2002 Subaru WRX

A FUEL LINE UNDER THE INTAKE MANIFOLD LOCATED ON THE PASSENGER SIDE IS LEAKING GAS ON COLD STARTS. THIS IS MY SECOND TIME DEALING WITH THIS ISSUE. AS OF NOW, IT IS ONLY LEAKING GAS WHEN THE ENGINE IS COLD, BUT THE LEAKING IS STARTING TO GET WORSE AND FASTER THAN BEFORE. THE FIRST TIME I HAD THIS ISSUE IT WAS LEAKING GAS REGARDLESS OF ENGINE TEMPERATURE. IT IS ONLY A MATTER OF TIME BEFORE IT STARTS TO LEAK AT ANY GIVEN MOMENT WITH A POSSIBILITY TO CAUSE A FIRE PUTTING MY LIFE AND OTHERS AT RISK. I LIVE IN THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA AND THIS RECALL HAS ONLY BEEN ANNOUNCED FOR "COLD WEATHER" STATES. IT IS EVIDENT THAT THIS FUEL LINE PROBLEM HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THE WEATHER SINCE I LIVE IN A WARM CLIMATE. THIS PROBIEM IS UNFIXABLE AND TIME CONSUMING. I HAD ALREADY TRIED TO SOLVE THIS ISSUE AT MY LOCAL REPAIR SHOP AND IT ENDED UP BEING A WASTE OF TIME AND MONEY. THIS IS CLEARLY A MANUFACTURER'S PROBLEM. SUBARU NEEDS TO ISSUE A NATIONAL RECALL FOR THIS VEHICLE.

FUEL RAIL ON 2002 WRX IS LEAKING HEAVILY ON THE ENGINE. THIS IS A HIGH FIRE HAZARD AS WELL AS NOXIOUS FOR PASSENGERS IN THE CAR AS IT SMELLS HEAVILY OF FUEL. SINCE I LIVE IN WASHINGTON STATE SUBARU OF AMERICA HAS NOT HONORED THE RECALL THEY'VE PUT IN OTHER STATES FOR THIS EXACT ISSUE. SUBARU HAS DENIED WARRANTY REPAIR DUE TO THE EXTENDED WARRANTY EXPIRING FOR THIS ISSUE IN 2013. I WAS NEVER NOTIFIED OF THIS ISSUE. I AM THE ORIGINAL OWNER OF THIS CAR AND HAVE TAKEN IT IN FOR EVERY OTHER RECALL ISSUE THAT I'VE BEEN NOTIFIED OF. THIS IS RECKLESS AND DANGEROUS. THE LOCAL REPAIR SHOP HAS SAID THEY DON'T THINK IT IS CORRECT TO CHARGE ME FOR LABOR AND PARTS THAT SHOULD BE COVERED UNDER WARRANTY BY SUBARU AND HAVE DIRECTED ME TO THE DEALERSHIP. THE DEALERSHIP ASKED ME TO GET AUTHORIZATION FROM SUBARU, WHICH WAS DENIED. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE THAT SHOULD BE COVERED UNDER WARRANTY FOR THE LIFE OF THE CAR. IT IS A BONE STOCK CAR WITH NO AFTERMARKETS PARTS OR ENHANCEMENTS.

CONTROL ARMS WERE RECALLED IN 2011 FOR RUST ISSUES AND FAILURE ON THE HANGER BRACKETS. GOT THE PARTS CHECKED AT THE TIME OF THE RECALL BY A CERTIFIED SUBARU DEALERSHIP, THE DEALERSHIP SPRAYED A "RUST PROOFING" AGENT ON THE CONTROL ARMS. THREE YEARS LATER I WAS DRIVING DOWN MY ROAD AND LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE COMPLETELY. THE DRIVER SIDE LOWER CONTROL ARM HAD RUSTED THROUGH AND BROKEN AT THE HANGER BRACKET. SUBARU OF AMERICA WILL NOT COVER THE REPAIRS AS THE RECALL HAD BEEN PERFORMED ALREADY (EVEN THROUGH IT DID NOT PREVENT THE ISSUES FROM HAPPENING). *JS

