NHTSA Complaint #10502615 — 2006 SUBARU B9 TRIBECA

ON MARCH 10, 2013, AS I WAS PUTTING MY CHILDREN IN THE CAR, MY VEHICLE'S RIGHT FRONT PASSENGER PUDDLE LIGHT OVERHEATED AND STARTED TO SMOKE WHILE MY VEHICLE WAS PARKED (NOT TURNED ON) AND IN MY GARAGE. THE LIGHTS COME ON AUTOMATICALLY WHEN THE DOOR OPENS. A STRONG ELECTRICAL ODOR ENSUED. THE IRVINGTON, NY FIRE DEPT WAS DISPATCHED TO INSPECT THE ISSUE AND DISABLE THE CAR. THEY DEEMED THE CAR UNSAFE AND SAID IT SHOULD BE TOWED TO THE DEALER. I CONTACTED SUBARU CUSTOMER SERVICE WHO AUTHORIZED A TOW, BECAUSE WESTCHESTER SUBARU SERVICE DEPT REFUSED. THE CAR HAS BEEN AT THE DEALER SINCE MONDAY AND THE DEALER, AS WELL AS CUSTOMER SERVICE, REFUSE TO PROVIDE ME WITH UPDATES (UNLESS I CALL) AND REFUSE TO PROVIDE ME A LOANER CAR. ALL THIS DESPITE THE FACT THAT THIS IS A SUBARU RECALL. IN FACT, THE RECALL LETTER STATES THE PROBLEM SHOULD TAKE ONLY ABOUT ONE HOUR TO FIX. THE DEALER ALSO DOES NOT APPEAR TO HAVE THE NECESSARY PARTS IN STOCK. NEEDLESS TO SAY,WE RECEIVED THE RECALL LETTER FROM SUBARU (NHTSA RECALL NO. 12V-602) THE DAY BEFORE THE INCIDENT (MARCH 9, 2013). SINCE THIS IS A SUBARU RECALL, AND IN FACT THE SITUATION COULD HAVE BECOME DANGEROUS AND DEADLY IF I DID NOT ALL THE FIRE DEPT, THE COMPANY AND DEALERSHIP HAVE BEEN MORE THAN UN-HELPFUL. I BELIEVE THE SITUATION WARRANTS ATTENTION FROM THE NHTSA. *TR