2001 Subaru Legacy Fuel System Problems

ALWAYS, WHEN THE CIRCULATION FRESH AIR BUTTON IS PRESSED TO ALLOW OUTSIDE AIR TO ENTER THE CABIN, THERE IS THE NOXIOUS ODOR OF GASOLINE. I REPLACED THE ENGINE BECAUSE OF A TIMING BELT RELATED PROBLEM AT 160,000 MILES AND THE PROBLEM OF GAS ODOR STOPPED FOR A FEW MONTHS BUT IT IS BACK, BAD AS EVER. WHEN DID THIS HAPPEN? YEARS AND YEARS

PURCHASED VEHICLE IN SOUTH CAROLINA AND DROVE IT BACK TO NORTHERN KENTUCKY. IT PRODUCED APPROXIMATELY 380 MILES ON ONE TANK OF FUEL. NOTE: IT WAS WELL INTO THE 50-60 F RANGE OUTSIDE WHILE DRIVING DURING THAT TIME. SUBSEQUENT FILL-UPS IN NORTHERN KENTUCKY (WITH OUTSIDE TEMPERATURES RANGING FROM 10-30 F) PRODUCED 160-225 MILES IN-TOWN. I EXPERIENCED A VERY STRONG, RAW FUEL ODOR IN THE PASSENGER CABIN. IT WAS TAKEN TO A MECHANIC AND THEY FOUND "NOTHING WRONG." THIS OF COURSE, DOES NOT MEAN THERE IS NOTHING WRONG. THE FUEL LINES WERE CHECKED AND TIGHTENED EVEN THOUGH THEY WERE NEITHER LOOSE NOR WORN. AFTER READING THE NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS PROBLEM FROM OTHER OWNERS, IT SEEMS THAT SUBARU OWES ME AND MANY OTHERS A RECALL. TODAY IS ABOUT 14 F OUTSIDE AND I DROVE THE SUBARU 16 MILES. THE FUMES WERE SO UNBEARABLE I HAD TO PULL OVER AND WAIT FOR THEM TO SUBSIDE. THIS SEEMS LIKE NOT ONLY AN EMISSIONS VIOLATION, BUT ALSO A FIRE AND HEALTH HAZARD. *TR

WHEN STARTING CAR IN COLD WEATHER THERE IS A VERY STRONG GAS ODOR IN CABIN. SUBSEQUENT RESEARCH HAS INDICATED THAT OTHER 2001 LEGACY WAGONS HAVE BEEN RECALLED DUE TO EXACT SAME PROBLEM. MY CAR WAS NOT RECALLED, WHICH IS CONFUSING GIVEN THAT THE EXACT SAME RISKS ARE ASSOCIATED. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 SUBARU LEGACY GT. THE CONTACT STARTED THE IGNITION AND SMELLED A STRONG ODOR OF FUEL INSIDE OF THE CABIN. THE FAILURE OCCURRED ONLY IN FREEZING WEATHER TEMPERATURES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSIS AND REMAINED THERE FOR SEVEN DAYS TO FURTHER INVESTIGATE THE PROBLEM. THERE WAS A RECALL ASSOCIATED WITH NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 00V393000 (FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:HOSES, LINES/PIPING, AND FITTINGS). THE CONTACT EXPERIENCED THE IDENTICAL FAILURE AS MENTIONED IN THE RECALL. THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100,000. UPDATED 03/29/11*LJ THE CONSUMER STATED THE DEALER REPLACED THE HOSES UNDER RECALL 00V393000, ALTHOUGH HIS VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. THE CONSUMER STATED SHE WILL HAVE TO WAIT UNTIL THE WINTER TO SEE IF THE PROBLEM HAS BEEN RECTIFIED. UPDATED 08/19/11

