NHTSA Complaint #10681177 — 2014 SUBARU XV CROSSTREK

I HAVE A 2014 SUBARU CROSSTREK (14K MILES) AND MY STEERING WHEEL WILL FEEL LIKE IT LOST CONTACT (DEAD SPOT) WITH THE STEERING RACK FOR A SECOND OR TWO. THE PROBLEM IS INTERMITTENT AND I CAN'T REPRODUCE FOR THE DEALER SERVICE TECHS. AT TIMES GET FUNKY VIBRATIONS LIKE A STRUT BOUNCE FROM THE LEFT FRONT WHEEL OR EXCESSIVE SIDE TO SIDE YAW MOTION AND THEN STEERING WHEEL ROCKS (LEFT TO RIGHT), THE ELECTRIC STEERING FEELS LIKE IT WANTS TO ADJUST AND THEN GOES NUMB (NO ROAD FEELING) AND RECOVERS, NEVER ANY ERROR DASH LIGHT OR CODE. THE CAR HAS BEEN TO THE SUBARU DEALER WHERE I BOUGHT THE CAR TWICE WITH NO TROUBLE FOUND. A SECOND DEALER TOOK THE CAR FOR A TEST DRIVE AND DID NOT REPRODUCE THE PROBLEM, I WAS TOLD THAT WITHOUT A TROUBLE LIGHT OR CODE THEY MAY NEVER FIND THE PROBLEM. A THIRD SUBARU DEALER GOT ALL ANTSY WHEN I TOLD THEM THE PROBLEM (LIKE IT IS A KNOWN ISSUE) AND MADE ME OUT OF THE SERVICE AREA BY YELLING, THEY DID NOT HAVE TIME OR TECHS TO TROUBLE SHOOT THIS PROBLEM. I CONTACTED SUBARU OF AMERICA AND GOT A COMPLAINT TICKET ON FILE (1-8235180260). I FIND IT ODD THAT A MODERN CAR WITH ELECTRONIC (ELECTRIC) STEERING SYSTEM HAS NO STRESS TEST DIAGNOSTICS OR A FAIL SAFE TO PREVENT THE DRIVER FROM LOOSING CONTROL. BESIDES THIS INTERMITTENT STEERING ISSUE AND THE BAD SUBARU DEALER SERVICE NETWORK, THE CROSSTREK IS ALSO SCARY TO DRIVE IN HIGH WINDS. *TR