2002 Subaru WRX

THE DESIGN OF THE FUEL LINE (METAL RAIL/RUBBER HOSE INTERFACE) IS SUSCEPTIBLE TO FUEL ODOR AND/OR SEEPAGE IN EXTREME COLD TEMPERATURE CONDITIONS.OWNERS MOST OFTEN NOTICED FUEL ODOR IN THE OCCUPANT COMPARTMENT AREA DURING INITIAL COLD ENGINE START-UP.ONCE THE ENGINE IS WARMED, THE ODOR/SEEPAGE ISSUE DISSIPATES.FROM SUBARU'S DATA, ODI NOTES THAT THE INCIDENT RATES ARE HIGHER IN STATES WITH COLDER TEMPERATURES.THERE WAS ONE ALLEGATION OF A FIRE INCIDENT IN WHICH THE OWNER HAD REPORTED THAT HE NOTICED FUEL ODOR A FEW DAYS EARLIER, BUT ODI COULD NOT CONFIRM THE ORIGIN OF THE FIRE. TO ADDRESS THIS ISSUE, SUBARU WILL REPLACE THE FUEL LINE WITH A LONGER RUBBER HOSE SEGMENT VERSION/DESIGN ON 5,724 MY 2002-2003 VEHICLES BUILT THROUGH SEPTEMBER 12, 2002 IN 16 STATES (AK, CO, IA, ID, ME, MI, MN, MT, ND, NE, NH, NY, SD, VT, WI & WY).IN ADDITION, SUBARU WILL EXTEND THE WARRANTY COVERAGE TO 12 YEARS/UNLIMITED MILEAGE ON VEHICLES IN THE REMAINING 34 STATES.THIS ENGINEERING ANALYSIS IS CLOSED (SEE RECALL CAMPAIGN 09V-468)

COMPLAINANTS REPORT FUEL LEAKAGE MOST FREQUENTLY IN WINTER DURING INITIAL COLD ENGINE STARTUP.OWNERS WILL EITHER NOTICE A FUEL ODOR INSIDE THE OCCUPANT COMPARTMENT OR FUEL ODOR/LEAKAGE AT THE FUEL LINES ON THE RIGHT SIDE ATOP THE ENGINE. ONCE THE ENGINE HAS WARMED, THE ODOR/LEAKAGE MAY CEASE.SUBARU REVISED THE FUEL PIPE/HOSE DESIGN FOR MODEL YEAR (MY) 2003-04 WRX VEHICLES PRODUCED AFTER AUGUST 2003.SUBARU ALSO INTRODUCED A MY 2004 IMPREZA STI VEHICLE WITH A DIFFERENT ENGINE AND FUEL PIPE/HOSE LAYOUT.OUT OF THE TOTAL OF 994 COMPLAINTS, 944 CONCERN MY 2002-03 WRX VEHICLES BUILT THROUGH AUGUST 2003.SUBARU ALSO REPORTS ONE FIRE ON A MY 2002 WRX VEHICLE THAT OCCURRED IN FEBRUARY 2006.IN MARCH 2009, ODI INSPECTED AND VIDEO TAPED A MY 2002 WRX VEHICLE WITH A FUEL LEAK DURING COLD ENGINE START UP.THE VIDEO WAS PROVIDED TO SUBARU AND IS IN THE INVESTIGATION FILE. THIS INVESTIGATION IS BEING UPGRADED TO AN ENGINEERING ANALYSIS (EA09-011) TO FURTHER STUDY THIS ISSUE.

