2009 Subaru Forester Fuel System Problems

Your fuel tank is leaking, which was confirmed by an independent mechanic. You may notice your check engine light and fuel tank warning light on your dashboard. A leaking fuel tank is a serious safety hazard that requires immediate inspection and repair of the tank seal or replacement of the fuel tank itself.

Your fuel tank is leaking gasoline from the seams and connection points, causing a strong gas smell—especially when driving on an incline. The steel tank has rusted at the seams and filler neck, and an evap hose nipple has corroded and detached from the tank. Your car triggered an evap system leak warning code (P0442), which led you to discover the problem. Fixing this will likely require replacing the fuel tank and evap system components.

GAS TANK CORRODED AND IS LEAKING GASOLINE. CAR HAS NOT BEEN DRIVEN OFF ROAD, IS REGULARLY WASHED AND STORED IN A GARAGE WHEN NOT IN USE. CAR IS 9 YEARS OLD AND HAS 105,000 MILES ON IT. ALTHOUGH OUT OF WARRANTY, SERIOUSNESS OF LEAKING GASOLINE WARRANTS A LOOK AT THESE TANKS, ARE THEY PROPERLY "RUST PROOFED"? TANK HANDS DOWN UNDER CAR, REAR SEAT AREA AND IS EXPOSED TO ROAD SALTS, WATER AND MUD.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 SUBARU FORESTER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THERE WAS A STRONG GASOLINE ODOR IN THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR DIAGNOSIS, WHO WAS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 58,000.

THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON WHILE DRIVING AND STAYED ON. THAT MEANT SOMETHING WAS AMISS WITH THE EMISSIONS CONTROL SYSTEM, PROBABLY A LOOSE GAS CAP. I CHECKED THE CAP, TOOK IT OFF AND RETIGHTENED IT UNTIL I HEARD THE PROPER CLICKING SOUND. THE LIGHT REMAINED ON THE REST OF THE TRIP HOME. TWICE MORE BEFORE SERVICING, I REPEATED THE PROCESS OF CHECKING THE CAP. BOTH TIMES I HEARD THE CLICKING SOUND. THE LIGHT REMAINED ON. I HAD THE PROBLEM LOOKED AT BY A SUBARU DEALER. AFTER 2 HOURS THEY TOLD ME I WAS EITHER OVERFILLING THE TANK - I NEVER TOP OFF - OR NOT PUTTING THE CAP ON PROPERLY. I TOLD THEM I KNOW HOW TO PUT A GAS CAP ON, EXPLAINED HOW I DO IT, AND IF THERE IS A BETTER WAY, PLEASE SHOW ME. THEY ONLY REPEATED THAT IT MUST BE ME BECAUSE THE CAP WAS LOOSE ENOUGH TO BE LEAKING GAS. DESPITE MY INSISTING THAT SOMETHING ELSE WAS WRONG, THEY SAID BRING IT BACK IF IT HAPPENS AGAIN. I WILL REPEAT THAT THE GAS CAP WAS PUT ON AS PROPERLY AS IT CAN BE DONE. THERE IS SOMETHING ELSE GOING ON HERE AND IT IS POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS. I REPLACED THE OLD CAP WITH A NEW ONE AND HAVE NOT HAD A PROBLEM. *TR

GASOLINE ODOR INSIDE VEHICLE WHEN STOPPED AT TRAFFIC LIGHTS CAUSING HEADACHES,AND FEAR OF FIRE! *TR

VEHICLE: 2009 SUBARU FORESTER LIMITED, ON 6/20/09 I EXPERIENCED AN INCIDENT OF UNINTENDED ACCELERATION. CRUISE CONTROL WAS ON. BEFORE OUR EXIT I CANCELED THE CRUISE CONTROL BUT LEFT IT "ON". ON THE RAMP, I LET THE CAR SLOW. AT ABOUT 40 MPH I MOVED THE SHIFT LEVER INTO 'SPORT' MODE, DOWNSHIFTED TO 3RD GEAR, THEN 2ND, THEN BRAKED TO A STOP. THE CAR WAS STOPPED, IN GEAR, IDLING. MY FOOT WAS ON THE BRAKE. WITHOUT WARNING, THE ENGINE RACED AND THE CAR JOLTED FORWARD ABOUT A FOOT; IT WOULD HAVE CONTINUED BUT I INCREASED PRESSURE ON THE BRAKE AND STOPPED THE CAR. THE ENGINE, WITH THE CAR STOPPED AND IN GEAR, RAN UP OVER 2000 RPM. I IMMEDIATELY SHIFTED INTO REGULAR DRIVE MODE AND THEN INTO NEUTRAL. ONCE IN NEUTRAL, THE ENGINE BRIEFLY RACED HIGHER BUT THEN DROPPED TO IDLE AT ABOUT 700 RPM. I SWITCHED THE CRUISE CONTROL OFF. PLEASE NOTE: TO STOP THE CAR I DID NOT MOVE MY FOOT; IT WAS ALREADY ON THE BRAKE, AND I MERELY PRESSED HARDER. THIS IS NOT A CASE OF PEDAL CONFUSION. THE FLOOR MATS ARE IN PLACE. THIS IS NOT A CASE OF A FLOOR MAT INTERFERING WITH THE ACCELERATOR. AT THE TIME OF THE INCIDENT, WE WERE NOT MOVING. I WAS NOT ON THE PHONE. I WAS NOT LOOKING OVER MY SHOULDER. I WAS NOT OTHERWISE DISTRACTED. I WAS SITTING STILL, WAITING FOR THE LIGHT TO CHANGE, WITH MY FOCUS ON THE TRAFFIC STOPPED IN FRONT OF ME. IN MY VIEW, THIS REPRESENTS A DANGEROUS DEFECT IN THE VEHICLE, AND NEEDS TO BE CORRECTED IMMEDIATELY. PLEASE ADVISE REGARDING YOUR PROPOSED RESOLUTION. I HAVE ADVISED SUBARU VIA THEIR WEBSITE TODAY BUT HAVE NOT HEARD BACK. I AM HAPPY TO BE CONTACTED FOR FURTHER DETAILS IF NEEDED. *TR