2005 Subaru Outback Fuel System Problems

ON RANDOM OCCASIONS THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL QUITS WORKING, RESULTING IN SUDDEN DECELERATION WITH THE ENGINE SPEED NOT RESPONDING TO THE PEDAL POSITION. I HAVE TO MANEUVER THE VEHICLE OFF THE ROADWAY, TURN OFF THE IGNITION AND WAIT. UPON RESTARTING THE CAR DRIVES FINE UNTIL THE NEXT FAILURE. OCCASIONALLY IT TAKES E FEW TRIES TO RESET.

AS I WAS DRIVING, I ALL OF A SUDDEN LOST ALL POWER AND CONTROL FROM THE GAS PEDAL. THE CAR DECELERATED AND I WAS ONLY ABLE TO IDLE FORWARD. THE GAS PEDAL BECAME COMPLETELY UNRESPONSIVE. I TURNED THE CAR OFF AND RESTARTED IT. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT IS ON AND THE CRUISE CONTROL LIGHT BLINKS BUT THE CAR DRIVES FINE UNTIL THE THE PROBLEM HAPPENS AGAIN. THERE IS NO WAY TO PREDICT IT. I'M GLAD IT HAS NOT HAPPENED IN THE MIDDLE OF AN INTERSECTION OR A MORE DANGEROUS SITUATION WHERE DECELERATING THAT QUICKLY WAS MORE DANGEROUS. THE CAR IS IN MOTION ON CITY STREETS WHEN THIS HAPPENS. I BELIEVE THE CHECK ENGINE CODE READING IS P2138.

THERE IS SMELL OF GAS IN THE CABIN , THIS IS A 2.5 TURBO MODEL WHICH INCREASES DANGER OF FIRE.I NOTICED OTHER SUBARUS FROM DIFFERENT YEARS AND MODELS HAVING SAME PROBLEM AND EVEN BEING RECALLED, SO I SUSPECT THIS IS THE SAME OR SIMILAR FUEL LEAK PROBLEM.HOPE THEY RECOGNIZE THIS AND FIX IT!

THE CABIN IS FLOODED WITH THE SMELL OF RAW GASOLINE ON COLD DAYS DUE TO THE SAME DEFECT THAT CAUSED A RECALL FOR THE EARLY 2000'S SUBARU IMPREZA WRX'S. THIS DEFECT IS ALSO PRESENT IN THE FORESTER AND THE LEGACY, JUST READ THE FORUMS. ON TURBO CHARGED CARS THIS CAN LEAD TO A FIRE AND ON ALL CARS IT BATHES THE OCCUPANTS IN GASOLINE VAPOR AS THE LEAK OCCURS JUST OUTSIDE THE FRESH AIR INTAKE. THIS IS MORE THAN JUST THE SCENT OF GASOLINE. TURNING ON THE AIR BLOWER PULLS IN ENOUGH VAPORS TO MAKE MY EYES WATER. THE VAPORS PERSIST UNTIL ABOUT 45MPH WHICH MEANS DRIVING WITH THE WINDOWS OPEN IN THE WINTER.

STRONG RAW GASOLINE SMELL IN AND AROUND ENGINE, AS WELL AS THROUGHOUT THE CABIN WHEN OUTSIDE TEMPERATURE DROPS TO BELOW 60 DEGREES (F). *TR

I BEGAN TO SMELL THE ODOR OF RAW GASOLINE AS THE TEMPERATURES BECAME CONSISTENTLY IN THE SINGLE TO SUB-ZERO RANGE. I CONTACTED SUBARU OF AMERICA AND SET UP AN APPOINTMENT WITH MY SUBARU DEALER FOR JAN. 3RD. THE DEALER INFORMED ME THAT THE FUEL LINES AND CLAMPS WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED AT A COST OF $500 (AFTER AN ~ $300 COMPENSATION). I REBUTTED AND ASKED SOA TO PAY FOR EVERYTHING AS THIS SEEMS LIKE A FUNDAMENTAL ENGINEERING/DESIGN FLAW AND IT IS ALSO THE 2ND TIME THAT I HAVE HAD TO MAKE THIS REPAIR (FIRST TIME WAS WHEN THE CAR HAD ~40,000 TO 50,000 MILES ON IT)- HAD TO REPLACE THE INTAKE GASKETS AS WELL (PER DEALER). THEY HAVE DECLINED TO COMPENSATE ME FURTHER AND CLAIM THE ISSUE IS AGE RELATED. WHEN I ASKED (SOA) IF THIS WAS A KNOWN ISSUE FOR NEWER SUBARUS, THEY SAID THEY DID NOT KNOW. I ASKED IF THEY DID NOT KNOW OR COULDN'T SAY AND THE RESPONDED "BOTH". BOTTOM-LINE: FUEL LEAKS, OF THIS NATURE DUE TO POOR DESIGN, SHOULD NOT BE SOMETHING CONSUMERS SHOULD HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT NONE-THE-LESS PAY FOR. *TR

