NHTSA Complaint #11097739 — 2017 SUBARU IMPREZA

ON MARCH 22, 2018, MY 2017 SUBARU IMPREZA SPORT WAGON, WITH APPROXIMATELY 10,000 MILES EXPERIENCED A CATASTROPHIC FAILURE OF THE REAR SUSPENSION COMPONENTS TRAVELING AT 8 MILES PER HOUR. I WAS PROCEEDING THROUGH A GREEN LIGHT ' MAKING A RIGHT. 3/4 OF THE WAY THRU THE TURN I FELT A VIOLENT JARRING OF MY CAR ON THE LEFT SIDE AND THE DRIVER'S SIDE CURTAIN AIRBAG SLAMMED THE LEFT SIDE OF MY UPPER BODY NECK AND HEAD. I SAW THAT MY DIRECTION OF TRAVEL DID NOT CHANGE I STARTED TO PULL OFF TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND APPLY THE BRAKES. HAD NO BRAKES. A WOMAN PULLED OVER AND SHE SAID " NO ONE HIT YOU, YOUR WHEEL JUST FELL OFF." POLICE CAME AND HELPED ME OUT OF MY CAR AND COMPLETED AN ACCIDENT REPORT. WE NOTICED 1/2 OF MY WHEEL WAS IN THE INTERSECTION AND A POLICE OFFICER RECOVERED IT FOR ME. MITCHELL SUBARU INSPECTED THE VEHICLE SUBMITTED A CLAIM WITH SUBARU OF AMERICA (SOA) STATING CATASTROPHIC FAILURE OF THE REAR SUSPENSION COMPONENTS. SOA THEN CONDUCTED THEIR OWN INVESTIGATION OF THE INCIDENT. THE SOA REPRESENTATIVES WRONGLY CONCLUDED THAT I WAS INVOLVED IN A 'HIGH SPEED, REAR COLLISION WITH ANOTHER VEHICLE'. THEY DID NOT EXAMINE OR REMOVE ANY SUSPENSION COMPONENTS FOR FURTHER TESTING. SOA CONCLUSIONS ARE COMPLETELY INACCURATE. THE POLICE OFFICER IS ADAMANT THAT THERE WAS NO OTHER VEHICLE INVOLVED. EYEWITNESS ON THE SCENE STATED THAT SHE WATCHED THE EVENT UNFOLD AND THAT MY WHEEL 'FELL OFF'. THE ADJUSTER FROM MY INSURANCE COMPANY CONCLUDED THAT A 'MASSIVE FAILURE OF THE RIGHT REAR WHEEL / SUSPENSION CAUSED THE ACCIDENT', 'NO OTHER VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED'. A FACTORY TRAINED SUBARU TECHNICIAN WITH 20 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE STATED THAT THERE WAS NO DAMAGE THAT POINTED TO A COLLISION AND THAT THE SCUFF MARKS NOTED BY SOA WHERE CAUSED BY THE REAR TIRE SLAMMING INTO THE PANEL. SOA DENIES ALL RESPONSIBILITY FOR THIS DEVASTATING FAILURE OF THEIR PRODUCT.