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 SUBARU LEGACY. UPON ENTERING THE VEHICLE THE CONTACT COULD SMELL A STRONG ODOR OF GASOLINE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHERE THE CONTACT WAS TOLD THIS WAS A KNOWN FAILURE DUE TO THE FUEL LINES SHRINKING IN COLD WEATHER. AN UNKNOWN REPAIR WAS PERFORMED ON THE VEHICLE. A FEW WEEKS LATER THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 128,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 130,000. THE CONSUMER STATED THE SMELL WAS MOST PROMINENT DURING THE DAY. ALTHOUGH THE SMELL WOULD SOMETIMES OCCUR WHEN THE HEAT WAS ON AND IT INTENSIFIED WHEN THE FAN WAS TURNED ON. THE PROBLEM BEGAN AT THE END OF NOVEMBER. THE SMELL WAS MOST PRONOUNCED WHEN THE TEMPERATURE DROPPED INTO THE TWENTIES. THE CONSUMER STATED SHE LOOKED FOR EVIDENCE OF A GAS LEAK, BUT WAS UNABLE TO FIND ANYTHING. THE CONSUMER BELIEVED THERE AS DESIGN/DEFECT IN MATERIALS. THE CONSUMER WAS INFORMED THERE WAS NO RECALL ON HER VEHICLE AND SUBARU DENIED ANY RESPONSIBILITY BECAUSE OF THE AGE AND MILEAGE OF THE VEHICLE. UPDATED EVOQ 01/31/11. UPDATED 2/23/11 *CN UPDATED 12/06/2011 *LN

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 SUBARU LEGACY OUTBACK. THE CONTACT NOTICED A FUEL SMELL AND WHEN SHE WOULD TURN THE HEATING SYSTEM ON, THE SMELL BECAME UNBEARABLE, FORCING THE CONTACT TO ROLL THE WINDOWS DOWN. THE FAILURE BEGAN OCTOBER 2010. NEITHER THE DEALER OR MANUFACTURER HAD NOT BEEN NOTIFIED NOR WAS THE VEHICLE DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 130,000. UPDATED 09/28/11*LJ THE CONSUMER STATED THE GAS SMELL ONLY OCCURRED WHEN THE TEMPERATURE WAS BELOW 30 DEGREES. UPDATED 10/05/11

WE STARTED TO EXPERIENCE GASOLINE FUMES IN THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT OF THE CAR. OUR DEALERS SERVICE DEPARTMENT DETERMINED THAT THE FUEL LINE WAS LEAKING AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. WHILE NO DAMAGE OF WHICH WE ARE AWARE HAS OCCURRED TO THE CAR, IT WOULD APPEAR THAT A HIGH RISK OF FIRE WAS PRESENT (OR WOULD BECOME PRESENT) WITHOUT REPLACEMENT OF THIS PART (WHICH TYPICALLY WOULD LAST THE "LIFETIME" OF THE CAR). COST OF REPAIR: $355.15. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 SUBARU LEGACY. WHEN THE VEHICLE IS IDLING WITH THE FAN BLOWER/VENT ACTIVATED, THE CONTACT SMELLS A STRONG ODOR OF GASOLINE. HE IS IN THE PROCESS OF HAVING THE VEHICLE DIAGNOSED TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT HIS VIN WAS EXCLUDED FROM NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 00V393000 (FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:HOSES, LINES/PIPING, AND FITTINGS). THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 54,000.

2001 SUBARU LEGACY WAGON EMITS GAS SMELL INTO CABIN ON START UP IN COLD WEATHER MONTHS. ALTHOUGH NUMEROUS OWNERS COMPLAIN WITH REGARD TO THIS ISSUE VIA INTERNET, SUBARU HAS YET TO ISSUE A TSB. THIS IS A DANGEROUS CONDITION THAT SUBARU SHOULD BE REQUIRED TO FIX FREE OF CHARGE. *TR

I HAVE A SUBARU LEGACY GT. EVERY TIME THE TEMPERATE GETS TO ABOUT 20 DEGREES OR COLDER, THE ENGINE EMITS A STRONG RAW FUEL SMELL INTO THE CABIN. THE CAR HAS DONE SO ALMOST CONSTANTLY SINCE PURCHASE, HAS BEEN REPAIRED TWICE FOR THE PROBLEM (ATTRIBUTED TO A PROBLEM WITH THE FUEL LINES) AND HAS BEEN THE SUBJECT OF A PRIOR NHTSA COMPLAINT. CARS MANUFACTURER AROUND THE DATE OF MINE HAVE BEEN RECALLED FOR THIS PROBLEM, BUT MY CAR WAS NOT INCLUDED. TODAY WAS THE FIRST DAY BELOW 20 DEGREES IN SEVERAL MONTHS AND THE FUEL SMELL REAPPEARED. CAR NOW NEEDS TO BE REPAIRED AGAIN FOR THIS PROBLEM. THE VEHICLE SIMPLY CANNOT BE DRIVEN IN EXTREMELY COLD WEATHER AS IT IS A HEALTH HAZARD TO BREATHE THESE FUMES, AS WELL AS A FIRE DANGER. A SEARCH OF THE INTERNET REVEALS A NUMBER OF OTHER OWNERS WITH THE EXACT SAME COMPLAINT. *TR

