2003 SUBARU WRX — Problems, Recalls & Safety Data

CAR WAS RECALLED IN APPROXIMATELY 2009 FOR A FUEL LEAK WHICH COULD CAUSE AND ENGINE FIRE. I KNOW BECAUSE I'VE OWNED THIS CAR I BOUGHT IT NEW IN 2003. THE PROBLEM HAS REOCCURRED. TO FIX IT, THE INTAKE MANIFOLD HAD TO BE REMOVED AND 3 SHORT FUEL LINES HAD TO BE REPLACED. WORK WAS DONE BY ALPINE AUTOMOTIVE IN LAKE ZURICH, ILLINOIS. I'VE REACHED OUT TO SUBARU WHO SAY THEY KNOW OF NO ISSUE. HOWEVER, I FOUND AN ARTICLE PUBLISHED IN 2009 IN US NEWS & WORLD REPORT, SAYING THAT THE WARRANTY FOR THIS ISSUE WAS BEING EXTENDED BY 12 YEARS , WHICH PUTS THE CAR STILL IN WARRANTY FOR THIS ISSUE.. *BF

FUEL LEAKING ONTO MY ENGINE BLOCK COULD RESULT IN MY CAR ENGULFING IN FLAMES, NO RECALL FOR IT ON MY CAR BUT I SEE IT EVERYWHERE AND IT'S A SUPER COMMON PROBLEM. THE CABIN OF THE CAR ALWAYS SMELLS LIKE GAS USUALLY IN THE COLD, BUT WHEN I SMELL THE ENGINE IT SMELLS BADLY OF RAW GASOLINE.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 SUBARU WRX. THE CONTACT NOTICED A STRONG FUEL ODOR INSIDE THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO BYERS AIRPORT SUBARU (LOCATED AT 401 N HAMILTON RD, COLUMBUS, OH 43213). THE DEALER WOULD NOT REPAIR THE VEHICLE PER NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 09V468000 (FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE). THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND DEMANDED THE DEALER TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE; HOWEVER, THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE CONTACT WAS ADVISED THAT THE RECALL HAD EXPIRED AND HE WOULD HAVE TO PAY FOR THE REPAIR. THE FAILURE MILEAGE AND VIN WERE UNKNOWN. UPDATED 10/24/17*LJ UPDATED 10/25/2017*JS

WHEN IT GET COLD OUT, THE FUEL LINE STARTS LEAKING AND THERE IS THE SMELL OF GAS IN THE CAR. THERE HAS BEEN A LIMITED RECALL FOR THIS ISSUE DEPENDING ON WHERE THE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED. I LIVE IN A STATE NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL AREA. THIS DOESN'T CHANGE THE FACT THAT IT IS A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE AND THE MANUFACTURER SHOULD CORRECT IT NO MATTER WHAT STATE I LIVE IN (ILLINOIS). THIS IS CLEARLY A MANUFACTURER'S DEFECT AND ASK THAT THEY FIX THIS ISSUE.

MY DREAM CAR DEMOLISHED IN SPLIT SECOND. COULD HAVE VERY EASILY DIED AS WELL AS MY PASSENGER. I LOOKED UP THE RECALLS WHEN I GOT THE CAR AND IT WAS NOT LISTED YET, THE STEEL FRONT CONTROL ARMS IN THE SNOW BELT STATES RUST OUT AND CAUSE THE VEHICLE TO LOOSE CONTROL AND OR CRASH. WELL IT DID BOTH TO ME AS WELL AS EXCELERATE MY CAR. I WAS ON A DATE THAT NIGHT FOR THE FIRST TIME IN A WHILE. AND ON OUR WAY HOME, WE WERE COMING AROUND A SLIGHT BEND, I WAS GOING PROBABLY 35-40 MPH AND RIGHT WHEN I TURNED THE STEERING WHEEL GOING AROUND THE BEND I HEARD A CRACK/THUD NOISE AND INSTANTLY I SWEAR ON MY DADS GRAVE THAT THE CAR ACCELERATED, IT WAS OBVIOUSLY OUT OF CONTROL, I COULD NOT STOP THE CAR IT KEPT GOING THE SAME WAY AS THE TURN, AND HIT AN EMBANKMENT ABOUT 3 1/2 FEET TALL THE FRONT DOOR OPENED SOMEHOW WHEN I HIT. IT BENT THE COMPLETE DOOR UP AND LOOKED LIKE A LAMBORGHINI DOOR. LUCKILY WE HAD ARE SEAT BELTS ON! THE CAR THE PROCEEDED TO FLIP ON TO ITS ROOF. BACK, FRONT SIDE WINDOWS BLOWN OUT. BOTH UPSIDE DOWN IN AWE. MADE SURE SHE WAS OK. SHE WAS CUT UP ON HER ARM AND HAD SEATBELT MARKS. AS FOR ME I KNOW I HIT MY HEAD BAD BUT I DON'T EVEN REMEMBER, IT HAPPENED SO FAST AND UNPREDICTABLE! I HAD THAT CAR PAID OFF. LOVED IT SO MUCH BUT I'M VERY DISAPPOINTED I WAS NEVER AWARE OF THE RECALL. I LOOKED UP MY VIN THE DAY OR SO AFTER, AND IT SAID THE CONTROL ARMS WERE NEVER REPLACED. A MONTH OR SO LATER I CHECK AGAIN, AND IT SAYS THEY WERE FIXED.. NOW COME ON, THAT'S A LITTLE WEIRD AND CONVIENENT IF I SO HAPPENED TO SUE SUBARU. I ALSO HAD MY CAR AT A LOCAL SUBARU DEALER 3 MONTHS BEFORE FOR A OVERALL MAINTENANCE CHECK AND LOOK OVER... WHY DID THEY NOT KNOW, WHY DID THEY NOT EVEN SEE THE CORROSION. I WAS SO IN SHAMBLES AFTER THE WRECK, THAT WHEN THE INSURANCE GUY CAME TO LOOK AT MY CAR IT WAS TOTALED OBVIOUSLY. I TRIED POINTING OUT WHAT HAPPENED, HE REALLY COULD OF CARED LESS.