2006 SUBARU WRX — Problems, Recalls & Safety Data

THE SECONDARY AIR INJECTION PUMP FAILED TO TURN OFF AND NEARLY CAUGHT FIRE. SUBARU HAS RECALLED THIS PART AND THE RELATED RELAY SWITCH FOR 2008-14 IMPREZAS, BUT THIS PROBLEM ALSO EXISTS WITH 2006 IMPREZAS. MY MECHANIC SAYS THIS IS VERY COMMON FAILURE POINT FOR MY MODEL.

VEHICLE WAS BEING DRIVEN ON A PUBLIC ROAD AT 30 MPH. ENGINE OIL PRESSURE LIGHT CAME ON SO VEHICLE WAS PARKED IN A BUSINESS PARKING LOT TO CHECK OIL LEVEL. OIL LEVEL WAS FULL. OWNER CHECKED ON INTERNET FOR POSSIBLE CAUSES OF THIS SYMPTOM AND DISCOVERED NUMEROUS REFERENCES TO A BROKEN OIL PICK UP TUBE. VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT SHOP FOR EVALUATION. SHOP INFORMED OWNER UPON REMOVAL OF OIL PAN THAT ALUMINUM SHAVINGS WERE DISCOVERED IN THE OIL AND THAT INDEED THE OIL PICK UP TUBE WAS BROKEN. SHOP INFORMED OWNER THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM SEEN ON CERTAIN MODEL YEARS OF SUBARU VEHICLES. FAILURE OF THIS PART CAUSES OIL STARVATION AND CATASTROPHIC MOTOR DAMAGE REQUIRING REBUILD OR REPLACEMENT OF SHORT BLOCK AND OTHER RELATED INSPECTIONS AND CLEANINGS OF PARTS THROUGH WHICH OIL FLOWS. PART IN QUESTION IS NOT A NORMAL WEAR AND TEAR PART. AFTERMARKET MANUFACTURERS SUCH AS KILLERBEE HAVE ENGINEERED A BETTER PRODUCT AND CONDUCTED INDEPENDENT INVESTIGATION OF ISSUE WITH OEM PART AND EXPLAIN THAT THE BRAZING PROCESS USED TO JOIN THE BRACKET AND THE TUBE IN FACT WEAKEN THE TUBE. IN ADDITION, THE FLUX USED DURING BRAZING IS NOT PROPERLY CLEANED ON SOME PARTS WHICH LEADS THE MANUFACTURER TO BELIEVE THIS IS A QUALITY ISSUE THAT SUBARU HAS OVERLOOKED. OWNER CONTACT SUBARU REQUESTING ASSISTANCE WITH REPAIR COSTS AND WAS DENIED WITH THE EXPLANATION THAT VEHICLE IS OUT OF WARRANTY. COST TO REPLACE SHORT BLOCK WITH LABOR IS $6500. OWNER HAS EXPERIENCE AS AN AUTOMOTIVE TECHNICIAN AND UNDERSTANDS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN FAILURE DUE TO OWNER NEGLIGENCE AND FAILURE DUE TO A NON WEAR AND TEAR PART THAT IS NOT IN SUBARU REGULAR SERVICE PROCEDURES. FAILURE OF PART AT A HIGHER RATE OF SPEED CAN CAUSE SEVERE ENGINE DAMAGE AND A POSSIBLE UNSAFE CONDITION IN WHICH THE MOTOR CAN LOCK UP AND CAUSE VEHICLE TO COME TO A SUDDEN STOP. NUMEROUS OWNERS HAVE REPORTED SIMILAR ISSUES.

RAW FUEL SMELL OUTSIDE AND INSIDE THE VEHICLE DURING AND AFTER COLD STARTS

UPON START UP OF MY 2006 SUBARU WRX, THERE IS VISUAL EVIDENCE OF FUEL LEAKAGE UNDER THE INTAKE MANIFOLD ON THE PASSENGER SIDE OF ENGINE. THIS ONLY HAPPENS DURING TIMES OF COLD WEATHER. YOU CANNOT SEE THE LEAK AS IT IS UNDERNEATH COMPONENTS HOWEVER, YOU CAN SMELL RAW FUEL AND SEE WHERE IT PUDDLES UP AFTER A FEW MOMENTS OF ENGINE OPERATION. THIS PUDDLE ACCUMULATES ON TOP OF THE ENGINE BLOCK, DIRECTLY IN FRONT OF THE TURBOCHARGER AND EXHAUST SYSTEM. THIS IS CAUSE OF MAJOR CONCERN FOR THE SAFETY OF MYSELF, MY FAMILY, PASSENGERS IN MY VEHICLE AND OTHER MOTORIST ON THE ROAD. SOA, SUBARU OF AMERICA, HAS ISSUED RECALLS FOR PREVIOUS MODEL YEARS BUT SHOULD INVESTIGATE TO POSSIBILITY OF EXTENDING THE RECALL TO INCLUDE MORE CURRENT MODEL YEARS. I HAVE CONTACTED SOA WITH MY PROBLEM TO NO AVAIL. *JS

STARTED MY 2006 SUBARU WRX THIS MORNING IN 5 DEGREE TEMP, AND THERE IS AN EXTREMELY STRONG SMELL OF GASOLINE IN THE CABIN. I HAVE A SHORT DRIVE TO WORK, BUT THE SMELL STAYED STRONG FOR A GOOD 10MINS. *TR