NHTSA Complaint #10458889 — 2001 SUBARU OUTBACK

MY VEHICLE WAS INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN 03V153000, WHICH RESULTED IN MANUFACTURER RECALL WWM96-REAR. THIS RECALL WAS PERFORMED ON MY VEHICLE ON 4/13/2004 AT 36,339 MILES WITH THE INTENDED PURPOSE OF HALTING PREMATURE RUST-OUT OF THE REAR SUB-FRAME COMPONENT. IN THE PROCESS OF RECENTLY REPLACING EXHAUST COMPONENTS AT APPROXIMATELY 130,000 MILES IT WAS NOTED THAT THE REAR SUB-FRAME COMPONENT IS NOW PERFORATED BY RUST EVEN THOUGH SIMILAR COMPONENTS ARE NOT, WHICH WOULD SEEM TO INDICATE THAT THE ORIGINAL REPAIR WAS NOT ADEQUATE. AN EXCHANGE OF EMAILS AND TELEPHONE CALLS WITH SUBARU OF AMERICA HAS RESULTED IN A DECISION BY THEM TO DECLINE REPAIR OR REPLACEMENT OF THE COMPONENT AT THEIR EXPENSE DUE TO THE AGE OF THE VEHICLE. THE ONLY REMEDY OFFERED WAS A $500 CREDIT TOWARD THE PURCHASE OF A NEW SUBARU. SINCE REPLACEMENT IS NOT AN OPTION FOR ME AT THIS TIME I HAVE NO CHOICE BUT TO CONTINUE OPERATING THE VEHICLE IN ITS CURRENT CONDITION. MY SAFETY CONCERN IS THAT IN OPERATING THE VEHICLE TO WHAT I CONSIDER A REASONABLE POINT (200,000 MILES), THE CONSEQUENCE NOTED IN CAMPAIGN 03V153000 MAY OCCUR. I HAVE PICTURES OF THE SUB-FRAME COMPONENT AND COPIES OF THE EMAIL EXCHANGE WITH SUBARU OF AMERICA WHICH I CAN SEND TO YOU IF YOU SO DESIRE. *TR