NHTSA Complaint #11090261 — 2018 SUBARU CROSSTREK

MY SAFETY CONCERN WITH THE 2018 SUBARU CROSSTREK RESULTS FROM A HUGE AMOUNT OF ENGINE REV HANG ( REV HANG - A HIGH (OR 'HANGING') ENGINE RPM AFTER DEPRESSING THE CLUTCH PEDAL. REFERENCE - SUBARU OUTBACK SB# 11-174-17R DATED 6 23 17 ) WHEN SHIFTING UP THROUGH THE LOWER GEARS. AS A RESULT OF REV HANG, IT IS ESSENTIALLY IMPOSSIBLE TO DRIVE THIS CAR SAFELY AND EFFICIENTLY IN TRAFFIC WITHOUT SEVERELY ABUSING THE DRIVE TRAIN. THE PROBLEM IS MOST NOTICEABLE WHEN DRIVING IN STOP AND GO TRAFFIC WHILE UP-SHIFTING FROM FIRST AND SECOND GEAR, WHERE REV HANG CAN EXIST FOR 3 TO 4 SECONDS. A POTENTIAL SAFETY ISSUE EXISTS AS YOU ARE AT RISK OF A REAR END COLLISION AS THE CAR ABRUPTLY SLOWS, WITH THE CAR'S BRAKE LIGHTS OFF ( THIS IS ESPECIALLY EVIDENT WHEN DRIVING IN TRAFFIC AND GOING UP A HILL ) WHILE YOU SIT AND WAIT FOR ENGINE REV HANG TO DISSIPATE IN ORDER TO UP-SHIFT THE CAR'S TRANSMISSION. I MENTION THIS POTENTIAL SAFETY ISSUE AS IT IS ONE THAT I HAVE EXPERIENCED WHILE DRIVING IN STOP AND GO TRAFFIC AND GOING UP A HILL IN BOSTON EARLIER THIS MONTH. ADDITIONALLY, I AM CONVINCED THAT THIS REV HANG ISSUE, IF LEFT UNCORRECTED, WILL ULTIMATELY RESULT IN UNACCEPTABLY SHORTENED CLUTCH, TRANSMISSION AND ASSOCIATED DRIVE TRAIN COMPONENT LIFE. ALSO, EXCESSIVE BRAKE WEAR WILL MOST CERTAINLY RESULT, AS ANY AVAILABLE ENGINE BRAKING HAS BEEN ESSENTIALLY ELIMINATED BY ENGINE REV HANG. NOTE ' THIS REV HANG ISSUE HAS BEEN REPORTED TO SUBARU OF AMERICA, SEE S OF A SR #:1-31863796593, AND REMAINS UNCORRECTED.