2005 Subaru Impreza Fuel system Problems

TEMPORARILY EXPERIENCE SOME FUEL SEEPAGE AT ENGINE FUEL DELIVERY PIPE/HOSE DURING COLD ENGINE START UP IN EXTREMELY COLD OUTSIDE TEMPERATURES. VEHICLE OCCUPANTS MAY NOTICE THE SMELL OF FUEL. THE SAME ISSUE IS DESCRIBED IN SUBARU CAMPAIGN/RECALL WVK-21 ISSUED FOR 2002-2003 MODEL YEAR SUBARU IMPREZA VEHICLES. SERVICE BULLETIN 01-170-09 HTTP://WWW-ODI.NHTSA.DOT.GOV/ACMS/CS/JAXRS/DOWNLOAD/DOC/ACM12948229/RCSB-09V468-1307.PDF

NHTSA ID

10748709

Incident

Dec 15, 2004

Mileage

5,000 mi

EVERYTIME I START THE CAR IN EVEN THE MILDEST TO COLDEST TEMPERATURES, THE CAR HAS AN EXTREME GAS SMELL IN THE CABIN OF THE CAR. I HAVE TAKEN IT TO THE SHOP AND THEY CLAIM THEY DON'T EVEN SMELL IT AND CANNOT SERVICE IT. THERE IS A RECALL FOR MODEL 02 AND 03 OF THIS CAR BUT DOES NOT COVER MY YEAR. IT'S GOTTEN TO THE POINT WHERE THE CAR IS NOT DRIVE-ABLE DURING COLD WEATHER. THE RECALLS ALSO DO NOT COVER THE STATE OF MARYLAND, WHICH IS RIDICULOUS BECAUSE WE'VE BEEN GETTING COLD SNAPS PUTTING US BELOW 0. CONSIDERING THE PROBLEM IS DETECTABLE EVEN IN 40 DEGREE WEATHER, THIS DOES NOT SEEM REASONABLE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10704386

Incident

Nov 3, 2014

Mileage

90,000 mi

I OWN A 2005 SUBARU IMPREZA WRX STI, UPON STARTING VEHICLE, IDLE, AND DRIVING THERE'S STRONG FUEL SMELL UNDER THE HOOD AND INSIDE THE CABIN. I HAVE POPPED THE HOOD AND CONFIRMED IS COMING FROM BACK PASSENGER SIDE OF INTAKE MANIFOLD WHERE THE FUEL LINES, RAILS, AND INJECTORS ARE. I HAVE CONFIRMED THIS TO BE RELATING TO SOA'S RECALL FOR THE 02-03 IMPREZA WRX'S HARD FUEL LINE / RUBBER HOSE LEAKING ISSUES. I LIVE IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA SO APPEARS EXTREME COLD WEATHER NOT THE CAUSE. LEAKING FUEL IS A HUGE SAFETY ISSUE! *TR

NHTSA ID

10672422

Incident

Jan 9, 2015

Mileage

91,000 mi

STRONG FUEL SMELL IN CABIN, DEALER CONFIRMED LEAKING FUEL HOSES. *TR

NHTSA ID

10671535

Incident

Jan 8, 2015

Mileage

80,900 mi

DURING COLD START THERE WAS A FUEL SMELL COMING FROM THE CAR. THE CAR WAS TAKEN IN TO HAVE THE FUEL LINES TIGHTENED AT A COST OF $50.72. THE PROBLEM WAS NOT PROPERLY CORRECTED AND THE FUEL SMELL RETURNED A COUPLE MORE TIMES BEFORE THE WEATHER WARMED UP. I RECENTLY FOUND A RECALL (PROGRAM WVK-21) FOR THE 02-03 MODEL YEARS BUT NOTHING FOR 05 EVEN THOUGH THE PROBLEM EXISTS ON MY 05. THE PROGRAM CONSISTS OF REPLACING THE HOSES WHICH WAS NOT DONE ON MY CAR. I AM CONCERNED THAT WITHOUT A RECALL OF ALL THE AFFECTED VEHICLES THAT WHEN THE COLD WEATHER RETURNS THERE WILL BE A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10649283

Incident

Jan 14, 2014

Mileage

72,145 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 SUBARU IMPREZA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT FUEL FUMES WERE EMITTED INSIDE THE VEHICLE. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE FUEL LINES AND THE INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKETS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 139,476. UPDATED 10/02/14*LJ UPDATED 10/23/14 UPDATED 3/30/15 *JS

