2002 Subaru Impreza Engine Problems

I WAS DENIED THE FUEL LINE RECALL DUE TO I LIVE IN OHIO AND OHIO IS NOT ON THE LIST OF "COLD STATES." I AM FORCED TO BREATH GASOLINE FUMES AND MY ENGINE SMOKES BURNING OFF THOSE GASOLINE FUMES. JUST WAITING FOR THE CAR TO BLOW UP. THANK YOU, SUBARU *TR

I RECENTLY BOUGHT AN 02 SUBARU AND IT SEEMS THAT EVERY TIME I COLD START THE CAR WHEN IT GETS BELOW FREEZING OUTSIDE THERE IS A HORRID GAS SMELL IN THE CABIN OF THE CAR. ON FURTHER INVESTIGATION IT IS VISIBLE THAT THERE IS A POOL OF GAS ACCUMULATING ON THE MOTOR FROM UNDERNEATH THE INTAKE MANIFOLD. I HAVE JUST NOTICED THIS AND CALLED THE DEALER AND THEY SAID THEY HAD NEVER HEARD OF THIS. LOOKING ONLINE IT SEEMS TO BE A REGULAR ISSUE AND THERE IS NO RECALL OR INFORMATION ON HOW DANGEROUS IT IS TO HAVE RAW FUEL ON A HOT ENGINE. I AM AT A LOSS AND A LITTLE CONCERNED FOR MY SAFETY. *TR

STRONG FUEL SMELL IN COLD WEATHER. *TR

MY 2002 SUBARU IMPREZA OUTBACK SPORT WAS ALSO DIAGNOSED IN 4/08 WITH A LEAKING HEAD GASKET @ 81K BY THE DEALER WHEN I TOOK IT FOR A BRAKE SERVICE. I BOUGHT THE CAR NEW AND GAS MILEAGE HAS BEEN ONLY OK. IT HAS NEVER OVERHEATED, EVER, WHICH IS WHY I TOOK IT TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC RATHER THAN SPEND THE $3K THE DEALER WANTED. AN EXTERNAL LEAK WAS NOTED AND I'M KEEPING AN EYE ON IT. I'VE HEARD RUMORS OF PROBLEMS WITH LEAKING HEAD GASKETS ON THIS VEHICLE. WHY NOT COVERED OR MONITORED? *TR

FUEL LINES ABOVE THE ENGINE ON BOTH SIDES LEAK FUEL WHILE THE ENGINE IS RUNNING. THE LEAK OCCURS WHEN THE GAS PEDAL IS DEPRESSED IF THE TEMP IS LOWER THAN 32 DEGREES. AT THE POINT WHERE THE RUBBER FUEL LINE MEETS THE METAL FUEL LINES YOU CAN SEE GAS SPRAY ACROSS THE ENGINE BLOCK AND WILL POOL UP. TIGHTENING THE CLAMPS DOES NOT HELP. THIS HAS HAPPENED EVERY WINTER SINCE 2007.

THIS ISSUE IS FOR A 2002 SUBARU IMPREZA WRX WAGON. THERE IS A STRONG FUEL SMELL IN THE VEHICLE CABIN WHEN THE CAR IS STOPPPED AT IDLE. THE SUBARU MECHANIC SAID THERE IS A CLIP ATTACHING THE FUEL LINE FROM THE TANK TO THE ENGINE UNDER THE INTAKE MANIFOLD WHICH IS LOOSE. THEY ADJUSTED THE CLIP BUT SAID IT WOULD BE ABOUT $800 TO FIX IF THE PROBLEM OCCURRED AGAIN SINCE THEY WOULD HAVE TO REMOVE THE INTAKE MANIFOLD TO REPAIR. THE SMELL CAME BACK A COUPLE OF DAYS LATER. *AK I HAVE DONE RESEARCH, AND THERE IS A TSB FOR THIS PARTICULAR ISSUE, BUT NO RECALL. LOOKING AT POSTINGS ON THIS ISSUE, THERE ARE HUNDREDS IF NOT THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE WITH THE SAME ISSUE. IT SEEMS TO BE PARTICULAR WITH THE 2002 WRX. IT SEEMS FOR AN ISSUE THAT HAS ENOUGH HISTORY TO OCCUR TO GENERATE A TSB THAT IS ALSO SUCH A POTENTIAL SAFETY ISSUE WOULD WARRANT A RECALL.

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THERE WAS COOLANT LEAKING FROM THE RADIATOR. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP WHERE IT WAS DETERMINED TO HAVE A BLOWN RADIATOR WHICH NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE IS UNABLE TO BE DRIVEN AND NO REPAIRS HAVE BEEN MADE.