WORKING NIGHT SHIFTS, STARTED MY CAR TO LET WARM UP, TEMPERATURE WAS 43 DEGREES FAHRENHEIT AT THE TIME. AFTER START UP I COULD SMELL RAW FUEL OUT SIDE THE CAR AS WELL AS INSIDE THE CAR THROUGH THE VENTS. ALSO GAS MILEAGE HAS GONE DOWN BY DRASTICALLY, NORMALLY GET 300-330 MILES A TANK AND CURRENTLY GETTING BARLEY 200. NOTICED CAR STARTING TO SMOKE A LITTLE AS WELL FROM UNDER THE HOOD, NO FIRE BUT NOT GOING TO KEEP DRIVING THE CAR. *TR

WHEN IT IS COLD OUTSIDE MY CAR SMELLS LIKE RAW FUEL VERY STRONGLY IN THE CABIN RESULTING IN HEADACHES AND DIZZINESS. THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM AMONG-ST THESE CARS AND SUBARU KNOWS ABOUT IT BECAUSE THEY HAD AN EXTENDED RECALL BUT DOES NOT COVER THE PROBLEM NOW. *TR

SMELL OF FUEL FROM WITHIN THE CAR DURING COLD TEMPERATURES. THIS IS A KNOWN ISSUE PER TSB 01-170-09. DEALERSHIP MAY DENY REPAIRS IF THEY CAN'T REPRODUCE THE ISSUE. EMAIL FROM SUBARU REGARDING THIS PROBLEM: WE WELCOME YOUR CONTACT, AS IT RELATES TO THE WVK-21 FUEL LINE WARRANTY EXTENSION. YOUR 2002 SUBARU WRX IS AFFECTED BY THE WARRANTY EXTENSION FOR THESE COMPONENTS. THE DEALERSHIP WOULD NEED TO PERFORM A DIAGNOSIS OF THE CURRENT CONCERN. THEY CAN THEN ADVISE YOU REGARDING THE ISSUE AND WHETHER IT IS THE SAME AS THE WARRANTY EXTENSION. I WOULD RECOMMEND THAT YOU MAKE AN APPOINTMENT AT A SUBARU DEALERSHIP, AT YOUR EARLIEST CONVENIENCE. *TR

REFERENCE: RECALL NO. 11V-464, NHTSA CAMPAIGN NO. 11V464000 THE CORROSION DISCOVERED IN MY SUBARU 2002 WRX IS FAR MORE EXTENSIVE THAN THAT COVERED BY THE RECALL RESULTING IN CITYSIDE SUBARU DEALERSHIP (1-761-641-1900) IDENTIFYING THE VEHICLE NOT SAFE TO DRIVE. THEIR ASSESSMENT OF THE DANGEROUS RUSTING, ROTTING AND NECESSARY REPAIRS IS QUOTED HERE (I CAN PROVIDE A FACSIMILE OF THEIR ASSESSMENT UPON YOUR REQUEST). THERE IS EXTENSIVE RUSTING AND ROTTING AS WELL AS PARTS THAT HAVE ALREADY BROKEN. THE FOLLOWING IS QUOTED FROM THE CITYSIDE SUBARU DEALERSHIP INVOICE NUMBER[XXX]' TECHNICIAN STATES: VEHICLE HAS FAILED RECALL INSPECTION OF FRONT LOWER CONTROL ARMS DUE TO RUSTING. SUBFRAME IS ALSO ROTTED AND WILL NEED TO BE REPLACED. TECHNICIAN RECOMMENDS: ADDITIONALLY UPON REPLACEMENT OF CONTROL ARMS AND SUBFRAME BOTH LEFT AND RIGHT SWAYBAR LINKS ARE BROKEN $295 FRONT KNUCKLES, WHEEL BEARINGS AND INNER AND OUTER TIE ROD ENDS ARE ROTTED AND WILL NEED TO BE REPLACED $2340 BOTH FRONT STRUTS ROTTED AND MAY NEED TO BE REPLACED IF THEY ARE NOT ABLE TO BE DETACHED AND PUT BACK TOGETHER PROPERLY $509 EACH AS REQUIRED REPLACE ROTTED LEAKING OIL PAN $416 VEHICLE IS NOT SAFE TO DRIVE' I CONSIDER MYSELF LUCKY THAT THE EXTENSIVE CORROSION AND ALREADY FAILED PARTS IN AN OTHERWISE VERY CLEAN, LOW MILEAGE CAR HAVE NOT LED TO AN ACCIDENT AND SUGGEST THAT THE RECALL NEEDS TO BE BROADER IN SCOPE. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

