very dangerous. i knew nothing about the commonality of the problem until i visited the impreza owners web site (www.nasioc.com) and found many, many other people with this exact problem. i am posting here to try to put more attention on this problem before someone gets killed by an engine compartment fire. thank you, ken rimple. *ak | |||
| 01/05/2004 | 43300 | 1 | 08/28/2001 |
| After running the vehicle for about 5 minutes on a cold morning, a strong fuel smell could be detected in cabin and under hood. fuel vapor/cloud was visible when hood was lifted. *cb | |||
| 01/14/2004 | 55000 | 1 | 08/15/2001 |
| Early 2002 subaru wrx fuel smell(leak) in cold weather - probably as mentioned in subaru tsb 09-36-03 the dealer immediately provided a loaner car at no cost while the car is in the shop. the parts are currently backorder. i hope subaru will cover the cost of this repair even though the warranty mileage has been exceeded since this problem required a re design of the fuel line components. *cb | |||
| 01/11/2004 | 24200 | 6 | |
| When cold (below 20 deg f) car exhibits severe fuel odor in interior. upon inspection, it is clear that fuel is leaking out of fuel lines over top of engine and covering top of hot engine. fixed once by dealer last winter by tightening hose clamps, but is happening again. so much gas leaks out that smoke pours from under the hood. *cb | |||
| 01/16/2003 | 16000 | 1 | 05/31/2001 |
| Fuel leak in subaru wrx in cold weather. this is related to the other complaints of fuel smell. i actually witnessed fuel leaking last year and brought it to a dealer to be fixed. they tightened the fittings on my fuel lines and the problem went away. a year later, with the extreme cold weather we are having, the problem is back. the smell in the cabin during morning warm ups is unbearable, i cannot turn my heat on until the car is in motion. i am bringing my car to be fixed under the april service bulletin on tuesday, but wish to file a complaint so that subaru might issue a recall to protect the safety of its customers. *cb | |||
| 01/15/2004 | 46000 | 1 | 10/10/2002 |
| Strong smell of gasoline coming through hvac vent from engine bay when the vehicle is run on cold days (below freezing). this symptom has been reported by a large number of people. an internet forum containing more information regarding this troublesome and potentially dangerous symptom can be seen at: http://forums.nasioc.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=305748 *cb | |||
| 01/15/2004 | 49000 | 1 | 05/19/2001 |
| Strong smell of raw fuel coming into the cabin of my 2002 wrx. problem has recently become much worse, possibly due to the very cold weather. dealer says they identified the leak and need to replace the fuel lines and some other connectors and parts at a cost of $430. *cb | |||
| 01/05/2004 | 25000 | 1 | 09/11/2002 |
| 2002 subaru wrx - fuel leak under the hood. smells like gas in the car on cold days. this is a known problem with this car, however it is not a recall. i think this should be upgraded to a recall due to safety matters. *cb | |||
| 12/15/2002 | 34000 | 25 | 05/31/2001 |
| This complaint is consistent with the fuel smell reported in the subaru technical service bulletin 09-36-03. i have experienced this problem every day this winter (dec 2003-present) that the temperature has been 20 f or below. after at least two prior attempts to get the dealer (goldstein subaru of central ave, albany, ny) to duplicate the problem, they acknowledged it last week and attempted to remedy the problem by tightening the hose clamps. this did not solve the problem as the fuel smell returned the day after their attempted repair. each time this car is started and run in cold weather (20f and below) a fuel smell develops under the hood and in the cabin, indicating the presence of a fuel leak. the dealer has not accomodated my request to correct this problem per the service procedure stated in the tsb 09-36-03 and as an item covered under my warranty. i am concerned that this problem poses a significant health and safety risk to my family and all those that share the road with me. i am troubled that subaru of america is not treating this as a design flaw which would facilitate a recall. my vehicle is equipped with a turbocharger which can reach high service temperatures along with the exhaust system, creating a potential ignition source. believe tsb 09-36-03 should be reissued as a recall.*ak | |||
