Owner-reported complaints naming the fuel system system, filed with NHTSA
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Reports naming fuel storage or delivery — tanks, pumps, lines, injectors and fuel leaks. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2005 Subaru Legacy submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 27 reports on file name it.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
The 25 most recent of 27, in the owner's own words
DRIVING VEHICLE EASTBOUND ON HWY-14 IN VANCOUVER, WA, APPROX 60 MPH. VEHICLE LOST POWER AND WOULD NOT RESTART. AFTER WE GOT VEHICLE HOME, INSPECTION FOUND HIGH PRESSURE FUEL LINE HAD BLOWN-OFF AT THE FUEL PUMP CONNECTION, CAUSING LARGE AMOUNT OF FUEL TO LEAK UNDER THE VEHICLE.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 SUBARU LEGACY. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE ODOR OF FUEL WAS PRESENT INSIDE AND OUTSIDE OF THE VEHICLE. WHILE INSPECTING THE VEHICLE, THE CONTACT DISCOVERED THAT THE FUEL FLANGE BRACKET ASSEMBLY CHAMBER (PART NUMBER: 42052AG87A) HAD CRACKED AND CAUSED FUEL TO LEAK FROM THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT ORDERED THE PART FROM THE MANUFACTURER AND REPLACED THE FAILED PART. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED; HOWEVER, THE FAILURE RECURRED APPROXIMATELY 15,000 MILES LATER. THE LOCAL DEALER (HADDAD SUBARU, 652 E. ST., PITTSFIELD, MA) AND THE MANUFACTURER WERE NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURES. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 25,000.
ENGINE ACCELERATED AT A RAPID SPEED ON ITS OWN POWER.. UNABLE TO STOP THE VEHICLE WITH THE BRAKES. VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION IN THE PARKING LOT..
FUEL LEAKING FROM TOP OF GAS TANK. NO COLLISON. GAS SMELL BEGAN AS CHECK ENGINE LIGHT LIT AND CRUISE CONTROL LIGHT STARTED SLOW BLINK. SMELL HAS GRADUALLY GROWN STRONGER. SMELL STRONGEST ON THE PASSENGER SIDE. SMELL SOMETIMES ENTERS CAR INTERIOR.
AFTER MY DAD FILLED HIS LEGACY WITH FUEL WE COULD SMELL FUMES FROM THE FUEL. WE TOOK IT TO THE SUBARU DEALERSHIP WE BOUGHT IT FROM FOR THEM TO OVERLOOK THE FUEL SYSTEM TO SEE WHERE THE LEAK WAS COMING FROM. AFTER IT WAS LOOKED OVER BY THE MECHANIC, WE WERE TOLD THAT THE GAS TANK ITSELF IS LEAKING AND WILL NEED TO BE REPLACED. WE ARE NOT MADE OF MONEY, SO WE CONTACTED SUBARU OF AMERICA AND ASKED FOR THEM TO HELP US WITH THE COST. THEY CONTACTED OUR SERVICE ADVISOR AND THE NEXT DAY TOLD MY DAD THEY COULD NOT HELP. TO US THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE AND CAN NOT FIGURE OUT WHY SUBARU WOULDN'T WANT TO HELP WHEN IT CONCERNS CUSTOMER SAFETY. I KNOW THAT FORD IS RECALLING THEIR FUEL TANKS FOR THIS ISSUE, AND CANNOT SEE WHY SUBARU ISN'T DOING THE SAME. BETWEEN THE LEAKING FUEL TANK AND WAITING OVER A MONTH FOR THE AIR BAG RECALL, WE DO NOT FEEL SAFE DRIVING THIS CAR. HOPEFULLY WE WILL BE ABLE TO GET THIS FIXED AND THE CAR WILL BECOME SAFE TO DRIVE AGAIN.
THE CAR IS CREATING A GAS LEAK AND SMELL AFTER COLD START UPS. THE CAR ALSO FILLS UP WITH SMOKE AFTER WARMING UP THE CAR 5-10 MIN.
