2003 Subaru Impreza Owner Complaints

My 2003 Subaru Impreza WRX has a very strong fuel odor that is coming into the cabin when I start my car up on cold days. It's been unusually cold here in Washington state this winter with temperatures in Seattle dipping well below freezing. I see that there is a recall for this exact problem for my exact car (https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/rcl/2009/RCONL-09V468-4248.pdf). But when I called the dealer (Michael's Bellevue Subaru), and then subsequently called Subaru (1-800-SUBARU3), they told me that they will not fix this issue, since this recall does not apply to my state (Washington). I think that's not right. It is the exact same problem of cold weather causing this fuel line to leak, and they should honor this recall.

NHTSA ID

11448826

Incident

Jan 1, 2022

I NOTICED FRESH SMELL OF GASOLINE EVERYTIME I START THE CAR. I LOOK AT THE FUEL LINE AND ITS SIPPING FUEL.

NHTSA ID

11405009

Incident

Mar 25, 2021

Mileage

130,000 mi

SUBARU OF AMERICA RECALL WVK-21 OCCURED WHILE DRIVING AT OPERATING TEMPERATURE, CAUSING SMOKE TO RISE FROM ENGINE BAY. SUBARU OF AMERICA REFUSED TO FIX THE ISSUE AS MY VIN DID NOT COME UP IN THEIR SYSTEM WITH THE RECALL.

NHTSA ID

11399684

Incident

Feb 23, 2021

Mileage

180,000 mi

ON THE NIGHT OF 12/6/2020 I WAS BACKING OUT OF A FRIENDS DRIVEWAY TO DRIVE HOME, WHEN I REACHED THE STREET, I HEARD A LOUD CLUNK AND A GRINDING NOISE. I GOT OUT OF MY CAR TO INVESTIGATE WHAT HAD JUST HAPPENED AND THE FRONT PORTION OF MY PASSENGER SIDE FRONT LOWER CONTROL ARM HAD COMPLETELY LOST ALL STRUCTURAL INTEGRITY. FORTUNATELY MY CAR WAS AT A LOW SPEED AND I DID NOT LOSE CONTROL (PICTURES ATTACHED). HAD THIS HAPPENED WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY, THIS WOULD HAVE BEEN A CATASTROPHIC FAILURE AND I WOULD HAVE LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE THE EVENTS ON 12/6/2020 INDICATES THE REMEDIATION STEPS PROPOSED BY SUBARU ARE NOT ACCEPTABLE AS THIS PART FAILED CATASTROPHICALLY AFTER THESE STEPS HAD BEEN PERFORMED. THE SAFETY RECALL REMEDIATION STEPS IN QUESTION ARE THAT OF: "TYPE: SAFETY | SAFETY RECALL: WVX34 | NHTSA CAMPAIGN: 11V464000" ACCORDING TO SUBARU'S WEBSITE FOR THIS VEHICLE, THE SAFETY RECALL WAS COMPLETED: HTTPS://WWW.SUBARU.COM/VEHICLE-RECALLS.HTML/VIN=[XXX] ACCORDING TO THE CARFAX REPORT, THE SAFETY RECALL WAS PERFORMED ON 2/7/2012 ONLY 5 MONTHS AFTER THE RECALL WAS ISSUED. (SCREENSHOT ATTACHED) THE NATURE OF THE FAILURE AND THE DESCRIPTION OF THE ORIGINAL SAFETY RECALL SHOW THAT THE TESTING STEPS AND REMEDIATION STEPS ARE NOT SUITABLE FOR A COMPLETED SAFETY RECALL AS THE PART DID END UP FAILING AFTER THE ADDITIONAL COATING OF ANTI-CORROSIVE HAD BEEN APPLIED TO THE LOWER CONTROL ARM OF MY VEHICLE. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

NHTSA ID

11382853

Incident

Dec 6, 2020

Mileage

205,000 mi

HEAD GASKET ISSUE. WEEPING OIL BETWEEN THE HEADS AND THE BLOCK. NO LONGER OWN VEHICLE.