SUBARU REPORTS THAT THE FUEL ODOR IS CAUSED BY FUEL SEEPAGE DURING COLD START OF THE ENGINE UNDER EXTREMELY COLD TEMPERATURES. THE LEAK OCCURS IN A FUEL LINE IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT.IT REPORTS THAT THE FAILURE IS DUE TO THE MISALIGNED ANGLE BETWEEN TWO FUEL DELIVERY LINES WHICH RESULTED IN SUCH FUEL SEEPAGE DURING THE FIRST FEW SECONDS OF COLD ENGINE START DURING THESE COLD TEMPERATURES.SUBARU REPORTS THAT THE TWO FUEL LINES ARE CONNECTED WITH A HOSE THAT BECOMES TOO STIFF IN VERY COLD TEMPERATURES TO CONFORM TO THE MISALIGNMENT. SUBARU HAS ISSUED A TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN (SUBARU SERVICE BULLETIN NUMBER 09-36-03) TO REPLACE THE FUEL LINES WITH NEW LINES THAT ARE PROPERLY ALIGNED AND THAT HAVE A LONGER CONNECTING HOSE.ODI PHONE CALLS TO MANY OF THE COMPLAINANTS CONFIRM THAT FUEL ODOR IS NOTICABLE DURING VERY COLD TEMPERATURES AND COLD START BUT GOES AWAY AS THE ENGINE WARMS UP, AND THE ODOR IS NOT PRESENT IN WARMER TEMPERATURES. A FEW OWNERS REPORT THAT ATTEMPTS TO ELIMINATE THE LEAKAGE BY TIGHTENING THE CONNECTING HOSE CLAMPS IS NOT EFFECTIVE IN ELIMINATING THE FUEL ODOR.A SAFETY-RELATED DEFECT HAS NOT BEEN IDENTIFIED AT THIS TIME AND FURTHER USE OF AGENCY RESOURCES DOES NOT APPEAR TO BE WARRANTED.ACCORDINGLY, THIS INVESTIGATION IS CLOSED.THE CLOSING OF THIS INVESTIGATION DOES NOT CONSTITUTE A FINDING BY NHTSA THAT A SAFETY-RELATED DEFECT DOES NOT EXIST.THE AGENCY WILL MONITOR THIS ISSUE AND RESERVES THE RIGHT TO TAKE FURTHER ACTION IF WARRANTED BY THE CIRCUMSTANCES.

DURING THE EA, ODI AND VRTC PERFORMED THE FOLLOWING ACTIVITIES:1.CONDUCTED A MAIL SURVEY OF 246 SUBJECT VEHICLE OWNERS TODETERMINE THE ROADWAY SURFACE THAT CAUSED OWNERS' CONCERN;2.INTERVIEWED COMPLAINING OWNERS;3.CONDUCTED FIELD INSPECTIONS OF SEVEN (7) COMPLAINT VEHICLES;4.INSTRUMENTED TESTING AT VRTC OF COMPLAINT AND PEER VEHICLES;5.REVIEWED SUBARU'S RESPONSE TO OUR INFORMATION REQUEST;6.MET WITH SUBARU FOR TECHNICAL REVIEW OF TESTINGAS A RESULT OF THE WORK CONDUCTED BY VRTC AND ODI DURING THIS INVESTIGAITON, A CONSISTENT OR CHRONIC PATTERN OF POOR BRAKE PERFORMANCE HAS NOT BEEN IDENTIFIED.VRTC CONDUCTED OVER 11,500 BRAKE TESTS.THEY DID NOT OBSERVE ANY LONG-DURATION, LOW DECELERATION EVENTS (SOME OWNERS REPORTED DELAYS OF 4 TO 10 SECONDS) IN THE TEST VEHICLES.SEE ODI'S CLOSING REPORT AND VRTC'S TEST REPORT FOR FULL DETAILS

A FUEL LINE UNDER THE INTAKE MANIFOLD LOCATED ON THE PASSENGER SIDE IS LEAKING GAS ON COLD STARTS. THIS IS MY SECOND TIME DEALING WITH THIS ISSUE. AS OF NOW, IT IS ONLY LEAKING GAS WHEN THE ENGINE IS COLD, BUT THE LEAKING IS STARTING TO GET WORSE AND FASTER THAN BEFORE. THE FIRST TIME I HAD THIS ISSUE IT WAS LEAKING GAS REGARDLESS OF ENGINE TEMPERATURE. IT IS ONLY A MATTER OF TIME BEFORE IT STARTS TO LEAK AT ANY GIVEN MOMENT WITH A POSSIBILITY TO CAUSE A FIRE PUTTING MY LIFE AND OTHERS AT RISK. I LIVE IN THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA AND THIS RECALL HAS ONLY BEEN ANNOUNCED FOR "COLD WEATHER" STATES. IT IS EVIDENT THAT THIS FUEL LINE PROBLEM HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THE WEATHER SINCE I LIVE IN A WARM CLIMATE. THIS PROBIEM IS UNFIXABLE AND TIME CONSUMING. I HAD ALREADY TRIED TO SOLVE THIS ISSUE AT MY LOCAL REPAIR SHOP AND IT ENDED UP BEING A WASTE OF TIME AND MONEY. THIS IS CLEARLY A MANUFACTURER'S PROBLEM. SUBARU NEEDS TO ISSUE A NATIONAL RECALL FOR THIS VEHICLE.