AS WE WERE DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY, WE HEARD WHAT SOUNDED LIKE A AIRPLANE PROPELLER WHIRLING. THE CAR THEN STOPPED. THE MECHANIC AT THE SUBARU DEALERSHIP SAID WE BLEW A CYLINDER. THE CAR IS NOW IN NEED OF A NEW ENGINE OR WILL BE SCRAPPED. WE KEPT THE CAR SERVICE RELIGIOUSLY AND WAS IN GREAT SHAPE. HOW DOES THIS HAPPEN? I THOUGHT WE HAD A RELIABLE CAR.
WHILE PRESSING THE ACCELERATOR THERE WAS NO RESPONSE. THE CAR CONTINUED AT IT'S NORMAL IDLE, BUT PRESSING ON THE GAS GAVE NO RESPONSE. I WAS ABLE TO COAST TO A STOP OFF THE ROAD AND TURN THE CAR OFF AND BACK ON, WHICH FIXED THE PROBLEM THE FIRST TIME. THIS HAS HAPPENED AGAIN TWO TIMES AS OF TODAY AND IT TOOK SEVERAL TIMES TURNING THE CAR OFF AND BACK ON TO GET USE OF THE ACCELERATOR AGAIN. THIS SEEMS LIKE A SAFETY ISSUED, AND OF COURSE A PROBLEM THAT COULD EASILY LEAVE ME AND MY KIDS STRANDED OR INJURED IN AN ACCIDENT IF I WERE TRAVELING AT HIGHER SPEEDS WHEN THE PROBLEM OCCURS. I'VE READ ONLINE THAT IT SEEMS TO BE A COMMON PROBLEM WITH SUBARU. THE CODE THAT I RECEIVED WAS P2138 (THROTTLE POSITION SENSOR). *TR
PLASTIC FUEL PUMP BASKET/ASSEMBLY FLANGE THAT MOUNTS ON TOP OF FUEL TANK STRUCTURALLY DETERIORATES RESULTING IN MULTIPLE CRACKS THAT ALLOW FUEL TO LEAK OUT OF TANK BELOW THE REAR PASSENGER SEAT. WE OWN TWO DIFFERENT 2005 SUBARU LEGACY MODELS (ONE SEDAN, ONE STATION WAGON) AND UPON INSPECTION DISCOVERED THAT THE FUEL PUMP BASKET FLANGE ON BOTH CARS SHOWED EXACTLY THE SAME STRUCTURAL DEFECT. THE FUEL BASKET ASSEMBLY IS ONLY AVAILABLE DIRECTLY FROM SUBARU OF AMERICA AND THE REPAIR INVOLVES SUBSTANTIAL LABOR TO CHANGE ALL PARTS OVER. THIS IS CLEARLY A STRUCTURAL OR DESIGN ISSUE AND NOT A QUESTION OF MAINTENANCE OR RANDOM QUALITY CONTROL. *TR
RAW FUEL SMELL INSIDE CAR CABIN. SMELL OF FUEL IS OVERPOWERING WHEN VEHICLE IS NOT ON THE FREEWAY. SEEMS TO BE WORSE DURING COLD WEATHER, BELOW 60 DEGREES? *TR
SMELL OF GAS IN CABIN WHEN COOL/COLD WEATHER, VISIBLE LEAKING GAS WHEN CAR IS ON IN ENGINE COMPARTMENT FROM FUEL LINES WHERE CLAMPED NEAR INTAKE TUBE. NO FIRE YET. *TR
THE VEHICLES TURBO FAILED AND DESTROYED THE ENGINE. THE TURBO AND ENGINE WERE ALL FACTORY ORIGINAL. I REPLACED THE PART THAT I THOUGHT WAS CAUSING PROBLEMS WITH THE ENGINE AND TURNED THE CAR ON AND BLACK SMOKE CAME OUT OFF THE EXHAUST. ACCORDING TO THE MECHANIC SHOP I TOOK IT TO THE OIL UNION BOLTS ARE THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM TO STARVING OIL TO THE TURBO AND THEN THE TURBO FAILS. I THINK IT IS UNCLEAR THAT THESE ENGINES HAVE A MAJOR FLAW IN THEM. MOST PEOPLE HAVE THESE PROBLEMS WAY BEFORE THE 100,000 MILES ON THE ODOMETER MARK. I WOULD NEED A COMPLETELY NEW ENGINE FOR THE VEHICLE. I DID OIL CHANGES EVERY 3000 MILES AND DID THE RECOMMENDED SERVICES AT EACH TIME OR MILEAGE INTERVALS. *TR
