NHTSA Complaint #10261597 — 2005 SUBARU OUTBACK

I OWN A SUBARU OUTBACK AND LIVE IN BEMIDJI MINNESOTA--LAND OF BELOW ZERO WINTER TEMPERATURES. TODAY I WAS NAILED IN THE HEAD YET AGAIN BY THE TAILGATE DOOR OF MY CAR. YOU SEE, THE STRUTS THAT SUPPORT THE TAILGATE DOOR DO NOT FUNCTION WHEN ITS REALLY COLD OUTSIDE--LIKE APPROACHING 0 DEGREES FAHRENHEIT OR LOWER. WHEN TEMPERATURES ARE WARMER--ABOUT 20 DEGREES ABOVE ZERO--THE STRUTS FUNCTION AS USUAL. BUT WHEN IT IS EXTREMELY COLD, THE STRUTS DO NOT WORK AND THE DOOR FALLS FREELY ONTO YOUR HEAD OR WHATEVER IS IN THE WAY. THIS HAS BEEN AN ONGOING ISSUE WITH THIS CAR SINCE I PURCHASED IT IN JULY 2006. THIS IS AN OBVIOUS DESIGN DEFECT THAT COULD LEAD TO AN INJURY. *TR