Stopped at Sainsburys last weekend. Did me shopping and came back out to the car. Then tried to start it. It just turned over & over & didn't start up.
I tried several times (a bit embarrasing with everyone looking) to start it but no luck. So I phoned the RAC. I then waited about 20mins & tried again - BINGO it started.
I think maybe my right foot may have touched the accelerator when I first tried to start it, flooding the engine (I know Imprezas are prone to this) but I only lightly touched the accelerator. Seems a bit extreme that you can be stranded by just tapping or knocking the throttle pedal when starting!
If anyone knows what else it might have been then I would love to know!
Its never happened before or since.

Yup, happened to me too on Boxing Day! Called out the AA the next day (after I retried - honest) and it started fine. I felt somewhat foolish.

This has also happened to me. I left the car in the car park and on my return, tapped the go faster pedal and it would not start. I only had the car a week, so I was very near to driving it thru' the dealers window, if it would start. This sometimes reoccurs and I can usually put it down to looking at the throttle pedal the wrong way. Pretty poor problem with this level of machinery.

This problem has happened to MY97 a few times without touching the pedal. After turning over a few times and looking as if its not going to start the engine suddenly fires into life. I wondered why, and am still puzzled.

john minder,joules.
did the engine check light come on after the vehicles started for any lenght of time and then go out.if so ewould you please let me know thanks peter.

Not in my case.
Car ran perfectly afterwards.

Jules, I have a similar problem with my MY98 Terzo. If I touch the accelerator it refuses to start. When this happens I slowly depress the accelerator all the way to the floor and then start the engine. If you release the accelerator whilst the engine is turning over it starts every time. Hopefully this will prevent you becoming stranded in Sainsbury's again...a fate worse than death!

Thanks for the tip, but I've had no problems since that fateful day. Can't confirm whether the check light thingy stayed on for 'subaru Manchester' though .... sorry.

Exactly the same thing happened to me everytime I went to sainsburys or Tesco the car woundnt start. It was because after did my shopping I allways filled my tank with the supermarket petrol, not a good idea. Ive been running on shell since, now I go shooping, and the car starts!!