NHTSA ID

11133638

Incident

Oct 1, 2018

Mileage

148,000 mi

I HAVE THE TERRIBLE GASOLINE SMELL IN AND OUTSIDE OF THE CAR AS A RESULT OF A RECALL THAT IS NOT VALID IN THE STATE OF OHIO. AS SUBARU THINKS OHIO IS NOT A COLD WEATHER STATE AND HAS DENIED THE RECALL ON MY VEHICLE. IT SMELLS THE WHOLE HOUSE. IT IS SICKENING. I HAVE BEEN PUTTING UP FOR IT SINCE I BOUGHT THE VEHICLE AND AM THE ORIGINAL OWNER. ACCORDING TO THE RECALL, IT CAN CAUSE A FIRE. I CANNOT PURCHASE ANOTHER CAR, AND SUBARU WILL NOT HONOR THE RECALL BECAUSE I LIVE IN OHIO (A VERY VERY COLD STATE).

NHTSA ID

10965915

Incident

Sep 1, 2002

Mileage

50 mi

THE BODY IS DETERIORATING SO FAST. I LAUGH AT THE SUBARU COMMERCIAL WHERE THE PARENTS GIVE THEIR KIDS THE OLD CAR. I WOULD NOT TRUST THE OLD SUBARU TO KEEP MY CHILDREN SAFE. I'VE HAD TO REPLACE THE FRAME, AND AM LETTING THE BODY RUST. THE SICKENING SMELL OF FUMES LIKE GAS IN THE WINTER ARE HORRIBLE. WHEN I KEEP THE SUBARU IN THE GARAGE, IT MAKES MY WHOLE HOUSE TOXIC WITH FUMES. SUBARU WILL NOT HONOR THE RECALL ON IT, BECAUSE I AM IN OHIO, AND OHIO IS NOT A "COLD-WEATHER" STATE, BUT DO THEY REALIZE WE HAVE TONS OF SNOW AND FRIGID TEMPERATURES IN THE WINTER. I CAN'T STAND BY SUBARU NO LONGER, BUT CANNOT AFFORD A NEW CAR. WHEN I DO, IT WILL NOT BE A SUBARU.

NHTSA ID

10936296

Incident

Jan 1, 2009

Mileage

75,000 mi

FUEL RAIL ON 2002 WRX IS LEAKING HEAVILY ON THE ENGINE. THIS IS A HIGH FIRE HAZARD AS WELL AS NOXIOUS FOR PASSENGERS IN THE CAR AS IT SMELLS HEAVILY OF FUEL. SINCE I LIVE IN WASHINGTON STATE SUBARU OF AMERICA HAS NOT HONORED THE RECALL THEY'VE PUT IN OTHER STATES FOR THIS EXACT ISSUE. SUBARU HAS DENIED WARRANTY REPAIR DUE TO THE EXTENDED WARRANTY EXPIRING FOR THIS ISSUE IN 2013. I WAS NEVER NOTIFIED OF THIS ISSUE. I AM THE ORIGINAL OWNER OF THIS CAR AND HAVE TAKEN IT IN FOR EVERY OTHER RECALL ISSUE THAT I'VE BEEN NOTIFIED OF. THIS IS RECKLESS AND DANGEROUS. THE LOCAL REPAIR SHOP HAS SAID THEY DON'T THINK IT IS CORRECT TO CHARGE ME FOR LABOR AND PARTS THAT SHOULD BE COVERED UNDER WARRANTY BY SUBARU AND HAVE DIRECTED ME TO THE DEALERSHIP. THE DEALERSHIP ASKED ME TO GET AUTHORIZATION FROM SUBARU, WHICH WAS DENIED. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE THAT SHOULD BE COVERED UNDER WARRANTY FOR THE LIFE OF THE CAR. IT IS A BONE STOCK CAR WITH NO AFTERMARKETS PARTS OR ENHANCEMENTS.

NHTSA ID

10935043

Incident

Dec 9, 2016

Mileage

177,000 mi

THERE IS A CONSTANT RAW FUEL SMELL WHEN DRIVING, TO THE POINT OF MAKING ME FEEL SICK, CANT EVEN DRIVE MY CAR WITHOUT ALL THE WINDOWS DOWN, IVE REASURCHED THIS ISSUE WITH OTHER MODELS USING THE SAME ENGINE & COMPONINTS THAT ARE ON THE RECALL LIST, BUT I CAN NOT GET ANY HELP FROM ANYONE AT SUBARU, EVEN WITH EXPLAINING ITS THE EXACT SAME PROBLEM AS ITHER THE FORESTER OR OUTBACK... OF A RAW FUEL SMELL FROM A FULTY GAS LINE UNDER THE MANIFOLD,,, NOT COOL THAT THEY ARE WILLING TO COMPROMISE MY SAFETY TO AVOID DOING THE FIX, OR ADDMITING THE DEFECT AFFECTS THE 2002 WRX

