NHTSA Complaint #10562557 — 2011 SUBARU IMPREZA

THE CLUTCH PEDAL ON MY 2011 STI MAKES A LOUD CREAKING NOISE EVERY TIME IT'S DEPRESSED. WHEN I INVESTIGATED THE NOISE, I NOTICED THAT THE ENTIRE CLUTCH PEDAL BRACKET ASSEMBLY (ATTACHED TO THE FORWARD FIREWALL) SHIFTS APPROX 1/4 INCH EVERY TIME THE CLUTCH PEDAL IS DEPRESSED. I FOUND THAT THE THREE SPOT WELDS SECURING THE CLUTCH PEDAL BRACKET TO THE FORWARD FIREWALL WERE BROKEN. FROM THE OUTSIDE OF THE FIREWALL, JUST UNDER THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS, I SAW THE SPOT WELDS PULLING AWAY FROM THE FIREWALL EVERY TIME THE CLUTCH PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED. 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 - ESPECIALLY DANGEROUS WHILE DRIVING. THIS HAS ALSO DIRECTLY CAUSED THE FAILURE OF THREE CLUTCH MASTER CYLINDERS IN THE LAST 6 MONTHS. 2 OF WHICH FAILED AT FREEWAY SPEEDS LEAVING ME WITH NO CLUTCH, AND A HARDLY ANY BRAKING CAPABILITY. (THE CLUTCH AND BRAKE PEDAL ARE BOTH ATTACHED TO THE SAME ASSEMBLY, THUS WHEN THE CLUTCH DOES NOT WORK, NEITHER DO THE BRAKES. REFERENCE LINKS: SUBARU IMPREZA GENERAL SERVICE BRAKES PROBLEMS SUBARU IMPREZA 2009 - POWER TRAIN - CAR SAFETY INFORMATION, FAILING PARTS, RECALLS, BULLETINS, COMPLAINTS FIREWALL WELD BREAK INFORMATION NEEDED. HTTP://WWW.WRXFORUMS.COM/FORUMS/37-C...INKAGE-45.HTML POPPING CLUTCH BROKEN FIREWALL FIX HTTP://WWW.WRXFORUMS.COM/FORUMS/37-C...BLY-ISSUE.HTML MY CLUTCH SQUEAK/BROKEN WELDS STORY ANOTHER 08 CLUTCH PEDAL/FIREWALL PROBLEM... CLUTCH SQUEAK FIX WITHOUT TAKING THE WHOLE DASH APART (NUT/BOLT STYLE) SQUEAK+CLICK CLUTCH PEDAL HELP - NASIOC 08 SQUEAKY CLUTCH PEDAL...ANYTHING TO WORRY ABOUT? - NASIOC BAD FIREWALL FLEX - NASIOC. *TR