NHTSA ID

11318563

Incident

Feb 9, 2020

Mileage

170,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 SUBARU IMPREZA. THE CONTACT SMELLED FUEL INSIDE AND OUTSIDE THE ENGINE BAY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 09V468000 (FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE). KEARNY MESA SUBARU (4797 CONVOY ST, SAN DIEGO, CA 92111, (858) 278-7100) WAS CONTACTED AND STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN A RECALL. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER OR INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING OR REPAIRS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND INFORMED THE CONTACT TO CALL NHTSA. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 159,800.

NHTSA ID

11181362

Incident

Feb 19, 2019

Mileage

159,800 mi

LOWER PASSENGER CONTROL ARM TORE OFF. AS A RESULT, LOSS CONTROL OF VEHICLE AT HIGH SPEED ON THE HIGHWAY.

NHTSA ID

11160641

Incident

Dec 2, 2018

Mileage

115,000 mi

FUEL LINE LEAKING GAS IN COLD WEATHER. I REALLY DON'T THINK IT'S SAFE TO DRIVE WITH QUITE A BIT OF GAS LEAKING ALL OVER THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE ENGINE THAT GETS VERY HOT AND COULD CAUSE A FIRE.

NHTSA ID

10930227

Incident

Dec 4, 2016

Mileage

148,000 mi

TAKATA AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY. SIDE IMPACT SENSOR DID NOT WORK. THE CAR TRAVELED SIDEWAYS INTO A LARGE OAK TREE IN EXCESS OF 35 MPH . THE POINT OF IMPACT WAS WHERE THE SIDE IMPACT SENSOR WAS LOCATED . NONE OF THE AIRBAGS DEPLOYED . SUBARU HAS BEEN VERY UNCOOPERATIVE WITH ANSWERS AS TO WHY THE AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY . THIS HAPPENED UPON A RURAL ROAD IN THE FOG . NO OTHER VEHICLES WERE INVOLVED .

NHTSA ID

10915984

Incident

Jul 26, 2016

Mileage

140,000 mi

HTTPS://SERVICES.NEFRAMEWORK.COM/IMAGERETRIEVAL.ASPX?ID=974F272D-0461-4FF2-97A8-B175C14EC539 THAT DESCRIBES HOW THE CRASH HAPPENED. AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. I SUFFERED BROKEN LEFT ELBOW, FRACTURE IN MY SKULL,RIBS AND SHOULDER. ALSO SEVERE BRAIN TRAUMA. I HAVE A LOT OF PICTURES, BUT IT WILL ONLY LET ME ATTACH ONE. THERE IS FRONTAL DAMAGE FROM A SMALLER TREE, BUT THE MAJORITY IS ON THE DRIVERS SIDE(MY SIDE) FROM SLAMMING INTO A LARGE TREE.

NHTSA ID

10906741

Incident

Jul 26, 2016

Mileage

160,000 mi

MY CAR IS LEAKING FUEL. I SMELL THE POISONOUS FUEL INSIDE MY VEHICLE EVERY TIME I AM INSIDE IT. I AM LOSING 50 MILES PER FULL TANK. CAN THIS LEAK CAUSE MY CAR TO BLOW-UP AND KILL ME OR OTHERS? I AM SCARED. MY NAME IS [XXX] FROM CLIFTON NEW JERSEY. MY EXTENDED WARRANTY EXPIRED IN NOVEMBER. ISN'T SAFETY MORE IMPORTANT THAN A 3 MONTH EXPIRED WARRANTY? I WORK FOR NJ TRANSIT, I KNOW THE DOT WOULD BE CONCERNED! INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

NHTSA ID

10683479

Incident

Jan 15, 2015

Mileage

183,000 mi

EXTREMELY STRONG SMELL OF GASOLINE IN CABIN IN COLD WEATHER (BELOW 32 DEGREES F.). *TR

NHTSA ID

10672622

Incident

Jan 12, 2015

Mileage

103,000 mi

TL - THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 SUBARU IMPREZA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT FUEL FUMES WERE EMITTED IN AND AROUND THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT AFTER INSPECTING THE VEHICLE HE NOTICED THAT THERE WAS A FUEL LEAK. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE THE TECHNICIAN CONFIRMED THE FAILURE. AS A RESULT, SOME OF THE FUEL LINES NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 160,000. RK