THERE IS A CONSTANT RAW FUEL SMELL WHEN DRIVING, TO THE POINT OF MAKING ME FEEL SICK, CANT EVEN DRIVE MY CAR WITHOUT ALL THE WINDOWS DOWN, IVE REASURCHED THIS ISSUE WITH OTHER MODELS USING THE SAME ENGINE & COMPONINTS THAT ARE ON THE RECALL LIST, BUT I CAN NOT GET ANY HELP FROM ANYONE AT SUBARU, EVEN WITH EXPLAINING ITS THE EXACT SAME PROBLEM AS ITHER THE FORESTER OR OUTBACK... OF A RAW FUEL SMELL FROM A FULTY GAS LINE UNDER THE MANIFOLD,,, NOT COOL THAT THEY ARE WILLING TO COMPROMISE MY SAFETY TO AVOID DOING THE FIX, OR ADDMITING THE DEFECT AFFECTS THE 2002 WRX

I WORK AS A VALET ATTENDANT. I HAVE PARKED A LARGE NUMBER OF VEHICLES. I HAD TO PARK THIS VEHICLE IN A PARKING SPOT. TO PARK IN THIS SPOT I HAD TO MAKE A RIGHT TO LINE UP FOR THE SPOT. THE CAR ACCELERATED SUDDENLY. I HAD ALL MY WEIGHT ON THE BRAKES TO AVOID SLAMMING INTO A WALL,I TURNED HARD RIGHT AND CRASHED THE CAR AGAINST THE CORNER OF A CONCRETE COLUMN. THE AIRBAG DEPLOYED DURING THE ACCIDENT, THEN I HEARD A PURGE AND MULTIPLE CLICKING NOISES. THE BRAKES DID NOT STOP THE CAR AT ALL. THE BREAKS FELT ROCK HARD BEFORE THE ACCIDENT. AGAIN"THE BRAKES DID NOT STOP THIS CAR FROM CRASHING" I SUFFERED A SEVERELY FRACTURED HIP SOCKET INJURY. THIS ACCIDENT LEAVES ME WITH THE LIKELY HOOD OF NEEDING HIP REPLACEMENT DUE TO HIP ARTHRITIS. IF IT WASN'T FOR THE AIRBAG I WOULD HAVE SUFFERED SEVERE HEAD AND CHEST INJURY. I ALSO NO LONGER WORK AS A PARKING ATTENDANT, AND HAVING A HARD TIME FINDING A JOB. I AM NOT A TEENAGER JOYRIDING . I AM AN ADULT, PARKING CARS FOR A LIVING. I HAVE DRIVEN HIGH END VEHICLES WITH WAY MORE POWER, BUT HAVE NEVER EXPERIENCED ANY THING LIKE THIS. NOW I HAVE DIFFICULTY DRIVING, AND I AFRAID TO GET BEHIND THE WHEEL. I AM A MALE DRIVER WITH 20+ YEARS OF DRIVING EXPERIENCE, BUT I AM LOOKED AT AS A RECKLESS DRIVER FOR WRECKING THIS CAR. *TR

SUBFRAME NEAR PASSENGER/RIGHT FRONT CONTROL ARM IS RUSTED THROUGH AND HAS HOLES. SUBARU OF CHERRY HILL, NJ STATED THAT IT SHOULD BE REPLACED AND WAS AT SIGNIFICANT RISK OF BREAKING WHEN REMOVED FOR CONTROL ARM RECALL (WVX34).DEALERSHIP SAID THE CASE WITH PICTURES WAS REPORTED TO SUBARU HEADQUARTERS AND DEALERSHIP STATED IT WAS THE FIRST TIME THEY HAVE SEEN IT. I DISCOVERED MANY OTHER CASES REPORTED DATING BACK AS FAR AS MAY 2009. DOCUMENTED WITH PICTURES OF MY OWN. *TR

