NHTSA Complaint #11298078 — 2015 SUBARU OUTBACK

DURING THE FALL OF 2019, I NOTICED AN EXHAUST SMELL WHEN STARTING MY 2015 SUBARU OUTBACK IN MY GARAGE. THIS SMELL COINCIDED WITH THE CAR RUNNING ROUGH WHEN STARTING AND THE EXHAUST SMELL ENTERING THE CABIN WHEN THE HEATER WAS TURNED ON. I DID NOT NOTICE THIS CABIN EXHAUST SMELL IN THE SUMMER DUE TO USING THE AC ON RECIRCULATE. THE EXHAUST SMELL WAS ESPECIALLY NOTICEABLE WHEN I WAS IDLING WAITING TO PICK UP MY KIDS AND SITTING AT TRAFFIC STOPS. I BROUGHT MY VEHICLE IN TO A SUBARU DEALER AND THEY STATED THAT MY CATALYTIC CONVERTER WAS CRACKED AND SHOULD BE REPLACED. THIS WAS WHEN MY CAR WAS AT 80,829 MILES AND THEY ACTUALLY HAD THE PART ON HAND. I AM ASSUMING THAT THIS HAPPENS TO THEM QUITE FREQUENTLY SINCE STOCKING A $1500 ON HAND WOULD NOT BE THE BEST USE OF INVENTORY. THE REPAIR COST $1940 SINCE MY EMISSION WARRANTY WAS BARELY OUT DUE TO THE 829 MILES. I EXPLAINED TO THEM THAT THIS WAS HAPPENING WAY BEFORE THE 80,000 MILES, BUT THEY REFUSED TO COVER IT UNDER WARRANTY. I FEEL THAT HAVING EXHAUST ENTERING THE CABIN SHOULD BE AN EXCEPTION TO THE WARRANTY, ESPECIALLY WHEN KIDS LIVES ARE INVOLVED. ALSO, BY HAVING THIS PART ON HAND TELLS ME THAT I AM NOT THE ONLY OWNER HAVING THIS TYPE OF PROBLEM WITH MY SUBARU.