MY VEHICLE HAS STARTED TO LEAK FUEL AFTER COLD STARTS IN COLDER WEATHER (BELOW 50 DEGREES F). THE ODOR INSIDE THE CABIN IS ENOUGH TO GIVE ME A HEADACHE. ONCE THE CAR WARMS UP IT DOES DISSIPATE. THE DEALER DIAGNOSED IT AS FUEL LINES LEAKING UNDER THE INTAKE MANIFOLD. WITH PARTS AND LABOR THE BILL IS ALMOST $1000. AFTER DOING SOME "RESEARCH" ONLINE IT APPEARS THAT THIS A MORE WIDESPREAD ISSUE WITH SUBARU'S, IT EVEN RESULTED IN A RECALL OF SOME WRXS IN SOME STATES... I CAN'T BELIEVE THAT SUBARU IS NOT ISSUING A TSB OR RECALL ON OTHER SIMILAR VEHICLES. *TR

SITTING AT STOP LIGHT - LIGHT CHANGES GREEN - NO ACCELERATION. CAR WILL MOVE AT IDLE SPEED CREEP THROUGH INTERSECTION. PULL OVER STOP TURN CAR OFF. RESTART W ACCELERATOR WORKING BUT CRUISE CONTROL INDICATOR FLASHING AND CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ON. ERROR CODE INDICATES PEDAL POSITION SENSOR AND DEALER SAYS ENTIRE PEDAL ASSEMBLY NEEDS REPLACED. NEW 'DRIVE-BY-WIRE' ACCELERATOR SYSTEM FOR SUBARU IN 2005. REPAIR: ~$200 WITH NO CHANGE IN ASSEMBLY FROM WHAT THE SERVICE DEPT. REPORTS. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 SUBARU OUTBACK. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN DRIVING THE VEHICLE HE NOTICED AN OVERPOWERING SMELL OF GAS. ONCE HE INSPECTED THE VEHICLE, HE NOTICED THAT THERE WAS A LEAK NEAR THE FUEL TANK. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE THEY ADVISED HIM THAT THE FUEL TANK WAS FRACTURED DUE TO CORROSION. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 126,000.

FUEL IS LEAKING FROM THE WELDED SEAM ON THE PASSENGER SIDE OF THE FUEL TANK WHEN THE TANK IS FULL. I PARKED THE CAR IN THE GARAGE AFTER FILLING THE TANK, WENT INTO THE HOUSE, AND THE NEXT MORNING FOUND A SMALL PUDDLE OF GAS JUST FORWARD AND INBOARD OF THE RIGHT REAR TIRE, AND A VERY STRONG SMELL OF GASOLINE . I COULD SEE A DRIP APPROXIMATELY EVERY 10 SECONDS. MY NEIGHBORHOOD MECHANIC EXAMINED THE CAR AND DIAGNOSED THE LEAK AT THE WELDED SEAM, NOT AT THE FUEL FILLER TUBE CONNECTION AT THE TANK, AND RECOMMENDED IT BE FIXED AT THE DEALER. IT IS AT MINOOKA SUBARU IN MINOOKA, PA. RIGHT NOW. *TR

I HAD MY 2005 SUBARU OUTBACK SENT TO SHOP FOR TUNE-UP. NOW OVER THE LAST YEAR I HAVE BEEN HAVING GAS FUMES ENTERING THE PASSENGER CABIN WHEN EVER YOU RUN THE A/C OR FRONT WINDOW DEFOGGER WITH THE RECIRCULATION AIR OFF. (MEANING LETTING FRESH AIR IN). WHEN EVER I AM AT A STAND STILL (IE-AT TRAFFIC LIGHT OR IN TRAFFIC OR WHEN I AM DE-ICING OR DE-FOGGING THE FRONT WINDSHIELD WHEN NOT IN MOTION) THE SMELL OF GAS COMES THROUGH THE VENT AND IS MAKING ME SICK AND DIZZY. I HAVE ATTEMPTED TO HAVE TWO DIFFERENT SUBARU DEALERS CORRECT THE ISSUE BUT TO NO LUCK. THEY CANNOT FIGURE IT OUT AND IT SEEMS THAT THIS IS AN ON GOING AND PERSISTENT PROBLEM WITH SUBARU VEHICLES. I AM CONCERNED FOR MY HEALTH AND SAFE OPERATION OF THE VEHICLE. IT SEEMS THAT NO ONE WILL ATTEMPT TO REALLY FIX THE PROBLEM. I HAVE READ ON NUMEROUS FORUMS THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH SUBARU'S, YET NOTHING IS EVER DONE TO CORRECT A POSSIBLY FATAL ACCIDENT OR ASPHYXIATION FROM HAPPENING. PLEASE INVESTIGATE. *TR