NHTSA Complaint #10238515 — 2007 SUBARU B9 TRIBECA

WHILE DRIVING THE MOTOR STOPPED, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND THE VEHICLE?S SPEED SLOWED DRAMATICALLY, STEERING THE DISABLED VEHICLE BECAME ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE; A POTENTIAL ACCIDENT WAS AVOIDED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO CLOSEST DEALER. THE DEALER QUOTED AN ESTIMATE OF $2300 TO TEAR DOWN THE MOTOR TO DIAGNOSE THE PROBLEM. THE VEHICLE HAS 29,000 MILES AND THE WARRANTY HAS EXTENDED COVERAGE TO 84,000 MILES AT A COST OF $1288. SUBARU OF AMERICA WAS CONTACTED TO EXPRESS DISSATISFACTION WITH THE DEALERSHIP; THE CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE ASKED ME TO FAX MAINTENANCE RECORDS FOR THE VEHICLE. THE DOCUMENTS WERE FAXED AT 2:00AM ON WEDNESDAY AUGUST 13, 2008. ON AUGUST 14TH I CONTACTED SUBARU OF AMERICA FOR A STATUS UPDATE ON THE VEHICLE; THE REPRESENTATIVE HANDLING MY CASE HAD LEFT FOR THE DAY SO I REQUESTED A CALL BACK THE NEXT DAY. NO RESPONSE WAS RECEIVED. SUBARU OF AMERICA HAS NOT CONFORMED TO THEIR WARRANTY OBLIGATIONS, STATING NEGLECT OF OWNER MAY HAVE CAUSED THE MOTOR FAILURE. HARD FACT, A VEHICLE DRIVEN UNDER NORMAL CONDITIONS WHOSE MOTOR FAILS WITHOUT WARNING (NO SIGNALS FROM THE ONBOARD DIAGNOSIS SYSTEM-ANOTHER POSSIBLE DEFECT, OR WARNING SOUNDS FROM THE MOTOR) WITH 29,000 EQUATES TO COMPONENT OF FAILURE OF THE MOTOR OR ELECTRICAL COMPONENT. THE MOTOR IS NOT CEASED; IT TURNS OVER WITH THE IGNITION KEY. *TR