NHTSA Complaint #10534894 — 2008 SUBARU IMPREZA

THE CLUTCH PEDAL ON MY 2008 WRX MAKES A LOUD CREAKING NOISE EVERY TIME IT'S DEPRESSED (IT WILL ALSO POP IF COLD OUT). AFTER READING OTHER COMPLAINTS ONLINE I FOUND THE ENTIRE CLUTCH PEDAL BRACKET ASSEMBLY (ATTACHED TO THE FORWARD FIREWALL) SHIFTS APPROX 1/4 INCH EVERY TIME THE CLUTCH PEDAL IS DEPRESSED, ALSO CAUSING THE BRAKE PEDAL TO FLEX TO THE LEFT. I CAN SEE AT LEAST TWO OF MY THREE SPOT WELDS SECURING THE CLUTCH PEDAL BRACKET TO THE FORWARD FIREWALL ARE BROKEN. THE WHOLE CLUTCH PEDAL ASSEMBLY PULLS AWAY FROM THE FIREWALL EVERY TIME THE CLUTCH PEDAL IS DEPRESSED, THE SLAVE CYLINDER UNIT VISIBLY MOVES. THIS ALLOWS THE ENTIRE CLUTCH PEDAL BRACKET ASSEMBLY TO MOVE, CAUSING THE CREAKING NOISE. IF THE BRACKET COMPLETELY SEPARATES FROM THE FIREWALL, THE CLUTCH MAY BECOME COMPLETELY INOPERATIVE, IT ALREADY FREQUENTLY FEELS LIKE I CANNOT PUSH THE CLUTCH IN FAR ENOUGH TO GET IT INTO GEAR. FEEDBACK FROM THE ONLINE FORUMS SHOWS SUBARU IS NOT ADDRESSING THE PROBLEM OF THE FAULTY WELDS LEADING TO EXPENSIVE CONSUMER REPAIRS OR ALTERNATIVE DIY FIXES. *TR