2003 Subaru Forester Fuel system Problems

I bought the 2003 Forrester off Craig's list While driving the car the steering is very loose and sways on the road . I noticed a small it was funny I could not identify it. I woke latter that night with a headache at the base of my skull and was extremely dizzy and nausea. I felt that way. Through out. The day. I drove it a short. distance the next day with the windows down. I begin hearing a grinding. Thumping noise in the rear . tites or brakes .bur it sounded like it was going to fall apart. The inside of the car had a oily dust all over it. And the funny smell. I looked. At exhaust. Pipe to see. How it looked and I put my finger in what was coming. Our. And it was dark oil. I have not driven the car since. I found out the name on the tittle is not who sold me the car. He lied to me about every thing. He said buyers remorse. I believe the car unsafe to drive I could have bern killed.

NHTSA ID

11417380

Incident

May 11, 2021

WHEN AMBIENT AIR TEMPERATURE IS COLD (BELOW ABOUT 20-30 F), THE VEHICLE GIVES OFF A STRONG GASOLINE SMELL. THIS IS CAUSED BY THE FUEL RAIL CONTRACTING TO THE POINT THAT SOME FUEL IS SPRAYED ONTO THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. OBVIOUSLY, THIS IS A FIRE RISK.

NHTSA ID

11395139

Incident

Feb 8, 2021

Mileage

133,000 mi

FUEL LEAKS FROM THE FUEL LINES AROUND THE ENGINE WHEN IT'S COLD.

NHTSA ID

11060857

Incident

Jan 5, 2018

FUEL LINE LEAKING UNDER 20 DEGREE TEMPS, SMELLS STRONGLY OF GAS INSIDE AND OUTSIDE OF THE VEHICLE WHILE IDOLING AS WELL AS DRIVING

NHTSA ID

11058454

Incident

Dec 23, 2017

Mileage

135,600 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 SUBARU FORESTER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE OPERATING THE VEHICLE DURING COLD WEATHER, AN ODOR OF FUEL WAS PRESENT INSIDE THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE WOULD ONLY OCCUR IN TEMPERATURES BELOW 25 DEGREES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO NEIL HUFFMAN SUBARU DEALER LOCATED AT 4916 DIXIE HWY, LOUISVILLE, KY 40216 WHO TIGHTEN AND RE-CLAMPED THE FUEL LINES BUT THE FAILURES CONTINUED TO OCCURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 114,000. *TT *TR

NHTSA ID

11057291

Incident

Dec 1, 2014

Mileage

114,000 mi

WHEN THE WEATHER TURNS COLD THERE THE SMELL OF GASOLINE IN THE CABIN IT HAPPENS WHEN THE CAR IS IN IDLE MODE WHEN DRIVING THE SMELL DISSIPATES BUT YOU CAN STILL SMELL IT FAINTLY I NOTICED IT LAST YEAR I WENT TO THE DEALERSHIP IN SEPTEMBER 2016 AND THEY NOTICED A POOLING OF GASOLINE BUT THEY NOTICE ANYTHING BECAUSE THE WEATHER WAS WARM SO THEY TIGHTENED THEY TIGHTENED THE ENGINE TO THE CHASSIS

NHTSA ID

10940304

Incident

Jan 5, 2015

Mileage

90,000 mi

THREE YEARS AGO, WE STARTED TO NOTICE A FUEL SMELL WHEN DRIVING OUR 2003 SUBARU FORESTER ON VERY COLD DAYS (BELOW 20 DEGREES). WE TOOK IT TO THE LOCAL SUBARU DEALER FOR SERVICE. THEY COULDN'T FIND A SPECIFIC LEAK, BUT THEY TIGHTENED THE CLAMPS AROUND THE FUEL LINES. WE CONTINUED TO NOTICE THE SMELL AND TOOK THE CAR TO OTHER SERVICE CENTERS TO SEE IF ANOTHER MECHANIC COULD FIND THE SOURCE OF THE ODOR. WE RECENTLY TOOK THE DARK BACK TO THE SUBARU DEALER AND WERE INFORMED THAT THE FUEL LINES NEED TO BE REPLACED AT A COST OF $700. WE DID SOME RESEARCH ONLINE AND FOUND MANY SUBARU OWNERS COMPLAINING OF SIMILAR ISSUES ON FORESTER AND OTHER SUBARU MODELS MANUFACTURED IN THE EARLY 2000S. OTHER OWNERS REPORTED THAT THIS IS A MANUFACTURING DEFECT WITH THE CAR. GIVEN THE SAFETY RISK OF LEAKING FUEL, WE URGE NHTSA TO INVESTIGATE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10940238

