NHTSA Complaint #10093388 — 1999 DODGE DURANGO

TODAY I SENT THE FOLLOWING EMAIL TO SUBARU OF AMERICA CONCERNING THE INVESTIGATION OF ABS DEFECT IN WRX VEHICLES. I HAVE EXPERIENCED THE PROBLEM ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS, AND ON NO OCCASION WAS I DRIVING IN AN "AGGRESSIVE" MANNER OR "HARD' BRAKING. NOR WAS MY PREVIOUS COMPLAINT TO NHTSA A "PARROTING" OF SOMEONE ELSE'S PROBLEM FROM THE IMPREZA WEBSITE, AS SUBARU HAS ACCUSED. THE ABS IS OVERLY SENSITIVE TO BUMPY SURFACES AND IS A SAFETY RISK, PERIOD. MY EMAIL TO SUBARU OF AMERICA: I HAVE JUST REVIEWED SOA'S LETTER DATED 9/10/04 TO NHTSA RE YOUR INVESTIGATION OF ALLEGED ABS PROBLEMS IN WRX'S. I AM DISMAYED BY SOA'S INABILITY TO DOCUMENT, AND REFUSAL TO ACKNOWLEDGE, THE ABS PROBLEM. I AM INSULTED THAT SUBARU BLAMES THE PROBLEM ON "AGGRESSIVE DRIVING PATTERNS." THE PROBLEM REGULARLY OCCURS AT ONE POINT IN MY DAILY URBAN COMMUTE WHEN I BRAKE FOR A TRAFFIC LIGHT OVER A BUMPY SURFACE. I AM USING ONLY 15% OF THE BRAKING CAPABILITY AT 20 MPH WHEN THE ABS FAULT OCCURS-- HARDLY "AGGRESSIVE" OR "HARD" BRAKING, AND HARDLY A SITUATION THAT ONLY AGGRESSIVE PERFORMANCE DRIVERS WOULD ENCOUNTER. WHEN IT OCCURS, THERE IS A SUDDEN, DRAMATIC REDUCTION IN DECELERATION. DECELERATION IS NO LONGER PROPORTIONAL TO PEDAL PRESSURE, AND INCREASED PRESSURE IS INEFFECTIVE WHILE THE ABS IS "CONFUSED" BY THE BUMPY SURFACE. SEVERAL TIMES I HAVE HAD SCARY MOMENTS WHEN THE DROP IN DECELERATION HAS RESULTED IN NEARLY REAR-ENDING THE VEHICLE IN FRONT OF ME. I AM VERY PUZZLED WHY AN EVENT, THAT FOR ME IS SO PREDICTABLE AND REPEATABLE, HAS ESCAPED YOUR ANALYSIS. I FURTHER TAKE OFFENSE TO THE CLAIM IN YOUR LETTER THAT MANY OF THE COMPLAINTS TO THE NHTSA WERE DISHONEST REPETITIONS OF PROBLEMS A FEW HAD DESCRIBED ON AN OWNERS WEBSITE. NICE TRY, BUT I CAN ATTEST TO THE VALIDITY OF THE PROBLEM IN MY CAR, HAVING EXPERIENCED IT DOZENS OF TIMES. DISCUSSION ON THE WEBSITE HAS INFORMED OWNERS OF THE PROBLEM AND MAY HAVE PREVENTED SOME ACCIDENTS, SOMETHING I CANNOT SAY FOR SUBARU! CHARLES F. VISSER. *AK