NHTSA Complaint #10248816 — 2003 SUBARU IMPREZA

DUE TO A FLAWED DESIGN RELATED TO THE FUEL DELIVERY SYSTEM, WHENEVER THE OUTSIDE TEMPERATURE DROPS BELOW 14 DEGREES A RUBBER HOSE CONTRACTS AND GASOLINE LEAKS OUT OF A FUEL RAIL CONNECTION ABOVE THE ENGINE ON THE PASSENGER SIDE. THIS FLAW IS OUTLINED IN SUBARU SERVICE BULLETIN (#09-36-03). I THINK IT IS A DANGEROUS SITUATION HAVING RAW FUEL LEAKING ONTO AN ENGINE ESPECIALLY SINCE THE SMELL INSIDE THE CABIN OF THE CAR IS EXTREMELY STRONG. THIS DESIGN ISSUE SHOULD HAVE FORCED A RECALL, YET IT HAS NOT AND SUBARU DEALERS ARE CHARGING IN EXCESS OF $500 TO CORRECT THE SITUATION BY REPLACING THE RUBBER HOSE WITH ONE THAT IS 30MM LONGER. THE LEAKING FUEL SITUATION HAS BEEN AN ISSUE WITH THE VEHICLE SINCE I ORIGINALLY PURCHASED IT. IT SEEMS TO BE GETTING MORE SEVERE EACH WINTER WITH TODAY BEING NO EXCEPTION. THE TEMPERATURE HERE IN CHEYENNE THIS MORNING WAS IN A LOW TEENS AND EVEN AS I WENT TO GET INTO THE VEHICLE I COULD SMELL GAS AS I STOOD NEXT TO THE CAR. WHEN I TURNED ON THE FAN FOR THE HEATER THE CABIN FILLED WITH GAS FUMES. A QUICK SEARCH OF THE INTERNET REVEALED THAT THERE ARE HUNDREDS OF COMMENTS, POSTINGS AND THREADS BY OWNERS WHO ARE EXPERIENCING THIS HAZARDOUS PROBLEM. *TR