NHTSA ID

10565949

Incident

Dec 11, 2013

Mileage

160,000 mi

IT HAS RECENTLY BEEN EXTREMELY COLD IN CHICAGO AND UPON INITIAL STARTUP OF THE VEHICLE THERE IS A STRONG SMELL OF GASOLINE INSIDE THE CABIN. THE SMELL DOES NOT GO AWAY UNTIL THE CAR IS COMPLETELY WARMED UP. I NOTICED THAT THERE HAS BEEN A RECALL FOR THIS TYPE OF PROBLEM. IT WAS SUBARU RECALL NO. WVK-21. I BELIEVE MY CAR SHOULD FALL UNDER THIS RECALL. I CALLED SUBARU CUSTOMER SERVICE AND THEY TOLD ME THAT MY CAR DID NOT FALL UNDER THIS RECALL CAMPAIGN. BUT THE PROBLEMS I'VE BEEN HAVING FIT THE DESCRIPTION OF THE RECALL CAMPAIGN. *TR

NHTSA ID

10564399

Incident

Jan 31, 2014

Mileage

101,800 mi

ONLY ON COLD DAYS I SMELL FUEL WHILE DRIVING, UPON INVESTAGATION I FOUND THAT THE LITTLE RUBBER LINES UNDER THE INTAKE WERE LEAKING FUEL ON TO THE TOP OF THE ENGINE. I CALLED SUBARU AND THEY SAID THE THEY KNOW ABOUT THE PROBLEM BUT MY CAR IS NOT IN THE RECALL BECAUASE I DON;T LIVE IN THE AFFECTED STATES SO IF I MOVE TO NEWYORK OR MICHIGAN I WOULD BE COVERED WELL I LIKE OHIO SO IF THIS COULD GET EXPANDED THAT WOULD BE GREAT. *TR

NHTSA ID

10560917

Incident

Nov 27, 2013

Mileage

88,000 mi

FOLLOWING INITIAL STARTUP IN COLD WEATHER, FUEL LEAK OCCURS IN ENGINE COMPARTMENT. LEAK CAUSES GASOLINE ODOR IN VEHICLE CABIN AND POSES FIRE HAZARD. ONCE ENGINE IS WARM, AFTER A FEW MINUTES, LEAK AND ODOR DISSIPATE. INITIAL OCCURRENCE WAS IN 2008 AT HIGH ALTITUDE. PROBLEM DID NOT RESURFACE IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA WHERE NIGHT TIME TEMPERATURES ARE NOW LOW ENOUGH FOR ISSUE TO MANIFEST. SINCE RELOCATING TO SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY, WHERE OVERNIGHT TEMPERATURES ARE SIGNIFICANTLY LOWER, PROBLEM OCCURS ON EVERY MORNING START IN COLD WEATHER. *TR

NHTSA ID

10558335

Incident

Dec 3, 2008

Mileage

45,000 mi

OUTSIDE AIR TEMPERATURE WAS MODERATE(75F), BUT ENGINE WAS COLD. UPON ENGINE START STRONG SMELL OF GASOLINE IN CABIN AND IN ENGINE BAY AROUND THE PASSENGER SIDE INTAKE MANIFOLD. *TR

NHTSA ID

10534734

Incident

Aug 8, 2013

Mileage

142,800 mi

CAR WAS INVOLVED IN A HEAD ON CRASH AT ABOUT 45 MPH INTO A FIRE HYDRANT IN THE CITY OF BELL. NONE OF THE AIRBAGS EXPANDED AT THE TIME OF THE CRASH. SAFETY ISSUE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10514516

Incident

Jan 27, 2013

Mileage

126,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 SUBARU IMPREZA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 1 MPH AFTER ACCELERATING FROM A COMPLETE STOP, A STRONG ODOR OF FUEL WAS SMELLED INSIDE THE VEHICLE. THERE WAS NO VISIBLE SIGN OF A LEAK. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE THE FUEL LINE AND CLAMPS WERE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED ABOUT THE FAILURE AND INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 09V468000 (FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE). THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 61,000.

