NHTSA Complaint #11297032 — 2013 SUBARU IMPREZA

WHILE GOING 65 MPH ON THE HIGHWAY THE CONTINUOUS VARIABLE TRANSMISSION LOCKED UP, GAS PEDAL BECAME UNRESPONSIVE, AND THE CAR HAD TO BE TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP. I AM THANKFUL THAT A CAR WAS NOT TAILING BEHIND ME AND THAT I WAS NOT DRIVING DURING COMMUTE HOURS. TRACTION ASSIST, HILL ASSIST, AND CHECK ENGINE AT OIL TEMP LIGHT CAME ON. AT 97,000 MILES ON THE ODOMETER, THE DEALERSHIP SAID IT WAS TRANSMISSION FAILURE. PARTS IN THE TRANSMISSION WERE REPLACED; HOWEVER, DUE TO THE NATURE OF THE FAILURE AND THE POTENTIAL FOR BODILY HARM AND HARM TO PROPERTY, THESE TRANSMISSIONS SHOULD BE RECALLED AND REPLACED AS A UNIT. FOR A CAR THAT HAS HAD REGULAR MAINTENANCE AND THAT HAS NOT DRIVEN IN SEVERE CONDITIONS, IT WAS SURPRISING THAT A TRANSMISSION FAILURE SHOULD OCCUR AT THIS MILEAGE. WHILE THE EXTENDED WARRANTY FROM SUBARU SHOWS GOOD FAITH, IT DOES VERY LITTLE TO PROTECT THE SAFETY OF SUBARU DRIVERS. IT IS RECKLESS AND ABHORRENT FOR SUBARU TO BE AWARE OF THE SAFETY PROBLEM AND TO DO NOTHING TO MITIGATE IT.