Incident

Jan 2, 2017

Mileage

60,000 mi

LAST WINTER ON COLD DAYS I NOTICED STRONG FUEL SMELL COMING INTO INTERIOR CABIN OF CAR, ATTRIBUTED IT TO DIRTY AIR FILTER, CHANGED IT AND WEATHER GOT NICE SO SMELL WAS GONE. NOW IT'S JANUARY AGAIN AND COLD TEMPS HAVE ARRIVED, NOTICED THE SMELL AGAIN WORSE THAN EVER. WHILE TAKING CAR FOR OIL CHANGE THE TECHNICIAN TOLD ME I HAVE A FUEL LEAK AND THAT IS WHY THE CAR SMELLS LIKE GAS. NOW I WON'T DRIVE MORE THAN 10 MILES FEARFUL THAT I MAY WIND UP IN A ROLLING FIREBALL. SINCE THERE A MULTITUDES OF COMPLAINTS ONLINE REGARDING THIS, I THINK SUBARU OF AMERICA NEEDS TO DO 1 THING..RECALL AND REPLACE AT NO CHARGE TO OWNERS. IT SMELLS WHEN IT IS STARTED, SMELLS DURING INITIAL DRIVE AND FOR QUITE SOME TIME -- DRIVING WITH WINDOWS DOWN AT 30 DEGREES AND BELOW IS DIFFICULT, I DID IT DURING OUR BLIZZARD TOO. AREA AROUND ENGINE REEKS OF FUEL AS WELL. I ALREADY HAD TO REPLACE HEAD GASKETS ONLY TO FIND OUT THAT THERE WAS A RECALL ON THOSE FOR THE PRIOR FEW YEARS WHICH MY MODEL WASN'T COVERED UNDER. INSTALLED NEW MUFFLER SO THAT'S NOT IT EITHER.

NHTSA ID

10823244

Incident

Jan 11, 2016

Mileage

156,000 mi

EVERYONE THE TEMPERATURE GETS BELOW FREEZING THERE IS A TERRIBLE GASOLINE SMELL THAT FILLS THE CABIN OF THE CAR. IT IS ALMOST TO THE POINT WHERE YOU CANNOT DRIVE THE CAR AND IT CAUSES HEADACHES. THIS HAPPENS WHEN STARTING THE CAR AND WHILE DRIVING IT.

NHTSA ID

10819216

Incident

Jan 10, 2016

Mileage

218,000 mi

FIRST EVENT WAS IN DECEMBER 2014, LONG ISLAND, NY: AFTER DRIVING FOR ABOUT 3 MILES, STOPPED WITH CAR SHUT OFF FOR ABOUT 30 MINUTES, WHEN RESTARTING, THERE WAS A VERY STRONG FRESH/RAW GAS ODOR IN THE CAR. SICKENING ODOR. THIS HAPPENS SPORADICALLY. THE LOCAL SUBARU DEALER DID A SMOKE TEST, SAID THEY FIXED IT BY TIGHTENING CLAMPS ON FUEL RAIL ON 2/11/15. THE ODOR CONTINUES SPORADICALLY. NOW, MARCH 3, 2015, THEY WANT TO REPLACE HOSES ON FUEL RAILS. MILEAGE IS JUST OVER 92,200. *TR

NHTSA ID

10691717

Incident

Dec 1, 2014

Mileage

92,100 mi

ON WINTER DAYS, WHERE TEMPERATURES ARE NOT UNUSUALLY LOW FOR A NORTHERN STATE, THE FUEL LINES ON THE FORESTER WILL SHRINK AND CONTRACT. THE RESULT IS THAT FUEL WILL LEAK OUT OF THE LINE RESULTING IN TWO THINGS, FUEL VAPORS IN THE CABIN AND FUEL PUDDLING ON THE ENGINE. FUEL PUDDLING ON THE ENGINE REPRESENTS ON OBVIOUS SAFETY HAZARD IN THE EVENT OF A FIRE. THE HEAVY FUEL VAPORS AND ODOR IN THE CABIN CAUSED ME TO BECOME NAUSEOUS AND LIGHT HEADED. IN ORDER TO DRIVE HOME SAFELY, THE WINDOWS HAD TO BE OPENED ALMOST COMPLETELY. LUCKILY THEY WERE NOT FROZEN UP, WHICH IS ALSO COMMON IN WINTER MONTHS. THERE HAVE ALSO BEEN SEVERAL DAYS WHERE WIND CHILL ALONE COULD RESULT IN FROST BITE IN ONLY A FEW MINUTES. I COULD NOT HAVE ROLLED DOWN MY WINDOWS SAFELY ON THOSE DAYS OR IN SIMILAR TEMPS BECAUSE OF THE ADDED VEHICLE SPEED. SOA IS AWARE THAT THIS IS A PROBLEM, BUT REFUSES TO CORRECT THE ISSUE OR ADMIT THAT IT APPLIES TO MOST OF ITS MODELS. THE PROBLEM EVEN CONTINUES ON LATER MODELS. THIS IS A WELL KNOWN ISSUE, SEE THIS THREAD THAT SPANS SEVERAL YEARS (CONTINUING TODAY): HTTP://WWW.SUBARUFORESTER.ORG/VBULLETIN/F87/SMELL-GAS-COLD-STARTS-41319/ THE LINES AND PROBLEM ARE ALMOST IDENTICAL TO THE IMPREZA ISSUE, WHICH RESULTED IN SUBARU SERVICE BULLETIN NUMBER 09-36-03. *TR

