NHTSA Complaint #10493245 — 2008 SUBARU IMPREZA

MY 2008 SUBARU IMPREZA WRX HAS HAD A "HARD CLUTCH PEDAL". IM AN AUTO TECH AT A DEALER SO I TOOK A LOOK AT IT. I CHECKED THE SPRING AND THE PEDAL. I FOUND THE PEDAL WOULD BEND THE MOUNTING LOCATION UNDER THE DASH WHEN PUSHED IN. I LOOKED ON THE FIREWALL UNDER MY WIPER ARMS WHERE THE WELDS ARE AT. THE WELD THAT HOLDS THE CLUTCH AND BRAKE PEDALS TO THE FIREWALL IS CRACKED AND NOW IS CUTTING A HOLE IN THE FIREWALL. I CHECKED ONLINE FOR SOME HELP WITH THE PROBLEM, AND I FOUND OUT IM NOT THE ONLY ONE WITH THIS PROBLEM. I TOOK THE CAR TO MY LOCAL SUBARU DEALER. THE DEALER TOLD ME I NEEDED A CLUTCH. I ASK THEM TO LOOK AT THE FIREWALL WELDS THAT HOLD THE CLUTCH AND BRAKE PEDALS TO THE CAR. THEY TOLD ME TO GO AWAY AND NOT BRING MY CAR BACK TO THEM! I CALLED SUBARU OF AMERICA AFTER THIS ALL HAPPENED. THEY TOLD ME TO TAKE IT TO ANOTHER DEALER. SO I DID TO ONE " 3 HOURS AWAY ". THE NEXT DEALER TOLD ME THE CAR IS NOT SAFE TO DRIVE AND WELD IS CRACKED ON THE FIREWALL, AND THEY CALLED SUBARU OF AMERICA (SOA.) SOA NEVER CALLED THE DEALER BACK AND I TOOK THE CAR HOME AND WAITED. THEY CALLED ME 5 DAYS LATER AND TOLD ME I WOULD HAVE TO PAY 1/2 OF THE BILL TO FIX THE OEM DEFECT ON THE FIREWALL WELDS. I FEEL AS THOUGH THEY DON'T CARE ABOUT THIS SAFETY ISSUE EVEN THOUGH AFTER SOME RESEARCH ONLINE IT IS CLEAR THAT IM NOT THE ONLY ONE HAVING THIS SAME ISSUE. I HAVE VIDEOS AND PICTURES SHOWING THE DEFECTIVE WELDS AND CAN PRODUCE THEM FOR YOU. I NOTICED THIS ISSUE AROUND 58000 MILES. VEHICLE NOW HAS 60500 MILES. *TR UPDATED 02/19/13