NHTSA Complaint #10182171 — 2000 SUBARU OUTBACK

HEAD GASKET FAILURE ON A 2000 SUBARU OUTBACK AT 84443 MILES. THEN A FULL ENGINE REPLACEMENT AT 97,000. THERE WERE NO ACCIDENTS OR DEATHS CAUSED BY THIS, HOWEVER, LET ME APPEAL TO YOU TO REVIEW SUBARU'S 2.5L ENGINE. WE BOUGHT THIS AS A RELIABLE CAR FOR OUR CHILDREN. THE VEHICLE BECAME UNRELIABLE WHEN IT BEGAN OVERHEATING WITH OUR CHILDREN AT THE WHEEL, NOT ONCE BUT TWICE. THE FIRST INSTANCE WAS IN THE DAYLIGHT HOURS AND WE WERE ABLE TO TAKE IT RIGHT INTO A SUBARU DEALERSHIP. THE SECOND INSTANCE WAS THE CAR OVERHEATED WITH MY CHILD AT THE WHEEL ON A DARK ROAD IN RURAL SE WASHINGTON AT NIGHT. THANK GOODNESS SHE DID HAVE A CELL PHONE AND COULD CALL US FOR HELP. TWO DIFFERENT AUTHORIZED DEALERSHIPS, LOOKED AT THIS PROBLEM THREE TIMES AND DID NOT FIX THE PROBLEM. NOW AFTER REPLACING THE HEAD GASKETS AT A LOCAL VEHICLE REPAIR SHOP AND THEN THE ENGINE, YEP, THE ENGINE DUE TO OIL AND WATER LEAKAGE, BECAUSE OF THE FAILURE OF THE DEALERSHIPS THAT MISDIAGNOSED THIS PROBLEM. NOW AS I SEARCH FOR WHAT HAPPENED AND WHY, I FIND WEBSITES THAT DOCUMENT HUNDREDS OF SUBARU OWNERS WITH THE IDENTICAL STORY AS MINE. OVERHEATING PROBLEMS, DEALERSHIP NOT FIXING THE PROBLEM PROPERLY AND THEN ENDING UP WITH HEAD GASKET AND FOR SOME OF US ENGINE REPLACEMENT. PLEASE, PLEASE LOOK INTO THIS. THE WEBSITES ARE ALMOST ENDLESS ON THIS PROBLEM. I DO NOT LIKE BEING ANGRY OVER THIS ISSUE. I JUST WANT SUBARU TO FIX WHAT IS WRONG, AND TO HELP ALL OF THEIR CUSTOMERS GET SOME FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE FOR WHAT WE HAVE HAD TO PAY OUT OF POCKET, NOTHING ELSE. SUBARU OF AMERICA NEEDS TO FIX WHAT IS WRONG WITH THEIR 2.5L ENGINES. THANK YOU FOR YOUR HELP. *NM