ONCE THE TEMPERATURE HAS DIPPED BELOW ABOUT 25 DEGREES, THERE IS A STRONG SMELL OF GAS THAT COMES FROM THE ENGINE AREA. THE LAST SEVERAL DAYS HAVE BEEN ESPECIALLY COLD, AND THOUGH I AM DRIVING WITH THE WINDOWS DOWN OUT OF NECESSITY (IT'S -5 DEGREES TODAY) THE GASOLINE SMELL IS OVERWHELMING, AND I HAVE SUFFERED FROM A HEADACHE THE PAST 3 DAYS IN THE MORNING DUE TO THIS ISSUE. IT IS OBVIOUS THIS ISSUE EXISTS BEYOND JUST ME, AS IT TAKES A SIMPLE SEARCH TO TURN UP DOZENS, IF NOT HUNDREDS, OF SIMILAR ISSUES. IT IS A SERIOUS HEALTH AND SAFETY CONCERN AND NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED. *TR
AFTER COLD START (~10F) EXPERIENCED SEVERE FUEL VAPOR ODORS IN CABIN. DEALER TIGHTENED EASILY ACCESSIBLE FUEL LINE CLAMPS NEXT DAY. TWO DAYS LATER SAME PROBLEM, SEVERE FUEL VAPOR INCURSION INTO CABIN. WAS FORCED TO DRIVE SUNDAY WITH WINDOWS OPEN. MONDAY BACK TO DEALER. WAS TOLD FUEL LINE PROBLEM MAY BE DEEPER, CAUSED BY COMBO OF COLD WEATHER AND ALCOHOL DETERIORATING LINES. ALSO THAT RELEVANT PARTS ARE ON BACKORDER DUE TO THIS BEING AN ENDEMIC PROBLEM. ITS DANGEROUS AND INCONVENIENT AS WE NEED OUR 4 WHEEL DRIVE VEHICLE IN THESE CONDITIONS. *TR
EXTREMELY STRONG RAW FUEL SMELL COMING FROM VENTS WITH HEATER ON. WEATHER HAS BEEN BELOW 30 DEGREES FOR OVER 2 WEEKS IN OHIO. THE SMELL IS NOT AS BAD WHILE DRIVING, BUT WHEN STOPPED AT A RED LIGHT OR STOP SIGN THE ODOR IS CAUSING SEVERE HEADACHE AND BURNING SENSATION IN EYES. ALSO STARTS TO GAG YOU. FAINT SMELL OUTSIDE THE CAR UNDER THE HOOD ON THE DRIVER SIDE. NO LEAK VISIBLE. INSIDE CAB SMELLS LIKE A GAS STATION, BUT STRONGER. *TR
2005 LEGACY TURBO. A STRONG SMELL OF GAS IN COLD WEATHER. SEEMS TO HAVE BEEN A PROBLEM WITH WRX MODELS AND SAAB 9-2X BUILD BY SUBARU IN 2005 AND 2006. SHOULD THERE BE A RECALL FOR GAS LEAK. THERE WAS A RECALL FOR SUBARU MODELS UP TO 2004. WHAT WAS THE FIX FOR THE PROBLEM. THIS APPEARS TO BE A MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE. *TR
STRONG GAS ODOR IN CABIN COMING FROM THE ENGINE WHEN THE WEATHER IS UNDER 38* FEELS LIKE IF THERE IS ANY KIND OF SPARK THE CAR WILL BLOW UP WITH ME IN IT , NOTIFIED SUBARU WHO TOLD ME I WAS THE FIRST ONE WITH THIS COMPLAINT, WHICH IS NOT TRUE, AS I SAW ONE MORE COMPLAINT LIKE THIS ALL OVER THE WEB. *TR
I WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY, AND THE CAR SEEM TO LOOSE POWER, LUCKILY I NOTICED IT, AS I WAS ABLE TO COST OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE RODE. I OWN A CARMD, AND ATTACHED IT TO MY CAR, IT GAVE ME CODE P2138 WHICH MEANS THE THROTTLE POSITION SENSORS (2 OF THEM) NOT BEING IN AGREEMENT. I THINK THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS AS THIS CAN HAPPEN AT ANY TIME WHILE ONE IS DRIVING, POTENTIAL LEADING TO A ACCIDENT OR FATALITY. *TR
FOR THE SECOND TIME MY CHECK ENGINE LIGHT HAS COME ON AND MY CAR HAS GONE INTO A FAIL SAFE MODE WHILE DRIVING (ELIMINATING THE ABILITY TO ACCELERATE). THE CODE THE COMPUTER PROVIDES IS P2138, WHICH REFERS TO THE THROTTLE POSITION SENSORS (THERE ARE TWO) NOT BEING IN AGREEMENT. I TOOK THE CAR TO WHITE BEAR LAKE SUBARU IN WHITE BEAR LAKE, MN TO HAVE THIS ISSUE RESOLVED. THEY DID NOT REPLICATE THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT AND THEREFORE WOULD NOT PERFORM ANY SERVICE. THE ISSUE AGAIN HAPPENED, THIS TIME OVER 1,000 MILES AWAY IN GEORGIA AND I WAS ALMOST RUN OVER BY MULTIPLE VEHICLES AS I TRIED TO GET TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD - THE CAR WAS NOT RESPONDING. THEREFORE, THIS ISSUE IS A SERIOUS SAFETY HAZARD. *TR
IN COLD (<32F) WEATHER VEHICLE EMITS VERY STRONG SMELL OF GASOLINE FROM INSIDE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. ONCE TEMP RISES SMELL GOES AWAY.
SECOND TIME CAR HAS BEEN IN FOR THIS ISSUE. ISSUE IS COMMON, AND MANY FORUMS TOPICS HAVE BEEN STARTED DOCUMENTING THE COMMONALITY OF THIS ISSUE. I CAN PROVIDE LINKS. ISSUE: LEAKING/RAW GAS SMELL OUTSIDE OF CAR, INSIDE OF CAR, AND INSIDE OF ENGINE BAY IN COLD WEATHER UPON START UP (ENGINE WARM OR COLD). LEAKING/DRIPPING GAS CAN BEEN SEEN IN ENGINE BAY. FIRST REPAIR: TIGHTENED FUEL LINE CLAMPS. ISSUE FIXED. NEXT WINTER CAME ALONG, ISSUE RETURNED. THIS TIME DEALERSHIP (NORTH SHORE SUBARU, HIGHLAND PARK, IL) WANTS $700 TO FIX THE ISSUE. FIRST REPAIR COST $51.33 AT LIBERTY AUTO CITY/SUBARU IN LIBERTYVILLE, IL. CALLED SUBARU OF AMERICA AND REPORTED REPEAT OF ISSUE. THEY HAVE NOT OFFERED TO REPAIR IT AND DENY THAT THE ISSUE IS COMMON. I BELIEVE THIS IS AN ENVIRONMENTAL, HEALTH, AND SAFETY CONCERN. NO VEHICLE I'VE EVER OWNED HAS LEAKED FUEL AND I'M BAFFLED AS TO WHY SUBARU DOESN'T CONSIDER THIS A SERIOUS LIABILITY RISK. *TR
