Any time the temperature goes below freezing you can smell raw gasoline in the cabin of the car.
2002 Subaru WRX fuel system complaints
Page 7 of 11: complaints 161 to 190 of 295, newest first, as owners wrote them.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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 federal safety agency 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 federal safety agency'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, [xxx]. *nm information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.s.c. 552(b)(6).
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.
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.
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.
Strong fuel smell in cabin during cold (not extreme temperatures) weather conditions. This is already a reported issue as the federal safety agency 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.
Strong gasoline smell in cold weather.
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.
Cold weather causes a fuel leak in the engine bay.
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.
There is a fuel leak on from the fuel rail when its cold out.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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?
There is a smell of gas in and outside of the vehicle. Consumer has not had the vehicle serviced.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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