| 12/01/2003 | 37584 | 0 | 12/21/2003 |
| I am the owner of a 2002 subaru wrx. i am currently experiencing a strong fuel smell in the passenger compartment. the dealer attempted to tighten a clamp on a hose beneath the intake manifold but this did solve the problem. gasoline leaks from a fuel line in this area of the car. many other wrx owners are also experiencing this dangerous problem during cold weather. currently my car has this problem when the temperature is below freezing. there is no recall on this problem however i believe their should be one on this potentially dangerous defect. (www.nasioc.com) search raw fuel smell thread. | |||
| 01/10/2004 | 15900 | 1 | 09/10/2001 |
| During cold weather conditions, car leaks fuel from rubber fuel line. fuel drips onto hot engine components and presents a serious fire hazard. although subaru issued a bulletin about this matter, i feel it warrants an immediate recall due to the serious risk of engine fire and personal injury. *la | |||
| 01/10/2004 | 37000 | 2 | |
| Very intense smell of gas inside and outside car (i could smell it 10 feet from car). there is some type of subarau tsb for 02 wrx that involves replacing fuel lines that are over the exhaust manifold because in cold weather (less than 16 degrees fahrenheit) gas leaks. this can start a fire and potentially kill someone. subaru knows about this but refuses to fix problem if warranty expired. *la | |||
| 01/04/2004 | 42500 | 1 | 08/12/2003 |
| Smell of raw fuel in cabin, leaking clamps on fuel lines. gas leaks onto engine block, which could very easily catch fire.*ak | |||
| 01/10/2004 | 72196 | 1 | 07/31/2001 |
| Strong smell of fuel in the cabin. seems to be coming from the engine compartment nd is most apparent when the fan is on taking air from the outside.*ak | |||
| 01/10/2004 | 56087 | 1 | 08/10/2002 |
| I drive an 2002 subaru impreaza wrx, this moring i went to start the car and i smelled a very stong gasoline odor in the cabin of my vehicle! i opened the hood of my car took a look around and saw a fumes rising by one of the fuel lines i smelt the area and smelled like gas.*ak | |||
| 01/10/2004 | 20000 | 1 | |
| Fuel smell from leak in cold weather caused by a rubber hose connector located under the intake manifold between two direct feed metal lines to the injectors.*ak | |||
| 01/07/2004 | 27000 | 1 | 09/30/2001 |
| 2002 subaru impreza wrx, leaked raw gasoline over engine block in cold weather, strong fuel smell inside cabin. corresponds to subaru service bulletin #09-36-03. dealership refuses to fix or admit any problem unless they can duplicate it, they cannot unless it gets real cold and they start the car early in the morning. this problem should be recalled because it is very dangerous to have raw gas leaking all over the engine compartment. i know i am not the first wrx owner to have this problem!!lease is there anything i can do to get subaru to help me fix this.*ak | |||
| 12/28/2003 | 31000 | 1 | |
| A fuel line breakage caused fuel to spill all over the engine. *ak *mr | |||
| 01/06/2004 | 66800 | 1 | 06/30/2001 |
| Fuel smell in car, looked in the engine bay, saw small puddle of fuel on engine block and moist hoses. tsb released from subaru for this issue, but will not fix because car is out of warranty, even though this is an extremely volatile situation. forced to buy parts and fix myself for $300.*ak | |||
| 01/03/2004 | 0 | ||
| Strong fuel smell from under hood on very cold days (< 10' f). had vehicle in to dealership once last year for this problem; clamps on fuel hoses tightened, and problem not re-encountered last winter (most likely due to the fact that we had no more bitterly cold days). subaru has issued a tsb, and i'm calling the dealer to arrange another visit for the re-occurrence of the problem.*ak | |||
| 01/06/2004 | 68400 | 1 | 08/31/2001 |
| Fuel leak due to cold weather on a 2002 subaru impreza wrx wagon. covered by subaru technical service bulletin 09-36-03, dated april 1, 2003. *la | |||
| 01/07/2004 | 34000 | 1 | 05/09/2001 |
| Fuel leak from passenger side fuel lines on 2002 subaru impreza wrx. leaks when temperatures fall into the 30 degree fahrenheit range. fuel vapors are circulated into the cabin when the external air source is selected on the climate control. *la | |||
| 01/05/2004 | 48330 | 1 | 08/21/2001 |
