NHTSA Complaint #10940052 — 2014 SUBARU OUTBACK

I HAVE HAD SEVERAL INSTANCES WHERE WHEN DRIVING IN SNOW ON INTERSTATE THE SNOW GETS PACKED IN THE WHEELS IT CAUSES SEVERE PROBLEMS STEERING. ON MORE THAN ONE INSTANCE I HAVE HAD TO PULL OFF THE ROAD AND FIND A CAR WASH TO CLEAN THE SNOW IN ORDER TO BE ABLE TO DRIVE SAFELY. FRONT END VIBRATES SO MUCH I HAD TO REDUCE SPEED TO BELOW 45 MPH AND TO PULL OFF THE ROAD. I HAVE ASKED SUBARU THROUGH THEIR NATIONAL SUPPORT HOTLINE HOW TO SOLVE THE PROBLEM. THEIR RESPONSE WAS THAT THEY HAD NEVER HEARD THIS COMPLAINT AND DID NOT HAVE A SOLUTION. I ASKED THAT THEY EMAIL THEIR RESPONSE SO I WOULD HAVE IT IN WRITING. THEY SAID THEY WOULD DO THAT BUT NO RESPONSE WAS EVER RECEIVED. I DID CONFIRM THEY HAD MY CORRECT EMAIL ADDRESS AND HAVE RECEIVED SURVEY FOLLOWUPS USING MY EMAIL ADDRESS BUT NOTHING FROM THE SUPPORT CENTER. PURCHASING REPLACEMENT STEEL WHEELS CAN RESOLVE THE PROBLEM BUT THEY ARE EXPENSIVE ( $400 TO $1000) DEPENDING ON WHEEL TYPE. THE LOCAL DEALER OFFERED THE SOLUTIONS OF SPRAYING PAM INSIDE THE WHEEL WELL, BUYING AFTER MARKET WHEEL COVERS ( NONE EXIST PER MY RESEARCH), OR DEALER REPLACING THE WHEELS AT COST OF $1200 WHICH MAY INCLUDE TIRES, NOT SURE. LOCAL DEALER ALSO OFFERED TO HOSE OUT MY WHEELS IF I BROUGHT IT IN WHICH WOULD REQUIRE DRIVING THE VEHICLE WITH THE PROBLEM WHICH IS UNSAFE. WHEN I ASKED ABOUT TOWING THEY POINTED OUT THE VEHICLE IS OUT OF WARRANTY, 39,000 MILES. I POINTED OUT THAT IT HAD HAPPENED PRIOR TO WARRANTY RUNNING OUT AND HAD BEEN PREVIOUSLY REPORTED WITH NO SOLUTION PROVIDED. I LIVE IN A SNOWY AREA AND HAVING TO PULL OFF THE ROAD EACH TIME THIS ISSUE OCCURS IS UNSAFE. MY CONCERN IS THAT SUBARU DOESN'T WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE PROBLEM FORMALLY AND THAT THE SAFETY OF THE OWNERS SHOULD BE CONSIDERED. *TR