NHTSA ID

10496089

Incident

Dec 28, 2011

Mileage

61,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 SUBARU IMPREZA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE SMELLED OF GASOLINE. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER AND WAS TOLD THAT THERE WAS A LEAK COMING FROM THE FUEL DELIVERY LINE. THE CONTACT REFERENCED NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 09V468000 (FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE: DELIVERY: FUEL PUMP), BUT WAS TOLD BY THE MANUFACTURER THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL CAMPAIGN. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND THE CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 137,000.

NHTSA ID

10487971

Incident

Dec 10, 2012

Mileage

137,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 SUBARU IMPREZA. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING 60 MPH AND NOTICED AN ABNORMAL VIBRATION FROM THE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT DISCOVERED THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE OF THE VEHICLE HAD COLLAPSED. THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE WHEEL HAS ALSO COLLAPSED INWARD. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A LOCAL MECHANIC WHERE THE CONTACT WAS ADVISED THAT THE LOWER CONTROL ARM ON THE LEFT HAD ROTTED AWAY. THE LOWER CONTROL ARM ON BOTH SIDES WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WOULD NOT PROVIDE ANY ASSISTANCE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 75,000.

NHTSA ID

10350229

Incident

Aug 7, 2010

Mileage

75,000 mi

2003 SUBARU IMPREZA, 56,000K WITH LEAKING HEAD GASKET (BOTH SIDES) AND ROD KNOCK. WELL MAINTAINED CAR WITH WELL-DOCUMENTED SERVICE HISTORY. RECOMMEND REPLACEMENT OF SHORT BLOCK/HEAD GASKETS. SAME ISSUE AND SAME ENGINE AS ADDRESSED IN PHASE II EJ25 HEAD GASKET LEAK / WWP-99 SERVICE CAMPAIGN - COOLING SYSTEM CONDITIONER. EXTENSIVE DOCUMENTATION OF SIMILAR ISSUES WITH 2003 2.5L ENGINES (EXAMPLE: HTTP://ALLWHEELDRIVEAUTO.COM/SUBARU-HEAD-GASKET-PROBLEMS-EXPLAINED/). CLAIM FILED WITH SUBARU OF AMERICA (FILE # [XXX]) WHICH IS CURRENTLY UNDER INVESTIGATION. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

NHTSA ID

10328339

Incident

Apr 27, 2003

Mileage

56,000 mi

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 SUBARU IMPREZA. THE VEHICLE WAS EQUIPPED WITH BRIDGESTONE POTENZA RE 92 TIRES, TIRE SIZE 205/55/16. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 60 MPH ON NORMAL ROAD CONDITIONS AND HEARD A LOUD NOISE OUTSIDE OF THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT DROVE ONTO THE EMERGENCY LANE AND OBSERVED THAT THE REAR PASSENGER TIRE EXHIBITED AN EXCESSIVE SEPARATION IN THE SIDEWALL. THE TIRE WAS REPLACED WITH A SPARE TIRE. THE CONTACT IS IN THE PROCESS OF PURCHASING TWO NEW TIRES. THE DOT NUMBER WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WERE 70,000.

NHTSA ID

10298971

Incident

Jan 10, 2010

Mileage

70,000 mi

FUEL LEAKING FROM LINES IN ENGINE COMPARTMENT OF 2003 (MAN. DATE JULY 2002) SUBARU WRX SEDAN. LEAK APPEARS TO BE TRIGGERED BY COLD TEMPERATURES. FUEL POOLS IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. VERY STRONG SMELL OF FUEL IN THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT. CONTACTED LOCAL DEALER, WHO DID NOT THINK IT WAS A SERIOUS ISSUE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10294580

Incident

Dec 3, 2009

Mileage

99,850 mi

2003 SUBARU WRX. COLD START RAW FUEL SMELL. FUEL LEAK UNDER INTAKE ON PASSENGER SIDE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10292364

Incident

Nov 16, 2009

Mileage

105,000 mi