THE DEALERSHIP DIAGNOSED A FUEL LEAK IN MY 2005 SUBARU LEGACY 2.5 GT LIMITED WAGON (WHICH I PURCHASED NEW AND HAS BEEN IMPECCABLY MAINTAINED), AND IT STARTED OCCURRING DURING COLD WEATHER. I LOOKED ONLINE AND THIS SEEMS TO BE A VERY POPULAR COMPLAINT AMONGST OWNERS OF THE SAME VEHICLE/SAME YEAR, ESPECIALLY IN COLD WEATHER, AND I CAN'T UNDERSTAND WHY THERE HASN'T BEEN A RECALL ISSUED. FUEL ISSUES ARE DANGEROUS!!! THERE WERE RECALLS ISSUED FOR THE 2002-2003 SUBARU WRX (COLD WEATHER FUEL LINE SEEP WHICH BY DESCRIPTION IS EXACTLY WHAT IS HAPPENING WITH MY VEHICLE), 2004 SUBARU LEGACY SEDAN, AND THE 2005-2006 SUBARU BAJA, FOR FUEL LEAKS AND THIS MAY OR MAY NOT BE THE SAME THING, BUT IT SEEMS THIS IS A TREND FOR THE SUBARU VEHICLES IN 2002 - 2006. *TR
THE LAST FEW MORNINGS I'VE SMELLED A STRONG ODOR OF FUEL AS MY CAR WARMS UP. A VERY, VERY STRONG ODOR OF RAW FUEL IS INSIDE THE CAR, AND IT SEEMS TO BE COMING OUT OF THE DASHBOARD VENTS, AND STRANGELY ENOUGH, ONLY ON VERY COLD MORNING/STARTS. THE SMELL EVENTUALLY GOES AWAY AFTER 15 TO 20 MINUTES OF HIGHWAY DRIVING. I SEARCHED 3 TIMES NOW FOR A FUEL LEAK, AND AS FAR AS I CAN SEE, THERE ARE NO VISIBLE FUEL LEAKS ANYWHERE. I LOOKED AS GOOD AS I CAN, INJECTORS & HARD LINES, THE RUBBER FUEL LINES IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT, THE QUICK CONNECTIONS NEAR THE BRAKE MASTER CYLINDER. THERE IS NO FUEL ON THE FLOOR NEAR THE CLUTCH PEDAL, AND I DIDN'T SEE ANY LEAKS BACK AT THE FUEL FILLER PIPE, BUT I HONESTLY DIDN'T LOOK TOO CLOSELY BACK THERE AS THE SMELL IS CERTAINLY UP FRONT. I'VE NOW REMOVED MOST OF MY PERSONAL BELONGINGS FROM THE CAR AND WILL NO LONGER PARK IT IN MY DRIVEWAY, AS MY HOUSE ADJOINS THE DRIVEWAY. I AM CERTAIN THE CAR WILL SOON CATCH FIRE. A CALL TO THE SUBARU HOTLINE TELLS ME THERE ARE NO DEFECTS, AND ALL FUEL LINES EVENTUALLY LEAK. IN OTHER WORDS, TOUGH LUCK ON ME. SO, LIKE IT OR NOT, I AM MAKING AN APPOINTMENT WITH THE SUBARU DEALER FOR THIS SAFETY REPAIR. I CAN ONLY HOPE IT BURNS IN THEIR PARKING LOT! *TR
STRONG GAS ODOR IN CABIN COMING FROM THE ENGINE WHEN THE WEATHER IS UNDER 38* FEELS LIKE IF THERE IS ANY KIND OF SPARK THE CAR WILL BLOW UP WITH ME IN IT , NOTIFIED SUBARU WHO TOLD ME I WAS THE FIRST ONE WITH THIS COMPLAINT, WHICH IS NOT TRUE, AS I SAW ONE MORE COMPLAINT LIKE THIS IN HERE. *TR
HEAVY RAW GAS ODOR INSIDE VEHICLE WHEN OUTDOOR TEMPERATURES AT UNDER ~40 DEGREES. *TR
Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.
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