| In cold weather, below 20 fahrenheit, i experience a severe raw gasoline odor from the vents at idle. the smell is very strong under the hood as well. subaru has a technical service bulletin on the issue addressing the leaking gasoline with a new fuel pipe and hoses. my dealer agreed to apply the bulletin with no charge as good faith even though my mileage is out of the 3yr/36k warranty. however, this needs to be a recall as leaking gasoline in the engine bay is a very dangerous situation. subaru needs to step up and properly address this potential hazard. *la | |||
| 12/31/2003 | 56000 | 1 | 08/21/2003 |
| My 02 subaru impreza wrx has a fuel leak. the dealership will charge me to fix the leak. they know it is a serious safety hazard and won't fix it for free. *ak | |||
| 01/05/2004 | 32000 | 1 | 05/24/2001 |
| Second attempt to file complaint previous effort would not include data on complaint info page. cold weather fuel leak as discribed in subaru tsb 09-36-03 dated 04/01/03.*ak raw fuel escaping from front of rubber hose section identified in tsb , temp 3 deg f. fuel begins to escape minutes after start of car. area under intake manifold and air intake tube wet with raw fuel, clouds of fuel vapor seen rising from front of car when stopped at traffic lights | |||
| 01/04/2004 | 31480 | 1 | 12/20/2002 |
| My 2002 subaru impreza wrx has known issue of leaky fuel lines when the temperature outside drops below 20 degrees. this is well-known and subaru will not do a recall on this issue. in fact i have heard from others with this problem that if the car is past the 3 yeah/36,000 mile mark subaru will not even fix the problem for free.*ak | |||
| 12/04/2003 | 49134 | 0 | 04/27/2002 |
| In cold weather you can smell the stong odor of raw fuel coming in the cabin of my 2002 subaru impreza wrx. there is a tech service bulletin out to the dealers regarding this matter. it explains that there was a poorly designed fuel line which leaks when cold. i can see visable leakage of fuel from the specified line. subaru of america has refused to fix my car because i have put a different exhaust pipe on my car even though i am withing the 60k mile warranty which covers this type of problem. obviously the exhaust has nothing to do with the fuel line leaking, but as usual subaru of america is looking for any excuse, even illegitimate and illegal ones, to avoid performing warranty work.*ak | |||
| 12/01/2003 | 65000 | 1 | 07/08/2001 |
| When the weather began to turn colder, i smelled fuel coming from somewhere under the hood. the smell would persist the whole time i drove the car and would be especially evident when the car was idling and the vent was on. i called the local dealer who told me that there was a service bulletin out on this problem (tsb# 09-36-03) and that it was not covered as a free repair because my car had over 60,000 miles and thus was not under warranty. i believe that a problem like this is not trivial and should not simply be a service bulletin but instead a recall. subaru should replace the offending parts for free; having fuel vapor circulating in the engine compartment certainly seems to me to be cause for grave concern. thank you for considering my complaint.*ak | |||
| 12/21/2003 | 46000 | 1 | 03/21/2001 |
| Fuel smell inside car. *ak | |||
| 11/03/2003 | 44000 | 1 | 03/09/2001 |
| Raw fuel smell for engine compartment in cold weather. *ak | |||
| 01/22/2003 | 37000 | 06/20/2001 | |
| Strong smell of gasoline coming through hvac vent from engine bay when the vehicle is run on cold days (below freezing). this sympton has been reported by a large number of people. an internet forum containing more information regarding this troublesome and potentially dangerous symptom can be seen at: http://forums.nasioc.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=305748 | |||
| FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE - FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM | |||
| 02/05/2007 | 56000 | 5 | 09/08/2001 |
| Strong fuel smell inside car. possible leak. *nm | |||
| 02/09/2007 | 1 | 08/08/2002 | |
| During the cold period last week, my 2002 subaru impreza wrx had a very strong smell of raw gas. subaru has issued a tsb # 09-36-03 dated 4/01/03 acknowledging the problem and has a repair kit specifically designed to fix the problem. this problem should result in a recall by subaru and be repaired at subaru's expense. it is a potential explosive/fire event and is a fault in the original design. the dealers will not fix this problem without charging the customers. the repair kit is about $60 but labor is $700-800. its a safety issue and i'm afraid to drive it like it is. *jb | |||
