NHTSA Complaint #11324809 — 2020 SUBARU ASCENT

MY WIFE AND I PURCHASED A NEW 2020 SUBARU ASCENT IN JANUARY THIS YEAR. FROM DAY ONE, THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN GENERATING AN EXCESSIVE AND POTENT FUEL SMELL IN THE ENGINE BAY THAT IS THEN PULLED INTO THE PASSENGER CABIN VIA THE HVAC SYSTEM WHILE RUNNING. THIS SMELL IS PREVALENT WHEN WALKING AROUND THE OUTSIDE OF THE VEHICLE WHILE IT IS RUNNING; IT IS ALSO NOTICEABLE AFTER PARKING (AND TURNING OFF) THE VEHICLE IN OUR GARAGE AS THE GARAGE FILLS WITH A RAW FUEL SMELL THAT TAKES SEVERAL HOURS TO DISSIPATE. WE ARE ABLE TO REPLICATE THIS ISSUE EVERY TIME WE DRIVE THE VEHICLE FOR MORE THAN 10 MINUTES IN ALL TYPES OF DRIVING CONDITIONS AND TRIP DURATIONS. OUTSIDE TEMPERATURE DOES NOT SEEM TO BE A FACTOR. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN TAKEN INTO THE DEALERSHIP THREE TIMES SINCE PURCHASE. ON THE SECOND VISIT, THE DEALERSHIP TECH VERBALLY CONFIRMED THE FUEL SMELL UPON CHECK-IN AND OPTED TO RUN FULL DIAGNOSTICS ON THE CAR, EVEN TESTING THE FUEL PUMP/SYSTEM, BUT COULD NOT IDENTIFY THE SOURCE OF THE SMELL. THIS WAS EVENTUALLY ELEVATED INTO A SERVICE REQUEST INCIDENT/TICKET WITH SUBARU OF AMERICA. TWO SUBARU FIELD ENGINEERS VISITED THE VEHICLE, THE FIRST STATED THEY COULD NOT REPLICATE THE PROBLEM, BUT THE SECOND COULD REPLICATE THE PROBLEM BUT CLAIMED IT WAS A RUNNING ENGINE/BURNING PLASTIC SMELL AND WAS CONSIDERED NORMAL OPERATION. THE ENGINEER'S PROPOSED REMEDY WAS TO USE THE "RECIRCULATE AIR" BUTTON TO PREVENT OUTSIDE SMELLS FROM BEING DRAWN INTO THE CAR. > I AM CONFIDENT THIS IS A FUEL SMELL, NOT A TYPICAL HEATED ENGINE SMELL AS SUBARU CLAIMS. > WHEN DRAWN INTO THE VEHICLE, THE FUEL SMELL CAUSES LIGHTHEADEDNESS AND HEADACHES. > USING THE RECIRCULATE AIR BUTTON IS NOT A SOLUTION, IT IS A MITIGATION TACTIC, ESPECIALLY WHEN THAT SMELL IS CONTINUALLY GENERATED BY THE RUNNING VEHICLE. *TR