2005 SAAB 9-2X Complaints

STRONG FUEL SMELL INSIDE OF CAR. INSPECTED UNDER HOOD AND DETERMINED THAT THE FUEL SMELL WAS EMANATING FROM THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE ENGINE. *TR

THIS CAR, WHILE A SAAB BY NAME, IS MADE BY SUBARU AND IS MECHANICALLY IDENTICAL TO A 2005 IMPREZA WRX. SUBARU RECALLED 2002- 2003 WRXS FOR A COLD WEATHER FUEL LEAK. THE RECALL NUMBER IS 01-170-09. THIS CAR BEING TWO MODEL YEARS NEWER IS NOT COVERED HOWEVER IT SUFFERS FROM THE EXACT SAME ISSUE. DURING VERY COLD TEMPERATURES LIKE THE ONES WE ARE EXPERIENCING NOW, (BELOW 20 DEGREES F) RAW FUEL LEAKS FROM A HOSE IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. THIS SMELL FLOODS THE CABIN AND IS SO BAD, WINDOWS NEED TO BE ROLLED DOWN. I HAVE CONTACTED SUBARU FOR ASSISTANCE BUT HAVE YET TO RECEIVE HELP. *TR

WHEN TEMPERATURES GET NEAR FREEZING, THERE IS A STRONG GASOLINE SMELL COMING FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT THAT SEEPS INTO THE CABIN. IT SEEMS LIKE THE CLAMPS THAT HOLD THE RUBBER FUEL LINES MAY COME LOOSE OVER TIME AND THE COLD CAUSES THE LINES TO CONTRACT ALLOWING THE FUEL TO LEAK. *TR

VEHICLE INTERIOR SMELLS HEAVILY OF GASOLINE AFTER SITTING OUTSIDE IN FREEZING TEMPERATURES. FUEL SMELL PERSISTS AT LOW SPEEDS AND SEEMS TO BE COMING FROM UNDERHOOD. *TR

THERE IS AN EXTREMELY STRONG GAS SMELL IN THE CABIN WHEN TEMPERATURES ARE BELOW 32 DEGREES. THIS APPEARS TO BE A VERY COMMON PROBLEM ON THESE CARS, AS WELL AS THEIR SUBARU COUSINS (SUBARU WRX, SUBARU IMPREZA). SOME REFERENCES: HTTP://FORUMS.NASIOC.COM/FORUMS/SHOWTHREAD.PHP?T=2127350 HTTP://SAAB92X.COM/VIEWTOPIC.PHP?ID=49113. *TR

WHEN STARTING UP AND DRIVING IN COLD CONDITIONS (TEMPERATURE BELOW 32F, NOT REFERRING TO ENGINE BAY TEMPERATURE BUT AMBIENT), A FUEL LINE 'SHRINKS' OR 'LEAKS' FUEL VAPOR AND LIQUID ONTO THE ENGINE BLOCK AND CAUSES A VERY NOTICEABLE AND NAUSEOUS RAW GASOLINE SMELL. THIS CONDITION IS KNOW AND IS IN A RECALL FOR MY2002-2003 SUBARU WRXS WITH THE SAME ENGINE AS THE 2005 SAAB 92-X AERO AS WELL AS OTHER SUBARUS AND IS KNOW TO EXIST BY MANY, MANY SUBARU AND SAAB OWNERS. THIS IS A SAFETY CONCERN SINCE MINE IS LEAVING GASOLINE DIRECTLY ON TOP OF THE CYLINDER HEAD AND COULD POTENTIALLY RESULT IN A FIRE WHICH IN MANY CIRCUMSTANCES CAN LEAD TO SERIOUS INJURIES TO MYSELF AND/OR OTHER MOTORISTS. MY CAR IS COMPLETELY STOCK WITH NO MODIFICATIONS TO THE POWER-PLANT OF ANY KIND. *TR

ON AND OFF, THERE IS A VERY STRONG ODOR OF FUEL IN THE CABIN OF THE CAR. HAD TO DRIVE WITH THE WINDOWS OPEN. THIS HAS BEEN HAPPENING SINCE THE WEATHER BECAME VERY COLD. *TR

STRONG RAW FUEL SMELL ON START. THIS OCCURS IN COLD (<10F) TEMPERATURES. THE FUMES FILL THE ENTIRE CABIN. *TR

VERY STRONG FUEL SMELL IN CAR, AND IN ENGINE COMPARTMENT AFTER STARTING CAR. AMBIENT OUTDOOR TEMPERATURES FOR THE LAST 4-5 DAYS HAVE BEEN BELOW 20 DEGREES F. THIS PARTICULAR VEHICLE HAS BEEN IN SERVICE IN VERMONT SINCE FEBRUARY 2007, AND IN CONNECTICUT BEFORE THAT WHEN ORIGINALLY PURCHASED NEW. THIS IS THE SAME ISSUE THAT HAS ALREADY BEEN ADDRESSED BY SUBARU FOR THE 02-03 SUBARU WRX (WHICH SHARES AN IDENTICAL POWERTRAIN/FUELING SYSTEM WITH THE SAAB 9-2X AERO), AS OUTLINED IN RECALL # NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 09V468000 EA09011 NHTSA ACTION NUMBER: EA09011 (SUBARU RECALL PROGRAM #WVK-21). *TR

RAW FUEL ODOR IN CABIN. TOOK VEHICLE TO PERSONAL MECHANIC AS IT WAS NO LONGER UNDER WARRANTY. IT WAS DETERMINED THAT FUEL LINES UNDER EXHAUST MANIFOLD WERE DRY AND HAD CRACKED. REPLACED TWO LINES AT THE COST OF >$750 PARTS AND LABOR. A YEAR LATER THE FUEL SMELL CAME BACK. UPON COMPLETING ANOTHER REPAIR, IT WAS DETERMINED THE OTHER TWO LINES WERE ALSO DRY AND CRACK AND WERE REPAIRED. COST COULD NOT BE SINGLED OUT AS THE REPAIR WAS IN CONJUNCTION WITH ANOTHER. FUEL SMELL WAS PRESENT ESPECIALLY ON COLD MORNINGS (<30F). *TR