2002 Subaru Forester

AFTER A PERIOD OF COLD WEATHER (BELOW FREEZING), I DROVE MY CAR FOR ABOUT 20 MINUTES. AFTER EXITING THE CAR, I SMELLED A STRONG ODOR OF GASOLINE AT THE FRONT OF THE CAR. DURING THE TRIP WHEN USING THE HEAT INSIDE THE VEHICLE, I ALSO SMELLED A STRONG ODOR OF GASOLINE AND EXHAUST AND SHUT OFF THE HEAT. (I THOUGHT IT WAS COMING FROM THE CARS IN FRONT OF ME IN TRAFFIC.) AFTER LEAVING THE CAR IN THE GARAGE ALL DAY, I DROVE IT TO MY REGULAR MECHANIC TO SEE IF THERE MIGHT BE A FUEL LINE LEAK. THE NEXT DAY, HE ADVISED ME THAT THERE HAD BEEN A TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN ISSUED BY SUBURU ABOUT COLD WEATHER AND FUEL SMELL. HE SAID THAT INDEED THE FUEL LINES IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT EXHIBITED SIGNS OF GAS LEAKAGE. WHEN THE FUEL LEAKED, IT LEAKED ONTO THE ENGINE AND MANIFOLD (WHICH I THINK IS NORMALLY GETS HOT). GIVEN THE POTENTIAL FOR FIRE, HE REPLACED ALL OF THE FUEL HOSES IN THE CAR WITH NEW HOSES AND THE FUEL FILTER. ON THE SAME DAY, ANOTHER SUBURU CUSTOMER HAD THE IDENTICAL PROBLEM WITH SMELLING GASOLINE IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT, AND HE HAD TO HAVE THE SAME REPAIRS DONE. I SHOULD ADD THAT ON THE DAY I FIRST SMELLED GASOLINE NEAR THE FRONT OF THE CAR AND WHEN I HAD TURNED THE HEAT ON IN THE CAB, IT WAS ABOUT 22 DEGREES FAHRENHEIT, WITH A WIND CHILL IN THE SINGLE DIGITS. THIS IS UNUSUALLY COLD FOR OUR AREA. I HAD JUST FILLED UP MY GAS TANK THE EVENING BEFORE. MY MILEAGE IS A LITTLE MORE THAN 70,000 MILES, AND THE CAR HAS BEEN VERY WELL MAINTAINED. *TR

DURING A VERY COLD DAY I FELT VERY STRONG GASOLINE SMELL RIGHT AFTER START IN MY 2002 SUBARU FORESTER S. I LOOKED IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT AND I SAW GASOLINE O ONE OF THE RUBBER HOSES CONNECTING 2 FUEL LINES. THE SMELL DISAPPEARED AFTER THE ENGINE WARMED UP, BUT REAPPEARED AFTER THE CAR STAYED OUTSIDE FOR A COUPLE OF HOURS. THE CAR DID THE SAME THING A FEW YEARS AGO DURING VERY COLD TEMPERATURES. AT THAT TIME, THE MECHANIC AT THE DEALERSHIP TIGHTENED THE CLAMPS HOLDING THE RUBBER HOSE. RUBBER HOSE. *TR

