NHTSA Complaint #10733435 — 2009 SUBARU FORESTER

THIS PAST APRIL, I PURCHASED A 2009 SUBARU FORESTER FROM BYERS SUBARU AND EAGERLY ANTICIPATED THE OWNERSHIP EXPERIENCE SUBARU PROMISES AND PROUDLY BASES ITS REPUTATION. CONTRARY TO THE SUBARU PROMISE, MY EXPERIENCE OVER THE FIRST 3 MONTHS HAS BEEN A NIGHTMARE. PRIOR TO THE PURCHASE, I HAD COMMITTED TO HAVING THE SCHEDULED MAINTENANCE PERFORMED BY THE DEALER AND DID. THE FIRST SERVICE WAS PERFORMED WITHIN A FEW WEEKS OF PURCHASE ($700). A MONTH LATER THE VEHICLE STOPPED RUNNING AND REQUIRED A TOW TO A TEXAS SUBARU DEALERSHIP. INITIAL THOUGHTS WERE A TIMING BELT FAILURE. $600 DOLLARS LATER, I WAS TOLD THAT THE TIMING BELT PULLEY HAD FAILED AND WOULD REQUIRE EXTENSIVE ENGINE REPAIRS OR AN ENGINE REPLACEMENT ($2500 TO $6000). THE TIMING BELT WAS NOT DUE TO BE REPLACED FOR ANOTHER 10,000 MILES. DUE TO THE HIGH REPAIR COST AND THE FACT THAT THE DAMAGE OCCURRED WITHIN A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME AFTER PURCHASE, I REACHED OUT TO SUBARU AMERICA FOR ASSISTANCE WITH THE REPAIR. SUBARU COMMITTED TO 50% REIMBURSEMENT OF THE INITIAL $600 DEALER CHARGE. I APPROACHED BYERS SUBARU WITH THE SAME REQUEST FOR THE SAME REASON AND WAS INFORMED BY A MANAGER, THAT IT WAS NOT THEIR PROBLEM AND THAT I HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO PURCHASE AN EXTENDED WARRANTY.