NHTSA ID

10626371

Incident

Jan 6, 2014

Mileage

139,476 mi

EXPERIENCED STRONG FUEL SMELL IN CABIN AFTER COLD START ON A COUPLE OF COLD DAYS (~10F?) EXPERIENCED DURING TRIP NORTH FOR HOLIDAYS. ODOR WENT AWAY AFTER ENGINE WARMED UP. NO PROBLEM EVIDENT IN WARMER WEATHER. SEEMS LIKELY THAT THIS IS SAME PROBLEM THAT LED TO RECALL OF EARLIER MY IMPREZAS. *TR

NHTSA ID

10615829

Incident

Dec 31, 2013

Mileage

110,000 mi

DURING COLD WEATHER, A STRONG FUEL ODOR PERMEATES THE CABIN OF MY 2005 SUBARU IMPREZA WAGON. UPON ENGINE WARM UP THE FUEL SMELL GOES AWAY. *TR

NHTSA ID

10564154

Incident

Jan 24, 2014

Mileage

63,000 mi

FUEL LINES SHRINK UNDER TEMPERATURES OF 30 DEGREES. A STRONG ODOR OF FUEL COMING FROM THE ENGINE BAY. SEEMS LIKE A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION THAT MAY RESULT IN A EXPLOSION OR FIRE. I TOOK MY CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY WANTED TO CHARGE ME $900 TO REPLACE 2 RUBBER FUEL LINES THAT ARE 3 INCHES LONG. THERE IS A RECALL ON THE 03 SUBARU IMPREZA FOR THE SAME ISSUE. I DON'T KNOW WHY THERE IS NO RECALL ON THE 04/05 SUBARU IMPREZA. *TR

NHTSA ID

10549905

Incident

Oct 1, 2012

Mileage

98,000 mi

I WAS RESEARCHING THIS SITE FOR SOMETHING ELSE WHEN I CAME UPON COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE TOXIC SMELL OF GASOLINE/FUEL WHEN STARTING UP CERTAIN SUBARUS ON EXTREMELY COLD DAYS. I LIVE IN COLORADO AND THE SMELL OF FUEL IS AWFUL WHEN THE CAR IS STARTED IN THE WINTER AND I CAN SOMETIMES SMELL IT WHILE OPERATING THE CAR. I HAVE A 2005 SUBARU IMPREZA WRX. MY CAR HAS HAD SO MANY PROBLEMS: BEARINGS IN THE TRANSFER BOX FAILING TWICE, THE FUEL PUMP FAILED (ON THE HIGHWAY NO LESS, WHERE I WAS ALMOST HIT BY A TRUCK BECAUSE MY CAR LOST POWER SO QUICKLY). THE RADIATOR WENT...THE TURBO FAILED. MY CAR HAS ALWAYS BEEN DUTIFULLY MAINTAINED. IF THIS FUEL SMELL IS SERIOUS I HOPE SUBARU WILL HANDLE IT AS SUCH BUT MY EXPERIENCE WITH THE LOCAL DEALER AND SUBARU CORPORATE HAS LED NOWHERE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10504706

Incident

Jan 1, 2013

Mileage

105,000 mi

IN JANUARY 2008, I NOTICED A VERY STRONG SMELL OF GAS WHEN I STARTED A THE CAR ON A COLD DAY. I OPENED THE HOOD AND SAW GAS DRIPPING FROM THE DRIVER LEFT SIDE OF THE ENGINE. BECAUSE OF MY CONCERN OF A FIRE, I HAD THE CAR TOWED TO THE DEALER. IT COST $491.30 PLUS TOWING TO HAVE THE FUEL LEAK FIXED. THIS YEAR I STARTED SMELLING RAW GAS AGAIN WHEN THE CAR IS COLD. I HAD IT CHECKED AT THE DEALER ON 1/16/2013 AND THEY DID NOT FIND ANYTHING. I ASKED ABOUT RECALLS AND THEY SAID THERE WERE NONE. THE SMELL OF RAW GAS IS VERY STRONG ON MOST COLD DAYS AND I'M AFRAID THERE WILL BE A FIRE. WHEN I SEARCHED THE WEB FOR SUBARU IMPREZA COLD WEATHER FUEL LEAK IT LOOKS LIKE IT IS A WIDESPREAD CHRONIC PROBLEM. DOES THERE HAVE TO BE FIRES AND INJURES BEFORE SUBARU IS FORCED TO FIX THIS MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10503847

