NHTSA Complaint #10177394 — 2001 SUBARU OUTBACK

POWER SUBARU OF SCOTTSDALE FINALIZED THE REPAIR OF THE HEAD GASKET PROBLEM ON DECEMBER 28, 2006 ON OUR SUBARU OUTBACK WAGON. WHILE IN FOR REPAIR FOR THE HEAD GASKET, THE DEALER NOTED THAT THE TIMING BELT TENSIONER NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. POWER SUBARU REPLACED THE TENSIONER WITH A NEW SUBARU TENSIONER (PART #13033AA042.) IT DOES NOT APPEAR THAT POWER SUBARU TEST DROVE THE CAR AFTER THE REPAIRS BASED ON THE MILEAGE IN AND OUT SHOWN ON THE SERVICE INVOICE. THE CAR HAD A CATASTROPHIC ENGINE FAILURE APPROXIMATELY 12 MILES FROM THE DEALERSHIP ON STATE HIGHWAY 87 WHILE BEING DRIVEN AT THE POSTED HIGHWAY SPEED OF 65 MILES PER HOUR AS WE LEFT THE DEALER THAT DID THE REPAIR. THAT ENGINE FAILURE CREATED A SAFETY HAZARD FOR MY WIFE, MARGARET, WHO HAD TO COAST DOWN THE HIGHWAY TO A SMALL ROAD TO SAFELY PULL OFF. IF THE ROAD/PULL OUT AREA HAD NOT BEEN AVAILABLE TO HER, SHE WOULD HAVE HAD TO PARTIALLY BLOCK THE HIGHWAY LANE OF TRAFFIC SHE WAS IN. SHE COULD HAVE BEEN HIT BY ANOTHER CAR COMING BEHIND HER AT A HIGH RATE OF SPEED INJURING/KILLING HER OR POSSIBLY OTHERS. IT APPEARS THAT THIS PART HAS FAILED ON OTHER SUBARU VEHICLES CREATING CATASTROPHIC ENGINE FAILURE AND A VERY HAZARDOUS SITUATION. POWER SUBARU TOLD ME SINCE THAT THE ENGINE WILL REQUIRE A COMPLETE REBUILD SINCE THE FAILURE OF THE TENSIONER THEY INSTALLED SUBSEQUENTLY CAUSED THE NEW TIMING BELT TO BREAK WHICH THEN CAUSED SEVERE DAMAGE TO THE ENGINE. SUBARU HAS OFFERED TO REPLACE THE ENGINE WITH A MANUFACTURE REBUILT ENGINE AND WILL WARRANTY THE ENGINE FOR 36,000 MILES OR THREE YEARS, BUT HAVE FAILED TO PROVIDE US WITH A RENTAL CAR REPLACEMENT FOR THE TWO WEEK REPAIR TIME. WE NEED AN ALL-WHEEL DRIVE OR 4 WHEEL DRIVE REPLACEMENT VEHICLE SINCE WE HAVE SNOW. THEY ONLY OFFERED TO PAY FOR 1/2 THE RENTAL COST OF A SMALL TWO WHEEL DRIVE VEHICLE WHICH IS NOT ADEQUATE. SUBARU SHOULD CHANGE THE MANUFACTURING OF IT'S TIMING BELT TENSIONER SINCE THIS FAILURE HAS HAPPENED IT'S OTHER VEHICLES AND IS HIGHLY DANGEROUS. *NM