OUR 2001 SUBARU LEGACY WAS HAVING THE SMELL OF GAS INSIDE THE CAR LATELY WHEN WE FIRST STARTED IT AND WHEN WE WOULD STOP FOR A TRAFFIC LIGHT OR STOP SIGN. I CHECKED THE RECALL NOTICES ON THE GOV'T SITE AND FOUND THE PROBLEM LISTED , COMPLETE WITH A ENGINE AREA DIAGRAM SHOWING WHERE THE POSSIBLE GASOLINE LINE LEAK COULD BE. I CHECKED UNDER THE HOOD AND SURE ENOUGH THERE IT WAS. THE FUNNY THING WAS THAT OUR VIN # WAS NOT IN THE RANGE THEY SAID WAS EFFECTED. I THINK SUBARU AND THE GOV'T SHOULD TAKE ANOTHER LOOK AT THE VEHICLES EFFECTED. I BELIEVE THERE ARE MORE THEN YOU ORIGINALLY THOUGHT. I WAS ABLE TO TIGHTEN THE HOSES CLAMPS AND SO FAR IT LOOKS LIKE IT ISN'T LEAKING ANYMORE. *JB

FOR THE SECOND TIME IN BELOW ZERO OUTSIDE TEMPERATURES, WE ARE EXPERIENCING A FUEL LEAK IN OUR VEHICLE. A CALL TO OUR DEALERSHIP INDICATES THEY ARE FIELDING NUMEROUS CALLS OF THIS TYPE TODAY. OUR FIRST EXPERIENCE OF THE PROBLEM WAS DECEMBER 24, 2004. *NM

DURING THE WINTER MONTHS, WHEN THE TEMPERATURE IS IN THE 20'S OR BELOW, THERE IS A STRONG SMELL OF GASOLINE IN THE CABIN WHEN THE CAR IS IDLING AND WHEN I TURN ON THE HEATER FAN. THE SMELL REMAINS IN MY GARAGE AFTER I STOP THE CAR. MY SON, WHO IS A MECHANIC TIGHTENED THE FUEL LINES WHICH SEEMED TO HELP A BIT BUT THIS PROBLEM HAS PERSISTED EVERY WINTER. THERE WAS A RECALL IN 2001 BUT SUBARU MAINTAINS THAT THE RECALL DOES NOT APPLY TO MY VIN NUMBER AND SAYS THAT I NEED TO BRING THE CAR IN AND PAY FOR THE DIAGNOSIS. THERE ARE MANY COMPLAINTS DETAILING EXACTLY THE SYMPTOMS OF MY PROBLEM ON THE WEBSITE, ARFE WHICH LEADS ME TO THINK THAT THE PROBLEM SHOULD BE ADDRESSED BY A BROADER RECALL BY SUBARU.

INCONSISTANTLY, BUT FREQUENTLY MY 2001 SUBARU LEGACY 2.5L WAGON SURGES AND/OR HESITATES. THE RESULT IS THAT I HAVE LITTLE RELIABILITY FOR ACCELERATION, ETC. WHEN DRIVING. THIS HAS RESULTED A NEAR COLLSIONS WHEN THE CAR HESITATED IN THE MIDDLE OF INTERSECTIONS. I NO LONGER FEEL SAFE DRIVING IT--ESPECIALLY WHEN MY 2 YOUNG CHILDREN ARE IN THE CAR. MY CAR HAS BEEN EXAMINED BY MY MECHANIC (WHO SPECALIZES IN SUBARUS AND OTHER JAPANESE CARS) AND DESPITE EXPERIENCING THE SAME PROBLEMS WHILE DRIVING AND SEVERAL DAYS IN THE SHOP, NO PROBLEM HAS BEEN DIAGNOSED. MY MECHANIC HAS CONSULTED SUBARU AND THEY HAVE PROVIDED NO USEFUL ADVISE EITHER.*AK

