NHTSA Complaint #10156391 — 1999 SUBARU OUTBACK

I WAS QUITE HURT (TO THE DEGREE OF HAVING TO GO ON SSD) IN A REAR END COLLISION IN A 1998 SUBARU LEGACY WAGON. IN TRYING TO RECOVER THE ORIGINAL HEAD REST OF THIS CAR I LEARNED IT IS NO LONGER AVAILABLE AND CAN ONLY BE REPLACED WITH A MUCH SAFER MODEL. IN DOING A RECENT CRASH ANALYSIS WITH THIS NEW HEAD REST I REALIZED THE SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCES AND HOW MUCH SAFER THE NEW HEAD REST IS. I LEARNED ON YOUR CAR SAFETY WEB SITE OF THE NATIONAL CAUTION ON THE WHOLE SEAT OF THIS MODEL SEATS AND HEAD REST. I HAVE HAD NUMEROUS ORTHOPEDIC (LEFT ARM, ALL/WHOLE BACK, RIGHT LEG, BOTH KNEES, POSTURE) AND BRAIN INJURY PROBLEMS FROM MY CAR ACCIDENT. I RECENTLY LEARNED (3/06), THAT SUBARU STARTED UNOFFICIALLY REPLACING THE SEAT AND HEAD REST OF THIS MODEL LEGACY 1998 THRU 1999 WHENEVER POSSIBLE. MEANING WHENEVER THESE MODELS REQUESTED NEW PARTS, THERE IS AN UNOFFICIAL RECALL IN THAT IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO GET THE ORIGINAL PART ONLY THE SAFER NEW PARTS. I KEEP THINKING ABOUT HOW EASY A RECALL FOR APPROXIMATELY A 2 AND A HALF YEARS MODEL CAR IS (I HAVE EXPERIENCED A GM RECALL OF A PART THAT WENT VERY SMOOTHLY). THERE IS A GREAT COST TO SOCIETY AND MYSELF OF THERE NOT BEING AN OFFICIAL RECALL. PLEASE RESPOND TO THIS EMAIL WITH A LETTER OR I WILL SEND ANOTHER LETTER BY SIGNED RECEIPT EMAIL. SINCERELY, MARCIE ELLIS. *JB