| 12/15/2005 | 50 | 04/01/2001 | |
| During the winter months the car begins to emit the smell of gas into the passenger compartment - so much that i have to roll the windows down or i begin to gag. most likely this is a fuel leak but i can't seem to locate it. this is on a 2002 subaru wrx sedan purchased in april 2001. *jb | |||
| 01/19/2005 | 34000 | 0 | 08/24/2004 |
| My 2002 wrx sedan has an extremely strong gas odor. i have seen there is a tsb about the fuel problem, but not a recall. there seems to be so many people that have had this same problem. of course my vehicle is just out of warranty. *nm | |||
| 12/23/2004 | 64000 | 1 | |
| There is a smell of gas in and outside of the vehicle. consumer has not had the vehicle serviced. *ak | |||
| 12/04/2004 | 136500 | 3 | 05/26/2001 |
| On cold mornings, during warm-up a pronounced raw fuel smell is evident in the car and especially under the hood of my 2002 subaru wrx, it was taken to the dealership and to an independent shop, neither of whom could replicate the complaint, but further research has turned up a tsb from subaru on the matter, yet the dealership did not act on that. i feel this condition poses a serious safety threat, as it can easily lead to a fire. *jb | |||
| 12/21/2004 | 49500 | 1 | 08/30/2002 |
| Whenever the temperature is below 32 degrees there is a raw fuel smell in the cabin. upon opening the hood i can see fuel coming from the lines. this is very unsafe and should be addressed with a recall from subaru. *ak | |||
| 11/26/2004 | 55615 | 2 | 04/21/2001 |
| Started the car first thing in the morning to drive approximately 1.5 miles to the store. outside temperature was about 48 degrees f. after returning directly from the store (the same 1.5 miles) there was a very strong smell of gasoline as i stepped out of the car. i smelled at the gap between the hood and driver's fender and determined the engine bay to be the source of the gasoline smell. i used a flashlight to search for any visible leaks, but i could not see the gasoline. the smell was incredibly strong though. it seemed to be the strongest right above the manifold between the intercooler, manifold, and turbo. i'm very worried of an engine fire due to the leaking. i'm taking the car to the dealer for examination of this problem.*ak | |||
| FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE - FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM - FUEL RAIL | |||
| 11/30/2007 | 102400 | 10 | 09/06/2007 |
| Fuel leak on 2002 subaru impreza wrx. fuel leaks/sprays form fuel lines onto manifold. strong fuel smells fill cabin with vapors. possible chance of fire in engine compartment. contacted subaru with no resolution. find this to be a very common problem with 2002 subaru impreza wrx. *tr | |||
| 11/30/2005 | 10 | 10/16/2004 | |
| In cool or cold weather, there is a very strong odor of raw fuel inside the passenger compartment. anyone inside or near the car is exposed to harmful gasoline fumes, these vapors are toxic when concentrated and may cause dizziness and hallucinations in smaller amounts. there is also concern of potential fire danger. fuel odor has been present year-round on my car, and also on many other 2002 and 2003 subaru imprezas. this is a common issue that subaru needs to address, but their position seems to be that it is the customer's fault and responsibility. this repair, to correct a design flaw in the subaru wrx, will cost the loyal customer several hundred dollars. thanks subaru, thanks a lot. *tr | |||
| 02/23/2007 | 120000 | 10 | 03/14/2005 |
| Smell of raw gas fumes in the passenger compartment of vehicle and under the hood of the vehicle at temperatures below freezing. took the car to the dealer and they quoted a $500.00 estimate to repair leaking fuel lines below manifold. they told me not to worry about it-it won't catch fire!!! *jb | |||
| 02/01/2007 | 59000 | 1 | 03/20/2003 |
| My 2002 subaru wrx suffered the cold start fuel leak problem described in the tsb (fuel rails). vehicle was purchased used from dealership, but dealer did not address the problem while vehicle was still under warranty. *nm | |||
| 01/26/2007 | 99000 | 30 | 03/05/2005 |