NHTSA ID

10689801

Incident

Dec 1, 2014

VERY STRONG GAS SMELL IN VEHICLE CABIN DURING COLD WEATHER. *TR

NHTSA ID

10683580

Incident

Jan 1, 2014

Mileage

145,000 mi

BAD RAW FUEL ODOR IN CABIN IN COLD WEATHER, HAS BEEN HAPPENING FOR WEEKS. WENT ONLINE, FOUND TONS OF SIMILAR COMPLAINTS, SUBARU OF AMERICA HAS NOT ISSUED A RECALL FOR THE 2003 FORESTER, EVEN THOUGH THIS IS A VERY COMMON AND DANGEROUS SAFETY PROBLEM. *JS

NHTSA ID

10682025

Incident

Feb 8, 2015

Mileage

163,289 mi

IN VERY COLD TEMPERATURES THE INTERIOR OF MY VEHICLE IS OVERCOME WITH FUEL FUMES. IT HAPPENS AT IDLE AND LOW SPEEDS, DOES GO AWAY ONCE WE ARE DRIVING FOR A FEW MINUTES OVER 30 MPH. IT IS SO BAD WE HAD TO DRIVE WITH WINDOWS OPEN IN 5 DEGREE WEATHER. DEFINITELY COMING IN THROUGH THE HEAT VENTS, HOWEVER, SHUTTING THE HEAT OFF DID NOT ELIMINATE THE PROBLEM. THIS IS MY FIRST WINTER WITH THE CAR AND DIDN'T HAVE THIS HAPPEN UNTIL THE LAST FEW DAYS, WHEN THE TEMPS HAVE BEEN CONSISTENTLY BELOW 30 DEGREES F. I'VE READ NUMEROUS OTHER COMPLAINTS OF THIS, NOT SURE WHY THERE IS NO RECALL/SERVICE BULLETIN BUT WOULD LIKE TO KNOW THE SOLUTION TO THE ISSUE. IT CAN'T BE SAFE TO BREATHE THESE FUMES! WOULD LIKE TO KNOW THE SOLUTION TO THIS PROBLEM, AS WE OTHERWISE LOVE THIS VEHICLE! *TR

NHTSA ID

10671351

Incident

Jan 8, 2015

Mileage

131,000 mi

WHEN TEMPERATURE DROPS TO LOW DOUBLE DIGITS (TEENS OR BELOW) THE CAB OF THE CAR BEGINS TO SMELL OF GASOLINE. I HAVE HAD IT INSPECTED BY A MECHANIC AND THEY CANNOT FIND A LEAK ANYWHERE IN THE FUEL LINE. IT GOES AWAY WHEN THE TEMPERATURE MOVES BACK TO WARMER TEMPERATURES. *TR

NHTSA ID

10670993

Incident

Jan 6, 2015

Mileage

173,000 mi

A RUBBER HOSE CONNECTING TWO METAL GAS LINES HAS STARTED TO LEAK. THIS IS DUE TO THE COLD WEATHER. SUBARU ISSUED A RECALL FOR THIS ON THE WRX MODELS OF THE SAME YEAR. THIS ENGINE IS THE SAME ENGINE AS IN THE WRX. IT IS THE 2.5 N/A. WHY ARE OUR MOTORS NOT BEING FIXED AS WELL? THIS IS A MAJOR FIRE HAZARD. IT IS NEAR THE IGNITION SYSTEM AND ABOVE THE EXHAUST PIPE. *JS

NHTSA ID

10669202

Incident

Dec 30, 2014

Mileage

240,000 mi

VERY STRONG FUEL SMELL WHEN COLD WEATHER. *JS

NHTSA ID

10661503

Incident

Nov 10, 2014

Mileage

130,000 mi

IN FREEZING WEATHER A VERY STRONG SMELL OF GASOLINE FILLS THE CAR. I HAVE YOUNG CHILDREN THAT RIDE IN THIS VEHICLE AND IT'S A HEALTH AND SAFETY HAZARD. *TR

NHTSA ID

10659175

Incident

Nov 19, 2014

Mileage

160,000 mi

WHEN TEMPERATURE IS LESS THAN 32, THE INSIDE OF THE CAR SMELLS LIKE GAS. IT GETS WORSE WHEN THE HEAT IS TURNED ON. FUMES ARE OVERWHELMING. *TR

