NHTSA Complaint #10496624 — 2007 SUBARU B9 TRIBECA

WHILE DRIVING ON AN INTERSTATE HIGHWAY AT ~55 MPH, HEARD A METALLIC NOISE, THREE INDICATORS WENT ON, SMELL BURNT RUBBER. A STEERING WHEEL STOPPED OPERATING PROPERLY AND WOULD TURN ONLY WHEN APPLYING MUCH EFFORT. LUCKY TO BE IN THE RIGHT LANE AND BE ABLE TO GRADUALLY PULL OFF WITHOUT CAUSING AN INCIDENT. THE INCIDENT MIGHT HAVE BEEN LIFE THREATENING, TAKING INTO ACCOUNT HIGH SPEEDS AND HEAVY TRUCKS ON THE ROAD. WAS ABLE TO REACH TO THE NEAREST SUBARU SERVICE. THE PROBLEM: PULLEYS, DRIVE BELTS, TENSIONERS BROKE DUE TO WEAR AND TEAR. DUE TO THE VEHICLE ENGINEERING DESIGN, THIS PROBLEM CAUSES NON-RESPONSIVENESS OF THE STEERING WHEEL. THE VEHICLE HAS ~90K MILES AND HAS BEEN OPERATED IN A CITY CONDITIONS. TECHNICIAN SAID THIS PROBLEM HAPPENED WITH OTHER VEHICLES OF THIS MODEL; THESE PARTS ARE NOT NORMALLY INSPECTED DURING REGULAR MAINTENANCE AND THUS ARE IMPOSSIBLE TO BE DETECTED. THUS, THE PARTS THAT BROKE HAVE LIMITED LIFESPAN WHICH MAKES THE VEHICLE DANGEROUS TO OPERATE. CONTACTED SUBARU -- THEY SAY IT IS BEYOND THE ORIGINAL WARRANTY OF 3 YRS / 36 TH.MILES AND THE LIFE EXPECTANCY OF ANY PART IS UNKNOWN. DOES IT MEAN THE SUBARU'S SAFETY PLEDGE IS ALSO VALID FOR THE TIME OF THE ORIGINAL WARRANTY?? *TR