NHTSA Complaint #10217781 — 2008 SUBARU B9 TRIBECA

THE VEHICLE IS A 2008 SUBARU TRIBECA LIMITED 5-PASSENGER WITH REMOTE START. THE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASE AT A PRIMARY SUBARU DEALER IN OUR LOCAL AREA, AS A DEMO WITH 1,500 MILES ON IT (MANAGER AT THE DEALER WAS DRIVING IT AT THE TIME). THE VEHICLE AT FIRST DIDN'T MAKE ANY NOTICEABLE NOISES OR VIBRATIONS (SEEMED FACTORY NEW, FLAWLESS). AFTER A MONTH OF NORMAL DRIVING A NOISE FROM THE PASSENGER SIDE SUSPENSION COMPONENTS OR UNDERCARRIAGE AREA WOULD MAKE A RUMBLING OR LOW SQUEAKING/RUBBING. SHORTLY AFTER, I MADE IT CLEAR ON OUR 4,500 MILE OIL CHANGE SERVICE THAT THIS ISSUE WAS PRESENT AND WAS AFFECTING ME AS A CONSUMER TO ENJOY MY NEW CAR. THE PROBLEM WAS ORIGINALLY OVERLOOKED BY ALL THE PERSONS I HAD ASKED TO TAKE A LOOK AT IT (DEALER MANAGER, USED CAR SPECIALIST AND SHOP MECHANIC) AFTER A SECOND ATTEMPT OF LEAVING THE VEHICLE AT THE DEALERSHIP FOR 2 DAYS, THEY DISCOVERED THE ISSUE I WAS TRYING TO EXPLAIN TO BE THE PROBLEM AND CAME BACK SAYING THE FOLLOWING. THAT A NEW(WITH ZERO MILES) TRIBECA WITH SIMILAR TRIM AND PACKAGE WOULD MAKE THE SAME NOISE AS MY VEHICLE AS WELL AS ANOTHER USED TRIBECA THAT WAS ON THE LOT THAT THE MANAGER WAS DRIVING AS ANOTHER DEMO MODEL FOR THE DEALERSHIP. THE NOISE WOULD OCCUR AT ANY SPEED AND ESPECIALLY WHEN THE BODY OF THE CAR WOULD MOVE OR SHIFT WEIGHT AND THE SUSPENSION COMPONENTS WERE DEMANDED. TIMES AT WHICH THE NOISE WOULD OCCUR WERE THE FOLLOWING: SPEED BUMPS, TAKING TURNS, BACKING UP, PULLING AWAY FROM AN INTERSECTION ON A GREEN LIGHT WITH OR WITHOUT AGGRESSIVENESS. AT THE TIME, NOTHING WAS DONE TO ELIMINATE THE NOISE OR THE CAUSE AND SOURCE OF THE ISSUE, OTHER THAN LUBRICATE THE STRUT. HOWEVER, WHEN IT RAINS, DUE TO THE MOISTURE WHICH CAUSES THE DAMPNESS IN THE PART(S) MAKING THE NOISE FOR SOME TIME UNTIL IT DRIES UP AGAIN. *TR