NHTSA Complaint #10070968 — 2002 SUBARU IMPREZA

GRINDING OF THE GEARS WHEN SHIFTING FROM 3RD-4TH GEAR. STARTED WITH A VERY MILD NOISE, HAS PROGRESSED TO A LOUD GRIND. TOOK IT IN FOR WARRANT SERVICE AND THEY SAID THAT THE DETERMINATION OF WARRANTY COVERAGE WOULD BE MADE BY A REGIONAL REPRESENTATIVE AFTER THE TRANSMISSION WAS REMOVED. I CHECKED ON THE INTERNET AND FOUND THAT MANY OTHER OWNERS WERE EXPERIENCING THE SAME PROBLEM AND BEING DENIED WARRANTY COVERAGE AFTER THE TRANSMISSION WAS REMOVED UNLESS THEY WERE WILLING TO SIGN ONE TIME REPAIR AGREEMENT VOIDING THE REMAINDER OF THE WARRANTY. I HAVE BEEN TOLD BY THE DEALER THAT I WILL PROBABLY BE REQUIRED TO SIGN ONE EVEN THOUGH I HAVE NOT AGREED TO HAVE THE TRANSMISSION REMOVED OR DISSASSEMBLED YET. THEY ARE UNWILLING TO GIVE ME ANY INFORMATION ON THE NUMBER OF SIMILAR REPAIRS THAT HAVE BEEN COVERED OR DENIED UNDER WARRANTY AND WILL NOT GIVE ME ANY OBJECTIVE CRITERIA THAT WILL BE USED TO MAKE THE WARRANTY DETERMINATION.