NHTSA Complaint #11162011 — 2009 SUBARU IMPREZA

THE FIREWALL WELDS HAVE FAILED AND BROKEN, RESULTING IN STRUCTURAL FAILURE OF THE CLUTCH AND BRAKE PEDAL MOUNTS. THIS LEADS TO THE CLUTCH NOT BEING ABLE TO BE FULLY AND PROPERLY DEPRESSED, RESULTING IN HARD GEAR SHIFTS, GRINDING, EXCESS TRANSMISSION WEAR, AS WELL AS THE BRAKE PEDAL AND CLUTCH PEDAL MOVING WHEN DEPRESSED, WHICH IS OBVIOUSLY A SAFETY HAZARD IF THE PEDALS MOVE WHERE THEY SHOULDN'T WITHOUT BEING PURPOSEFULLY ADJUSTED. WHEN THE CLUTCH IS DEPRESSED, THE BRAKE PEDAL MOVES TO THE LEFT, TOWARD THE CLUTCH PEDAL AT LEAST AN INCH. THIS IS AN INCREDIBLE SAFETY HAZARD BECAUSE IN AN EMERGENCY SITUATION, IF THE BRAKE NEEDS TO BE APPLIED WHILE THE CLUTCH IS DEPRESSED, THE BRAKE PEDAL IS NOT WHERE IT SHOULD BE AND CAN BE MISSED BY MY FOOT WHILE TRYING TO APPLY THE BRAKE QUICKLY. THERE IS ALSO AN INCREDIBLY DISTRACTING AND ANNOYING SQUEAKING SOUND EVERY TIME THE CLUTCH IS DEPRESSED. SUBARU IS WELL AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM AS IT IS RELATIVELY COMMON. HOWEVER, THEY QUOTED ME $900 TO FIX IT. THIS IS A MANUFACTURE DEFECT AND SOMETHING THAT SHOULD BE TAKEN CARE OF BY THE MANUFACTURER. MY CAR HAS APPROXIMATELY 105,XXX MILES WITH THE PROBLEM STARTING AT 90,XXX MILES.