2002 SUBARU WRX Fuel System Gasolinefuel Injection System Problems

STRONG FUEL SMELL INSIDE CAR. POSSIBLE LEAK. *NM

DURING THE COLD PERIOD LAST WEEK, MY 2002 SUBARU IMPREZA WRX HAD A VERY STRONG SMELL OF RAW GAS. SUBARU HAS ISSUED A TSB # 09-36-03 DATED 4/01/03 ACKNOWLEDGING THE PROBLEM AND HAS A REPAIR KIT SPECIFICALLY DESIGNED TO FIX THE PROBLEM. THIS PROBLEM SHOULD RESULT IN A RECALL BY SUBARU AND BE REPAIRED AT SUBARU'S EXPENSE. IT IS A POTENTIAL EXPLOSIVE/FIRE EVENT AND IS A FAULT IN THE ORIGINAL DESIGN. THE DEALERS WILL NOT FIX THIS PROBLEM WITHOUT CHARGING THE CUSTOMERS. THE REPAIR KIT IS ABOUT $60 BUT LABOR IS $700-800. ITS A SAFETY ISSUE AND I'M AFRAID TO DRIVE IT LIKE IT IS. *JB

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. *JB

MY 2002 WRX SEDAN HAS AN EXTREMELY STRONG GAS ODOR. I HAVE SEEN THERE IS A TSB ABOUT THE FUEL PROBLEM, BUT NOT A RECALL. THERE SEEMS TO BE SO MANY PEOPLE THAT HAVE HAD THIS SAME PROBLEM. OF COURSE MY VEHICLE IS JUST OUT OF WARRANTY. *NM

THERE IS A SMELL OF GAS IN AND OUTSIDE OF THE VEHICLE. CONSUMER HAS NOT HAD THE VEHICLE SERVICED. *AK

ON COLD MORNINGS, DURING WARM-UP A PRONOUNCED RAW FUEL SMELL IS EVIDENT IN THE CAR AND ESPECIALLY UNDER THE HOOD OF MY 2002 SUBARU WRX, IT WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP AND TO AN INDEPENDENT SHOP, NEITHER OF WHOM COULD REPLICATE THE COMPLAINT, BUT FURTHER RESEARCH HAS TURNED UP A TSB FROM SUBARU ON THE MATTER, YET THE DEALERSHIP DID NOT ACT ON THAT. I FEEL THIS CONDITION POSES A SERIOUS SAFETY THREAT, AS IT CAN EASILY LEAD TO A FIRE. *JB

WHENEVER THE TEMPERATURE IS BELOW 32 DEGREES THERE IS A RAW FUEL SMELL IN THE CABIN. UPON OPENING THE HOOD I CAN SEE FUEL COMING FROM THE LINES. THIS IS VERY UNSAFE AND SHOULD BE ADDRESSED WITH A RECALL FROM SUBARU. *AK

STARTED THE CAR FIRST THING IN THE MORNING TO DRIVE APPROXIMATELY 1.5 MILES TO THE STORE. OUTSIDE TEMPERATURE WAS ABOUT 48 DEGREES F. AFTER RETURNING DIRECTLY FROM THE STORE (THE SAME 1.5 MILES) THERE WAS A VERY STRONG SMELL OF GASOLINE AS I STEPPED OUT OF THE CAR. I SMELLED AT THE GAP BETWEEN THE HOOD AND DRIVER'S FENDER AND DETERMINED THE ENGINE BAY TO BE THE SOURCE OF THE GASOLINE SMELL. I USED A FLASHLIGHT TO SEARCH FOR ANY VISIBLE LEAKS, BUT I COULD NOT SEE THE GASOLINE. THE SMELL WAS INCREDIBLY STRONG THOUGH. IT SEEMED TO BE THE STRONGEST RIGHT ABOVE THE MANIFOLD BETWEEN THE INTERCOOLER, MANIFOLD, AND TURBO. I'M VERY WORRIED OF AN ENGINE FIRE DUE TO THE LEAKING. I'M TAKING THE CAR TO THE DEALER FOR EXAMINATION OF THIS PROBLEM.*AK