general problems of the 2002 Subaru Impreza Wrx - part 1

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.

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.

Fuel smell for my Subaru wrx 2002 model.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Fuel leak at startup when car is cold, usually below freezing temperatures.

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.

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!.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Raw gasoline odour in the cabin during the first 5 minutes of starting the car in cold weather.

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.

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?.

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.

Raw fuel smell coming from engine area.

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. 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??.

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.

When its very cold outside very strong odor of gasoline in the passenger compartment . . 2002 Subaru wrx sedan.

Car was out side over night, temps dropped below 35, raw fuel smell in cabin and around car.

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.

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. . Read more...

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.

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.

Any time the temperature goes below freezing you can smell raw gasoline in the cabin of the car.

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.

When it is cold outside, there is a strong gas odor inside the cabin.

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.

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?.

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.