I have a 2000 Outback wagon. When the outside air temp is below freezing, I get a fuel odor inside the cabin when the car is at idle. The colder it is outside, the worse the odor gets. My mechanic and the dealer mechanic have both tightened all the clamps on the fuel lines. Things have improved, but the problem is not solved.

 

Has anyone experienced and sucessfully solved this problem? Thanks

My MIL has a GMC safari van and she had that same problem too. I traced the fuel lines from the tank to the engine and found that she had a ruptured line that ran from the tank to the vacuum cylinder as well as a pretty long hairline fracture on the return line. I wouldn't have found that out if I hadn't taken out all the fuel lines. So I ended up replacing all of them as well as a new filter and making sure that all clamps were tight. Thankfully, the interior has been fuel smell free since.

If you can examine each individual line without have to yank them, you're really blessed with an easy job. Dirty messy job but worth the fix.

 

Hope it helps.

danz75

Is that an Impreza outback? I think there are some Imprezas that have a TSB for this issue. I thought it was only newer ones though - like '03-'04 MYs.

 

I think I read about it at http://www.nasioc.com - try a search there.

Yeah, the WRX had a TSB regarding fuel smell in freezing temperatures, but I'll be damned if i can remember what the cause/fix was.

2 weeks ago when my wife was warming up our '01 OB wagon while she cleaned off the ice and snow in 12° weather. When she got in the car she smelled gas fumes coming in the vents. I went out and popped the hood and found gas dripping from the fuel line on the driver's side above the cylinder bank. There is a short piece of fuel line between 2 metal lines that has 2 hose clamps, just above center of the 2 cylinders, the inner one was dripping about 1 drop every 3-4 seconds, there was a puddle on top of the cylinders that quickly evaporated after I tightened the clamp. I double checked the rest and found that another on on the other side needed a quick snugging of about 1/2 turn with a phillips driver. Smell has not returned and I've been checking them every so often since.

Sam -- any chance you could post a picture indicating where the clamps you tightened are located?

 

My car has "the smell" but I can't locate any accumulation of gas anywhere (a good thing...sort of).

 

Thanks,

 

Doug aka newsooby

Ok here's a pic from the driver's side standing at the front tire looking in from the side. The hose was located next to and lower than the spark plug wires, you can see the outer screw head on the clamp but the inner one was the one leaking down on to the cylinders. Sorry it's 20° now and dark. Couldn't see the passenger side but you get the idea...maybe. Hope this helps, if not I could take a couple tomorrow and post.

 

 

 

if you can't see it try this link.