general problems of the 2002 Subaru Impreza

Odor of fuel in the interior of my 2002 Subaru wrx Impreza I contact Subaru and advised them of this via their 800 complaint number and referred to campaign 09v-468 and NHTSA action #ea09011. I was told I could take the vehicle into my local Subaru dealer at my own costs and get the vehicle repaired! I advised them that the campaign states my vehicle is covered for additional 12 years the problem and it fell on deaf ears. What can I do?.

When the weather is mildly cold, and it is approximately 50 degrees or less, and the vehicle sits parked for at least 4-5 hours, typically overnight and/or in a garage, there is a very strong smell of fuel when the vehicle is started. The smell dissipates after a few minutes and will not return unless the car sits parked for at least 4-5 hours overnight and/or in a garage.

Subaru recently issued a recall, (recall no. Wvk-21), for leaking fuel in '02-'03 wrx's. As stated, only some vehicles are covered. I called the Subaru phone # to check eligibility, and was told that my car is not covered under this recall, but that I should have a dealer fix it, at my own cost, ASAP, because leaking fuel is dangerous. Well at least the Subaru rep admitted it, if so won't as a company. I would like to file a formal complaint to extend this recall to all 02-03 wrx's. The leak is bad enough that I see raw fuel dripping onto the pavement below my car, that alone is a horrendous safety risk, as well as a major source of pollution. There is no possible way this vehicle would pass any emissions test with the amount of unburned hydrocarbon escaping. As it is now, the vehicle is undriveable if the ambient temperature is below zero, it simply leaks too much fuel to even be in the passenger compartment without an instant headache.

I recently bought an 02 Subaru and it seems that every time I cold start the car when it gets below freezing outside there is a horrid gas smell in the cabin of the car. On further investigation it is visible that there is a pool of gas accumulating on the motor from underneath the intake manifold. I have just noticed this and called the dealer and they said they had never heard of this. Looking online it seems to be a regular issue and there is no recall or information on how dangerous it is to have raw fuel on a hot engine. I am at a loss and a little concerned for my safety.

Raw fuel smell plus leaking fuel in f or below temperatures.

My Subaru 2202 wrx has a strong smell of gas in the passenger compartment everytime it is cold out. They have a TSB to fix the issue but will not cover the repairs in all cases. The TSB is 09-36-03. I would think they would care about a manufacturer defect that involves fuel. This should have been recalled.

I noticed a fuel odor in the cabin and traced it to the engine compartment. Upon inspection I noted fuel pooling on the engine heads. I removed it with a paper towel for further inspection and verified it was still flammable. I spoke to the dealer about the issue and they said that happens when it gets below zero outside. The problem has caused me to have to pull over while driving because of feeling light headed multiple times, and my wife has passed out due to the odor while riding in the car and sustained a minor head injury as a result. It occurs on a daily basis when the temp. Is below 20 degrees f or so. I have to open the windows while driving to vent the fumes which causes a hazardous condition while driving in inclement weather.

Strong fuel smell in passenger compartment of car, following start of vehicle in the morning. Sounds similar to NHTSA action number pe04002 except this is happening in temperatures 40-50 degree farenheit.

During the past several years my 2002 Subaru Impreza wrx has had the strong smell of fuel. Its not consistent nor does it happen all the time but often enough that it concerns me. I have called Subaru's headquarters about this problem and they just keep telling me there is no re-call for this problem, so they won't fix it. I'm concerned this is a real safety problem that Subaru refuses to address nor fix.

My 2002 Subaru has gas fumes in the cabin whenever the weather is cold. The colder the weather the stronger the fumes. Subaru is aware of the issue, the have a bulletin on this very issue, however the dealer refuses to cover this issue. Over the phone the service manager was confident that Subaru would not cover this issue. He informed me that it was just fumes leaking. Knowing a little about how gasoline is ignited, I know that the fumes are what combustion, and that is what I am concerned about. If Subaru is so concerned about safety, one would thing that explosive fumes would be on their list. However both Subaru of America, and Subaru of annapolis did nothing to reassure me that this would be covered. When I called Subaru of America again, they told me to contact another dealer and see what they would do. This is the last Subaru I will every buy!.

