NHTSA Complaint #10168282 — 2002 SUBARU OUTBACK

AFTER RETURNING FROM A OUT OF TOWN TRIP, WE GOT TO OUR CAR AND STARTED TO DRIVE AWAY AND THE ENGINE REVVED UP BUT DID NOT PROPORTIONATELY INCREASE IN SPEED. AFTER GAINING SOME SPEED THE SYMPTOMS DISAPPEARED. THREE DAYS LATER AFTER SHIFTING FROM FIFTH GEAR TO FOURTH GEAR WHILE DRIVING UP A HILL ON I-70 THE CLUTCH COMPLETELY SLIPPED OUT. THE CAR WAS UN-DRIVABLE BUT WE WERE IN THE LEFT LANE AND THERE WAS NO EMERGENCY PULL OFF ON THAT SIDE SO WE HAD TO MAKE OUR WAY ACROSS THREE LANES OF TRAFFIC TO GET TO THE RIGHT EMERGENCY LANE. WITH NO POWER WE COASTED THROUGH CARS FLYING BY HONKING AT 65 MPH. LUCKILY WE MADE IT TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD UNHARMED BUT QUITE A FEW CLOSE CALLS. WE SMELT THE SMELL OF A BURNT CLUTCH AND COULD NO LONGER ENGAGE THE TRANSMISSION OR MOVE THE VEHICLE, IT WOULD ONLY COAST BACKWARDS. WHILE WE WERE LUCKY SOME OTHER MAY NOT. SUBARU OF AMERICA HAS REFUSED TO ADMIT ANYTHING IS WRONG WITH THE CAR OTHER THAN A WEARABLE ITEM WEARING OUT. THIS CAR HAS 77,200 MILES ON IT AND HAS HAD THE CLUTCH REPLACED ONCE BEFORE AT 34,500 MILES UNDER TSB 03-51-02R. WE HAVE OWNED FIVE CARS WITH MANUAL TRANSMISSIONS ALL OF WHICH WE DROVE FOR OVER 130,000 MILES AND NOT ONE HAS NEEDED OR HAD A CLUTCH REPLACED. AN EMPLOYEE AT THE DEALERSHIP IN THE PARTS DEPARTMENT STATED TO ANOTHER EMPLOYEE WHILE I WAS ON THE PHONE LINE THAT THE "FLYWHEEL IS MAKING THOSE GO OUT SO THEY WILL NEED TO REPLACE THAT TOO." *JB