2004 Subaru WRX Problems

HAVING RECENTLY MOVED TO A COLD WEATHER STATE, I DISCOVERED THAT WHEN THE TEMPERATURE IS BELOW FREEZING THERE IS A SMELL OF GASOLINE IN THE PASSENGER CABIN. AFTER DOING SOME RESEARCH, SUBARU APPEARS TO BE AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM AND IN FACT ISSUED A RECALL ON EARLIER MODEL VEHICLES FOR THE SAME ISSUE. THE FUEL LINES AND CLAMPS SHRINK IN COLD WEATHER ALLOWING FUEL TO LEAK AT THE FUEL FILTER OR MORE PROBLEMATICALLY ONTO THE INTAKE MANIFOLD NEAR THE TURBO. THIS HAS BEEN RESOLVED IN NEWER MODEL VEHICLES, BUT FOR SOME REASON SUBARU DECIDED NOT TO ISSUE A RECALL FOR THE 2004-2005 VEHICLES HAVING THIS PROBLEM. WHEN THE VEHICLE WARMS UP, THE HEAT OF THE ENGINE REDUCES OR ELIMINATES THE LEAKS. ALTHOUGH I WAS ABLE TO TIGHTEN THE HOSE CLAMPS, I SUSPECT THAT NEXT WINTER I WILL BE FACING THE SAME ISSUE AND/OR A $500-1000 REPAIR BILL FROM THE DEALER.

DURING COLD WEATHER FUEL SMELL COMING FROM ENGINE AND IS LEAKING

DURING COLD WEATHER FUEL SMELL COMING FROM ENGINE AND IS LEAKING

STRONG SMELL OF RAW FUEL COMING INTO PASSENGER COMPARTMENT DURING VERY COLD OUTSIDE TEMPERATURES. *TR

TAKATA RECALL/SUBARU RECALL CAMPAIGN WQR-53 NHTSA RECALL NO. 15V-323 RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE IN MAY 2015 EXPLAINING THAT THE AIRBAG WAS RECALLED AND WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. LETTER STATES THAT UNTIL THE REPAIR IS PREFORMED, DO NOT ALLOW PASSENGERS TO RIDE IN THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT. I RECENTLY RECEIVED ANOTHER LETTER WITH THE SAME INFORMATION STATING THAT WHEN SUBARU ACQUIRES A SUFFICIENT SUPPLY OF PARTS TO PERFORM THE REPAIR, THEY WILL CONTACT ME ABOUT MAKING AN APPOINTMENT. I CALLED SUBARU 6 MONTHS AGO AND WAS TOLD THAT A DEALERSHIP SHOULD "LEND" ME A VEHICLE UNTIL THE REPAIR IS COMPLETE. I LEFT SEVERAL MESSAGES WITH DEALERSHIPS IN THE AREA AND NO ONE RETURNED MY PHONE CALL. IT HAS BEEN OVER A YEAR AND I AM NOT ABLE TO HAVE PASSENGERS IN MY VEHICLE. I USE MY CAR FOR WORK AND I NEED THIS FIXED. IT IS NOT SAFE TO DRIVE THIS VEHICLE AND I DO NOT WANT TO HAVE MY CHILDREN IN THE CAR UNTIL IT IS FIXED.

WAS NOTIFIED IN JULY 2015 OF DEFECTIVE PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG WITH WARNING TO NOT USE THE PASSENGER SEAT.UPON FOLLOWUP WITH SUBARU ON 10-1-2015 WAS TOLD THAT PARTS WOULD NOT BE AVAILABLE UNTIL AFTER 12-1-2015. THIS MEANS 5 MONTHS WITHOUT FULL USE OF MY VEHICLE. THEIR LETTER REGARDING NHTSA RECALL 15V-323 INFORMED M TO CONTACT NHTSA AT THIS WEBSITE IF SUBARU FAILED TO REMEDY THE VEICLE WITHOUT CHARGE IN A TIMELY MANNER. 5 TO 6 MONTHS IS NOT A TIMELY MANER.

REAR SUSPENSION STRUTS BIND AND CLUNK DUE TO LUBRICATION ISSUE. BOTH ORIGINAL STRUTS REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY AS WELL AS ONE OF THE REPLACEMENTS AND PROBLEM HAS RETURNED AGAIN FOR A TOTAL OF 5 FAILED STRUTS. WARRANTY HAS NOW EXPIRED AND REPAIR WOULD BE AT MY COST. THE BINDING HAS PROGRESSED UNABATED AND WILL LIKELY RESULT IN TIME IN COMPLETE FAILURE (FROZEN OR UNRESTRICTED MOVEMENT). *TR

REAR STRUTS BIND AND SEIZE DUE TO INADEQUATE LUBRICATION. FIRST TWO OCCURRENCES AT ~15000MI, THIRD OCCURRENCE AT ~30000MI, FOURTH OCCURRENCE AT 40000MI. DEALER HAS REPLACED BOTH ORIGINALS AND ONE OF THE REPLACEMENTS UNDER MFGR. WARRANTY FOR SAME PROBLEM. PROBLEM HAS NONETHELESS RECURRED AGAIN- TOTAL DEFECTIVE PARTS NOW FOUR. WARRANTY NOW EXPIRED AND DEALER WILL NOT COVER PART IN GOOD FAITH. INTERNET RESOURCES MAKE THIS DEFECT APPEAR TO BE QUITE COMMON AMONGST OWNERS, BUT SUBARU HAS NOT ACKNOWLEDGED HOW FREQUENTLY THIS OCCURS. *TR

EACH TIME THE ENGINE IS STARTED FOR THE FIRST TIME AFTER ABOUT 4 HOURS OF NOT RUNNING, AND THE CAR IS PUT INTO MOTION, THE BRAKES FAIL TO EASILY STOP THE CAR. EXTREME PRESSURE IS REQUIRED TO BE APPLIED TO THE BRAKE PEDAL TO BRING THE CAR TO A FULL STOP. THIS CONDITION LASTS FOR SEVERAL MINUTES-UP TO APPROXIMATELY 3- WAS PRESENT WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS NEW, AND CONTINUES. THE CAR'S UNSTOPPABLE AND CONTINUED FORWARD OR BACKWARD MOTION COULD CAUSE INJURY OR DEATH TO A PERSON IN FRONT OF OR BEHIND THE VEHICLE IN AN OUTDOOR SPACE SUCH AS A PARKING LOT, OR IN A VERY CONFINED SPACE LIKE A GARAGE. CARS WITH AN AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION ARE AT A DISADVANTAGE HERE, BECAUSE THEY CAN'T BE SLOWED BY DEPRESSING THE CLUTCH AS WITH A MANUAL TRANSMISSION. A REPORT TO THE NEW CAR DEALER AND THE REGIONAL MANAGER WERE DISMISSED BY ADVISING SIMPLY THAT GREATER BRAKE PRESSURE BE APPLIED. *TR

2004 WRX MANUAL TRANSMISSION SYNCHRONIZER PROBLEMS. *TS *JB