2002 Subaru Legacy

ANY TIME IT IS COLD, AROUND 32F OR LOWER, WHETHER THE VEHICLE IS RUNNING OR NOT, THERE IS A TERRIBLE FUEL SMELL INSIDE THE CABIN. I HAVE ACTUALLY WITNESSED FUEL EVAPORATING OUT MY WINDOW. I CAN'T IMAGINE THIS IS A SAFE CONDITION AND A SHORT INTERNET SEARCH REVEALED THAT THIS IS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM. I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY SUBARU DOESN'T HAVE TO PAY TO FIX THIS GLARING SAFETY ISSUE. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 SUBARU LEGACY. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 70 MPH, THE VEHICLE HYDROPLANED DUE TO WET ROAD CONDITIONS AND CRASHED INTO A CABLE GUARDRAIL. THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED AND NO INJURIES WERE REPORTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 99,500.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 SUBARU LEGACY. THE CONTACT STATED THAT AFTER THE ENGINE WAS SHUT OFF, THE EXTERNAL LIGHTS REMAINED ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO TURN THE LIGHT SWITCH OFF. HOWEVER, THE LIGHT REMAINED ON CAUSING THE BATTERY TO DIE. THE BATTERY WAS REMOVED FROM THE VEHICLE IN ORDER FOR THE LIGHTS TO SHUT OFF. THE PROBLEM RECURRED MULTIPLE TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A MECHANIC FOR A DIAGNOSIS. THE VEHICLE WAS NO REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 400,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 SUBARU LEGACY. THE CONTACT STATED THERE WAS A STRONG GASOLINE ODOR COMING FROM INSIDE AND OUTSIDE OF THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT WHEN HE TURNED ON THE HEATER OR DEFROSTER, THE FUMES WERE EXTREMELY STRONG. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC, WHO WAS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 215,000.

WHEN STARTING THE VEHICLE "COLD" IN COLD OUTDOOR TEMPERATURES (10 F OR BELOW) THERE IS A VERY STRONG SMELL OF RAW GASOLINE IN THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT OF THE VEHICLE. THE ODOR IS COMING INTO THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT VIA THE HEATING/COOLING VENTS; IF THE HEATING/COOLING FAN IS TURNED OFF THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT DOES NOT BECOME FILLED WITH GASOLINE FUMES. THE ODOR IS STRONG ENOUGH THAT I AM CONCERNED ABOUT THE POSSIBILITY OF A FIRE. THE ODOR IS STRONG ENOUGH THAT AFTER DRIVING THE VEHICLE AFTER A COLD WEATHER START MY CLOTHING SMELLS LIKE GASOLINE. THIS HAS BEEN A RECURRING PROBLEM WHENEVER THE VEHICLE IS STARTED IN COLD WEATHER. THE PROBLEM OCCURRED TONIGHT AT A TEMPERATURE OF 0 F. THE PROBLEM HAS BEEN OCCURRING SINCE BEFORE THE DATE ABOVE, BUT I DID NOT REALIZE I COULD FILE A COMPLAINT UNTIL NOW. CONTINENTAL MOTORS, AUTHORIZED SUBARU SERVICED REPORTED ON THE PROBLEM AFTER VEHICLE WAS SERVICED ON 2012 DEC 14: "199 CAR DESIGNED TO RUN RICH WHEN VERY COLD. NO PROBLEM FOUND. NO FUEL LEAK NOTED." I AM A FORMER VW MECHANIC AND I KNOW THAT WHEN A VEHICLE RUNS RICH THERE SHOULD NOT BE GASOLINE FUMES IN THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT - SUBARU'S EXPLANATION IS ILLOGICAL. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2002 SUBARU LEGACY. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 25 MPH, SMOKE EMITTED FROM THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE DOOR PANEL AND THE DOOR CAUGHT ON FIRE. THE CONTACT MANEUVERED TO THE SHOULDER AND NOTIFIED THE FIRE DEPARTMENT. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT APPEARED ON THE SCENE TO EXTINGUISH THE FIRE. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED AND TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP. THE FAILURE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 103,000.

NHTSA REF # 302836, SAFETY ISSUE, BRAKES ROTORS RUST TO POINT OF FAILURE, SUBARU SERVICE TOLD ME THEY WERE A SAFETY CONCERN. VIN [XXX], 2002 SUBARU LEGACY L, 43,351 MILES, REPAIR PARTS, SUBARU, FRONT BRAKES PN'S 26296AE220 & 26300AE00C, REAR BRAKES PN'S 26700AE04C & 26696AE020 REPLACED ON ALL 4 WHEELS. I HAVE NEVER HAD TO REPLACE BRAKES ON ANY OF THE MANY VEHICLES I HAVE DRIVEN OVER FORTY PLUS YEARS OF DRIVING. THE SERVICE REP LOOKED TO SEE IF THERE WAS A RECALL WHICH TELLS ME THEY HAVE HAD SAFETY RECALLS. I ORIGINALLY WENT TO THE DEALER TO HAVE MY OIL CHANGED AND WHILE IN THE WAITING ROOM A SALES PERSON CAME OUT AND SPOKE TO A PRIEST WHO OWNED A 2008 OUTBACK AND THE SALES PERSON ASK IF HE WANTED TO TRADE HIS VEHICLE BEFORE IT NEEDED BRAKE WORK. MY EXPERIENCE TELLS ME THAT MY BRAKING DISTANCE WAS COMPROMISED BY MANY FEET OF STOPPING DISTANCE. THE TOTAL COST OF REPAIR WAS $966.48. I HAVE ALL THE DOCUMENTS TO VALIDATE STATEMENTS MADE ON THIS COMPLAINT. I CALLED SUBARU OF AMERICA, THEY WE NOT INTERESTED IN MY COMPLAINT IF IT DID NOT MEET ONE OF THEIR TWO CRITERIA WHICH WERE, WAS THE CAR IN WARRANTY OR WAS THERE A RECALL, THEY WERE NOT INTEREST IN UNDERSTANDING A SAFETY PROBLEM, THEY DID OFFER ME $500 FOR A NEW SUBARU . REFERENCE NUMBER FOR SUBARU WAS REF # 1-1103069413. BRAKE ROTOR DESIGN IS OBSERVING THE LAWS OF PHYSICS AND OVER DESIGNING THE ROTOR SO THE HEAT AT FULL LOAD IS NOT SO GREAT TO CAUSE BRAKING FADE AND CONTINUOUS OVERHEATING OF THE BRAKES CAUSING THEM TO RUST. COMPLAINED ON 5/21/10 THE BRAKES WERE MAKING NOISE AND WERE NOT WORKING PROPERLY NOTED ON SERVICE WORK ORDER NO RESPONSE FROM DEALER ON BRAKES. THIS VEHICLE IS IN SHOW ROOM CONDITION. I HAVE HAD NUMEROUS SAFE DRIVER COURSES AND AWARDS. I HAVE BEEN TRAINED TO LOOK AHEAD IN TRAFFIC AND SLOW THE VEHICLE WITH THE INTENT NEVER TO HAVING TO STOP PREVENTING A REAR END COLLISION AND CONSERVE FUEL. MY CONTENTION IS THE BRAKES ARE DESIGNED TO MEET FULL LOAD WITH NO SAFETY MARGIN. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA