NHTSA Complaint #10267601 — 2009 SUBARU IMPREZA WRX

I PURCHASED A 2009 SUBARU IMPREZA WRX (BUILD DATE OF 07/08) IN SEPTEMBER, 2008. ON DECEMBER 12, 2008 (W/ APPROX 3870 MILES ON THE ODOMETER) DURING MY COMMUTE LEAVING WORK UPON MERGING INTO TRAFFIC THE VEHICLE EXHIBITED A SUDDEN LOSS OF POWER. THANKFULLY AT THIS TIME TRAFFIC WAS LIGHT AND THERE WAS NO ACCIDENT. THE VEHICLE AT THIS TIME EXHIBITED A RATHER PRONOUNCED CYCLIC KNOCKING SOUND AND HARSH VIBRATION. I WAS ABLE TO LIMP THE VEHICLE TO THE HOME OF A FAMILY MEMBER (VEHICLE AT THIS POINT HAD 3892 MILES ON THE ODOMETER); SHORTLY THEREAFTER THE VEHICLE CEASED TO FUNCTION ENTIRELY AND COULD NOT BE RE-STARTED. THANKFULLY I WAS PROXIMAL TO THE HOME OF A FAMILY MEMBER. IT COULD BE ENVISIONED THAT THIS PROBLEM MIGHT LEAVE OTHERS STRANDED IN AN UNSAFE ENVIRONMENT (ESPECIALLY FOR THOSE LIVING IN/NEAR THE SNOW-BELT, AS I DO). THE PROBLEM WAS DIAGNOSED AS A SPUN ROD BEARING (#3 ROD) CAUSING ENGINE FAILURE, THE LONG BLOCK WAS REPLACED, AND THE VEHICLE WAS RETURNED TO ME ON DECEMBER 19, 2008. WHILE THE VEHICLE HAS NOT EXHIBITED ANY FURTHER PROBLEMS THUS FAR, IN THE RECENT MONTHS THROUGH MY OWN RESEARCH I HAVE BEEN MADE AWARE OF APPROXIMATELY 60 (AND COUNTING) OTHER 09 WRX THAT EXHIBIT THIS SAME DEFECT IN THE US. SIMILARLY I HAVE BEEN MADE AWARE OF 09 WRX EXHIBITING THIS SAME DEFECT IN BOTH CANADA AND AUSTRALIA, SOME LEGACY AND FORESTERS EXHIBITING THIS SAME DEFECT, AND THAT EVEN SOME REPLACEMENT ENGINES HAVE FAILED DUE TO THIS SAME DEFECT (SUBARU HAS REPLACED SOME DEFECTIVE ENGINES WITH FURTHER DEFECTIVE ENGINES). WHILE THE MOST RECENT PROBLEMS SEEM TO HAVE INITIATED ON VEHICLES BUILT IN 07/08, IT SEEMS THAT THIS DEFECT OR ONE VERY SIMILAR ALSO OCCURRED ON SELECT 08 SUBARU MODELS. FOR THE REASONS I HAVE PREVIOUSLY MENTIONED (LOSS OF POWER IN TRAFFIC OR COMPLETE ENGINE FAILURE WITH THE POTENTIAL TO LEAVE THE OCCUPANTS IN AN UNSAFE ENVIRONMENT) I FEEL THIS IS A LEGITIMATE SAFETY CONCERN AND HOPE THAT SOME RESOLUTION CAN BE MADE IN THE NEAR FUTURE. *TR