2018 Subaru Outback

The fuel tank evap system has stopped working and is not venting the fuel tank properly. When I take the gas cap off there is a lot of pressure released. Filling the tank is slow (0.5 gallon per pump click) and leads to some (very small amounts) fuel spilling from the fill hole. Also, the check engine light/code for this disables the cruise control (traction control I assume) and possibly the ABS. (The first time the check engine light came on, the ABS and Brake light also came on.)

Fuel injector fuel delivery line rupture and leaking. Left on vacation in this 2018 Subaru Outback 3.6R Touring on 07/23/2021, noticed the strong smell of gasoline when stopped, less so when interstate driving, with the fuel gauge declining more rapidly than it should. Stopped by Wheeling Volkswagen/Subaru Dealership just before their daily closing. They inspected and found the above ruptured fuel line, leaking onto the pavement under the engine compartment. They determined it was unsafe to drive, but did not have a replacement part. They found there were less than 10 of these fuel injector fuel delivery lines available in the whole U.S. Had to leave the vehicle with them, and the repair was completed 4 day later. The faulty component was observed by the service department personel, and by myself. I have no photos to submit, but have the repair invoice covered under Subaru's drive train warranty. This component failure could have easily resulted in a vehicle fire or explosion, and I feel very fortunate that did not happen! This fuel line is flexible rubber, not metal, and I think is made of faulty materials. I have never heard of such a failure personally. There were no warning lamps, messages or symptoms, other than the strong smell of gasoline.

To: Subaru Motors Consumer Reports NHtSA I, Richard McNitt, am the very unhappy owner of a 2018 Subaru Outback (4 cylinder “Touring” model with 33,900 miles), VIN 4S4 BSATCT J3362742. Primarily on the basis of “glowing” Consumer Reports Reviews I chose this model….sad to say this was an unfortunate choice. I list some of the troubles endured: • Shortly after delivery the “radio-GPS” failed, replacement was in short supply(!), Did without several weeks and the re-installation had a glitch. •We were informed that the radio would always “come on” when the car was started, My wife finds this very annoying, •We find the road noise to be excessive, especially at around 25 mph, •We were left sitting twice with a “dead” battery, once at the end of a two hour trip when the radio was on after for less than 15 minutes. ••But the worst situation was this…..My daughter, granddaughter, and I were 500 miles into a 600 hundred mile trip to a North Carolina Beach when we exited the Interstate at Laurenburg NC at about 3PM on a very hot day. At the first intersection stop sign when the accelerator was pushed at first nothing happened…that is the car did not accelerate, then abruptly the car lurched forward. Alarmed we drove it around a large parking parking lot, stopping, then trying to start again..we found the hesitating, then lurching forward to continue, so we changed drivers with the same result. As it was now late on a Saturday afternoon in this small town with no local garages open, we had the car “Roll-Backed” to the nearest Subaru Dealer in Fayetteville, NC and as there were no local car rentals available, we had a family member drive 108 miles (each way) to get us and take us to the beach. The Fayetteville Subaru Dealer called on Monday morning and said “they could find nothing wrong”, and to pick up the car (another 100+ miles each way). Needless to say, I was very nervous the whole way home from the beach ..but the trip was without incident.

WINDSHIELD CRACKED FOR NO REASON KNOWN - I MY VEHICLE WAS PARKED IN THE GARAGE UPON GETTING INTO MY VEHICLE TO FOLLLOWING MORNING I NOTICED A CRACK THAT GROW SIGNIFICANTLY WITHIN A DAY HAD TO HAVE IT REPLACED A FEW MONTHS AFTER PURCHASING FUEL CAPACITY DOES NOT REGISTER CORRECTLY - I DID HAVE THE RECALL DONE BUT IT STILL DOES NOT WORK PROPERLY

WHILE IN MY DRIVEWAY UPON STARTING MY 2018 OUTBACK I SMELLED STRONG ODOR OF GASOLINE. POPPED THE HOOD AND SAW THE FUEL SUPPLY LINE SPRAYING THE ENTIRE ENGINE COMPARTMENT WITH GAS MIST/DROPLETS IN A FULL BLOWN SHOWER. I TURNED THE CAR OFF,VISUALLY INSPECTED THE FUEL SUPPLY LINE AND SAW THAT IT HAD RUPTURED NEAR THE ENGINE PLENUM INTAKE, APPROXIMATE SIZE 1/8"1/4" (PHOTO ATTACHED). CAR HAS LESS THAN 2900 MILES ON IT. POTENTIALLY VIBRATION FROM BRACKET MOUNT/INAPPROPRIATE MATERIALS USED FOR FUEL SUPPLY LINE. FUEL SUPPLY LINE APPEARS TO BE POLYETHYLENE PLASTIC INSIDE NON-REINFORCED RUBBER OUTER SHELL. HOSE USES FRICTION CLAMPS TO ATTACH TO FIREWALL AND ENGINE PLENUM.

