2004 SUBARU IMPREZA Complaints

AT TEMPERATURES OF 20 DEGREES F OR BELOW, THERE IS A STRONG FUEL SMELL WHEN THE CAR IS RUNNING. TIGHTENING UP THE FUEL HOSES/CLAMPS WORKS FOR A DAY OR TWO HOWEVER THE SMELL ALWAYS COMES BACK. THE SMELL WILL GO AWAY AFTER 30 MINUTES TO 60 MINUTES OF WARMING UP OR DRIVING. *TR

THERE IS A STRONG GASOLINE ODOR WHEN STARTING THE CAR UP IN COLD WEATHER. THE ODOR OF GASOLINE FILLS THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT. IT ONLY HAPPENS WHEN IT'S COLD OUTSIDE. WE JUST PURCHASED THE CAR USED IN JULY. *TR

THERE WAS OBSERVED RUST ON A SMALL SECTION OF THE REAR QUARTER UNDERCARRIAGE OF THE CAR. WORK WAS BEGUN ON JULY, 4 2013 TO TREAT WHAT WAS THOUGHT TO BE SURFACE RUST WITH POR-15 RUST INHIBITOR. WHEN THE CAR WAS ON THE LIFT AND WORK BEGAN, IT WAS OBSERVED THAT THIS SMALL SECTION ON BOTH THE RIGHT AND LEFT SIDE OF THE CAR WAS INADEQUACY PROTECTED BY FACTORY UNDERCOATING. THIS SECTION WAS WHERE SUPPORT ARMS FOR BOTH LEFT AND RIGHT REAR WHEELS ATTACH TO THE CHASSIS. THIS SECTION IS RUSTED THROUGH AND IS SHOWING SIGNS OF FATIGUE AND CRACKING. THE CHASSIS ATTACHMENT POINT FRONT BRACES FOR THE REAR DIFFERENTIAL IS FULLY RUSTED THROUGH. THIS AREA OF THE CHASSIS SHOWS NO SIGN OF DAMAGE, OR ABUSE WHICH WOULD LEAD TO RUSTING. THE REST OF THE UNDERCARRIAGE IS EITHER RUST FREE, OR SHOWS LIMITED SURFACE RUST. THE BODY PANELS OF THE CAR ARE RUST FREE. IN SHORT, LACK OF PROPER RUST TREATMENT OF KEY STRUCTURAL AREAS OF THE CAR, HAVE RESULTED IN SEVERE CORROSION, WHICH HAS RENDERED THE CAR UNSAFE IN MY (THE OWNER'S) OPINION, AS WELL AS THE OPINION OF THE MECHANIC ASSISTING IN THE INSPECTION. I WELCOME ANY INSPECTIONS BY SUBARU OF AMERICA OR THE NHTSA. *TR

AS WITH THE PREVIOUS YEARS OF THIS VEHICLE, I AM EXPERIENCING THE FUEL LEAK UNDER MY INTAKE MANIFOLD FROM THE RUBBER FUEL LINES IN COLD WEATHER. I HAVE NOT EXPERIENCED FIRE BUT THE DANGER IS PRESENT AS THE LEAK IS NEAR THE TURBO INLET AND EXHAUST. THE 2002-03 IMPREZAS HAVE BEEN RECALLED. *TR

IN COLD TEMPERATURES, MOST OFTEN DURING COLD STARTS, THE VEHICLE'S CABIN FILLS WITH THE SMELL OF GASOLINE. USUALLY TAKES ABOUT 15 TO 30 MINUTES FOR ODOR TO GO AWAY. DURING THAT TIME AT STOP SIGNS, STOP LIGHTS, ETC THE SMELL OF GASOLINE PERSISTS. *TR

UPON COLD STARTING THE CAR THERE IS A PROMINENT RAW FUEL SMELL. IT ONLY SEEMS TO HAPPEN WHEN TEMPERATURES OUTSIDE ARE SUB-FREEZING. THE LOWER THE TEMPERATURE THE WORSE THE FUEL SMELL BECOMES. AFTER THE CAR HAS WARMED UP THE FUEL SMELL GOES AWAY. IT IS VERY SIMILAR TO THE PROBLEM SUBARU HAD WITH IT'S 02-03 IMPREZAS, WHICH THEY ISSUED A RECALL FOR THE FUEL LINES, WHICH WERE TOO SHORT AND IN THE COLD WOULD SHRINK FURTHER CAUSING A LEAK UNTIL THE CAR WARMED UP. I AM SUBMITTING THIS COMPLAINT BECAUSE SUBARU OF AMERICA DENIES THE ISSUE EXISTS AND IS CHARGING AROUND $400 AT THE DEALERSHIP TO SWAP OUT THE FUEL LINES. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 SUBARU IMPREZA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THEY SMELLED FUEL COMING FROM THE VENTS INSIDE THE CABIN OF THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT LOOKED UNDER THE HOOD AND FOUND THAT THE CLAMP GOING TO THE HIGH PRESSURE FUEL RAIL FOR THE INJECTORS WAS LOOSE AND LEAKING FUEL. THE CONTACT TIGHTENED THE CLAMP AND PLANNED TO TAKE THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER. THE FAILURE AND THE CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 95,068.

