Investigations
FUEL LINE LEAK
NHTSA Engineering Analysis EA09011 - closed, opened 2009-07-02.
NHTSA investigation EA09011 is a Engineering Analysis opened on 2009-07-02 and currently closed. The subject is tracked inside the Office of Defects Investigation queue. Latest activity on this investigation was logged on 2009-12-14 - NHTSA updates that field whenever an Information Request goes out, a supplement is filed, or a status change is recorded in the public docket.
An Engineering Analysis like EA09011 is the deeper technical phase that follows a PE. NHTSA requests design, warranty, and field-failure data from the manufacturer, conducts its own testing when needed, and determines whether the evidence supports a safety defect finding that would compel a recall.
Investigators summarized the matter as follows: "THE DESIGN OF THE FUEL LINE (METAL RAIL/RUBBER HOSE INTERFACE) IS SUSCEPTIBLE TO FUEL ODOR AND/OR SEEPAGE IN EXTREME COLD TEMPERATURE CONDITIONS. OWNERS MOST OFTEN NOTICED FUEL ODOR IN THE OCCUPANT COMPARTMENT AREA DURIN..." Investigations are the early-warning layer of the federal auto-safety system, sitting upstream of formal recalls and defect orders. Whether this one closes without action or escalates into an Engineering Analysis, the full history stays in the ODI archive so researchers, litigators, and buyers can pull the paper trail at any time.
Investigation Summary
THE DESIGN OF THE FUEL LINE (METAL RAIL/RUBBER HOSE INTERFACE) IS SUSCEPTIBLE TO FUEL ODOR AND/OR SEEPAGE IN EXTREME COLD TEMPERATURE CONDITIONS. OWNERS MOST OFTEN NOTICED FUEL ODOR IN THE OCCUPANT COMPARTMENT AREA DURING INITIAL COLD ENGINE START-UP. ONCE THE ENGINE IS WARMED, THE ODOR/SEEPAGE ISSUE DISSIPATES. FROM SUBARU'S DATA, ODI NOTES THAT THE INCIDENT RATES ARE HIGHER IN STATES WITH COLDER TEMPERATURES. THERE WAS ONE ALLEGATION OF A FIRE INCIDENT IN WHICH THE OWNER HAD REPORTED THAT HE NOTICED FUEL ODOR A FEW DAYS EARLIER, BUT ODI COULD NOT CONFIRM THE ORIGIN OF THE FIRE. TO ADDRESS THIS ISSUE, SUBARU WILL REPLACE THE FUEL LINE WITH A "LONGER RUBBER HOSE SEGMENT VERSION/DESIGN" ON 5,724 MY 2002-2003 VEHICLES BUILT THROUGH SEPTEMBER 12, 2002 IN 16 STATES (AK, CO, IA, ID, ME, MI, MN, MT, ND, NE, NH, NY, SD, VT, WI & WY). IN ADDITION, SUBARU WILL EXTEND THE WARRANTY COVERAGE TO 12 YEARS/UNLIMITED MILEAGE ON VEHICLES IN THE REMAINING 34 STATES. THIS ENGINEERING ANALYSIS IS CLOSED (SEE RECALL CAMPAIGN 09V-468)
About This Investigation Type
An Engineering Analysis (EA) is the in-depth phase following a Preliminary Evaluation. NHTSA engineers conduct testing, collect data from manufacturers, and perform detailed technical analysis to determine whether a safety defect exists. An EA may lead to a voluntary recall by the manufacturer or, in rare cases, a mandatory recall order.
Data from NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Cross-references: NHTSA recall campaign API and NHTSA FARS where fatality records overlap. PlainCars does not rate or recommend vehicles. about how PlainCars sources NHTSA data.
Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.