Cold Weather Fuel Seep

Cambo · 12-02-2011, 10:38 AM

Quote:

In cold weather, certain 02/03 WRXs may have fuel line seep. Only app 5724 cars are affected by this in 16 cold weather states - Ak, Co, Io, Id, Me, Mi, Mn, Mt, Ne, ND, SD NH, NY, Vt, Wi, Wy. There will be a warranty extension for this particular issue for the remaining 34 states. #WVK-21

i live in southern Cali and i own a 02 WRX (stage 2). apparently this "recall" doesnt cover California. last weekend i made a trip up to our local mountain (Big Bear) to do a little snowboarding and when i came out after warming my car up, i smelled fuel really bad.

i was wondering if anyone here has had this issue and fixed it. i would like to fix this issue as i have a 2 year old son and i dont want my car to blow up

Thanks

wolfman79 · 12-02-2011, 11:01 AM

The lines and clamps at the fuel rails are usually the source of the problem. The fix is pulling the intake and replacing all the soft lines. It affects more than just bugeyes, we usually start with simply tightening all the clamps we can without pulling the manifold. If that doesn't take care of it then we do the whole nine.

alosix · 12-02-2011, 11:36 AM

FWIW.. The fix they do in the recall really isn't worth a @#$!@# anyway.

After attempting to let them fix it. I bought some goodyear line and tightened everything up real good. That worked for about 3 years in a fairly chilly climate.

If I were working with the stock stuff again I'd probably put some red/blue locktite on the threads of the clamps to hopefully stop them from moving around.

another option might be to use the crimp style clamps that most of the aftermarket ones use.

MConte05 · 12-02-2011, 11:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by alosix

FWIW.. The fix they do in the recall really isn't worth a @#$!@# anyway.

After attempting to let them fix it. I bought some goodyear line and tightened everything up real good. That worked for about 3 years in a fairly chilly climate.

If I were working with the stock stuff again I'd probably put some red/blue locktite on the threads of the clamps to hopefully stop them from moving around.

another option might be to use the crimp style clamps that most of the aftermarket ones use.

Idk, when I had mine fixed they replaced the entire fuel lines underneath the intake manifold.

alosix · 12-02-2011, 12:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MConte05

Idk, when I had mine fixed they replaced the entire fuel lines underneath the intake manifold.

Yeah.. the factory 'fix' is another set of hard and soft lines. Hard a hair shorter, soft a hair longer.

Still used the same style clamp, still worked loose over time.

FWIW, the dealership that did it didn't seem to have the brightest techs on hand. A good number of my heat shield bolts were broken/stripped from them doing the clutch stutter fix.

Evil_XT · 12-13-2011, 07:40 PM

That tsb is miserable, especially when you are trying to make a living and make the customer happy at the same time..That cold weather bs about the northern states only is such a load of...... i can see this happening to alot of vehicles. What if you have a car shipped from ca to nj and it happens?...your screwed...stupid..

Cambo · 12-14-2011, 10:49 AM

i found the warranty extension with the dealership and they're gonna cover it

bone_1113 · 12-14-2011, 05:46 PM

wow im glad i seen this, i have a 04 and when it started getting really cold here i started smelling fuel as well...better check all my lines!

geekmonster · 12-14-2011, 05:57 PM

cam, kinda had the same thing happen this morning. had a faint fuel smell when i opened the door after parking at work. its been getting pretty chilly down here and had heard something about this a while ago, but forgot about it. i'm debating on what to do.

Cambo · 12-14-2011, 05:59 PM

the extended warranty expires in 2013 for the effected cars so if you wanna get it done, do it now

alosix · 12-14-2011, 09:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cambo

the extended warranty expires in 2013 for the effected cars so if you wanna get it done, do it now

x2. I'm not sure what the 'book' charge is but i'm guessing its a 6-8hr ish job. Its not complicated, but its such a pain to get the intake off. If you don't plan on swapping something else in yourself I'd make sure to take them up on it. Can't say I'd expect it to be a perm fix though.

Myself.. I really like having the fuel lines accessible without taking like 1/2 the top of the car apart

12-02-2011, 11:01 AM	#2
wolfman79 Senior Dirty Member Car: Bleu Ice 03 WRX Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Denver Thanks: 23 Thanked 54 Times in 53 Posts	The lines and clamps at the fuel rails are usually the source of the problem. The fix is pulling the intake and replacing all the soft lines. It affects more than just bugeyes, we usually start with simply tightening all the clamps we can without pulling the manifold. If that doesn't take care of it then we do the whole nine. __________________ RIP NJM 02-05-83 08-23-08

12-14-2011, 10:49 AM	#7
Cambo Senior Dirty Member Car: '06 WRX (aka TheDub) Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Menifee, Ca Thanks: 131 Thanked 65 Times in 59 Posts	i found the warranty extension with the dealership and they're gonna cover it __________________ Cambo & TheDub RallyX Car- WRB '06 WRX Sedan (TheDub) ^^^ DD- Silver '02 WRX Wagon (Beca "TheWagon")

12-14-2011, 05:46 PM	#8
bone_1113 SoundEffexSutter Car: WRB '04 WRX Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Colorado Springs, CO Thanks: 39 Thanked 25 Times in 25 Posts View Photos By: bone_1113	wow im glad i seen this, i have a 04 and when it started getting really cold here i started smelling fuel as well...better check all my lines! __________________ ~Anthony Sutter~ AKA BONE! wifey- "Babe you would be so proud! I just ripped up a mud puddle and the turned around and did it again!" -awesome

12-14-2011, 05:59 PM	#10
Cambo Senior Dirty Member Car: '06 WRX (aka TheDub) Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Menifee, Ca Thanks: 131 Thanked 65 Times in 59 Posts	the extended warranty expires in 2013 for the effected cars so if you wanna get it done, do it now __________________ Cambo & TheDub RallyX Car- WRB '06 WRX Sedan (TheDub) ^^^ DD- Silver '02 WRX Wagon (Beca "TheWagon")

12-02-2011, 11:36 AM	#3
alosix Dirty Member WR Blue 2002 WRX Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: Longmont, CO Thanks: 25 Thanked 43 Times in 40 Posts	FWIW.. The fix they do in the recall really isn't worth a @#$!@# anyway. After attempting to let them fix it. I bought some goodyear line and tightened everything up real good. That worked for about 3 years in a fairly chilly climate. If I were working with the stock stuff again I'd probably put some red/blue locktite on the threads of the clamps to hopefully stop them from moving around. another option might be to use the crimp style clamps that most of the aftermarket ones use.

12-13-2011, 07:40 PM	#6
Evil_XT Registered Member DoubleGray 07 OBS SE Join Date: Dec 2011 Location: All Over NJ Thanks: 2 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	That tsb is miserable, especially when you are trying to make a living and make the customer happy at the same time..That cold weather bs about the northern states only is such a load of...... i can see this happening to alot of vehicles. What if you have a car shipped from ca to nj and it happens?...your screwed...stupid..

12-14-2011, 05:57 PM	#9
geekmonster Ultimate DI Postwhore Dented 02 WRX Wagon Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: SoCal Thanks: 64 Thanked 181 Times in 158 Posts	cam, kinda had the same thing happen this morning. had a faint fuel smell when i opened the door after parking at work. its been getting pretty chilly down here and had heard something about this a while ago, but forgot about it. i'm debating on what to do.