IN REFERENCE TO NHTSA ACTION NUMBER : PE04002 & THE OCCURRENCE OF BEING OVERCOME BY VAPORS IN MY MY02 SUBARU IMPREZA RS. STARTING LAST NIGHT THERE IS A VERY APPARENT HAZARDOUS FUEL VAPOR LEAK INTO THE CABIN OF MY VEHICLE VIA THE HVAC SYSTEM DUE TO A PREVIOUSLY NOTED FAULTY FUEL LINE PART I HAVE CONTACTED MY DEALER & WAS ADVISED THERE WAS A TSB WHICH DID NOT INVOLVE COVERAGE & REPLACEMENT OF THE DEFECTIVE PART DUE TO ME BEING OVER 60,000 & MY ENGINE 2.5 RS NOT BEING LISTED IN THE TSB. MAY I ASK, WHAT DOES A WARRANTY HAVE TO DO WITH REPLACEMENT OF A PREVIOUSLY DOCUMENTED, & CONFESSED DEFECTIVE PART PLACED ON A VEHICLE BY THE MANUFACTURER? THE PART IS KNOWN & ESTABLISHED AS DEFECTIVE. THE EFFECTS OF THE FAILURE WITH THE KNOWN DEFECTIVE PART ARE A SERIOUS HEALTH HAZARD & SHOULD BE IMMEDIATELY ADDRESSED VIA RECALL/REPLACEMENT. I TRAVEL 40 MINUTES EACH WAY EACH WORK DAY WITH MY SON IN THE VEHICLE. I ALSO HAVE A PREGNANT WIFE WHO IS GOING TO BE FORCED BY YOUR LACK OF ACTION, TO BE EXPOSED TO VERY DANGEROUS FUMES. SOME ERRORS WITH THE PREVIOUS INVESTIGATION: THE VAPORS DO NOT GO AWAY WHEN ENGINE WARMS UP, IN FACT MINE IS VERY MUCH MORE EVIDENT WHEN THE ENGINE IS WARM. FUEL CONSUMPTION HAS SIGNIFICANTLY GONE UP, POINTING TO A SIGNIFICANT LEAK OF GASOLINE TO WHERE? HOT ENGINE COMPONENTS. THE FIRE CONCERN WHICH WAS DISMISSED IS NOT MY PROBLEM, I CAN JUMP OUT OF A BURNING CAR' THE EXTREME VAPORS WHICH CAUSED ME TO GET NAUSEOUS & A SEVERE HEADACHE IN JUST A 20 MINUTE TIME SPENT IN THE CAR ON LUNCH, ARE MY CONCERN. *JB

HEAD GASKETS ON BOTH SIDES OF ENGINE LEAKING OIL AND COOLANT AT 20000 MILES AND 2.5 YRS OLD. OIL AND COOLANT LEAK TRANSFERS ON TIRES AND EXHAUST. THIS CAN CAUSE FIRE AND LOSS OF CONTROL. SUBARU ONLY ACKNOWLEDGES PROBLEM ON OTHER VIN ON IMPREZA (MY VEHICLE 2002 IMPREZA OUTBACK WAGON) AND FORESTER. EVEN THOUGH FORESTER USES THE IDENTICAL ENGINE AS IMPREZA. *TR

2002 SUBARU IMPREZA WRX - I WAS TAKING MY FIVE YR. OLD GRANDSON HOME WHEN WE BECAME AWARE OF A HEAVY SMELL IN THE CAR. I THOUGHT IT SMELLED LIKE ANTIFREEZE, BUT HE SAID 'GAS' MAMAW. I HURRIED TO GET HIM HOME, AND BEFORE I GOT BACK HOME MY THROAT WAS SORE AND MY NOSE BOTHERED ME FROM THE AWFUL FUMES. MY HUSBAND TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALER TODAY AND THEY MAY CALL BACK WHEN THEY GET THEIR LOANER FREED UP BUT I DON'T THINK WE ARE BIG ON THE PRIORITY LIST. THEY SAID ANTIFREEZE WAS LEAKING FROM THE REAR OF THE ENGINE. IT HAS 55,000 OR SO MILES ON IT NOW. *JB

1.EVENTS: CHRONIC GASOLINE SMELL/FUMES IN 2002 SUBARU WRX IN COLD WEATHER CONDITIONS (UNDER 34 DEGREES). 2.DEALER HAS CHECKED OUT THE CAR ONCE IN SUMMER OF 2004 AND REPORTED NO PROBLEMS EVEN THOUGH I WAS INHALING GASOLINE FUMES ON EVERY COLD MORNING SINCE I BOUGHT THE CAR. SECOND TIME I BROUGHT IN THE CAR MONDAY DEC 19. 2004 THE WARRANTY WAS EXPIRED AND THE DEALER WANTED TO CHARGE ME $425 TO FIX THE PROBLEM THEY JUST FOUND. *AK

2002 SUBARU IMPREZA WRX, FUEL LEAK ON PASSANGER SIDE OF ENGINE COMPARTMENT UNDER INTAKE MANIFOLD. OCCURS IN LOW TEMPURATURES AND LEADS TO A STRONG RAW GAS ODOR IN THE CABIN.*AK ISSUE HAS NOT BEEN RESOLVED

WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED SMELLED FUEL ODOR AT COLD TEMPERATURES. THERE WAS A FUEL LEAK ON TOP OF THE EXHAUST MANIFOLD.*AK

I HAVE A 2002 SUBARU IMPREZA WRX, AND I CAN SMELL FUEL ODOR IN MY VEHICLE AT COLD TEMPERATURES. I PURCHASED THE CAR WITHIN 4 WEEKS OF THE NORTH AMERICAN RELEASE OF THE VEHICLE.*AK

JUST LEARNED THAT MY 2002 IMPREZA SPORT HAS A LEAKING HEAD GASKET WHEN THE CAR ONLY HAS 72,000 ON IT. THE CAR HAS NEVER GOTTEN OVER 23 MILES PER GALLON, EVEN WHEN IT IS HIGHWAY DRIVEN. THE CAR HAS HAD VERY VERY LITTLE MILEAGE ON IT SINCE IT WAS PURCHASED THREE YEARS AGO WITH 55,000 ON IT. NO MENTION OF ANY PROBLEMS DURING ITS 60,000 MILE MAINTENANCE. THIS CAME OUT OF THE BLUE. *TR

MY CAR IS A TOTAL LEMON. I PRE-ORDERED THE 2002 WRX IN 2001 AND WAS VERY ANXIOUS TO RECEIVE IT. AS SOON AS I GOT THE CAR THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WAS ON. THE DEALER DIAGNOSED THE PROBLEM AS A CAM POSITION SENSOR WICH THEY REPLACED 3 TIMES. THEY TOLD ME I REVVED THE CAR TOO HIGH TO THROW THE CODE. THE CODE WAS THROWN AT 6200 RPM AND THE ENGINE REDLINES AT 7000. THE DEALERSHIP REFUSED TO WORK ON THIS PROBLEM AFTER THE 3RD TIME. AT 45000 MILES MY CAR BEGAN TO MISS AND NOT RUN CORRECTLY. THE DEALERSHIP COULD NOT FIND ANY PROBLEM WITH IT. I TOOK IT TO ANOTHER SHOP TO GET A 2ND OPINION. THEY FOUND THAT THE CAM POSITION SENSOR HAD MALFUNCTIONED AND CAUSED MY CAR TO MISSFIRE WHEN I WOULD HIT A BUMP IN THE ROAD. THEY REPLACED THE SENSOR AND CHARGED ME A FEE OF $800 DUE TO THE MASSIVE TROUBLESHOOTING WORK THAT LED UP TO SOLVING THE PROBLEM. FINALLY THE PROBLEM THAT I HAD SINCE THE CAR WAS BRAND NEW WAS FIXED AT THE FULL COST TO ME. AT 48000 MY TRANSMISSION WAS THE NEXT TO GO. I LOST THE ABILITY TO SHIFT MY CAR IN ANY GEAR. I HAD IT TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP AS THE POWERTRAIN WARRANTY IS 60000 MILES. THEY DISMANTLED MY TRANSMISSION TO FIND 2ND GEAR STRIPPED. THEY THEN DENIED TO COVER THIS UNDER WARRANTY AS IT WAS LABELED ABUSE. THEY CHARGED ME $800 DOLLARS FOR THEIR TIME. THEN THEN GAVE ME A QUOTE FOR $4500 EXTRA DOLLARS TO REPLACE THE TRANSMISSION. I HAD MY CAR TOWED TO THE SAME SHOP THAT FIXED MY CHECK ENGINE LIGHT. THEY INSTALLED A NEW TRANSMISSION FOR ME AT THE COST OF $2200. MY TRANSMISSON HAS ALSO BROKE AGAIN AT 65000 MILES. NOW I HAVE A CAR THAT DOESN'T RUN THAT I AM PAYING ON. I CAN NOT SELL A CAR THAT DOESN'T RUN. SUBARU DOES NOT CARE THAT THEIR CARS ARE JUNK. I REALLY DO NOT KNOW WHAT TO DO NOW.

ALL WRX'S SHOW HEAT DAMAGE AT AROUND 4K MILES. ON ANY SEDAN. NO SAFETY DEFECT LISTED. *AK

2002 SUBARU IMPREZA WITH A LEAKING HEAD GASKET. CONSUMER STATES THAT THE DEALER SAID THEY WOULD PAY FOR HALF OF THE COST OF THE REPAIRS. CONSUMER WAS THEN INFORMED THAT BOTH HEAD GASKETS WERE LEAKING. *KB THE CYLINDERS WERE LEAKING COOLANT. *JB

SLIGHT ENGINE HESITATION; REFER TO TSB#115398 IN MT 1/99; IS THIS A PROBLEM THEY HAVE NOT RESOLVED....FEARING POTENTIAL ACCIDENT IF IT GETS WORSE; ALSO ENGINE MISFIRING WHICH MAY RESULT IN CYLINDER FAILURE AND LOSS OF POWER. MANUFACTURER NOT REPAIRING AND IN DENIAL OF ALL REQUESTS...THREE FAILED REPAIR ATTEMPTS. *AK