2001 SUBARU LEGACY GT LIMITED. THIRD INSTANCE OF FUEL LEAK IN ENGINE. THIS TIME, VISIBLE FUEL LEAK FROM FUEL LINES UPON STARTING CAR IN 15 DEGREE WEATHER. SUBARU OF AMERICA AND RYE SUBARU HAD BEEN INFORMED OF PROBLEM ON PRIOR OCCASION AND RYE SUBARU WAS EXPECTING CAR TO COME IN FOR SERVICE FOR THIS PROBLEM. DROVE CAR TO RYE SUBARU. DURING DRIVING GAS FUMES ENTERED PASSENGER COMPARTMENT. UPON ARRIVAL AT RYE SUBARU, DEALERSHIP WAS NOT PREPARED TO IMMEDIATELY DEAL WITH PROBLEM AS SERVICE MANAGER WORKING ON CASE HAD LEFT TOWN AND HAD NOT LEFT INFORMATION BEHIND RELATING TO PROBLEM. *LA

FUEL SYSTEM ISSUE. I HAVE OWNED MY VEHICLE FOR APPROXIMATELY 9 MONTHS. I BOUGHT IT AS A USED CAR FROM SLOANE IN PHILADELPHIA. IT HAS APPROXIMATELY 17000 MILES ON IT AND IS CONSIDERED STILL UNDER WARRANTY. I HAVE HAD TO TAKE IT IN FOR SERVICE 4 TIMES FOR THE VEHICLE HESITATING UPON ACCELERATION. THE SERVICE CENTER FIRST SAID THE HESITATION CAME FROM A BAD BATTERY, SECOND INCIDENT THEY STATED THEY COULD NOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG, THIRD INCIDENT, WHEN I ALMOST GOT IN AN ACCIDENT BECAUSE THE VEHICLE STARTED TO STALL UP ENTERING THE FREEWAY TRAFFIC, I BROUGHT IT BACK IN FOR SERVICE. THEY DID A THOROUGH CHECK AND SAID IT WAS THE OXYGEN SENSOR. THEY REPLACED IT. APPROXIMATELY 2 WEEKS LATER, THE VEHICLE BEGAN HESITATING ONCE AGAIN! AGAIN, AT A CRUCIAL POINT IN A TRAFFIC SITUATION. I RETURNED THE VEHICLE AGAIN FOR SERVICE, THEY STATED IT WAS THE CODES, THEY JUST NEEDED TO BE CLEARED. THE VEHICLE IS STILL HESITATING AND IS CAUSING A POTENTIAL FOR SERIOUS INJURY UPON DRIVING UNDER CRUCIAL SITUATIONS. I HAVE NOW RESORTED TO PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION. AUDIO SYSTEM ISSUE: VEHICLE'S RADIO WILL DISPLAY ALL IT'S FEATURES, BUT WILL NOT PLAY ANY SOUND THROUGH SPEAKERS. THIS HAS BEEN ADDRESSED WITH THE SERVICE TEAM ON 3 PAST OCCASIONS, BUT IT HAS NOT BEEN REMEDIED. LAST KNOW PROBLEM WAS THE SPEAKER AMPS AND GROUNDING MECHANISM FOR SPEAKER, ALSO THE RADIO, WHEN IT DOES WORK GETS INTERFERENCE WHEN THE REAR DEFROST IS ON. *NLM

RAW GAS LEAK IN COLD WEATHER HAS BEEN A PERSISTENT PROBLEM, OVERWHELMING ODOR IN PASSENGER COMPARTMENT AND AFTER PARKING IN BASEMENT GARAGE. THIS WAS BROUGHT TO DEALERS ATTENTION AT FIRST SERVICE WHEN CAR WAS NEW AND DEALER COULD NOT IDENTIFY ANY PROBLEM. I UNDERSTAND THIS IS STILL A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THIS YEAR AND MODEL VEHICLE FOR WHICH THERE HAS BEEN NO RECALL.