NHTSA Complaint #10706357 — 2010 SUBARU OUTBACK

TRIED TO OPEN DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR TO EXIT CAR AFTER PARKING. HANDLE MADE A SOMEWHAT DIFFERENT SOUND THAN USUAL, AND FAILED TO OPEN LATCH. LOCKING/UNLOCKING AND MULTIPLE ATTEMPTS TO OPERATE INSIDE DOOR HANDLE WERE UNSUCCESSFUL IN OPENING THE DOOR. WITH DIFFICULTY, I WAS ABLE TO MOVE INTO PASSENGER SIDE OF FRONT SEAT BY CLIMBING OVER THE CONSOLE AND WAS ABLE TO EXIT THE CARE. WHILE THIS WAS NOT AN EMERGENCY, HAD IT OCCURRED DURING AN EMERGENCY, THE DRIVER LIKELY WOULD HAVE BEEN TRAPPED FOR SEVERAL MINUTES. I TOOK IT IN FOR A REPAIR TODAY, AND SUBARU DEALER CAN'T GET THE PART (CABLE RUNNING BETWEEN INSIDE DOOR HANDLE AND LATCH) FOR 3-4 DAYS. TOLD IT WAS NOT COVERED BY WARRANTY. WONDERED IF IT MIGHT BE RELATED TO THE 2010 TRIBECA DOOR LATCH PROBLEM WHICH PROMPTED A RECALL. *TR