Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (fuel pump, injectors, fuel tank, hybrid and EV propulsion).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2005 Subaru Forester owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
Moved car 30' from gas pumps to air pump. Slowed to almost complete stop to move closer to air tank. Car accelerated at extremely high speed over curb, knocking over air pump. Car proceeded to smash through landscaping shrubs and hit a tree and nearby pole which stopped the car dead. Felt like a fighter plane pushed me. Entire incident probably lasted a minute. Air bags failed to deploy. Car was totaled. I suffered severe facial and othet bruising and have ongoing fatigue and am eadily winded.
During cold weather starts there is a significant fuel leak underneath the intake manifold, with gas pooling on top of the engine block, next to the turbo on the passenger side of the vehicle. There are several rubber gas hose connections between hard lines underneath the intake manifold and it seems the cold causes the rubber to shrink. This makes the hose clamps not effective enough to keep pressure on the lines and gas is seeping out from those connections (which are pressurized). With raw gas pooling not only on a hot engine block (close to several electrical connections) but also next to a very hot turbo on 2003-2005 Forester xt's which are factory equipped, this seems to pose a safety issue.
In cold weather, around 20 degrees fahrenheit and below, I am experiencing a fuel leak under the intake manifold caused by contracted fuel lines. This is a known issue with 03-05 foresters, especially those with turbos. Subaru should be help accountable for this, as it is a manufacturer defect that was recalled on similar vehicles around the same model year.
I can see gas running down my engine block. The leak is on passenger side under the intake manifold of my ej255. Smells of gas very strongly. I am worried a fire might start because it is very near the turbocharger. It happens when the vehicle is in motion and stationary. Both on a city street and highway. And also when turning
I've experienced the leaking fuel line when temperatures dropped below 20 degrees and get terrible gas fumes inside the cabin especially during cold and damp weather. It is more prominent with the heat on. This smell/leak can be noticed while parked, driving, anytime with the engine running with fuel pressure.
The morning of jan 24, 2014 my wife and I came started the car and noticed a strong gasoline smells when we started the car, turn on the heater and drove away. I immediately drove it the dealer, because the fumes whete so strong that we had the windows open without heat to minimize the smell, otherwise we could have easyli be overcome by the gas fumes. The dealer said that the fuel lines shrink due to the cold below 30 degree's thus leaking raw fuel whenever the vehicle is runing. As you can imagine this is a serious safety hazard that need to be investigated by your agency before it turns into a fatality. Furthermore, it seem that previous Subaru models had this issue and a recall was issued (Subaru recall no. …
Car has raw fuel/gas smell on cold starts when idling. Fumes can be noticed both outside and inside the vehicle. Occurs only when the outside air temperature is below 30 degrees fahrenheit. Fumes disappear once the engine reaches normal operating temperature. Fuel line leak(s) are occurring under the manifold where the screws to tighten can not be reached. Subaru dealer has informed me that the cost to repair for parts and labor would be $750 as the manifold needs to be removed in order to make the needed repair. I have driven cars to 180K and 155K in the same geographical footprint and have never had a fuel line leak. This is a common problem for Subaru and needs to be recalled like they did on the 02-03 wrx!!! This is a major life safety issue. I'm going to Subaru north America to see if they will pay a portion of the repair.
Strong raw fuel smell inside and outside vehicle during cold weather. Fuel smell strong enough to cause nausea and dizziness if windows remained closed. Parked vehicle outside of garage until smell dissipated for fear of accidental ignition. Noticed that smell usually diminishes or completely dissipates when vehicle reaches normal operating temperature. Detected over several years during cold weather conditions (below 50 degrees). Wa Subaru dealer in February 2012 determined the rubber fuel lines under the intake manifold were leaking and replaced all seven. So far, this has corrected the condition.
Temperature dropped below 20*f and the smell of raw fuel became strong inside the vehicle. Smell continued to happen on successive days below ~25*f, regardless of engine temperature. Fuel smell was apparent in engine bay on passenger side but the source was unidentifiable. Vehicle was taken to dealer for inspection; dealer "found signs of fuel seepage past hose clamps on fuel hoses under intake." repair estimate including parts came to $663. Vehicle has not been repaired at this time and we will be contacting soa about possible reimbursement under their good will policy.
Fuel lines leaks in cold weather . There is a recall on the wrx for this same issue. On start up the vehicle will leak gas out of the fuel lines and will stink inside and outside the car . It goes away (or I get used to it) after about 30 min. This issue is a problem with allot of the subarus from these years . I've called and emailed soa and they aren't doing anything about the issue for me . Now I have to buy a fuel line kit from them and gaskets and try to fix this problem in the middle of the winter .... Needless to say I'm not happy and it's dangerous!
Fuel System complaints in other Forester years
Frequently asked questions
How common are fuel system problems on the 2005 Subaru Forester?
NHTSA has 22 complaints about the fuel & propulsion system of the 2005 Subaru Forester, 24% of the model year's 93 complaints. The component named most often is delivery › hoses, lines/piping, and fittings (1 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2005 Subaru Forester fuel system problems?
No. NHTSA lists no fuel & propulsion system recall for the 2005 Subaru Forester, though it has 1 recall for other components. If the problem is widespread, a repair may still be covered by an extended warranty or a manufacturer service bulletin — ask a dealer.
At what mileage do 2005 Subaru Forester fuel system problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 93,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 1 crash, 0 fires and 1 injury to fuel & propulsion system problems on this model year. If you notice symptoms, have the car checked before driving further.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.