Incident

Jan 2, 2008

Mileage

57,949 mi

ON EXTREMELY COLD MORNINGS +/-0 DEGREES MY 2005 SUBARU IMPREZA RS HAS SUCH A STRONG FUEL SMELL THAT YOU CAN NOT USE THE HEAT SINCE YOU CAN'T TURN ON THE VENTS. IF YOU TURN THE VENTS ON THE SMELL IS SO INTENSE THAT YOU GET LIGHTHEADED AND SICK. YOU CAN SMELL THE FUEL SMELL OUTSIDE THE ENGINE AREA AND FUEL MILEAGE IS SO MUCH LOWER THAT YOU KNOW THAT IT IS LEAKING FUEL. CALLED SUBARU AND THEY REFUSE TO HELP WITHOUT CHARGING AND DID WARN OF THE POTENTIAL OF THE CAR CATCHING ON FIRE FROM THE FUEL LEAK. *TR

NHTSA ID

10493104

Incident

Jan 12, 2013

Mileage

96,000 mi

EXACT TO THE SUBARU RECALL ISSUED IN '09 (2002-2003 IMPREZA ONLY), MY 2005 SUBARU IMPREZA WRX SMELLS TERRIBLY OF GAS ON COLD MORNING WHEN I START THE VEHICLE. THE SMELL IS SO BAD THAT I CANNOT SIT IN THE CAR WITHOUT FEELING FAINT IF I DO NOT ROLL THE WINDOWS DOWN, AND CANNOT HAVE ANY PASSENGERS IN THE CAR AT STARTUP UNTIL THE CAR IS WARM AND DRIVEN AROUND THE BLOCK FOR FIVE MINUTES, WHICH IS THE WORST CONSIDERING THE COLD WINTERS I FACE IN CONNECTICUT. THIS SMELL OCCURS UPON STARTING THE VEHICLE AND LETTING IT IDLE FOR ABOUT AFTER A MINUTE, BUT ABOUT AFTER FIVE-TEN MINUTES OF DRIVING THE SMELL FINALLY GOES AWAY. I AM AWARE OF THE ISSUE WITH EARLIER YEAR MODELS, BUT AM SURPRISED AT THE FACT THAT THERE IS A GRAND AMOUNT OF PEOPLE WITH THE SAME EXACT ISSUE WITH 2004 AND UP IMPREZAS AS WELL, AND A RECALL HASN'T BEEN ISSUED YET (AND MY LOCAL SUBARU TOLD ME THAT I WOULD HAVE TO PAY FULL PRICE FOR THIS REPAIR WHICH MIGHT TAKE TWO DAYS AND COST AROUND 500$ AND UP..WOW!). THIS ONLY OCCURS WHEN IT IT BELOW ZERO, BUT FOR ME THAT IS QUITE COMMON DURING WINTER. I HAVE SEEN NUMEROUS REPORTS ONLINE THAT PEOPLE WITH MY YEAR HAVE CALLED SUBARU OF AMERICA, AND THAT THEY HAD PAID FOR THE CAR TO GET REPAIRED AS IF IT WAS A RECALL TYPE OF PROCEDURE, BUT PERSONALLY CALLED THEM TODAY AND WAS TOLD BY THE REP THAT THERE WERE NO SUCH REPORTED CASES WITH SUBARU OF AMERICA... SURE! QUITE DISAPPOINTING, BUT MOST OF ALL DANGEROUS, AND I DREAD DRIVING THE CAR AND PUTTING MYSELF AND OTHERS IN DANGER. I WAS TOLD BY A TECH AT SUBARU THAT IF THERE WAS ANY SORT OF IGNITION OR SPARK AROUND THIS AREA FOR ANY MALFUNCTIONING REASON, OR AN ACCIDENT, THAT THERE WOULD BE A GOOD CHANCE THAT THE CAR MIGHT IGNITE. HELP ME OUT HERE, I KNOW I AM NOT THE ONLY ONE WITH THIS ISSUE WITH THIS YEAR AND MODEL SUBARU. *TR