UPON STARTING THE CAR DURING THE COLDER WINTER MONTHS, A RAW FUEL SMELL WILL BEGIN TO FILL THE CABIN IF THE HVAC SYSTEM IS TURNED ON TO VENT FRESH AIR. THIS SMELL IS STRONG ENOUGH TO CAUSE LIGHTHEADEDNESS AND THE SENSATION OF NAUSEA. UPON FURTHER INVESTIGATION, THE PASSENGER SIDE FUEL LINE IS LEAKING FUEL UNDERNEATH THE INTAKE MANIFOLD, TO THE EXTENT THAT YOU CAN VISIBLY SEE A PUDDLE OF FUEL BOILING ON TOP OF THE ENGINE BLOCK. THIS HAPPENS BECAUSE THERE ARE TWO HARD METAL FUEL LINES RUNNING TO THE FUEL INJECTORS CONNECTED BY A SMALL PIECE OF RUBBER HOSE WITH CLAMPS. HOWEVER THIS HOSE FROM THE FACTORY IS CUT TOO SHORT, SO WHEN THE TEMPERATURE IS COLD ENOUGH THE RUBBER LOOSES ITS ELASTIC PROPERTIES AND AS THE METAL LINES VIBRATE / MOVE WITH THE MOTOR, IT LEAKS FUEL OUT OF THE RUBBER HOSE. THIS PROBLEM HAS BEEN ADDRESSED BY SUBARU IN THE TSB #09-36-03. THEY OFFER TO REPLACE THE RUBBER HOSE AND HARD METAL FUEL LINE FOR MODEL YEARS 2002 AND 2003 IMPREZA WRX'S FREE OF CHARGE. HAVING BEEN AN OWNER OF A 2002 IMPREZA WRX BEFORE PURCHASING MY 2004 IMPREZA WRX, I HAD THIS SERVICE PERFORMED AT MY LOCAL SUBARU DEALERSHIP. I AM DISGUSTED TO FIND OUT THAT THIS COVERAGE DOES NOT APPLY TO THE MODEL YEAR 2004 IMPREZA WRX, WHEN IT FEATURES AN IDENTICAL MOTOR AND DRIVETRAIN TO THE PREVIOUS YEARS (2002, 2003.) THIS MEANS THAT THE FUELING SYSTEM IS IDENTICAL AS WELL, AND THAT THE PREVIOUSLY ACKNOWLEDGED RAW FUEL LEAK IS HAPPENING IN MY CAR AS WELL. THE FACT THAT THE 2004 IMPREZA WRX HAS THE SAME MOTOR. AND SAME FUEL SYSTEM, AND SUBARU OF AMERICA WILL OPENLY DENY COVERAGE TO HAVE THE PARTS REPLACED IS TRULY DISGUSTING IN ITSELF. RAW FUEL LEAKING ON TOP OF A HOT ENGINE BLOCK, AROUND SOURCES OF IGNITION IS THE MOST EXTREME OF SAFETY HAZARDS, AND NOW I OWN A VEHICLE IN WHICH I CANNOT TRANSPORT MY WIFE AND CHILD. I AM TRULY DISAPPOINTED IN SUBARU FOR TURNING A COLD SHOULDER TO THIS. *TR

METAL CONNECTOR (THAT IS UNDER THE CAR CHASSIS) JOINING THE BRAKE PIPES (LINES) FOR THE REAR BRAKES RUSTED THROUGH. WITH THE RUSTED CONNECTOR, BRAKE FLUID LEAKED THROUGH THE HOLES RESULTING TO BRAKES NOT TO ENGAGE AND STOP THE VEHICLE WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL IS STEPPED ON. BRAKE PEDAL WOULD BOTTOMED ALL THE WAY TO FLOOR WHEN IT IS STEPPED ON. FAILURE OF THE BRAKE CONNECTOR ALMOST RESULTED INTO THE REAR ENDING OF ANOTHER VEHICLE. PICTURE OF THE RUSTED CONNECTOR IS AVAILABLE UPON REQUEST. *JS

REGARDING NHTSA RECALL NO. 11V-464, UPON RECEIPT OF NOTIFICATION, I CONTACTED A LOCAL DEALER WHO REFUSED TO MAKE THE REQUIRED APPOINTMENT FOR INSPECTION OF THE VEHICLE. I WAS INFORMED THAT THERE ARE TOO MANY VEHICLES TO BE INSPECTED AT THIS TIME FOR AN APPOINTMENT TO MADE, AND THAT WE WOULD RECEIVE A TELEPHONE CALL AT AN UNSPECIFIED TIME IN THE FUTURE WHICH WOULD THEN PERMIT US TO MAKE AN APPOINTMENT. SINCE THE DEFECT, IF THERE IS A DEFECT IN THIS VEHICLE, CAN CAUSE SUDDEN LOSS OF CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE WITHOUT WARNING, I AM DEEPLY CONCERNED BY THE INABILITY AND UNWILLINGNESS OF THE DEALER TO MAKE AN APPOINTMENT TO INSPECT THIS VEHICLE. WHAT IS THE POINT OF ISSUING RECALL NOTICES AND A PROCEDURE IN WHICH VEHICLES ARE TO BE INSPECTED WHEN THE DEALER REFUSES TO MAKE AN APPOINTMENT TO INSPECT THE VEHICLE? *TR