DRIVING SOUTHBOUND ON I-55 FOR MORNING COMMUTE IN THE LEFTMOST LANE WHEN WITH NO DISCERNIBLE CAUSE THE CAR BEGAN TO DRIFT BACK AND FORTH ACROSS THE CENTER LANE AND LEFT LANE. THE CAR MINIMALLY RESPONDED TO ANY STEERING INPUTS. I HAD TO CRANK THE WHEEL ALMOST A TURN AND A HALF TO GET MY CAR OVER TO THE SHOULDER. FORTUNATELY, THERE WERE NO CARS NEAR ME WHEN THIS HAPPENED SO I DID NOT STRIKE ANY VEHICLES. I GOT THE CAR TOWED TO A LOCAL SHOP AND THE SERVICE PERSON QUICKLY GLANCED AROUND UNDERNEATH IT AND IMMEDIATELY NOTICED THAT THE CONTROL ARM HAD RUSTED THROUGH ON THE PASSENGER SIDE. I CAME BACK LATER THAT DAY AND THEY SHOWED ME THE CAR ON THE LIFT WHERE BOTH CONTROL ARMS WERE THOROUGHLY RUSTED AS WELL AS THE SUBFRAME. I PAID TO GET THE ONE REPAIRED BUT STILL DON'T DRIVE THE CAR AS I DON'T FEEL SAFE UNTIL THE OTHER IS TAKEN CARE OF AS WELL. *TR

THE PASSENGER SIDE LOWER CONTROL ARM ON OUR 2002 SUBARU WRX WAGON SNAPPED RENDERING THE CAR INOPERABLE. THE CAR HAS BEEN TOWED TO A MECHANIC. WHEN I LOOKED UNDER THE CAR YOU COULD SEE THE ARM WAS RUSTED THROUGH. ONCE THE CAR WAS LOADED ON THE ROLLBACK THERE WAS A VISIBLE PILE OF RUST ON THE PAVEMENT. *TT

LOWER CONTROL ARM FOR MY 2002 SUBRAU WRX RUSTED COMPLETELY AND BROKE, WHICH ALSO CAUSED THE SWAY BAR TO BE RIPPED OFF. THANKFULLY IT ONLY HAPPENED PULLING OUT OF THE DRIVEWAY AND NOT ON THE HIGHWAY. *KB

STRONG ODOR OF FUEL AND/OR BURNT OIL INSIDE THE VEHICLE REPEATEDLY. I CONTACTED SUBARU LONG AGO ABOUT THIS PROBLEM WHEN I GOT A RECALL NOTICE FROM SUBARU NATIONAL SAYING MY CAR "MAY" BE PART OF THIS RECALL. I TOOK THE CAR TO A SUBARU DEALER. THEY SAID UNLESS THEY CAN EITHER SMELL FUEL OR FIND THE PROBLEM THERE IS NOTHING THEY CAN DO FOR ME. SUBARU NATIONAL SAID THE SAME THING "UNLESS WE CAN SMELL FUEL ODOR" WE WILL NOT PAY FOR INSPECTING AND FIXING YOUR VEHICLE. *TR

FUEL ODOR INTERIOR OF VEHICLE. FILE COMPLAINT UNDER ODI NUMBER 10380798 NEED TO CORRECT MILEAGE TO 107,310 DON'T KNOW WHAT I WAS THINKING WHEN I FILED COMPLAINT. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 SUBARU WRX. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO APPLY THE BRAKES AND THE ABS ACTIVATED. HE WAS UNABLE TO BRING THE VEHICLE TO A RAPID STOP. HE STATED THAT IT WAS LUCK THAT THE VEHICLE IN-FRONT TURNED LEFT; AND HE WAS ABLE TO AVOID A CRASH. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND STATED THAT THEY WOULD NOT ASSIST WITH THE REPAIR, BECAUSE THE ABS FAILURE WARRANTY EXPIRED AT 36,000 MILES. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 119,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 120,000. UPDATED 02/09/11*LJ UPDATED 02/28/11

