NHTSA Complaint #10397203 — 2002 SUBARU IMPREZA

THE PASSENGER SIDE LOWER CONTROL ARM BROKE WHILE LEAVING THE DRIVEWAY. IT WAS ABOUT MIDNIGHT. ATTEMPTS WERE MADE TO DRIVE THE CAR. HOWEVER ONCE I CHECKED THE STEERING AND NOTICED THAT THE TWO FRONT WHEELS WERE NOT TRACKING TOGETHER, I LEFT THE CAR WHERE IT WAS SINCE IT WAS DARK AND I COULD NOT SEE WHAT THE ISSUE WAS. NEXT MORNING A TOW TRUCK WAS CALLED AND HE SHOWED ME WHERE THE LOWER CONTROL ARM HAD SHEARED OFF. AT THE LOWER SECTION OF THE CONTROL ARM. THE REST OF IT WAS COMPLETELY CORRODED. ONCE THE CAR WAS DELIVERED TO THE REPAIR GARAGE, IT WAS PUT ON THE HOIST AND THE DRIVER'S SIDE LOWER CONTROL ARM WAS CHECKED. USING A HAMMER THE MECHANIC WAS ABLE TO PUT A LARGE HOLE IN THE CONTROL ARM SECTION ABOVE THE BASE OF THE CONTROL ARM. THE CONTROL ARM IN PROFILE SECTION LOOKS LIKE A TRIANGLE. HE PUT A HOLE IN THE UPPER FRONT LEG OF THE TRIANGLE. I HAVE CONTACTED TRANSPORT CANADA AS WELL TO ALERT THEM OF THE ISSUE AND FILE A COMPLAINT. I HAVE THE OLD PARTS. I HAVE INSTALLED TWO NEW CONTROL ARMS AND THE SWAY BAR LINK KIT FOR A TOTAL COST OF $ 1,384 CDN. JUST LAST WEEK THE CAR HAD BEEN ON A ROAD TRIP AT NIGHT I WAS EXTREMELY FORTUNATE THAT THE LOWER CONTROL ARM DID NOT FAIL THEN. I AM SHOCKED THAT BOTH ARMS WERE SO BADLY CORRODED AND ONE COMPLETELY FAILED. THE CAR WAS MADE IN APRIL 2001. I AM ALSO CONCERNED BECAUSE I OWN A 2005 SUBARU FORESTER AND I DO NOT KNOW IF THIS MAY BE A SIMILAR ISSUE FOR THE FORESTER'S LOWER CONTROL ARMS WITH RESPECT TO CORROSION AT THE SAME PLACE AND WHETHER THIS WILL HAPPEN TO THE FORESTER IN 3 YEARS TIME. *TR