Engine/Power - EJ20T (pre-2006 WRX and JDM) There is replacement for displacement, it is forced induction - OEM 2.0 liter turbo engines in the USDM WRX. 90-94 Legacy Turbo EJ22 turbo engines can also be discussed here.

TSB: Fuel Smell In Cold Weather - 2002 WRX

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old 01-10-2004, 02:52 PM
  #16  
Registered User
iTrader: (5)
 
blaznasn's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2002
Location: norcal
Posts: 701
i hope this turns into a recall after the investigation.
blaznasn is offline  
Old 01-11-2004, 09:02 AM
  #17  
Registered User
 
deke's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2003
Posts: 44
Car Info: 2002 WRX Wagon - Blue
Originally posted by blaznasn
i hope this turns into a recall after the investigation.
Right on - I mean leaking fuel (vapor or liquid) is nothing to get cheap about! It seems like it is only related to a early 2002 models so why not fix it? It sure seems a better option than dealing with the press on spontaneously combusting WRX's!!! I will not drive my car until it warms up around here!
deke is offline  
Old 01-12-2004, 09:12 PM
  #19  
Registered User
iTrader: (1)
 
t-wrexxx's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2003
Location: www.tristatetuners.com
Posts: 433
Car Info: www.tristatetuners.com
What are the possible effects of not having this fixed??
t-wrexxx is offline  
Old 01-12-2004, 11:34 PM
  #20  
Registered User
iTrader: (7)
 
Wingless Wonder's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: Sacramento CA
Posts: 10,029
Car Info: 02 Impreza WRX sedan
Mainly the gasoline smell but there's a possibility of vapors igniting somehow. I suppose that if enough gasoline were to puddle underneath the intake, just disconnecting or re-connecting the battery cables to service the car might be hazardous (a spark near gasoline vapors).

If I knew my car had a leak, I'd get it fixed right away, even if I had to pay for it myself. Either that, or I wouldn't drive it until I was told by the dealer that it would be covered under warranty.

--
0==WW==0
"…axles of evil…" - george w. bush
Wingless Wonder is offline  
Old 01-13-2004, 12:26 AM
  #21  
Registered User
 
Uncle Scotty's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2002
Location: -----------------
Posts: 857
Car Info: .............................................................................
I think this one really needs to be made a stickie.....
Uncle Scotty is offline  
Old 01-13-2004, 08:01 AM
  #22  
Registered User
 
deke's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2003
Posts: 44
Car Info: 2002 WRX Wagon - Blue
Dumb question, but where can you locate your engine number to compare with the tech bulletin.

Any way, my car is at the dealer right this minute with the bulletin supplied here in this thread printed and taped to the dash board with another copy handed to the service manager! I also printed a note describing how I had the gas smell on the very cold days. Will it be enough to make it through the thick skulls of Colonial Subaru's service department? I'll let you know.
deke is offline  
Old 01-13-2004, 08:04 AM
  #23  
Registered User
 
deke's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2003
Posts: 44
Car Info: 2002 WRX Wagon - Blue
Originally posted by t-wrexxx
What are the possible effects of not having this fixed??
Do you really want to find out! My gas smell was REALLY strong on the cold days - inside and out - so strong that I would have to imagine that a flame or spark would not be good news.
deke is offline  
Old 01-13-2004, 09:24 AM
  #24  
VIP Member
Thread Starter
 
VRWRX's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2003
Location: Trying to figure out something creative to put her
Posts: 1,348
Car Info: 2005 CGM WRX Wagon
There is a picture in this link of where the engine number is located:

http://forums.nasioc.com/forums/show...ight=gas+smell

Oh, and thanks for the sticky!
VRWRX is offline  
Old 01-13-2004, 12:47 PM
  #25  
Registered User
 
deke's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2003
Posts: 44
Car Info: 2002 WRX Wagon - Blue
Well Colonial (of Danbury CT) went ahead on the repair, but couldn't tell me if I was being charged for it or not! How can they do a repair without my saying it is okay to pay for it or not? With this very question in mind a call to SOA (1-800-SUBARU3) got them to put the Colonial Service Manager on the line and now I know it is being taken care of - even though I am just out of the 36k warranty. I suppose I should have talked directly to the manager myself, but it really isn't my fault he has a clueless staff who say things like, "Well, we won't know until they are done whether you have to pay or not."

