NHTSA Complaint #10172818 — 2002 SUBARU IMPREZA

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