NHTSA Complaint #10668013 — 2008 SUBARU WRX

LOUD CLICKING/CRACKING NOISE STARTED ABOUT A YEAR AGO WHEN THE CLUTCH IS LET OUT. DID NOT THINK TOO MUCH ABOUT IT. IN NOVEMBER OF 2014, THE CLICKING STOPPED AND WAS LEFT WITH AN EERIE SQUEAKING SOUND. THIS IS WHEN I STARTED TO INVESTIGATE WHAT IT IS. TURNS OUT, THE FIREWALL IS TOO THIN TO HANDLE THE PRESSURE FROM THE BRAKE/CLUTCH MECHANISM. THE PINS THAT GO THROUGH THE FIREWALL GET WORN AWAY FROM THE THIN FIREWALL CAUSING THE SPOT WELDS TO FAIL. THE CAR IS CURRENTLY AT A SUBARU DEALERSHIP AND THEY HAVE ACKNOWLEDGED THAT IT IS THE SPOT WELDS. I AM WAITING TO HEAR MORE FROM SUBARU OF AMERICA TO SEE IF THEY WILL ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THIS IS IN FACT A MANUFACTURES DEFECT AND NOT SOMETHING THAT IS CAUSED BY NORMAL WEAR AND TEAR. IF THAT WAS THE CASE THERE WOULD NOT BE THIS MANY COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS ISSUE. THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL ISSUED ON THIS MANUFACTURING DEFECT. IF THERE ARE THIS MANY COMPLAINTS HERE, HOW MANY CARS ARE OUT THERE WITH DRIVERS THAT ARE OBLIVIOUS TO THIS DEFECT THAT ARE STILL DRIVING WITH BRAKES/CLUTCH THAT COULD FAIL AT ANY TIME? *TR