NHTSA Complaint #10331541 — 1999 SUBARU OUTBACK

WE EXPERIENCED AN INCIDENT IN WHICH A FRONT SUSPENSION COIL SPRING FAILED. PARKING OUR 1999 SUBARU LEGACY OUTBACK, THE VEHICLE WAS PERFECTLY FINE. IN THE MORNING THE VEHICLE HAD A FLAT DRIVER'S SIDE TIRE. JACKING THE CAR, IT WAS DIFFICULT TO REMOVE THE FLAT TIRE AND WHEEL. THE REASON IT WAS HARD TO REMOVE WAS THAT A SHARP LONG PIECE OF THE FRONT COIL SPRING HAS BROKEN AWAY, AND PUNCTURED THE SIDEWALL OF THE TIRE. WHEN THE TIRE AND WHEEL WERE FINALLY REMOVED, THE BROKEN COIL SPRING COULD BE SEEN SITTING ATOP THE FRONT STRUT. THE REMAINDER OF THE COIL SPRING HAD A LONG SHARP POINT THAT HAD SHOT DOWN OVER THE SPRING SEAT ON THE STRUT AND WAS PROTRUDING INTO THE WHEEL WELL AREA WHERE IT HAD DAMAGED THE TIRE. ALSO, MANY PIECES OF BLACK PAINT WHICH HAD BEEN COATING THE COIL SPRING COULD BE SEEN NOW LYING ON THE GROUND. THE COIL SPRING ITSELF WAS RUSTED OVER THE ENTIRE SPRING SURFACE OF THE SPRING. THE BROKEN PIECE OF THE COIL SPRING WHICH WAS SEPARATED FROM THE REST OF THE SPRING WAS PULLED OFF OF THE STRUT AND PUT INTO THE CAR. THE REMAINDER OF THE BROKEN COIL SPRING WAS THEN ABLE TO BE LIFTED UP AND SUSPENDED ABOVE THE STRUT COIL SPRING SEAT IN ORDER TO DRIVE THE CAR TO A SUBARU DEALER. THE SUBARU DEALER CHECKED MY VEHICLE VIN# TELLING ME THAT THERE WERE NO RECALLS ON THIS VEHICLE FOR ANY FAILED COIL SPRINGS. I REFERENCED A RECALL NOTICE I HAD FOUND ONLINE WHICH DETAILED THE EXACT FAILURE IN WHICH I HAD EXPERIENCED, A BROKEN COIL SPRING, CAUSED BY DEFECTING PAINT COATING THE SPRING, LEADING TO RUSTING OF THE SPRING AND BREAKAGE, ALSO OCCASIONALLY PUNCTURING TIRES IN THE PROCESS. I WAS TOLD A CALL WOULD BE PLACE TO THE SUBARU REP TO INQUIRE ABOUT SUCH A RECALL. I RECEIVED NOTICE THAT NO SUCH RECALL EXISTED AND NO WARRANTY COVERAGE EXISTED FOR THE FAILED COIL SPRING AND TIRE PUNCTURE. I CAN ONLY IMAGINE HOW SUCH A FAILURE AT HIGHWAY SPEED AND THE SUBSEQUENT DAMAGE TO VEHICLE AND DRIVER AND PASSENGER MIGHT ENSUE. *TR