| Issue ID | 528402 |
| Internal NHTSA # | 10110361 |
| Manufacurer | SUBARU OF AMERICA, INC. |
| Brand | SUBARU |
| Model | IMPREZA |
| Model Year | 2004 |
| File date | 01/02/04 |
| Component | FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:HOSES, LINES/P |
| Product type code | VEHICLE |
| Description of the problem | Ref pe04002: subaru impreza wrx '02/'03 fuel leak 1 ? Temp: ~5 deg. F overnight. Started car in am; smelled raw fuel via the vents. 2 - with flashlight could see leakage from both hose clamps noted in subaru tsb (09-36-03); also took photos. Front clamp: pressurized stream of fuel; approx. 2 oz. Fuel pooled in recess in the manifold by the time engine shut off. Rear clamp: rapid drip of fuel; approximately 0. 5 oz. Pooled. Fuel accumulation occurred within approx. 3 min. Of starting. 3 - spent 6+ hrs tightening the screws on both clamps. Both leaks diminished to slow drip; not stopped completely; min. Fuel pooling, still there if temp low enough. Tsb fix not implemented yet. Filing complaint against closed pe04002 because: a - no mention of fuel accumulation in the published resolution, only smell of fuel. Numerous instances reported online of noticeable fuel leakage. B - subject vehicles noted for their all weather travel ability; commonly used for winter sports - potentially vulnerable to this problem. C - apparently no reported fires due to this problem, but it seems very possible: coincidental electrical fault or static electricity discharge. D - if vents closed, fuel accumulation could occur unnoticed. E - if fuel pooled under a leaking junction ignited it seems very possible that the heat generated could burn/melt the hose above and create a far larger discharge of fuel. While the odor of fuel may not be a significant safety problem, i cannot see how significant fuel leakage onto a running engine can be considered anything except a safety issue. *jb |
| Vehicle Mileage at Failure | 65000 |
| Number of Occurences | 6 |
| Source of the issue | NHTSA WEB SITE |
| City and State | KENMORE, WA |
| VIN pattern | JF1GG296X2GXXXXXX |
| Was vehicle invloved in a crash? | N |
| Was vehicle involved in a fire? | N |
| Was incedent reported to police? | N |
| Was medical attention required? | |
| Was part original equipment? | |
| No. of injured persons | 0 |
| No. of fatalities | 0 |
| Date of purchase | 17/09/02 |
| Was original owner? | Y |
| Anti-lock brakes | Y |
| Cruise control | Y |
| Number of cylinders | 4 |
| Drive train type | AWD |
| Transmission type | MAN |
| Vehicle speed | 0 |
| DoT tire identifier | |
| Tire size | |
| Location of tire code | |
| Type of tire failure code | |
| Was defective tire repaired? | |
| Date of manufacture | |
| Type of child seat code | |
| Type of restraint | |
| Dealer's name | MELODY'S SUBARU |
| Dealer's telephone number | |
| Dealer's city | KIRKLAND |
| Dealer's state code | WA |
| Dealer's ZIP code |