NHTSA Complaint #10135237 — 1998 SUBARU OUTBACK

LATE ON THE NIGHT OF 09/01/05 MY WIFE, HER SON, DAUGHTER AND TWO (2) GRAND CHILDREN WERE TRAVELING TO OMAHA, NE FOR THE LONG LABOR DAY WEEKEND IN A 1998 SUBARU LEGACY OUTBACK WAGON WITH 123,000 MILES. THEY GOT AS FAR AS THE OUTSKIRTS OF KEARNEY, NE WHEN THEY NOTICED A LOSS OF POWER AND SAW HEAVY SMOKE/STEAM COMING FROM THE TAIL PIPE OF THE CAR. THEY IMMEDIATELY PULLED OVER AND WERE ASSISTED BY A NE STATE TROOPER. $600 LATER THE CAR, WHICH APPARENTLY SUFFERED FROM HEAD GASKET FAILURE, WAS FINALLY TOWED TO THE DUTEAU SUBARU DEALERSHIP IN LINCOLN, NE. THEY VERIFIED THE HEAD GASKET FAILURE AND THAT THE ENGINE SEIZED. SUBARU USA WAS NOTIFIED AND ASKED IF THEY WOULD COVER ANY OF THE DAMAGE, WHICH AS IT TURNS OUT INCLUDES A NEW/REBUILT ENGINE. THE RESPONSE WAS IT'S NOT UNDER WARRANTY, YOU DIDN'T PURCHASE AN EXTENDED WARRANTY AND "WE ARE SORRY FOR ANY INCONVENIENCE THAT THIS HAS CAUSED YOUR FAMILY." I CONTACTED THE DEALERSHIP FROM WHICH THE CAR WAS PURCHASED, NAMELY BURT SUBARU. I WAS TOLD THAT HEAD GASKET FAILURE WAS A FREQUENT PROBLEM WITH 1998, 1999 AND 2000 SUBARU LEGACY OUTBACK WAGONS. IF THIS WAS SUCH A PROBLEM, WHY DID SUBARU FAIL TO ISSUE A RECALL TO FIX THE DEFECTIVE GASKET? MY WIFE AN I ARE NOW FACED WITH HAVING TO SELL THE CAR TO DUTEAU SUBARU FOR $500 TO $1,000, RENT A CAR TO RETURN TO DENVER, THEN RUSH TO TRY TO FIND A USED VEHICLE SO SHE CAN GET TO AND FROM WORK. I RESPONDED TO SUBARU USA'S CONDOLENCES BUT YOUR SPACE LIMITATION PROHIBITS ME FROM INCLUDING SUCH RESPONSE HERE.*JB