NHTSA ID

10864528

Incident

Mar 23, 2012

Mileage

100,000 mi

WHEN THE WEATHER IS COLD AND BELOW FREEZING THERE IS A GAS LEAK AND I CAN SMELL GAS IN THE INSIDE OF MY CAR AS WELL AS OUTSIDE. IT IS HARD TO BE ABLE TO DRIVE ANYWHERE WHEN IT IS BELOW FREEZING. THERE WAS A SAFETY RECALL (HTTP://TINYURL.COM/WRXGAS) FOR THIS SITUATION IN 2009, BUT I WAS NEVER NOTIFIED. I DISCOVERED THIS RECALL WHEN I RECENTLY DECIDED TO TRY TO RESEARCH THE SITUATION AGAIN, ALTHOUGH I WAS TURNED DOWN FOR ANY HELP FROM SUBARU EARLY IN MY OWNERSHIP OF THE VEHICLE. I RECENTLY TOOK IT TO MY DEALERSHIP TO GET THE ISSUE FIXED, ONLY TO BE TOLD THAT THIS RECALL EXPIRED. I AM THE ORIGINAL OWNER AND HAVE BEEN TRYING TO GET THIS RESOLVED SINCE I BOUGHT THE CAR IN MAY 2001 IN MN.

NHTSA ID

10838749

Incident

May 25, 2001

Mileage

600 mi

CONTROL ARMS WERE RECALLED IN 2011 FOR RUST ISSUES AND FAILURE ON THE HANGER BRACKETS. GOT THE PARTS CHECKED AT THE TIME OF THE RECALL BY A CERTIFIED SUBARU DEALERSHIP, THE DEALERSHIP SPRAYED A "RUST PROOFING" AGENT ON THE CONTROL ARMS. THREE YEARS LATER I WAS DRIVING DOWN MY ROAD AND LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE COMPLETELY. THE DRIVER SIDE LOWER CONTROL ARM HAD RUSTED THROUGH AND BROKEN AT THE HANGER BRACKET. SUBARU OF AMERICA WILL NOT COVER THE REPAIRS AS THE RECALL HAD BEEN PERFORMED ALREADY (EVEN THROUGH IT DID NOT PREVENT THE ISSUES FROM HAPPENING). *JS

NHTSA ID

10661992

Incident

Nov 29, 2014

Mileage

125,600 mi

I'M FILING MY COMPLAINT WITH ALL THE OTHERS ABOUT THE STRONG FUEL SMELL DURING THE COLD MONTHS. I CANNOT BELIEVE OHIO IS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. I'VE TAKEN MY CAR TO THE DEALER NUMEROUS TIMES TO BE TOLD THAT THE CAR IS OKAY. FRANKLY, THIS PAST COLD WINTER HAS BEEN AWFUL. THE SMELL MAKES IT'S WAY INTO THE HOUSE. IT IS AWFUL. I CANNOT BELIEVE SUBARU DOES NOT BELIEVE OHIO IS COLD AND WILL NOT STAND BY ITS AUTOS. ALSO, WHEN I BROUGHT THE AUTO IN FOR A RECALL ON THE FRONT CONTROL ARMS, THEY ONLY RUSTPROOFED THEM AND NEVER TOLD ME THE FRAME WAS RUSTED OUT. THIS WAS AT 125,000 MILES. THIS AUTO HAS BEEN METICULOUSLY CARED FOR. IF THIS CAR IS MEANT TO BE IN ALL KINDS OF WEATHER, WHY CAN'T IT STAND UP PAST 125,000 MILES. RIDICULOUS! I HAVE THREE OTHER VEHICLES FROM OTHER BRANDS WITH MANY MORE MILES, ONE CAR OF WHICH IS STORED OUTSIDE IN THE WINTER, AND ALL THE OTHER AUTOS HAVE GREAT LASTING FRAMES. CONSIDERING I HAD ONLY 125,000 MILES, I SAVED THE MONEY AND MADE THIS EXPENSIVE REPAIR. COM'ON SUBARU MAKE A CAR THAT LASTS!!!!! *TR

NHTSA ID

10627180

Incident

Aug 1, 2002

Mileage

1,000 mi

This announcement is requesting retailer staff to retain the EyeSight protective hood covers from Generation 4 EyeSight cameras.

This bulletin contains additional information for recommended materials listed in the Service Manuals for individual models.

This announcement provides information on the remanufactured CVT transmission program.

This Service Information Bulletin was developed to provide interim guidance for vehicles exhibiting DTC B2A20.

This bulletin announces the service manual correction regarding clutch master cylinder reservoir service procedures.

This bulletin contains additional information for recommended materials listed in the Service Manuals for individual models.