| I live in maine and in cold weather my my 2002 subaru impreza wrx leaks fuel from a fuel line on the passenger side of the vehicle. subaru of america has issued a technical service bulletin for this problem. *jb | |||
| 12/14/2005 | 52000 | 1 | 09/04/2001 |
| There is a rubber fuel line linking the injector fuel rail to the hard steel fuel line leading from the fuel tank, that contracts at a different rate than the fuel rail nipple. this causes a fuel leak on the turbo side of the engine. this is a problem that subaru and it's dealers are well aware of as it happens on the 2002-3 subaru wrxs in cold climates. the most alarming aspect of this is not just a leak, but the leak is on the turbo charger side of the engine. the amount of heat in the turbo would ignite vaporized/liquid fuel rather quickly. to me it is really amazing that these things are not bursting into flames all over. the company is also charging their customers for the fix, which is expensive, to a problem that is clearly their fault. not to mention that leaking raw fuel is an environmental problem. *nm | |||
| 12/08/2005 | 49071 | 1 | 08/31/2004 |
| Vehicle is leaking fuel into the engine bay. the passenger side fuel rail is leaking. subaru of america is not willing to fix the issue it is happening to a lot of people. the vehicle has gasoline fumes coming in through the vents. the condition is worsened in winter. *jb | |||
| 01/14/2005 | 44000 | 1 | 04/18/2001 |
| (1) events leading to problem: while traveling from seattle wa to sun peaks bc, temperature on bc5 hwy reached -27f. (2) failure and consequences: under these circumstances one of the joints connecting a fuel line to an injector started leaking fuel into the engine block. i only noticed this condition based on a very strong smell of fuel each time i stopped the car and by close visual inspection of the injector fuel lines -- i noticed fuel was dripping -- in order to avoid the risk of fire, i had the vehicle towed to select auto of kamloops (subaru dealership). i could detect the condition myself and put a post-it for the subaru dealer. the condition did not repro at normal temperature (above 0f), so the mechanic had to spray freon on the injector lines to repro the failure. i think that the problem is a major one as it (a) entails the risk of getting a fire on the vehicle. (b) is difficult to repro. (3) fixes done to the car: replaced rubber line and clamps. *jb | |||
| 01/09/2005 | 1 | ||
| There is a fuel leak on from the fuel rail when its cold out. | |||
| 03/01/2003 | 26000 | 1 | 03/01/2003 |
| To whom it may concern. i own a 2002 subaru wrx, and when the weather is cold, i get a very intense gasoline smell in the cab of the car. reading on the subaru forums, it seems that this problem is happening to a lot of other subaru wrx owners, some of which have gotten it fixed under their warranty, but most of us have no more warranty left. i have gone to my local dealer (ogden subaru) about this problem, and he treated me with such disrespect that it outrages me. he also told me that the labor to fix this problem was $450 dollars, and the parts are $350 dollars. then he proceeded to tell me that i was using the wrong octane of fuel, and i was revving the engine when my car is cold, which is | |||
| FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE - FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM - INJECTORS | |||
| 01/05/2004 | 1 | ||
| Strong gasoline smell on cold startup in subaru 2002 wrx. *ak | |||
| FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE - STORAGE - TANK ASSEMBLY | |||
| 12/24/2004 | 80000 | 1 | 05/24/2002 |
| 1. started my car on a cold morning. 2. smelled gasoline in the car. had my car towed to a subaru dealership to be looked at. they said they knew of the problem and that it was happening all the time in the colder areas of the nation, and that it was not on a recall. i think a fuel leak is a huge safety risk. does someone have to die (ie, burned to death) before this becomes a recall issue. i had to pay over 400 dollars to get it fixed because my life and my daughters is worth that much. this was fixed my a longer tube in the engine compartment. come on people it's a fuel leak in the engine compartment. *jb | |||
| FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE - STORAGE - TANK ASSEMBLY - FILLER PIPE AND CAP | |||
| 01/12/2004 | 5000 | 2 | 10/24/2003 |
| Fuel leak in engine compartment, fills passenger compartment with gas vapors. happens when cold, -15 f. *ak | |||
