2020 Subaru Ascent

MY WIFE AND I PURCHASED A NEW 2020 SUBARU ASCENT IN JANUARY THIS YEAR. FROM DAY ONE, THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN GENERATING AN EXCESSIVE AND POTENT FUEL SMELL IN THE ENGINE BAY THAT IS THEN PULLED INTO THE PASSENGER CABIN VIA THE HVAC SYSTEM WHILE RUNNING. THIS SMELL IS PREVALENT WHEN WALKING AROUND THE OUTSIDE OF THE VEHICLE WHILE IT IS RUNNING; IT IS ALSO NOTICEABLE AFTER PARKING (AND TURNING OFF) THE VEHICLE IN OUR GARAGE AS THE GARAGE FILLS WITH A RAW FUEL SMELL THAT TAKES SEVERAL HOURS TO DISSIPATE. WE ARE ABLE TO REPLICATE THIS ISSUE EVERY TIME WE DRIVE THE VEHICLE FOR MORE THAN 10 MINUTES IN ALL TYPES OF DRIVING CONDITIONS AND TRIP DURATIONS. OUTSIDE TEMPERATURE DOES NOT SEEM TO BE A FACTOR. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN TAKEN INTO THE DEALERSHIP THREE TIMES SINCE PURCHASE. ON THE SECOND VISIT, THE DEALERSHIP TECH VERBALLY CONFIRMED THE FUEL SMELL UPON CHECK-IN AND OPTED TO RUN FULL DIAGNOSTICS ON THE CAR, EVEN TESTING THE FUEL PUMP/SYSTEM, BUT COULD NOT IDENTIFY THE SOURCE OF THE SMELL. THIS WAS EVENTUALLY ELEVATED INTO A SERVICE REQUEST INCIDENT/TICKET WITH SUBARU OF AMERICA. TWO SUBARU FIELD ENGINEERS VISITED THE VEHICLE, THE FIRST STATED THEY COULD NOT REPLICATE THE PROBLEM, BUT THE SECOND COULD REPLICATE THE PROBLEM BUT CLAIMED IT WAS A RUNNING ENGINE/BURNING PLASTIC SMELL AND WAS CONSIDERED NORMAL OPERATION. THE ENGINEER'S PROPOSED REMEDY WAS TO USE THE "RECIRCULATE AIR" BUTTON TO PREVENT OUTSIDE SMELLS FROM BEING DRAWN INTO THE CAR. > I AM CONFIDENT THIS IS A FUEL SMELL, NOT A TYPICAL HEATED ENGINE SMELL AS SUBARU CLAIMS. > WHEN DRAWN INTO THE VEHICLE, THE FUEL SMELL CAUSES LIGHTHEADEDNESS AND HEADACHES. > USING THE RECIRCULATE AIR BUTTON IS NOT A SOLUTION, IT IS A MITIGATION TACTIC, ESPECIALLY WHEN THAT SMELL IS CONTINUALLY GENERATED BY THE RUNNING VEHICLE. *TR

BATTERY HAS DIED THREE TIMES SINCE OWNING. DIED IN GARAGE OVER NIGHT 3 ON SEPARATE TIME AND NO I DID NOT LEAVE THE DOORS OPEN OR LIGHTS ON. I HAD TO JUMP THE CAR THE FIRST TIME. THE SECOND TIME IT WAS A WEEK LATER AND DID THE SAME. I HAD TO PURCHASE A LITHIUM BATTERY JUMP STARTER BECAUSE I DIDN'T HAVE ACCESS TO ANOTHER CAR AND TO GIVE ME PEACE OF MIND. THE THIRD TIME WAS A FEW DAYS LATER WHEN I WAS UNLOADING THE CAR , TOOK GROCERIES INTO THE HOUSE AND CAME BACK TO PULL CAR INTO GARAGE AND IT WAS DEAD. I WENT TO THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY GAVE ME A RUN AROUND STATING I HAD LEFT THE EITHER A DOOR OPEN OR LIGHTS ON.WHICH REALLY TICKED ME OFF. PURCHASED NEW 3/30/2020. *TR

