NHTSA Complaint #10945142 — 2016 SUBARU WRX

MY COMPLAINT PERTAINS TO MY 2016 SUBARU WRX CLUTCH. THE CLUTCH STOPPED WORKING AFTER APPROXIMATELY 14,000 MILES AND 15 MONTHS OF OWNERSHIP. THE DEALERSHIP AND SUBARU OF AMERICA HAVE JUDGED THIS TO BE REGULAR USER WEAR AND TEAR AND ARE NOT COVERING IT UNDER WARRANTY. I WAS TOLD BY THE SERVICE MANAGER AND THE SOA THAT THIS IS NOT AN UNUSUAL OCCURRENCE. THE CLUTCH FAILED WITHOUT WARNING IN DECEMBER 2016 WHILE I WAS TRAVELING ON THE HIGHWAY AT ABOUT 60 MPH. I HAD PUT THE VEHICLE IN NEUTRAL WHILE COASTING DOWN A HILL. WHEN I TRIED TO RE-ENTER GEAR AT THE BASE OF THE HILL I FOUND THE GEAR BOX RESISTED ENTERING ALL GEARS. I WAS UNABLE TO PUT THE CAR BACK INTO GEAR AND WAS FORCED TO MAKE AN EMERGENCY EXIT FROM THE FLOW OF TRAFFIC TO THE SHOULDER. MY CAR ONLY REENGAGED INTO GEAR WHEN I TURNED IT OFF, PUT THE CAR INTO GEAR (WITH SOME STRUGGLE), AND THEN RESTARTED THE CAR. I IMMEDIATELY TOOK THE CAR TO A SERVICE STATION. I WAS EXCEPTIONALLY LUCKY THAT I WAS ABLE TO PERFORM THE EMERGENCY EXIT FROM TRAFFIC WITHOUT GETTING INTO A CRASH. SOME ADDITIONAL NOTES ON ISSUE. FIRST, THE CAR HAD UNDERGONE REGULARLY SCHEDULED MAINTENANCE LESS THAN 2 MONTHS PRIOR. THAT MAINTENANCE SCHEDULE INCLUDES AN INSPECTION OF THE VEHICLES TRANSMISSION. THE AUTHORIZED SUBARU DEALERSHIP THAT PERFORMED THE MAINTENANCE REPORTED NO PROBLEMS WITH THE TRANSMISSION. SECOND, THE VEHICLE IS PRIMARILY USED AS A HIGHWAY COMMUTER. IT HAS NOT BEEN USED FOR ANY MOTORSPORT, TRACK RACING, EXTREME DRIVING. THIRD, FOR WHAT IT'S WORTH ' I KNOW HOW TO DRIVE A MANUAL TRANSMISSION CAR. THIS IS MY 6TH MANUAL TRANSMISSION CAR IN 15 YEARS AND THIS IS MY FIRST-EVER CLUTCH ISSUE. FOR A VEHICLE TO FAIL IN SUCH A SPECTACULAR FASHION WITH NO WARNING SO SOON AFTER REGULAR MAINTENANCE AND AT SUCH LOW MILEAGE IS, IN MY OPINION, A SERIOUS HAZARD.