IN THE LAST WEEK, MY HEATER STARTED WORKING SPORADICALLY, PUTTING OUT COOL AIR AND HOT AIR INTERMITTENTLY. THEN MY TEMPERATURE GAUGE STARTED CLIMBING QUICKLY TO THE HOT END. I TURNED MY HEATER ON FULL-BLAST TO COOL DOWN THE ENGINE AND THIS WORKED FOR ABOUT A MILE, THEN THE TEMPERATURE GAUGE WENT ALL THE WAY TO THE TOP IN THE RED. I PULLED OVER IMMEDIATELY, LET THE ENGINE COOL, AND ADDED COOLANT (IT WAS SLIGHTLY LOW, BUT NOT THAT LOW). THE PROBLEM GOT WORSE WHEN THE HEATER WAS ON ALL THE WAY, SO WE LOOKED IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT AND SAW THERE WAS A LEAK. I TOOK IT TO MY MECHANIC AND FOUND OUT THAT THERE WAS AN "EXTERNAL COOLANT LEAK FROM THE HEAD GASKET" JUST LIKE IN THE COURTESY RECALL OF THE SAME YEAR, MAKE AND MODEL OF MY CAR. HOWEVER, WHEN I CALLED SUBARU, IT WAS FOR "PHASE 1" ENGINES ONLY, AND MINE WAS A "PHASE 2" ENGINE, THEREFORE MY CAR IS NOT COVERED UNDER THE SAME RECALL. I AM THE SECOND OWNER OF THE VEHICLE AND HAVE HAD MY CAR SERVICED EVERY 3,000 TO 5,000 MILES. THE PREVIOUS OWNER KEPT A LOG OF ALL THE WORK ON THE CAR IN THE OWNER'S MANUAL, AND HE TOO, HAD IT SERVICED REGULARLY. I BELIEVE THAT THIS IS TOO MUCH OF A COINCIDENCE FOR IT NOT TO BE A FAULTY PART, LIKE IN THE SAME YEAR, MAKE AND MODEL OF MY CAR WITH THE SAME PROBLEM, BUT WITH THE PHASE 1 ENGINE. I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW IF OTHER 2002 SUBARU FORRESTERS, WITH A PHASE 2 ENGINE, HAVE HAD THIS PROBLEM AND IF SO, WHAT SUBARU IS GOING TO DO TO RECTIFY THIS PROBLEM? MY CAR IS FIVE YEARS OLD WITH LESS THAN 85,000 MILES ON IT, AND IT HAS BEEN SERVICED AT THE RECOMMENDED TIMES. IT SHOULDN'T HAVE A PROBLEM THIS MAJOR ($2,500 TO FIX!) GIVEN THESE FACTS UNLESS IT WAS A FAULTY SYSTEM TO BEGIN WITH! *JB

EXTERNAL COOLANT LEAK DUE TO FAILURE OF HEAD GASKETS IN ENGINE ON A 2002 SUBARU FORESTER WITH 50,000 MILES. RESULTS IN COOLANT DRIPPING ONTO EXHAUST SYSTEM AND OTHER COMPONENTS RESULTING IN STRONG ODOR. ALSO CREATES POSSIBILITY OF LOW COOLANT CAUSING OVERHEATING, ENGINE DAMAGE AND POSSIBLE ENGINE FIRE DUE TO EXCESSIVE HEAT. THIS PROBLEM IS KNOWN TO SUBARU HOWEVER, THE ONLY RECOMMENDATION OFFERED IS TO ADD A SEALER TO THE RADIATOR COOLANT. ACCORDING TO SEVERAL MECHANICS I HAVE CONSULTED, THIS WILL RESULT IN CLOGGING OF THE RADIATOR AND HEATER CORE PASSAGES FURTHER CAUSING OVERHEATING PROBLEMS. THE ONLY FIX FOR THIS PROBLEM IS REPLACEMENT OF THE HEAD GASKETS SOMETHING SUBARU REFUSES TO DO. *TR

