NHTSA Complaint #11076906 — 2018 SUBARU LEGACY

PURCHASED A NEW SUBARU LEGACY FEB. 28, 2018. AFTER ONLY 70 MILES THE WARNING LIGHT FOR SEAT BELTS AND AIRBAG MALFUNCTION APPEARED ON A STARLINK SYSTEM AND DASH. AFTER IMMEDIATELY TAKING IT IN AT THE LOCAL CAR DEALER, SERVICE AGENTS CLAIMED THAT A "RODENT" HAS CAUSED THE DAMAGE. AFTER FURTHER RESEARCH, WE HAVE DISCOVERED A NATIONAL CIVIL SUIT AGAINST SUBARU. APPARENTLY THEY ARE USING BIODEGRADABLE MATERIALS ON THE WIRING OF MANY NEW CARS THAT ATTRACTS SQUIRRELS AND MICE. WE HAVE LIVED AT OUR CURRENT RESIDENCE FOR OVER 35 YEARS WITH NUMEROUS CARS IN THE DRIVEWAY WITHOUT THIS PROBLEM. CONSUMER REPORTS ON JULY 10,2017, REPORTED THAT THEY HAVE UNCOVERED VARIOUS TECHNICAL BULLETINS FROM FORD, GM, HONDA, TOYOTA, AS WELL AS SUBARU CONCERNING THIS ISSUE. DEALER, AT THE MOMENT, REFUSES TO FIX IT WITHOUT EXTENSIVE COST TO US. THIS IS A SERIOUS PROBLEM WITH THIS CAR--DRIVING IT WOULD NOT ONLY BE UNSAFE BUT ILLEGAL SINCE THE AIR BAG AS WELL AS THE SEAT BELTS SHOW A MALFUNCTION. FIXING IT MAY NOT SOLVE THE PROBLEM ON PERMANENT BASIS.