| FUEL SYSTEM, OTHER | |||
| 12/20/2009 | 178000 | 1 | |
| I have the fuel leak/ smell issue covered in nhtsa campaign id number: 09v468000, nhtsa action number: ea09011. i have had the problem for several years but it appears to be worse this winter in that it happens at temperatures just below freezing now. in previous winters it would have to be below 20 degrees before i would notice the smell of raw gasoline. i notice the problem when stopped and idling in the cold weather. in particular when stopped at traffic lights. my car was purchased in and registered in massachusetts. i would like to know why it was not covered in the recall. massachusetts is further north than co and parts of ne, ia and ny which are included in the recall. *tr | |||
| 12/21/2008 | 81000 | 1 | |
| I bought a 2002 subaru wrx in september and didn't notice the raw fuel smell until it started getting cold. i noticed it every time i started the car when the temperature was below 30 degrees f. one night i let is run to warm up and saw a large puddle of what appeared to be oil/gas mixture coming from underneath the car. from research i understand that many other 2002 wrx owners seem to have this same problem due to a fuel line leak. i believe that subaru should have a recall to fix this dangerous problem. *tr | |||
| 11/08/2008 | 85000 | 1 | |
| I have a 2002 subaru wrx that has a fuel leak when the weather gets cold. it occurs usually on start up and lasts usually 10-15 minutes. this is a well documented problem with this model car (see the following web link) http://forums.nasioc.com/forums/showthread.php?t=131755 many car owners have had this problem but subaru refuses to correct it despite the obvious danger (ie fuel dripping onto the engine manifold). several fires have even been reported - although i have not personally experienced this. *tr | |||
| 12/01/2001 | 1 | ||
| 2002 subaru impreza wrx-----very strong fuel smell in cabin of car during cold weather driving. fumes in cabin are so bad as to cause nausea and headache after prolonged exposure. this is related to subaru of america tsb#09-36-03, nhtsa action number pe04002. not only am i concerned about fuel ignition in engine compartment, but studies also show that gasoline fumes are carcinogenic. this has been a problem since i owned the vehicle in june of 2001, has been occurring ever since. finally i've had enough of dealing with it. dealerships have looked at my car and told me that nothing is wrong, and i've had enough. this is dangerous. *tr | |||
| 11/30/2005 | 10 | 10/16/2004 | |
| In cool or cold weather, there is a very strong odor of raw fuel inside the passenger compartment. anyone inside or near the car is exposed to harmful gasoline fumes, these vapors are toxic when concentrated and may cause dizziness and hallucinations in smaller amounts. there is also concern of potential fire danger. fuel odor has been present year-round on my car, and also on many other 2002 and 2003 subaru imprezas. this is a common issue that subaru needs to address, but their position seems to be that it is the customer's fault and responsibility. this repair, to correct a design flaw in the subaru wrx, will cost the loyal customer several hundred dollars. thanks subaru, thanks a lot. *tr | |||
| 12/19/2004 | 5 | 05/07/2002 | |
| During cold weather there is an awful smell of gasoline. it almost smells as though there's a gas leak inside the car. there was a tsb released but the subaru dealership could not recreate the problem so nothing has been done. the smell is unbearable and cannot be healthy.*ak | |||
| FUEL SYSTEM, OTHER - DELIVERY | |||
| 01/10/2004 | 29979 | 1 | 04/19/2002 |
| Raw fuel smell in the cockpit during cold (ie. below 20f) weather. *ak | |||
| 01/07/2002 | 58000 | 1 | 11/05/2001 |
| On cold days the car smalls of raw fuel.*ak | |||
| FUEL SYSTEM, OTHER - DELIVERY - HOSES, LINES/PIPING, AND FITTINGS | |||
| 12/21/2009 | 1 | ||
| I have the fuel leak problem covered in recall number 09v468000 in my 2002 subaru imprezza wrx but my car is registered in california and appears not to be covered. i can smell gas and see it pool on the engine, above the exhaust manifold near turbo components, when starting my car at about 30 degrees fahrenheit which is not uncommon in the mountains and valleys of california. the smell is very strong inside the vehicle and potentially hazardous if the fuel ignites in the engine bay. why aren't all of these cars being recalled? the state selection criteria seems arbitrary, since all states experience cold enough weather for this problem to persist. do i have to wait until my car catches fire to have the problem taken seriously? *tr | |||