Also, for those in my area, check out Subaru in Brewster NY - I spoke to their service manager and he INSTANTLY knew about the fuel smell issue/hose/tube while Colonial had to be shown the service bulletin from this very forum! Now there is a Subaru service man who knows his stuff and as a result earned my respect and future business.
deke is offline  
Old 01-15-2004, 04:39 AM
  #26  
Registered User
 
jasno999's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: King of Prussia PA
Posts: 265
Car Info: Blaze yellow WRX 2002
Yeah it happened to me too and they are fixing mine. Thank goodness. No hastle they actually figured it out and told me tht it was a common problem. I am gettign a rental paid for by Subaru until it is fixed - taking the part 1-2 weeks to come in.

But I agree why don't they recal the car and have the dealers fix it before we start seeing WRX light on fire and people die. It makes no sense. THey never do any recalls and as I see it they should have at the least 3 recalls on the car. BRAKES/CLUTCH/FUEL LEAK. Am I wrong here?
jasno999 is offline  
Old 01-16-2004, 05:55 AM
  #28  
Registered User
 
deke's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2003
Posts: 44
Car Info: 2002 WRX Wagon - Blue
What are the odds that it is 100% pure conincidence that within 1/2 mile of driving away from my dealer after having this fuel line issue fixed my Check Engine light went on?

I would have taken it right back, but I had to pick my wife up at a train station with no heat!

P.S. My repair invoice states:

A CUST STATES THERES A GAS SMELL (09-36-03 BULLETIN)
CAUSE: LOOSE
442141 MFI FUEL INJECTOR DELIVERY HOSE ONE OR ALL
R&R
7703 WPS (N/C)
2 14035AA421 GASKET INTAKE MANIFOLD (N/C)
FC: DET23 PART#: COUNT
CLAIM TYPE: WC
AUTH CODE:

REMOVED MANIFOLD AND TIGHTEN ALL LOOSE GAS LINES

Any way, any ideas on what they might have screwed up to cause my check engine light to go on? Something to do with the intake manifold maybe? I suppose I will find out soon enough.

P.S. Snoword - you should call SOA on this guy again!!!
deke is offline  
Old 01-16-2004, 08:41 AM
  #29  
Registered User
 
jasno999's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: King of Prussia PA
Posts: 265
Car Info: Blaze yellow WRX 2002
Originally posted by snoword
My car has been sitting for a week now and they have not gotten the part in. At first the dealer said that they have never seen such and thing and no idea what is going on. all they new is that it would cost me $600. so i did some research and called SOA and got the problem fixed for free. I then call the dealer and told them that they should have known about this and if it was not for me then I would be paying out $600 dollars. All I got in return was an call from a mad service manager swearing at me. good customer service.

I hate dealers anymore. They have no clue. THey better just fix my car right when the part comes in and not mess anyhting else up. On top of that I have to go back after they fix the fuel line and take them for a drive to reproduce the thumping sound coming from my front tires. A CV BOOT OR JOINT OR AXEL is messed up but they never look much into it. Warant is up soon so I need it fixed.


Tell you the truth- due to all the poor service and what not I am considering buying a new car. Looking at trading the WRX in for a new MAzda 3 or something. I love my car but can nto deal with all the things that are going bad on it and the poor service I get from the dealerships. IT is a bad thing for SOA.
jasno999 is offline  
Old 01-16-2004, 08:43 AM
  #30  
Registered User
 
jasno999's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: King of Prussia PA
Posts: 265
Car Info: Blaze yellow WRX 2002
snoword

Make sure that dealer gives you a free rental car if you are still in your warranty period.
jasno999 is offline  


Quick Reply: TSB: Fuel Smell In Cold Weather - 2002 WRX



All times are GMT -7. The time now is 03:11 PM.