During cold weather, there is a very strong smell of gasoline inside the car. It's coming from a fuel leak near the passenger side of the engine. I first noticed it about 4 years (60,000 miles) ago. The car currently has 150,000 miles on it. It hasn't been fixed yet. It hasn't caught fire yet either.
2001 Subaru Outback: gas smell in the cabin
22 of the 171 complaints about the 2001 Subaru Outback describe gas smell in the cabin.
- owner complaints
- 22
- of this car's complaints
- 13%
- typical repair cost reported
- $400
- typical mileage
- 85,000
- recalls
- 0
Is there a fix? No recall or service bulletin covers this area of the car yet.
Gas smell in the cabin by model year
What owners say
2001 subaru outback limited. When cold weather arrives, very strong smell of gasoline in the passenger compartment. Must open windows to let it vent. Continues through cold weather year after year.
Tl* the contact owns a 2001 subaru outback. The contact stated that during cold temperatures, strong fuel fumes emitted in and around the vehicle. The vehicle had not been diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 102,000.
Since the cold weather started nov. 12, 2014 I have smelled a raw gas smell in my 2001 subaru outback when I start it. In time it fades away, like perhaps it evaporates once the engine warms up. I can only guess and some mornings when cold the smell is overwhelming, a raw gas order ~ not a faint smell of gas. Very concerned breathing these fumes which can't be healthy or safe. There are plenty of people having this problem and if anyone enters...subaru outback cold weather gas smell.. On your browser you will latterly see hundreds if not more people looking for help. Something must be done to rectify this problem.
Car smells like fuel when idling on a cold day. Rubber fuel lines and fuel filter were loose and after tightening them fuel smell temporarily stopped. Smell has returned and after calling subaru dealership they acknowledged the issue was related to rubber fuel lines that needed replacing. This is a common problem with subaru's and needs to be addressed by subaru. Dealership is asking over $300 to replace four rubber fuel lines located under the manifold and this is at least every year it has to be done that's sounds like a recall issue to me I tigthen the screws a few time and somehow when it's cold weather it tend to get loose and vapor comes out very dangerous I check this issue online using google search and notice this is a known issues and goes back many years there should be a recall just like the 2002 it is the same hose same area. This makes no sense that subaru would not fix it for free with a better solution than replace the hoses and clamps every year.
When the weather gets very cold (below freezing) the car begins to get a fuel smell. It is extremely strong inside the vehicle, although you can smell it outside the car as well. The first time I noticed it happening was in 2006. Took it to dealer who checked it and found no leaks. Odor went away after a few days sitting outside dealership so they did not do anything (weather may have warmed up). It happened again in 2008 and this time they said there was a fuel leak so they replaced the fuel hose and clamp. It worked until the following year when it got cold again. Looking at various posts on the internet found many others with the same problem. I tightened the clamps around some of the hoses around the filter and it mostly worked. When the weather is warmer there is no problem. This is a temporary fix and sometimes does not work so well, esp. When really cold out. There has to be another answer to this problem. What is subaru's response? Replacing hoses and clamps every year is not a solution!
Car smells like fuel when idling on a cold day. Rubber fuel lines and fuel filter were loose and after tightening them fuel smell temporarily stopped. Smell has returned and after calling subaru dealership they acknowledged the issue was related to rubber fuel lines that needed replacing. This is a common problem with subaru's and needs to be addressed by subaru. Dealership is asking over $300 to replace four rubber fuel lines located under the manifold.
In 20 degree weather (fahrenheit) an overwhelming gasoline odor filled the cabin of my 2001 subaru legacy wagon (outback). This happened on three different trips around town yesterday. I have a 2.5l engine, using 87 octane gasoline. The check engine light did not eliminate during these episodes. I lifted the engine compartment hood when this happened a third time and found the vapor smell was strongest near the intake manifold. There was no evidence of fuel leaking from any neoprene of steel lines. Obviously the odor was coming from the engine compartment through the heating system vents (the climate control fan was turned to high). The odor was so strong, it was overwhelming even when the vents were blowing recirculated air from the beginning of the trip. I believe a spark could have easily resulted in an explosion.
I have a 2001 subaru outback station wagon. On very cold days, there is a strong smell of fuel that pervades the passenger cabin. We had to drive with windows open even when 20-degrees outside or expose my 3yr son to the gagging fumes. This problem is a known issue (there are literally 1000's of posts on subaru owners web boards) but my local mechanic was initially not able to find the problem. Subaru of america has not issued a technical service bulletin to make owners aware of this common failure in subaru fuel lines. Once we found explanatory material on the web, we had the local mechanic replace the fuel lines for about $300. Given how common the problem is and how potentially dangerous a fuel line leak in the engine compartment could be, the federal safety agency should force subaru to address this problem. In addition to the immediate danger, their lack of action also is leading to owners exposing themselves to fuel fumes in the passenger cabin as the problem is intermittent and thus hard for mechanics to diagnose and repair.
2001 subaru outback, 4 cyl. Strong gas smell when outside air/heater is on and temperature is around freezing or below. It has happened last 3 yrs and fumes can be avoided by changing to recirculating air. Dealer and other mechanic could not find problem.
I own a 2001 subaru outback, that when the weather gets cold, somewhere at and below 30 degrees, I get a gas odor in and outside the car. I have researched this on the internet and found that this is an *extremely* common problem with the car's gas lines and that subaru is only acknowledging the issue on 2002 and newer models. Have you researched this issue before and can you tell me why no recall on 2001s was ever done? Thank you.
2001 subaru outback has strong gasoline smell inside cabin upon starting engine. Outside temperature is above 80- degrees...not cold. Smell dissipates as car runs after about 3 minutes.
Related recalls
No recalls on record for this model year.
Questions about the 2001 Subaru Outback fuel smell
Is gas smell in the cabin a common problem on the 2001 Subaru Outback?
22 of 171 owner complaints about the 2001 Subaru Outback (13%) mention gas smell in the cabin. The model year with the most reports is 2002.
How much does it cost to fix gas smell in the cabin on the 2001 Subaru Outback?
Owners who mentioned a price put the repair at about $400 (median of 7 complaints that include a dollar amount). Costs vary with mileage, warranty and where the work is done.
Is there a recall or service bulletin for this on the 2001 Subaru Outback?
There is no recall or service bulletin for this area of the car on record.
Other symptoms on the 2001 Subaru Outback
Shudder 11Sudden acceleration 8Fuel leak 7Tire blowout 6Check engine light 5
VIN decoder
See the problems and recalls for an exact car
Buying a used 2001 Subaru Outback?
Check the exact car before you pay: accidents, salvage or flood titles, odometer readings and previous owners.
Check its history