| 12/20/2009 | 178000 | 1 | |
| I have the fuel leak/ smell issue covered in nhtsa campaign id number: 09v468000, nhtsa action number: ea09011. i have had the problem for several years but it appears to be worse this winter in that it happens at temperatures just below freezing now. in previous winters it would have to be below 20 degrees before i would notice the smell of raw gasoline. i notice the problem when stopped and idling in the cold weather. in particular when stopped at traffic lights. my car was purchased in and registered in massachusetts. i would like to know why it was not covered in the recall. massachusetts is further north than co and parts of ne, ia and ny which are included in the recall. *tr | |||
| 12/29/2009 | 108500 | 1 | |
| I have the fuel leak problem covered in recall number 09v468000 in my 2002 subaru imprezza wrx but my car is registered in pennsylvania and appears not to be covered. i can smell gas and see it pool on the engine when starting my car below about 30 degrees fahrenheit which is not uncommon in pennsylvania. the smell is very strong inside the vehicle. why aren't all of these cars being recalled? even a car registered in florida may spend a few days in a northern state and leak gasoline when started. do i have to wait until my car catches fire? *tr | |||
| 02/04/2007 | 68000 | 1 | 03/10/2005 |
| The car seems to have a temperature related fuel leak that always occurs in cool or cold weather and makes no difference if the engine is cold or warm. there is an extremely strong fuel odor in the passenger cabin, so much so that windows must be rolled down in cold weather. the car is off warranty and i've had it in to my mechanic who can't locate a problem. he suggested tightening the fuel cap very snugly after refueling but this has made no difference. the smell occurs almost daily in weather below 35-40 degrees. the car is in good condition and was inspected for pin holes, loose connections in the emissions/fuel system but nothing was found. i occasionally see one or two spots of what smells like gas on the garage floor. i am surprised at the number of similar complaints and that subaru has not taken this seriously. *ak | |||
| 01/18/2005 | 67000 | 1 | 06/15/2001 |
| Strong fuel smell in passenger cabin, temperatuer was about 10 f. this seems to be known problem, but i wish to add to the list. dealer took 2 weeks to order parts, and it will cost me $475 dollars to fix a saftey/health issue that subaru knows about. the first day i developed a lot of excess mucus & headache before i figured out what was going on. i guess breathing 93 octane during a commute will do that to a person. subaru should be pressures to make this a recall. i put the a/c on recirculate until the issued was fixed, but when i would get out to scrape ice off of the windows i could smell lots of fuel outside. not safe.*ak | |||
| 01/05/2005 | 1 | 09/07/2001 | |
| Today i started my car, it was about 35 degrees outside. as i released the emergency brake and turned up the heat, i smelled gasoline. thought it was just becuase it was so cold that the fuel did not burn all the way. at lunch i drove to burger king and still smelled the horrible fumes. on my way home it was still there and i had to have the heat on because it was so cold out and i was stuck in traffic. so needless to say i have a splitting head ache and am very frustrated at the information i found on the web. with the millions and millions of dollars car companies make you would think that when there is a problem of this magnatude they would be more than willing to fix the problem. what if the fumes from the gasoline had knocked me out while i was driving home and ran into someone and killed them would'nt it be cheaper to be proactive than reactive?*ak | |||
| 02/01/2004 | 40000 | 1 | 02/01/2003 |
| 2002 subaru impreza wrx, fuel leak due to improperly designed fuel lines where a service bulletin was issued however subaru of america refuses to warranty the problem and says its not a recall. i have puddles of fuel underneath my intake manifold and fuel vapor surrounds the entire engine bay of the vehicle which could result in fire and/or explosion to the vehicle. this issue has only arised to most vehicles who are out of the original 36,000 mile warranty. mostly 2002 and early 2003 models.*ak | |||