- the contact owns a 2002 Subaru Impreza wr,x and stated that the vehicle was leaking fuel, and there was a raw fuel smell coming from the passenger compartment of the vehicle. The fuel smell was stronger when the vehicle was running and the temperature was below 32 degrees. The contact currently has the vehicle at the dealership. The failure and current mileage were 119330. The vehicle also had a coolant lead. The drivers side door regulator was inopertive, the clutch had a judder, there was problem with the abs. Updated.

Raw fuel smell noticed while car is on. Seems to be coming from engine bay. Has just begun to occur as temperature has dropped below freezing.

In cold weather (sub-freezing), I smell gasoline vapors in the passenger compartment of my 2002 suburu Impreza wrx. The smell of gasoline is equally strong under the hood. One must drive with the windows open, with no heat, so as to avoid light-headiness.

Raw fuel smell in cold weather. Had to replace cd player. Seals on windows fell off. Brakes pump when hitting the brake when debris on road. (rocks,etc. ).

During one cold day I noticed that my car (2002 Subaru wrx) had a raw gas smell after starting up, like a fuel leak.

This is a complaint towards Subaru of America (soa). This is the third year that I have experienced fuel fumes in the cabin of my vehicle. Please review the forums on this online. This cannot go on , we have to leave our garage door open to dispell the fumes, its a fire hazard. Soa will not accept any responsibility for this vehicle fuel system defect. It needs to be on a safety recall. This has happened every year when the temperature reaches below freezing. I took the vehicle too the local dealership and they wanted $$$ to correct the defect (approx $500).

Upon start up and driving in cold weather a strong fuel smell emitted from the vehicle. The owner has contacted the dealer and the manufacturer and was told that this is common. Provide further details.

I drive a 2002 Subaru Impreza wrx manufactured in Feb 2001. I have owned the vehicle for 3 months. I noticed the failure during the first day the temperature dropped below freezing. The failure is described as a very strong scent of noxious fuel into the passenger cabin of the vehicle. The scent is present when the vehicle is started with a cold engine and the outside temperature is below freezing. The scent dissipates after 5 minutes of running the engine. This occurs every time these conditions are present which can be multiple times daily. The consequences to date have simply been discomfort but I am concerned that long term exposure may have lasting damage to my and my passengers lungs and eyes. . Read more...

Strong gas odor in cabin when temps are below 30 out side. This is the same problem reported last year with no recall or resolution by dealer/NHTSA.

2002 Subaru Impreza gives off a strong fuel odor. ** answer required***. The dealer told the consumer the odor was normal and that it was due to the rich fuel in cold weather.

Vehicle service several time due to gas smell, unsafe to drive. Consumer was told that a mouse nest was the cause of the gas smell in her vehicle and was charged $140. 74. The consumer showed the mechanic where the fuel was pooling on the engine. Problem still not resolved.

In the first winter after purchasing my 2002 Subaru Impreza wrx, there was a strong smell of gasoline in the passenger cabin as well as around the car. The problem persisted in the following years particularly during cold winter days, however dealerships were not able to replicate the problem. One dealership attempted to replace the fuel filter and spray "deodorant" into the vents to help, but the strong smell of gasoline persisted on cold days, particularly when we wanted to turn the heat on. The smell of gasoline is not only nauseating, but most likely very harmful to myself and my family. On occasion, it is impossible to drive the car with the heat on and consequently we need to drive with the windows down, in the cold, with the heat off. Nm.

Strong fuel smell in cold weather. Occurs whenever the temperature drops below 25 c.

While driving the consumer smelled fuel coming through the vents. There was a gas leak in the engine compartment. This problem only occurred when the weather was extremely cold. The consumer indicated that there was a "tbs" on this issues. The dealer could not find anything wrong with the vehicle.

Fuel leak in cold weather. Can smell fuel inside the car when the outside air vent is on. Gas mileage is also lower in really cold weather (may or may not be related).

On my 2002 Subaru Impreza wrx, the car leaks fuel and a raw fuel smell is strong in the cabin whenever the car is driven when the outside temperature is below 20 degrees fahrenheit.

Gas smell in car cabin in a 2002 wrx in cold weather conditions.

2002 Subaru Impreza developed a fuel leak. ** answer required***.

The consumer stated that the vehicle had a very strong gas smell when the temperature was below 14 degrees. The consumer stated that there was a fuel leak. There is a bulletin describing the same problem.