NHTSA ID

10655002

Incident

Nov 11, 2014

Mileage

169,000 mi

COLD WEATHER FUEL LINE LEAK. *TR

NHTSA ID

10654595

Incident

Nov 12, 2014

Mileage

97,000 mi

2003 FORESTER 2.5XS IN ALBERTA, CANADA (OWNED SINCE DEC 2004). SAME ISSUE AT 221,000 KILOMETERS: WE HAVE BEEN NOTICING VERY STRONG FUEL SMELL FOR SEVERAL MONTHS NOW (WHEN IT'S COLD OUTSIDE). THE CAR IS CURRENTLY AT THE DEALERSHIP FOR REPAIRS. AS A LOT OF OWNERS NOTED HERE AND ON OTHER NUMEROUS WEB SITES, THE PROBLEM IS WIDESPREAD NOW. OTHERWISE, IT'S BEEN THE BEST CAR WE'VE HAD AND WE STILL LOVE IT. HOPEFULLY SUBARU WILL NOTICE THESE NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS AND WILL STAY BEHIND ITS REPUTATION.

NHTSA ID

10564526

Incident

Feb 10, 2014

Mileage

221 mi

RECENTLY NOTICED A STRONG SMELL OF PURE GASOLINE WHEN IT IS COLD OUTSIDE. THE SMELL ISN'T SO BAD UNTIL YOU TURN ON THE HEATING SYSTEM. NOT LONG AFTER, YOU HAVE TO DRIVE WITH THE WINDOWS DOWN IN ORDER TO BREATH FRESH AIR. *TR

NHTSA ID

10563722

Incident

Jan 13, 2014

Mileage

72,768 mi

NOTICED THE SAME PROBLEM LAST YEAR ALSO AT ABOUT 134000 MILES. WHEN THE OUTSIDE TEMPERATURE DROPS BELOW 20 DEGREES WOULD BE MY BEST GUESS, THE WHOLE CAB OF THE CAR FILLS WITH GASOLINE FUMES. PRETTY POWERFUL SMELL. I NOTICE ONLINE IN MANY, MANY PLACES THAT SUBARU IS HAVING THIS ISSUE. THEY ARE ONLY FIXING WRX MODELS UNDER A RECALL. THAT IS MY UNDERSTANDING. UNFORTUNATELY, I DO NOT HAVE A WRX. I WILL PAY TO HAVE THIS FIXED, THOUGH SUBARU SHOULD STEP UP TO ALL MODELS WITH THIS VERY DETRIMENTAL ISSUE. THE DEALER IS ACTING A LITTLE SUSPICIOUS DENYING THEY KNOW ABOUT THE PROBLEM. SEEMS LIKE THEY SHOULD KNOW ABOUT ALL ISSUES THAT ARE SO PROMINENT ON THE INTERNET. MOST ARTICLES POINT TO FUEL LINES AT INTAKE MANIFOLD ARE FAILING. FAILING WOULD DEMAND TSB. *TR

NHTSA ID

10563471

Incident

Feb 2, 2014

Mileage

149,000 mi

DURING COLD WEATHER, (LATEST INCIDENT OCCURRED AT 15 DEGREES F), THERE IS A STRONG FUEL ODOR INSIDE THE VEHICLE WHILE THE VEHICLE IS RUNNING COMING FROM THE AIR VENTS INSIDE THE VEHICLE. AFTER STOPPING THE VEHICLE INSIDE OUR GARAGE THE STRONG FUEL ODOR CONTINUES UNTIL GRADUALLY LESSENING. A VISUAL INSPECTION DOES NOT REVEAL AN OBVIOUS FUEL LEAK. OTHER SUBARU MODELS WERE RECALLED FOR A SIMILAR PROBLEM AND AN ONLINE SEARCH SUGGESTS THIS IS NOT AN ISOLATED EVENT TO MY PARTICULAR VEHICLE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10563334

Incident

Feb 6, 2012

Mileage

71,000 mi

VERY STRONG ODOR OF GASOLINE IN THE CABIN RIGHT AFTER STARTUP AND THROUGHOUT SHORT TRIPS, ESPECIALLY WITH HEATER ON. SEEMS TO HAPPEN MOST OFTEN WHEN OUTSIDE TEMPERATURES ARE NEAR OR BELOW THE FREEZING MARK. DID NOT EXPERIENCE BEFORE THIS WINTER, NOW OCCURS DAILY. PLEASE INVESTIGATE THIS PROBLEM BEFORE SOMEONE GETS HURT OR KILLED! IF SUBARU KNOWS THAT THERE IS A SAFETY PROBLEM WITH THE FUEL SYSTEM, OWNERS SHOULD NOT HAVE TO PAY FOR REPAIRS. *TR

NHTSA ID

10562186

Incident

Jan 13, 2014

Mileage

81,100 mi