| 12/22/2004 | 1 | ||
| The problem is with a fuel leak in the fuel lines of the subaru impreza 02. during the colder weather the tubes shrink a bit, causing fuel to leak and get onto the engine, sometime catching fire. it brings a rather foul smell into the cabin of the car, as well as significantly decreases gas mileage.*ak | |||
| 12/20/2004 | 29183 | 4 | |
| Fuel leaks when starting my car (02 subaru wrx) in cold weather. strong fumes would enter the cabin through heat vent causing nausea. *jb | |||
| 12/19/2004 | 1 | 09/11/2004 | |
| Smell of fuel very strong inside vehicle.pulled over and popped hood.noticed pools of raw fuel on intake manifold on passengers side.removed puddles and tightened fuel hose clamps(12/12/04).temperature dropped to 15f the other day and the smell of gas is back.cannot see any puddles at the moment.from subaru enthusiets websites this seems to be a common problem when the temperatures drop below freezing for the wrx's.very dangerous!the turbocharger is mounted not to far away from the fuel puddles.*ak | |||
| 01/27/2004 | 19328 | 1 | 06/13/2001 |
| Fuel leak on intake manifold, causing strong gas oder and potential for fire.*ak | |||
| 01/13/2004 | 42000 | 1 | 06/05/2002 |
| Owner of a 02 subaru impreza wrx. gas smell observed from engine during very cold weather 15-20 deg. fuel leak from below manifold. was told by dealer my car is over 36000 miles and is not covered by subaru. i assumed an emissions related problem should be covered for more than 36000 miles. was given a $650 repair estimate. *ak | |||
| 12/31/2003 | 61000 | 10 | 04/20/2001 |
| Overwhelming fuel smell inside vehicle to the point of my eye's tearing due to the strong smell of fuel and pull the car over to get out and breathe fresh air. strong even with the hood closed you can smell the fuel standing by the car. cannot drive vehicle or have children in car. anti-lock braking system engages prematurely when not needed, causing vehicle to travel over a longer distance than needed. | |||
| 01/09/2004 | 35250 | 1 | |
| Terrible fuel smell in the passenger compartment of my 2002 subaru wrx on cold days. *ak | |||
| 01/10/2003 | 36000 | 1 | |
| Fuel smell. a fuel delivery line came loose under cold condition (20f), resulting in fuel pouring onto the hot engine block. the fuel delivery line was underneath the intake manifold. *cb | |||
| 01/01/2003 | 30000 | 05/17/2001 | |
| Fuel smell in interior cabin and engine compartments when outside temps reach 30 degrees f or lower. the colder it gets the stronger the smell. i first noticed the problem in jan of 2003 and then again in dec of 2003 and still have the problem to this date. | |||
| 12/12/2003 | 19750 | 1 | 02/15/2001 |
| My car a 2002 subaru wrx leakes fuel from the fuel rail when the ambient tempature is below 14f (i have whiteness it up to ~40f) this is a know proublem noted under subaru tsb 09-36-03.. it is extreamly dangerous fuel is leaked on to the heads where it is boiled .. then flows directly into the cabin hvac system .. scheduled for repair 12-15-03 i should have been notified and given the option to repair it due to living in a cold climate. *ak | |||
| 03/20/2003 | |||
| Strong smell of fuel in my 2002 subaru wrx. i have been on numerous forums about this topic. fuel line clamps are coming loose and subaru is turning a blind eye to a potentially dangerous situation. there should be a recall. | |||
| FUEL SYSTEM, OTHER - FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM | |||
| 11/30/2005 | 10 | 10/16/2004 | |
| In cool or cold weather, there is a very strong odor of raw fuel inside the passenger compartment. anyone inside or near the car is exposed to harmful gasoline fumes, these vapors are toxic when concentrated and may cause dizziness and hallucinations in smaller amounts. there is also concern of potential fire danger. fuel odor has been present year-round on my car, and also on many other 2002 and 2003 subaru imprezas. this is a common issue that subaru needs to address, but their position seems to be that it is the customer's fault and responsibility. this repair, to correct a design flaw in the subaru wrx, will cost the loyal customer several hundred dollars. thanks subaru, thanks a lot. *tr | |||