NHTSA ID

10443962

Incident

Jan 14, 2012

Mileage

88,085 mi

ON JAN 12 2011 MY 2005 SUBARU IMPREZA WRX STARTED TO HAVE A RAW FUEL SMELL COMING INTO THE CABIN AREA WHEN IT WAS COLD OUTSIDE NO MATTER IF IT WAS IN A GARAGE OR OUTSIDE. ON FURTHER INSPECTION I COULD SEE RAW FUEL STREAMING OUT OF THE FUEL LINES ONTO A HOT ENGINE BLOCK. THERE IS A RECALL FOR 02-03 SUBARU IMPREZAS WITH THE SAME PROBLEM, BUT IT DOES NOT COVER ANY NEWER MODELS WITH THE SAME FUEL DELIVERY SYSTEM PROBLEMS. NOTHING WAS DONE TO CORRECT IT BY THE DEALER BECAUSE IT WAS NOT COVERED BY THE RECALL. IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN COVERED BY SOME TYPE RECALL BECAUSE OF FOUND DEFECTS IN JUST SLIGHTLY OLDER MODELS BUT THE SAME ENGINE CONFIGURATION AND FUEL SYSTEM. *TR

NHTSA ID

10403795

Incident

Jan 12, 2011

Mileage

97,345 mi

I HAVE RAW FUEL SMELL UPON START UP DURING COLD WEATHER. FUEL DRIPS FROM THE FUEL LINE UNDER THE INTAKE MANIFOLD ON THE DRIVERS SIDE OF THE CAR AND/OR DRIPS FROM THE FUEL RAIL. THIS IS A CONTINUING PROBLEM FOR SUBARU IMPREZA'S FOR YEARS BEYOND THE RECALL THAT WAS ENTERED FOR THE 02-03 MODELS. RESEARCH ON SEVERAL SUBARU FORUMS REFLECT IT IS STILL A VERY SIGNIFICANT PROBLEM ON 04-05 YEAR WRX IMPREZAS. THERE HAVE BEEN SEVERAL FIRES AND ACCIDENTS CAUSED BY THE RAW FUEL DRIPPING ON THE HOT MOTOR BLOCK. AT THIS TIME THERE IS NO ACTION BEING TAKEN BY SUBARU FOR THE LATER YEARS. *TR

NHTSA ID

10378716

Incident

Jan 1, 2011

Mileage

114,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 SUBARU IMPREZA WRX. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING 25 MH WHEN THERE WAS AN OVERPOWERING GASOLINE ODOR EMITTING FROM THE AIR VENTS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER FOR DIAGNOSIS. THE DEALER TIGHTENED TWO HOSE FEEDER CLAMPS THAT WERE CONNECTED TO THE FUEL RAIL TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM. THE FAILURE RECURRED TWO WEEKS FOLLOWING THE REPAIR. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT FURTHER REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 71,000.

NHTSA ID

10372675

Incident

Dec 13, 2010

Mileage

71,000 mi

GAS LEAK IN THE FUEL LINE CAUSING A STRONG RAW ODOR INSIDE THE VEHICLE ON COLD DAYS. THIS IS A KNOWN ISSUE FOR IMPREZA MODELS AND THERE IS RECENTLY A RECALL FOR THE 02-03 MODELS. CURRENTLY THERE IS NO RECALL FOR THE 04-05 MODELS YET. *TR

NHTSA ID

10305368

Incident

Feb 4, 2010

Mileage

95,000 mi

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE VEHICLE'S CRUISE CONTROL TURNED ITSELF OFF WITHOUT WARNING. THE SERVICE DEALER DETERMINED THE ELECTRONIC CONTROL MODULE WAS NOT CODED CORRECTLY AND COULD NOT BE FIXED. UPDATED 1/19/2007 - THE CONSUMER EXPLAINED THAT THIS PROBLEM OCCURRED WHEN THE TANK WAS HALF FULL. WHEN THE TANK WAS COMPLETELY FULL THE PROBLEM NEVER HAPPENED. *NM

NHTSA ID

10174103

Incident

Aug 5, 2006

Mileage

26,000 mi

RAW FUEL ODOR INSIDE CABIN OF VEHICLE. 2005 SUBARU IMPREZA RS, RESEARCH FROM THE WEB RESULTED WITH MANY COMPLAINTS FROM ALL IMPREZA MODELS AND ONGOING PROBLEM PAST FEW YEARS.*AK

NHTSA ID

10116245

Incident

Feb 15, 2005

Mileage

365 mi