NHTSA Complaint #11044036 — 2014 SUBARU WRX

CLUTCH THROW OUT BEARING PREMATURE FAILURE (ALSO KNOWN AS RELEASE BEARING). REPLACED TOB AT APPROX 16,000 MILES, 33,000 AND 44,000 MILES. THE CAR IS NOW ON IT'S 4TH THROW OUT BEARING WITH 46,000 MILES AND THE BEARING IS ALREADY MAKING NOISE AGAIN. THE SYMPTOM IS A CHIRPING BEARING SOUND WHEN THE CLUTCH IS PUSHED PARTIALLY OR FULLY TO THE FLOOR, AND AGAIN WHEN YOU START TO LET THE CLUTCH BACK OUT. THE NOISE GOES AWAY WHEN THE CLUTCH PETAL IS OUT (NOT IN USE). THIS HAPPENS WHETHER THE CAR IS STATIONARY OR IN MOTION. THE SOUND GOES AWAY AFTER THE CAR HAS BEEN DRIVEN A FEW MILES, BUT HAPPENS EVERY TIME THE CAR IS DRIVEN AFTER IT'S BEEN SITTING FOR A WHILE (LONG ENOUGH TO COOL DOWN). EVEN THOUGH IT SEEMS LIKE THIS IS NOT A SIGNIFICANT PROBLEM BECAUSE THE NOISE GOES AWAY AFTER YOU DRIVE A FEW MILES, EVERY TIME I HAVE HAD THE TRANSMISSION REMOVED SO THE CLUTCH CAN BE INSPECTED THE THROW OUT BEARING SHOWS SIGNIFICANT WEAR AS WELL AS THE FINGERS ON THE PRESSURE PLATE. THE CLUTCH PLATE ITSELF AND FLYWHEEL SHOW ONLY NORMAL WEAR, BUT THE THROW OUT BEARING FAILURE IS CHRONIC AND REOCCURRING (IT'S HAPPENED WITH FOUR BEARINGS NOW ON THIS CAR). I BELIEVE THAT IF THE THROW OUT BEARING WAS NOT REPLACED AT THE FREQUENCY THAT I REPLACED IT, IT WOULD LEAD TO SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE TO THE ENTIRE CLUTCH ASSEMBLY AND POSSIBLY TRANSMISSION. SUBARU PAID FOR THE FIRST TWO REPAIRS, BUT NOT THE MOST RECENT ONE. AT THIS POINT I THINK IT IS A MANUFACTURER DEFECTIVE PART (THE THROW OUT BEARING) - BUT SUBARU IS NOT TAKING RESPONSIBILITY AND I HAVE VERY LITTLE OPTIONS OTHER THAN PAYING FOR A $1,500 REPAIR (ALL LABOR FOR A $50 PART - THAT'S RIGHT - THE TOB IS ONLY A $50 PART) EVERY 10,000-15,000 MILES. THAT'S A HELL OF A MAINTENANCE SCHEDULE.