NHTSA Complaint #10196233 — 2002 SUBARU FORESTER

SOA IS NOT BEING FORTHCOMING ABOUT A MAJOR DEFECT AFFECTING MANY OF ITS VEHICLES. ON WEDNESDAY JULY 11, 2007 I SPOKE TO SOA AND EXPLAINED MY CONCERNS ABOUT THE CHRONIC LEAKING HEAD GASKET PROBLEMS ON MANY OF YOUR VEHICLES. I OWN A 2002 SUBARU FORESTER WHICH WAS DIAGNOSED WITH A LEAKING HEAD GASKET IN DECEMBER 2006 AND 68000 MILES BY A TEAPE SUBARU TECHNICIAN IN ARLINGTON TX. THIS REPAIR WOULD COST $1900.00. AS I HAD TO SAVE UP THE MONEY I DID NOT GET THE WORK DONE UNTIL 07/10/07 AT 75,000 MILES. I CONSIDERED THIS A MAJOR SAFETY PROBLEM. HAD SOA BROUGHT ME IN FOR A REPAIR I MIGHT HAVE AVOIDED THIS EXPENSIVE REPAIR. MY CAR COULD EASILY HAVE OVERHEATED, RESULTING IN AN INJURY TO MYSELF AND OTHERS. RESEARCH REVEALED THAT THIS WAS A HUGE PROBLEM WITH THEIR VEHICLES THAT FREQUENTLY OCCURRED AGAIN AFTER BEING REPAIRED/REPLACED. SOA'S REPRESENTATIVE TOLD ME THAT NOT ONLY WAS MY VEHICLE OUT OF WARRANTY FOR THIS PROBLEM BUT THAT THERE WAS NO RECALL FOR IT. HE DID, HOWEVER, GIVE ME A CASE #1017178. SUBARU NEEDED TO STEP UP AND HANDLE THIS PROBLEM. I AM ENCOURAGING YOU TO MAKE THEM DO THAT. THE FINAL COST FOR MY GASKET REPLACEMENT WORK WAS 1725.42. I AM MAILING SOA AN ITEMIZED LIST OF PARTS AND LABOR ALONG WITH MY PAID RECEIPT, AND I WANT A FULL REFUND FOR THIS WORK WHICH INCLUDED THE LABOR. *AK