IN DEC 2018 THE FUEL LINE OF MY 2018 SUBARU OUTBACK HAD TO BE REPLACED BECAUSE IT HAD BEEN CHEWED THROUGH BY A RODENT AND WAS LEAKING IN THE CAR. TOTAL DAMAGE WAS OVER $2000. IN MAY 2019 ANOTHER $3500 DAMAGE WAS DISCOVERED FROM A RODENT CHEWING ON ELECTRICAL HARNESSES IN THE DASH. THE DEALER TOLD ME THIS IS BECAUSE SUBARU IS NOW USING SOY-BASED INSULATION FOR FUEL LINES, WIRING, AND ELECTRICAL HARNESSES. RODENTS ARE ATTRACTED TO THE SOY BECAUSE THEY THINK IT IS FOOD. IN BOTH CASES MY DAMAGE WAS DISCOVERED WHILE TRYING TO START THE CAR WHILE IT IS PARKED. BUT WHAT IF I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD AND A CHEWED WIRE CAME LOOSE THAT SHORTED SOMETHING OUT AND IMPACTED MY ABILITY TO CONTROL THE CAR? OR WHAT IF THE FUEL LINE BROKE WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY AND CAUSED THE CAR TO SUDDENLY STALL? MANUFACTURERS SHOULD NOT BE ALLOWED TO USE MATERIALS (E.G. SOY) THAT ACTUALLY ATTRACT RODENTS. IF ANYTHING, THEY SHOULD BE USING MATERIALS THAT DETER RODENTS. FUEL LINES AND ELECTRICAL HARNESSES ARE CRITICAL TO THE SAFE OPERATION OF A CAR AND THESE SYSTEMS ARE NEEDLESSLY BEING PUT AT RISK BY USING SOY TO PRODUCE THEM. THIS IS ESPECIALLY TROUBLING FOR SUBARU BECAUSE PART OF THEIR IMAGE ENCOURAGES THEIR OWNERS TO EXPLORE "THE GREAT OUTDOORS." WHAT HAPPENS WHY I GO CAMPING AND PARK MY CAR IN THE WOODS AND CHIPMUNKS CHEW THROUGH MY COMPONENTS AND STRAND ME IN THE MIDDLE OF NOWHERE? OR, WORSE, A CRITICAL SYSTEM ON THE CAR FAILS AS I'M DRIVING HOME AND I LOSE CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND CRASH. THE USE OF SOY-BASED COMPONENTS SHOULD NOT BE ALLOWED. OR, IF IT IS, OEMS SHOULD COVER RODENT DAMAGE TO THESE SYSTEMS UNDER WARRANTY. AT THE VERY LEAST, OEMS SHOULD BE REQUIRED TO DISCLOSE THE USE OF SOY IN THE CAR BEFORE A VEHICLE IS PURCHASED. I HAD NO IDEA SOY-BASED PRODUCTS WERE USED IN THIS CAR. HAD I KNOWN, I WOULD NOT HAVE BOUGHT IT. FYI... SUBARU DENIES USING SOY PRODUCTS.

WHEN I COME TO A STOP AND WAITING TO MAKE A LEFT TURN, THE VEHICLE WILL STALL WHEN I START TO TURN. ENGINE IS STILL RUNNING, BUT THE CAR ESSENTIALLY STOPS IN MID TURN. THIS LEAVES ME EXPOSED TO A BROADSIDE COLLISION. DEALER DOES NOT KNOW WHAT IS CAUSING IT AND IT DOES NOT HAPPEN EVERY TIME. IN THE LAST 1000 MILES IT HAS OCCURRED 4 TIMES. AFTER THE HESITATION, ABOUT 3 -5 SECONDS, IT STARTS TO MOVE. IT HAS ALSO OCCURRED WHEN MOVING FROM ONE LANE TO ANOTHER AFTER COMING TO A NEAR STOP DUE TO A CLOSED LANE IN THE ROAD.

FUEL SOFTWARE PROGRAMMING DEFECT - FUEL WARNING LIGHT DOES NOT ILLUMINATE NOR READ PROPERLY BELOW 50 MILES. I HAD 30 MILES LEFT IN THE TANK, PARKED THE CAR AND AFTER WORK (APPROX. 8 HOURS) I WENT TO START THE CAR AND IT WOULD NOT START. HAD TO UTILIZE ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE - THANK GOODNESS THIS DIDN'T HAPPEN WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION OR ON THE HIGHWAY. THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE. BRAND NEW CAR RUNS WORSE THAN MY 1988 HONDA CRX.

FUEL DELIVERY PROBLEM. SOMETIMES WHEN STARTING UP FROM A STOP SIGN AND ALL OF A SUDDEN THERE IS NO POWER AND YOU HAVE TO HIT THE ACCELERATOR A COUPLE OF TIMES TO GET THE CAR TO RESPOND. SOMETIMES THIS OCCURS AT LOW SPEED GOING LEFT AND ALL OF A SUDDEN THERE IS NO POWER AND YOU HAVE TO HIT THE ACCELERATOR A COUPLE OF TIMES TO GET IT TO RESPOND. THE ENGINE NEVER STALLS OUT. ON THE EXPRESSWAY IT DROPPED OUT OF CRUSE TWICE. I PULLED UP TO A STOP SIGN TO CROSS INTO TRAFFIC AND IT HAD POWER AT FIRST AND THEN NO POWER. I WAS THEN IN A PANIC MODE PRESSING ON THE ACCELERATOR AND FINALLY IT RESPONDED. THIS IS WHY I THINK IT IS SERIOUS.