SOA IS NOT BEING FORTHCOMING ABOUT A MAJOR DEFECT AFFECTING MANY OF ITS VEHICLES. ON WEDNESDAY JULY 11, 2007 I SPOKE TO SOA AND EXPLAINED MY CONCERNS ABOUT THE CHRONIC LEAKING HEAD GASKET PROBLEMS ON MANY OF YOUR VEHICLES. I OWN A 2002 SUBARU FORESTER WHICH WAS DIAGNOSED WITH A LEAKING HEAD GASKET IN DECEMBER 2006 AND 68000 MILES BY A TEAPE SUBARU TECHNICIAN IN ARLINGTON TX. THIS REPAIR WOULD COST $1900.00. AS I HAD TO SAVE UP THE MONEY I DID NOT GET THE WORK DONE UNTIL 07/10/07 AT 75,000 MILES. I CONSIDERED THIS A MAJOR SAFETY PROBLEM. HAD SOA BROUGHT ME IN FOR A REPAIR I MIGHT HAVE AVOIDED THIS EXPENSIVE REPAIR. MY CAR COULD EASILY HAVE OVERHEATED, RESULTING IN AN INJURY TO MYSELF AND OTHERS. RESEARCH REVEALED THAT THIS WAS A HUGE PROBLEM WITH THEIR VEHICLES THAT FREQUENTLY OCCURRED AGAIN AFTER BEING REPAIRED/REPLACED. SOA'S REPRESENTATIVE TOLD ME THAT NOT ONLY WAS MY VEHICLE OUT OF WARRANTY FOR THIS PROBLEM BUT THAT THERE WAS NO RECALL FOR IT. HE DID, HOWEVER, GIVE ME A CASE #1017178. SUBARU NEEDED TO STEP UP AND HANDLE THIS PROBLEM. I AM ENCOURAGING YOU TO MAKE THEM DO THAT. THE FINAL COST FOR MY GASKET REPLACEMENT WORK WAS 1725.42. I AM MAILING SOA AN ITEMIZED LIST OF PARTS AND LABOR ALONG WITH MY PAID RECEIPT, AND I WANT A FULL REFUND FOR THIS WORK WHICH INCLUDED THE LABOR. *AK

WHEN TRAVELING 60 MPH THE CAR SUDDENLY LOOSES ACCELERATION, LIKE IT IS SLIPPING INTO NEUTRAL. AT FIRST, I COULD REMOVE MY FOOT FROM THE GAS, ALLOW THE CAR TO COAST AND SLOW, AND THEN RE-APPLY GAS, AND IT WOULD ACCELERATE AGAIN. NOW WHEN IT OCCURS, I HAVE TO STOP, NORMALLY ON THE SIDE OF A RURAL HIGHWAY, PUT IT IN PARK, THEN BACK TO DRIVE FOR IT TO WORK PROPERLY. I AM AFRAID THIS IS GOING TO LEAVE ME STRANDED SOMEWHERE OUT IN THE 'STICKS.' THE CAR HAS LESS THAN 25K MILES, AND HAS HAD ITS SCHEDULED MAINTENANCE. ANY INFO?*JB

WE PURCHASED THIS LOW-MILEAGE VEHICLE (~11K MILES) 2ND HAND FROM LOCAL SUBARU DEALER MID-FEB 2006, & NOTICED ONLY ROUGH SHIFTING WHEN ENGINE IS COLD- NO OTHER PROBLEMS. TODAY, WHILE TURNING LEFT AT LOW SPEED, THE CAR SUDDENLY ACCELERATED, & SEEMED TO DO SO FOR A SHORT TIME AFTER BRAKING HARDER. I ASSUMED I HAD INADVERTENTLY STEPPED ON THE GAS & BRAKE AT THE SAME TIME, & RESOLVED TO BE MORE CAREFUL. AFTER TURNING THE CAR OFF & RESTARTING, I TURNED RIGHT AT LOW SPEED. AS I ROUNDED THE CORNER (MAYBE AS THE WHEEL TURNED BACK TO THE LEFT??), THE VEHICLE AGAIN ACCELERATED, CONTINUING TO REV AS I STOOD ON THE BRAKE. THE CAR STOPPED AFTER STRIKING THE BUMPER OF THE TRUCK IN FRONT OF ME. LOW-SPEED IMPACT, NO AIR BAG DEPLOYMENT, NO OBSERVABLE DAMAGE TO EITHER VEHICLE. BEFORE I MOVED MY FEET, I LOOKED DOWN: MY FOOT WAS NOT ON THE GAS PEDAL. AS THE GAS PEDAL IS SOMEWHAT RECESSED, IT WOULD BE QUITE DIFFICULT TO HIT IT WHILE BRAKING. CRUISE CONTROL HAD BEEN ON EARLIER IN THE DAY, BUT IS SUPPOSED TO SHUT OFF WHEN THE CAR IS TURNED OFF, & SO SHOULD HAVE BEEN OFF DURING BOTH OF THESE INCIDENTS. AFTERWARD, I DID NOT LOOK AT THE CRUISE CONTROL TO VERIFY THAT IT WAS OFF. THE DEALER WILL LOOK AT THIS IN 2 DAYS. *JB