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 SUBARU WRX. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 09V468000 (FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMP) AND TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A LOCAL DEALER. THE DEALER STATED TO THE CONTACT PART THAT THE PART WAS NOT AVAILABLE AND WOULD BE AVAILABLE WITHIN THREE DAYS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WAS A YEAR AGO. THE CONTACT CALLED THE MANUFACTURER AND THEY STATED THAT THE DEALER SHOULD HAVE THE PART. THE CONTACT CONTINUED TO SEARCH FOR PARTS FOR THE VEHICLE BUT THE DEALER STILL DID NOT HAVE THE PART. THE CONTACT PERFORMED SOME REPAIRS TO THE VEHICLE BECAUSE THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATED AND THE VEHICLE SMELLED LIKE GASOLINE. AFTER THE REPAIRS, THE DEALER STATED THEY COULD NOT REPAIR THE VEHICLE BECAUSE THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO ANOTHER LOCATION FOR REPAIRS. THE CONTACT STATED THE VEHICLE WAS BECOMING UNSAFE SAFE TO DRIVE DUE TO THE SMELL OF GASOLINE INSIDE THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT STATED THE VEHICLE COULD CAUSE A FIRE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 96,599.

I OWN A 02 WRX I LIVE IN ARMIDALE AUSTRALIA. I JUST SPENT A LOT OF MONEY FIXING THIS PROBLEM. PLEASE BE CAREFUL WHEN THE CAR HEATS UP IT CAN BURN OUT THE EXHAUST SENSOR AND CAUSE MAJOR PROBLEMS WITH THE TURBO.I NOTICE ONCE THERE WAS NO SENSOR LEFT IT GAVE MY CAR COMPUTER NOTHING TO GO OFF . IN RESULT COSTING ME 3000 DOLLARS TO FIX .WRX DRIVERS TAKE CARE AND PLEASE GET YOUR SENSORS CHECKED TO SEE IF THEY ARE IN ANYWAY FAULTY. *TR

2002 IMPREZA WRX WAGON, LEAKING FUEL LINES LOCATED UNDER THE INTAKE MANIFOLD IN COLD WEATHER. I HAVE NOTICED GAS FUMES FROM LEAKING FUEL LINES IN THIS VEHICLE WHICH I PURCHASED NEW IN 2002. NEVADA IS NOT A STATE LISTED IN THE WVK-21 SUBARU RECALL OF DEC, 2009, BUT THIS VEHICLE IS LEAKING FUEL FROM THE SAME PROBLEM ON COLD MORNINGS IN NORTHERN NEVADA. *TR

RECENTLY THE OUTSIDE AIR TEMPERATURES HAVE HOVERED NEAR OR BELOW ZERO DEGREES F. ON THOSE MORNINGS WHEN IT IS THAT COLD AND I START MY CAR, I SMELL A STRONG RAW FUEL ODOR FOR SEVERAL MINUTES OR UNTIL I HAVE DRIVEN SEVERAL MILES. I INVESTIGATED AND FOUND THE MAIN FUEL LINE TO BE LEAKING RAW FUEL ONTO THE ENGINE WHEN IT IS STARTED IN WEATHER THIS COLD. THERE IS A VOL RECALL BY SUBARU OF AMERICA COVERING THIS (SUBARU RECALL CAMPAIGN WVK-21) ON THIS MODEL BUT IT DOES NOT COVER THE STATE OF MISSOURI WHERE I RESIDE AND HAVE MY CAR REGISTERED. THIS SAME ISSUE COULD EASILY CAUSE AN ENGINE FIRE SHOULD THE LEAKING RAW FUEL COME INTO CONTACT WITH AN IGNITION SOURCE OR WITH THE NEARBY HOT TURBOCHARGER OR EXHAUST. THERE IS NO REASON WHAT SO EVER THAT THIS RECALL SHOULD BE LIMITED TO THE FEW STATES THAT IT IS SINCE IT IS JUST AS DANGEROUS IN MY STATE AS IN ANY OF THE STATES LISTED ON THE RECALL. BTW, MY CAR WAS ORIGINALLY PURCHASED AND REGISTERED IN ONE OF THE COVERED STATES...MINNESOTA. THANK YOU. *TR