IN FEB MY CAR BATTERY WAS DEAD IN MORNING AFTER SITTING IN GARAGE TURNED OFF AND NO DOORS OR LIGHTS ON. I HAD IT JUMPED AND TOOK IT TO THE DEALER AND THEY TESTED BATTERY AND IT WAS FINE. THE SECOND TIME IT HAPPENED A WEEK LATER SAME SCENARIO I TOOK IT IN AND THEY TESTED BATTERY AND SAID IT WAS BAD BATTERY. SO THE DEALER REPLACED IT AND IT AND IT WAS FINE. THE THIRD TIME NOW TODAY IT HAS HAPPENED AGAIN EXCEPT THIS TIME MY CAR WAS BEEPING AT ME LIKE IF THE UNLOCK KEY FOB BUTTON HAD BEEN HIT BUT DOING IT EVERY FEW SECONDS. SO I WENT AND FOUND BOTH KEY FOBS AND THEY WEREN'T BEING DEPRESSED SO I TRIED TO UNLOCK DOOR MYSELF WITH KEY FOB AND NOTHING HAPPENED AND RED LIGHT ON FOB BLINKED EVERY TIME I TOUCHED IT BUT I WOULDN'T HEAR ANYTHING HAPPENING WITH CAR SO I TRIED TO CLICK TAILGATE BUTTON AND NOTHING HAPPENED. SO I THEN WENT TO TURN THE CAR ON AND REALIZED THE BATTERY WAS DEAD AGAIN. SO WE JUMPED IT AND LET IT RUN FOR TWENTY MINUTES AND DEALER WANTS US TO TAKE IT BACK BUT THEY ARE SAYING THEY HAVEN'T HEARD IF THIS ISSUE WHEN I SEARCH ONLINE IT SEEMS LIKE THIS IS A KNOWN ISSUE. *TR

RAW FUEL SMELL COMING THROUGH VENTS WHEN OUTSIDE AIR IS BEING USED. MORE OFTEN THIS OCCURS WHEN ENGINE IS WARM AND HAS BEEN RESTARTED (I.E. SHORT TRIP). CAN EXPERIENCE THE SMELL WHEN THE CAR IS STATIONARY OR IN MOTION. SMELL IS ENOUGH TO CAUSE HEADACHE. DEALER COULDN'T REPLICATE BUT THIS HAPPENED AS SOON AS I PICKED UP THE CAR FROM THE DEALER.

MY CAR FAILED TO START AFTER IT HAD BEEN SITTING IN MY GARAGE FOR 3 DAYS. HOOKED BATTERY UP TO A PORTABLE JUMPER WHICH READ BATTERY AMPS AT 6.7. BATTERY JUMPED WITHOUT ISSUE. TOOK CAR TO DEALER WHO KEPT THE CAR FOR 4+DAYS AND THE DEALER COULD NOT RECREATE THE PROBLEM. DEALER ADVISED ME TO LOCK MY CAR DOORS AS THAT COULD HELP TURN COMPUTERS OFF AND NOT DRAIN BATTERY. ANOTHER 2 MONTHS WENT BY AND MY BATTERY NEEDED TO BE JUMPED AT LEAST 4 MORE TIMES IF IT SAT AND WASN'T DRIVEN FOR MORE THEN 3 DAYS OR IF I FORGOT TO LOCK IT. FINALLY ON THE MORNING OF 4/20/20 I WENT OUT TO START THE CAR AND THE BATTERY WAS DEAD YET AGAIN. THE CAR HAD BEEN LOCKED BUT NOT DRIVEN FOR 3 DAYS. WHEN HOOKED UP TO THE PORTABLE CHARGER, THE AMPS READ 3.6. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND THE EYE SIGHT SYSTEM WAS TURNED OFF PER INSTRUMENT PANEL. JUMPED CAR AND TOOK IT TO DEALERSHIP. DEALERSHIP KEPT CAR FOR 4+ DAYS AND INFORMED ME THAT THE BATTERY WAS REPLACED AS IT BAD. CURRENT MILEAGE ON CAR IS 6633.